bears5122 - 8:11 pm on Mar 8, 2006 (gmt 0)

To be blunt, haven't general directories technically been dead from a user standpoint since the invention of search? How often do you really pull up one of these directories to search for something before Google? To be honest, most directories out there are simply glorified link farms.

As for the future, it really depends on what type. The general directory that pops up and sells links for a few bucks with a short description may always be around in some way. They will evolve to not seem like a directory to the search engines, but in the end, they will always be a link farm and rely on submissions to survive.

The ones that will survive and flourish are those that offer something unique, something extra, something you can't get from a normal search. For instance a directory of Italian restaurants in Chicago with menus, reviews, and information on the chef. These are the directories that will build traffic through word-of-mouth, links, and other sources. Over time they'll appear high on the search engines and get even more traffic.

So it is impossible to judge the future of directories as a whole. Those that offer something unique, something useful, and something users will actually want to use will thrive. Those that are generic, outdated, and offer nothing of value will slowly fade into the backdrop.