Adding Content to a Directory

Safe?

[McMohan]

One may argue, adding unique content can never harm any site. But my concerns arise from this.

I guess most of us have seen sites with link directory having PR zeroed only for link pages, and rest of the content pages behaving normally.
Apparently Google has understood those link pages are for link exchange and hence the PR0. In case of directories, since all the pages are link pages, Google considers that to be a directory, and assigns PR normally as it would to any normal site.

Now, if the directory goes about adding content pages, then Google may takes category pages with site listings as Link Directory for link exchange and give a PR0 and normal PR to content pages? Possible?

Thanks for sharing your ideas.

[ska_demon]

I suppose it would depend a little on how your directory works. If you generate some nice content and the only link out is to the recievers website I can't see how google can differentiate between a link exchange and a normal listing.

OTHO if google can follow the link to the recievers site and then find a link back to (I dunno? its possible)you then maybe a penalty will be put in place.

I have many link exchanges mixed up with non reciprocal listings and they all have pr. So, in my experience the answer to your question would be no.

BUT, I guess google could possibly tell the difference.

Ska

[McMohan]

Ska, good point. Though the whole issues centers around if Google cares to see if the linked sites are returing a link back, to make them look like Link Exchange relationship.

I am not sure though, the sites that have PR zeroed are zeroed because Google has established each outbound link is linking back. Unless one is sure, will it be safe to go about adding content pages? Infact I am in the middle of this process and during one random thought this possibility struck my mind.

[Event_King]

Say a directory page of content is heavily visited - does PageRank increase, because the page is seen to be popular? I've never been sure how this pagerank works exactly.

[McMohan]

Event_King, there are information galore about PR. Just search for ""how google pagerank works".

Simply, PR does'nt depend on content, design or number of visitors. Depends on PR the IBLs carry. And to some extent no. of external links on pages.

[The Contractor]

OTHO if google can follow the link to the recievers site and then find a link back to (I dunno? its possible)you then maybe a penalty will be put in place.

It's not only possible, but I'm sure they know what/how many recip links exist to a site.

BTW, not all directories contain recip links and also there are many directories that are not PR0.

[ska_demon]

It's not only possible, but I'm sure they know what/how many recip links exist to a site.

That makes a lot of sense and could explain a few things. I posted my first reply based on what I have been seeing over the past couple of months. Today I have taken a good hard look at the structure of my directorys' content pages.

It would appear that EITHER recip link submissions are pr0 or have NOT been assigned pr yet. The site is new so it's hard to tell whats going on at the moment. I have also noticed that any pages in a subcat that is 2 clicks or more from the index page has much lower pr.

Ska

[McMohan]

It's not only possible, but I'm sure they know what/how many recip links exist to a site

Contractor, if what you say is the case (which I guess most certainly is), adding content pages can do no harm? BTW, in my directory, recip link is not a necessity, nor even requested either.

[The Contractor]

My own opinion is if you are building a niche directory today you better have on-topic articles to accompany the topics in the directory if you want long-term survival.

[Event_King]

Articles are supposed to do what? Won't people just nick em for their own content.... As articles are 'stolen' each article and it's original resource becomes worthless. The resources are worthless as the articles they rely on, can now be found elsewhere - thus reducing visitor numbers. So we have the senario of millions of articles being passed about the web, rewritten or even passed off as someone elses.

Not to mention it's hardly original. At least do something a bit different content wise

Food for thought isn't it.

[McMohan]

Won't people just nick em for their own content

Google is pretty good in establishing who does an article actually belong to. i.e the article that is first indexed will remain attached to that site, no matter how many copy it.

[The Contractor]

Agree with McMohan here. Google is pretty darn good at crediting the first site with the content up.

Directories have been done in every imaginable way...it's very tough to do something different and still call it a directory. Face it, if you have a directory of businesses or any other entity, there is only so much information and ways to present it to the user. Niche directories are better to become niche portals imho.