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(please include any reasoning why they should be considered worthy).
The Directories that survive are being developed for a good and quality resource for the internet. Several new directories are being developed by persons who have put a lot of time, money and thought into the project. These will I hope survive and develop into quality resources surpassing what directories have offered webmasters in many years.
This is not a new trend. It is similar to the early 90’s trend when directory banner advertising was booming. When the banner advertising dried up so did many of the directories like Go.Com during what was called the .com crash.
I’m not sure if my own directory will survive but it seems to be developing well and is going to be considered a development project for the first three years of operation. When it’s out of the development stage I will see what direction I want to go with it.
What will happen to most when/if Google gets fed up of PageRank, and decides to drop it? I know it's popular now, but...
What does everybody do then. I've never been a fan of such controlling methods like Pagerank, it's like their forcing something from the customer. I've always judged portals and directories by ROI and websites by more than just a number of link exchanges they have.
I'm the customer and I won't have some company (no matter who they are) telling me what I can do or say.
Is Google, ODP etc really saying that a good quality site is only good, if it has 100'000 links pointing to it - surely this can't be right, nor an accurate judgement on each site's abilities.
This is what really makes me angry about the web, and why <snip> - I'm just so glad that I can offer something even Google can't. Yet people pay thousands to Google, Yahoo etc, and for what? A little green bar that forces others to accept a rating that is very inaccurate. What has the web turned into!
[edited by: engine at 10:53 pm (utc) on Nov. 16, 2004]
[edit reason] TOS [/edit]
Is Google, ODP etc really saying that a good quality site is only good, if it has 100'000 links pointing to itJust to point out that ODP neither counts nor cares about links :) .
jimnoble
ODP meta editor
Anyway, if Google controls the site rankings (so to speak) then it manipulates those rankings, and could theoretically gain a poor site more links because of the higher page rank, although shouldn't deserve it over a site that has superior designing, better service etc.
We don't have such a system because we feel it's unfair to manipulate search results.
I find that the best directories out there are the local search ones and highly-specialised niche directories. Their value does not depend on potentially ephemeral factors such as page rank, and it is possible to monetize such a directory over the longer term. It goes without saying that these directories contain hand-picked, relevant sites and are not just back-filled from DMOZ.
Directories that give accurate results will always be sought after, but it seems that these days good design work is not enough to make someone change their homepage to accommodate a new portal/engine. Portals are also too expensive in terms of ad space, so I think advertising will transfer to cheaper 'related' websites with good traffic flow.
The third tiers will probably not survive, also the PPC ones (3rd & 2nd levels) will go under too. I also forsee the many metas start to diminish rapidly from 2005/6, but to be replaced by others, so maybe not such a change with them. Also expect to see a lot more directory clones in the new year.
I also see the end for paper directories as web search has taken over.
I thought all engines liked sites that link to other related sites? Or is it content that matters now.
Regarding "all engines": The ODP is _not_ a search engine but a directory. It does no ranking of sites. Sites are handpicked by content, not by the amount of incomming links.
If they did that, I'd go back and use em again next time.
will niche directory will lead over the general directory as this is the era of specialization.
Thanks
Aji
There is no "end", just the here and now.
I am keenly aware of the fact that I am in business because of the top rankings for my niche that I get on the major search engines. I hope that if the time comes that search engines no longer give me as much traffic as they now do, that I'll still be able to survive. I'm just not sure how many people will find my directory without their help. I'm doing everything that I can think of to reach more people, but the results of my efforts are small when compared to the volume of traffic that the search engines send my way.
I think that a directory with good content will survive.
I've recently found a new directory that has an interesting model. They have services for the brands which want to position in a dedicated portal.
This kind of professional directory is a good alternative to Mega search engine.
My boss was happy when I showed him this site and will certainly buy their services.
Marc
[edited by: rogerd at 2:23 am (utc) on Dec. 29, 2004]
[edit reason] No URLs please... [/edit]
Every one of your messages so far has been plugging your website and listing its URL. This is against the TOS for webmasterworld. I hope you will stop the SPAMmy posts before they all get removed....
LOL :)
The only directories that will survive are the ones who have a good business model that includes paid editors, quality guidelines, extensive site promotion and long term goals.
The only directories that will survive are the ones who have a good business model that includes paid editors, quality guidelines, extensive site promotion and long term goals.
That's a good list.
Actually what is happening as the net grows larger, more and more niche directories and localized directories will begin to appear. Those will be the ones to survive as they are powered by local advertising and industry specific revenues.
Niche directories are definitely an up and coming prospect. The global directories are too big, too deep. There needs to be something a little more shallow and topic specific. Those types of directories will be the ones that survive.
Also, I think Portals and Vortals will replace the directory concept.
Sorry for having posted on this website so much.
But my purpose was to know the community opinion.
I believe that providing quality content and services is a good biz model, and companies will pay for.
My boss is a marketing guy who wants to know more on consumers. This is not possible through site like Google,....
[edited by: rogerd at 2:23 am (utc) on Dec. 29, 2004]
[edit reason] No URLs please... [/edit]
So many of these fourth-tier directories are set up by an ambitious programmer seeing the lucrative submission fees that other directories are charging and thinking 'I wouldn't mind earning some $$$s from paid submissions... hmmm... 50 submissions a day at $40 = $2000'. Concerns about where the directory will be in five years time or how they will continue to draw traffic to it to make paid submissions cost-effective for webmasters are not at the forefront of their mind.
The directories that will survive in the long run will be those that also have an option for free submission for non-commercial sites. Otherwise they are no more than unglorified shopping malls.
