Paying for directory inclusion
-
I just wanted to see what the general opinion was on paying for directory entries. How high should the PR be to justify paying for it? Or how much is justifiable for entry into a directory with a lower PR?
I have recently submitted my site to Yahoo Directory but I have only seen my rankings increase in the Yahoo search engine. Are there any directories that Google like?
-
Some directories are great.
An example is in the industrial marketplace and directories like ThomasNet. Thousands of companies pay ThomasNet to be listed in their directories where many engineers look for their services and get a great roi .
-
My experience with directories: I have 2 sites, one is in 3 directories (Gimpsy, JoeAnt and Galaxy) and it not in top 50. The other is on no directories at all but has a free eBook which is linked to and distributed in some other places and no less than 2 weeks later got to top 50 in google US for a bout 5 keywords, the highest being 23 (from not being in top 50 at all). I'm relatively new as are my campaigns.
I'm working on the free eBook thing for the site in the 3 directories, I really hope these directories aren't detrimental and it's just a case they aren't as powerfull!? if anyone knows?
-
I had previously been told that submitting to directories was the best way to improve your PR. I find all the other ways of creating backlinks rare - due to the industry and when I do find something of interest, the majority of the time it has a low PR so not really worth putting a link in. Also, we're in a position where we can't really create any new content on our website regularly - there isn't much else to say other than what's on our website.
-
I agree with @Anthony save your money and time. Directories are becoming less and less relevant and paying for a listing in one is showing reduced returns.
-
Save your money and your time. Put them both towards creating something of value on your website. Pay a designer to improve your best piece of content. Pay a writer to create a new piece of content. Do it yourself with your free time.
Sadly, sometimes Directories can still work. However, it is not a safe, long-term tactic and you can get more value by putting your resources somewhere else.
SEOmoz has a list of directories that you can consider. http://www.seomoz.org/directories
-
Yahoo Directory entries (but depending a lot on location and niche) are still ok for referral traffic. Some US Yahoo Directory niches are still receiving a lot of traffic and the ROI on the entry can get positive.
I would't do it from an SEO point of view though on Yahoo or any other directory. Some very "good" directories got penalized by Google for passing PR so you are on the safe side if you keep away from it.
No follow links from directories are good though - you balance the follow vs no follow ratio so that can also help.
-
It's dependant on what the directory is. Yes Google doesn't like paid links, but some customers may still use online directories so from that aspect they are good. Look at a directory and see whether they are ones your customers will use.
As William Lau said, Directories, for ranking, don't work as well as they used to anymore.
-
Directories don't work as well as they use to anymore. Don't forget Google doesn't allow paid links, for that purpose, you can see their stance on paid inclusion.
But if you are insisting, many users have agreed that Yahoo and BOTW are the better directories.
Got a burning SEO question?
Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.
Browse Questions
Explore more categories
-
Moz Tools
Chat with the community about the Moz tools.
-
SEO Tactics
Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers
-
Community
Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!
-
Digital Marketing
Chat about tactics outside of SEO
-
Research & Trends
Dive into research and trends in the search industry.
-
Support
Connect on product support and feature requests.
Related Questions
-
Do You Risk A Penalty From Local Paid Directories in 2022?
Hi there, I have a client who wants to advertise in a local directory along the lines of "find your nearest plumber". The directory only has paid listings and they are follow links and they also mention your site or generated landing page may get a nice bump on google. Is there a risk that they may get a penalty for using this directory? The client wants to use it regardless of if it gives them an SEO boost but obviously wants to avoid any penalties at all costs. Thoughts on this? Thanks in advance
Link Building | | Scottlinklater0 -
Are niche directories still helpful as good links to have to help ranking in the serps?
Are niche directories still helpful as good links to have to help ranking in the serps or has Google discounted directories? The Niche directories that i would be using are not spammy at all and are quality sources of info. Thanks mozzers!
Link Building | | Ron100 -
Is it time to pay for link building?
I've been using the Moz tools for a while now and love them. Our SEO efforts are certainly paying off as we're ranking well for a lot of our desired keywords. That being said, I'm finding link building to be a very frustrating process. As much as I like to be hands on and try to do everything, I'm wondering when it's time to "throw in the towel" and hire someone? Is there anyone else who might have gone through a similar evolution? I'd love to hear some other stories about how or why you decided to hire out your link building. I'd like to think that whatever we spend on link building could likely reduce our reliance on AdWords, although I'm not sure how this would really play out over time.
Link Building | | koalatm0 -
BOTW & Yahoo Directory
Hello! Typically how long does it take for these links to show up in Opensite Explorer? I sumbitted these approx 3-4 weeks, OSE has just updated, and I still cannot see in my link profile? Has anyone else experienced this? Thanks guys!
Link Building | | TP_Marketing0 -
What is the best company to use when building links to feature on multiple directories online?
I am looking to build links for my clients who are in a very competitive industry 'airport parking', can you advise where I can submit their URL to generate good quality links without being penalised?
Link Building | | shami0 -
Web directories
is it any point anymore to build links from web directories. Does google consider web directories anymore? Thank you awesome Mozzers! Vijay
Link Building | | vijayvasu0 -
Yahoo Directory unable to access a domain for submission
Tried submitting a website to Yahoo!'s directory but each time no matter how i input the domain i get the following error: We were unable to access your web page. Please double-check your URL. Is there anyway to contact Yahoo! to request a manual submission?
Link Building | | EAOM1 -
Listings, paid profiles and directories
Hi, In the industry I am working in (education), we do have a lot of portals offering paid listings (for example profiles featuring a school, the courses you offer, sometimes with reviews etc). Almost all big competitors and big names normally do have these kind of listings. Besides from having to decide if these sites really bring the relevant conversions, I am wondering about their impact on SEO. An example for an offer:
Link Building | | ecnic
Our Top Picks listing is a 40 word listing and logo we put on any 30 pages of our web site, example.com for 12 months, for $595 US. You can choose the pages you want, or we can put you on all our [category] pages, or certain continents/countries you want to target. Now, I am wondering: Do I have to worry about my linking profile ? (All of sudden a bunch of links with the exact same anchortext and content embedding to our site?) Or can I just decide to go with a paid listing based on the link value the page offers me? Looking forward to reading what you think!
Nicole0