inbound links from directory

how do the search engines decide if a site is a directory?

[keentolearn]

hi all

bit of a basic one this...

understanding that the search engines like (amongst other things) relevant inbound links...

when / how does it decide if a site is a directory and not penalize it for lots of outbounds and little in bounds?

what gives directory's good rankings?

if i added a directory sub section to a site - would it penalize the site for having a growing number of outbounds v inbounds?

or is it just a balancing act?

thanks for any input on this..
as ever
keen to learn..

[Quadrille]

I don't think - outside the SEs - there's a definitive answer to those questions.

>> when / how does it decide if a site is a directory and not penalize it for lots of outbounds and little in bounds?

I never heard of any site being penalized for lots of outbounds - but I have heard of directories penalized for linking to multiple bad neighborhoods. Many 'unfussy' directories have zero value, and significant risk attached as a result. I don't think directories get any 'special' treatment at all (except maybe the big guys like ODP and Yahoo!).

>> what gives directory's good rankings?

Same as any other site; listings in directories of directories, links to quality sites, good content securing organic links, etc., etc.

>> if i added a directory sub section to a site - would it penalize the site for having a growing number of outbounds v inbounds?

Never heard of such a penalty - but I doubt you'd gain anything, if the 'directory' content did not match the rest of your site. let's face it, such a directory would only be there to game the SEs, it would have minimal visitor value (compared with a 'real' directory), so why would the SEs reward you? We know that 'links' pages are a red flag; a mini directory just for the SEs would look like a forest of red flags! Leave the directorying to the directories, and they'll leave your site specialty to you :)

>> or is it just a balancing act?

Not at all. Just build the site for your visitors before you even think about the SEs, and you'll not go far wrong; then continue to resist the temptation to do anything that is not in your visitors' interests. More logic than balance ;)

[edited by: Quadrille at 10:30 am (utc) on July 31, 2007]