Google Directory Link Clones

All the top listings have links from same sources

[Lorel]

I just checked out my competitors in Google Directory, checking their PR and backlinks (for the purpose of finding more sites to submit my site to) and then I entered each one in Google search using their www.TheirDomain.com, so I would get all sites linking to them and EVERY one of the first 25 or so sites had links coming from the same sites (mostly directories), most of which had supplemental results and no PR. I only found 2 sites that had any PR. I therefore suspect these sites were all using the same link exchange company.

I had to go quite a ways down the list to get any decent sites for submitting links.

Very strange!

[wattsnew]

Thanks for sharing your insights, Lorel. That's sure how many of my Google searches look: 30 - 60% content-free directories, adsense sites and pseudo portals on the first page or two. It's not new.

Nothing wrong with a broad term searcher getting a few general information and referral sites first, but so many of these are mindless, repetitive keyword lists that do not link to authorities, but to content free advertisers and affiliates.

No legitimate site wants to copy that technique. Or must you build one of these blind traps to get any traffic to your real site these days?

[Lorel]

After checking this some more I think that most of these sites are coming from the dmoz.org directory--where the Google directory gets it's listing, i.e., these site could be from dmoz clones (i've noticed this before that most dmoz clones produce no PR). That doesn't explain everything however, as the Google directory is showing up my hard earned links while most of those other folks all have the same links to sites i wouldn't get involved with. The farther down the list I go the better the backlinks get.