When abouts does a "web directory" actually become a useful resource? - Talk Directories

mikey1090 · 01-27-2008, 01:40 PM

In the current world of website development, marketing and SEO the term directory gets used a lot.

A quick check of the entry for web directory in wikipedia for "web directory" shows :-

Quote:

A web directory or link directory is a directory on the World Wide Web. It specializes in linking to other web sites and categorizing those links.

A web directory is not a search engine, and does not display lists of web pages based on keywords, instead it lists web sites by category and subcategory. The categorization is usually based on the whole web site, rather than one page or a set of keywords, and sites are often limited to inclusion in only one or two categories. Web directories often allow site owners to directly submit their site for inclusion, and have editors review submissions for fitness.

We can draw several conclusions from this, but I wonder how many real "web directories" there are out there.

Does an empty category strucutre with a few webmaster sites count as a directory?
Does a word/tag cloud have the right to be defined as a directory?
Does a letter/alphabetical categorized bidding directory have the right to be defined as a directory?
At what point does a "directory" actaully become a useful resource rather than a category strucutre whose sole purpose is to manipulate search engine rankings?
How vast would a category strucutre need to be, and how many links within each category would a directory need before it became useful to ordinay web users?

Dirsensei Blog has a useful post regarding many general paid directories and some statistics. Interesting to see how many have editorially added sites and how many are just selling reviews/links to webmasters.

SEOMOZ have a very useful article highlighting what actually makes a good web directory.

Fuzzuck recently wrote an article showing the real meaning behind editorial integrity and how many directory owners claim to be editorially sound when actually they are not.

So members, directory owners - what actually does make a good web directory? Where can a newbie start and what can they learn from other directory owners? Unique category structures, extra resources, re-writing descriptions, not allowing spammy titles/anchor texts, adding sites themselves are just a few points of discussion.

Comments please.

DownUnder · 01-30-2008, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey1090

[*]At what point does a "directory" actaully become a useful resource rather than a category strucutre whose sole purpose is to manipulate search engine rankings?Comments please.

The answer to the question , at what point ?, to me that answer would be in the Visitor rate to your directory over a sustained period of time ( that number may vary per directory / owner expectations ) but the vote of bums on seats is the answer.

People using / returning to the directory make it concrete in a useful resource not what the owner chooses to think, some think they have it right with no visitors.

mikey1090 · 01-30-2008, 04:38 PM

Thats one good point that I never thought about Pete. Returning visitors shows a directory owner that their content was useful. This can be worked on further by updating content more often in order to make visits regular.

DownUnder · 01-30-2008, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey1090

Thats one good point that I never thought about Pete. Returning visitors shows a directory owner that their content was useful. This can be worked on further by updating content more often in order to make visits regular.

Being Old school i often see things different, in that i look at online and compare to the traditional ways i grew up with.

As an example, i buy the sunday paper and read it each week, why because each week the headline changes , the storys / content changes, Now if that paper just printed the same news each week i would stop buying it ( visiting it ) as i would have seen / read everything there was in it.

That is why a directory owner must be always active changing/ adding etc etc, just putting out a directory and not applying any work to it will result in a poor readership.

Compare it with say the yellow pages phone book that is dropped on my door once a year, i open it up when i get it, read it then throw it in the draw, where it stays where i may very rarley need it once or twice a year ( the content stays the same ) same principle with a directory.

mikey1090 · 01-30-2008, 05:36 PM

What advice would you give on providing unique content on a general diretory to help increase returning visitors?

DownUnder · 01-30-2008, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey1090

What advice would you give on providing unique content on a general diretory to help increase returning visitors?

LOL your getting better each day Mike, that's a leading question, I would rather not answer that at this stage in full as it gives away to many secrets.

In general as above keep it moving, keep it active. Happy to put some stuff up shortly but in that I am inspired by many leading directory owners / sites so nothing new

Botman · 01-31-2008, 09:44 PM

I think that traffic is a key measuring stick for how useful a resource any given directory may be. What drives that traffic? Seems an obvious answer would be there if you ask yourself why you might visit a site. Mainly because it has what your looking for in content and resources.

If you build a quality site that has features and content to offer visitors you can't go wrong. Build it and they will come.

As far as what content - well who do you want to attract?

mikey1090 · 02-01-2008, 03:54 AM

If you run a general directory you are effectively targetting everyone. Because of this it becomes near impossible to have a stunning resource to cater for every niche. You can work hard though and do your best to please visitors.

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