caseya - 5:33 pm on Sep 28, 2006 (gmt 0)

The problem is that I can find tons of directories that have excellent editorial policies and are very easy to navigate if you're a visitor but that have absolutely no value to a site that gets listed in it.

I believe that directories are allowed to exist because the SEs are not always the best way to help people find the information they're looking for. SEs index directories so people can find sites related to the widgets they're looking for in the first place.

So...it is my belief that a good directory is one that:
1. has pages that place well in major SEs for "widgets"
2. each widgets category contains only sites related to that widgets category

To achieve 1., the directory has to offer something of value to webmasters wanting to be listed. It has to have high PR, many links, old links, not link to bad neighborhoods, etc.

To achieve 2., the directory has to have a good editorial policy.

But, and here's the fun part...a directory that achieves only 2. is worthless to a webmaster. Where a directory that achieves only 1. can definitely still have value to a webmaster.

The best product in the world is worthless if no one ever sees it. Where the worst product in the world can still get bought by some people if everyone sees it.