Forum Moderators: LifeinAsia
Now the question remains, why are you building a directory?
Is it for your visitors?
Is it for the perceived PageRank value?
Why are you building that directory?
P.S. I'll have much more input on this. I first wanted to get some discussion going on why people are building, or are getting ready to build, a directory. We'll then look at all of the pitfalls that are associated with building a quality directory.
for me - clarity of thought - links structure - industry considerations - lots more.
i think what is the point of a directory may be a better question - do you need to do it?
adsense is a good reason for a directory, but creating a simplistic (search engine friendly) means of visitors finding resources on one's site is also a good thing.
brand is key (stickiness - they found an answer there once - help the search engines do they're perceived jobs - cut the junk out) - simplicity to the masses - create's money.
If I'm looking for a script for instance – isn't it easier to go to one of a few good script sites out there and find what you are looking for than wading through the serps of the SE's?
If I'm looking for something specific to a product, service, or type of company I can go to dmoz and find a slew of sites - again, without wading through the serps of the SE's.
I find niche directories useful and to be honest the only large directory I ever use is dmoz regardless of what others think of it (let's not turn this into a dmoz thread, please).
On a personal level I like working with directories and their taxonomy. I like organizing and categorizing almost anything. It's easy to spot a directory which the person/persons enjoy or are knowledgeable on the subject and those that throw them up for ranking purposes (or at least trying). It wouldn't bother me a bit if all the scraper sites calling themselves directories are wiped out as they are useless.
I'm not sure where a resource section ends and a directory begins. But I think of this project as a directory, so....
I guess I would fit into the "for visitors" category as well as the "save me time and frustration (answering email)" category.
Page Rank plays no part of this for me. If it happens, fine, if not, fine.
For me, the hardest part is deciding how much info about any listing to include. The more info, the more time required to prepare the initial listing and then to recheck for accuarcy as time goes on. The rechecking is critical to me. Outdated listings can really devalue a resource like this, at least as far as I'm concerned.
No magic software yet, so far I'm doing this by hand. But that raises the issue of how to start by hand, but be prepared to use the data in an automated system later if the need/desire arises.
Let me share some of my reasons for starting this topic. For one, I still see many sites out there that have link exchange directories attached to them. Over the past week, I had to review close to 50 competing sites for a client. Of those 50 sites, 15 were using an attached link exchange directory. Out of the 15, 9 were built using a popular link exchange program, 4 were built using other programs and 2 were built by hand (it appears).
The two that were built by hand were rather interesting. Both were pulling AdSense into their main results and mixing it in. The regular listings were formatted to look just like the AdSense listings. Clearly these two were those "Built for AdSense" type directories.
Based on the review of those 50 sites, the 15 that had link exchange directories attached, did not perform as well as those without. I can't say that this is the reason but, I can guess that it is probably part of the reason.
For those of you who are getting ready to build a directory for the purpose of link exchange, I might suggest that you stop now and rethink your strategies. You may be setting yourself up for failure if you follow in the same footsteps as others before you.
The Internet is littered with directory wannabes. I can only assume that the search engines really despise most of them as they are clearly there for one purpose, to exchange links and transfer PR when possible. The problem is, this particular business model is a dying one. I'd guess that 95% of the directories I've seen launched over the past 5 years have come and gone. And, their tenure was very short, maybe 6, 9, 12 months at the most.
If you are going to build a directory and your primary reason is for link exchange and/or PageRank transfer, you may be setting yourself up for failure.
If you are going to build a directory and your primary reason is to enhance your visitor experience, you may be setting yourself up for success. It all depends on how you do it.
pageoneresults, thanks for starting this thread as I think it might develop into an extremely interesting one.
But just at the beginning, I'd like to talk about what we mean when we say a directory. We were talking recently elsewhere about if directories were authorities and why they might become an authority or a hub.
I think there is a clear difference between what you describe in your client research and the level of sophistication of other niche directories.
On the one side there is taking a scraped copy of the ODP and adding a few paid links into it or using link management/development software to create a PR magnet.
On the other are some excellent trade or regional directories (which I would refer to as "guide directories"). They normally include - along with listings - specialised knowledge or information or other ways of presenting information.
The former directories are all over the web, the latter are not, partly because they take effort to build. But I would disagree that the latter (and even, in some cases, the former) are being devalued.
To return to your original question, why are you building a directory?
1) a similar one does not exist
2) brand/prestige/visibility
3) spin-offs for business
4) to discover if certain "web communities" exist
For those of you who are getting ready to build a directory for the purpose of link exchange, I might suggest that you stop now and rethink your strategies.
That's out and I never did that anyways ;)
A good directory will always have a lot more links going out than coming in. I have had people pay for a listing and then ask if I want a link back and I have said "no thanks". Otherwise you fall into the trap you have found with your clients. Good directories are built for the visitor and the ranking etc will follow for a "long" time IMHO. Of course in niche type directories Stever is correct when stating
They normally include - along with listings - specialised knowledge or information or other ways of presenting information.as this is what really builds the value of the site.
I build it because I want to be able to find the info easily, and know that others want to as well. I only ask for a link back when someone requests I add a site with the approval note. It's voluntary. These sites become popular, have lots of unexpected deep links.
The search engines like it. Good directories ride through all the major updates and seldom move more than a notch or two. The search engine traffic is stable but the site is really built for repeat visitors, as a resource for enthusiasts. When they need something, they'll remember this is where it is.
I was pleasantly surprised to discover excellent rankings for a very large number of niche search terms. That caused me to refine the page designs, which in turn increased these rankings and generated more.
Later, I added adsense as a way to monetize the otherwise free service.
I am now considering charging a small fee for listings, but this due more to the time commitment to keep the thing up than for any other reason.
BTW, I wrote my own script.
WBF
Would I be a buyer? Not a chance. I agree with P1R that this window will close soon, but as long as companies are stupid enough to do this, I feel it is my civic duty as a card carrying capitalist to assist them while making a tidy little profit. Google's "sandbox" has been a big help in this regard since these players cant get any new sites launched.
Each of the stores on my site is able to describe in however much detail the products and services the store owner wishes. I've also set it up so that vistors can seach a particular state--let's say New York--to look for the brands of products, accessories or services available from my subscribing stores.
For the store owners who don't want to spend the time and money to create and promote their own websites, I think this provides a niche. For those who are already heavily involved in maintaining an e-commerce website, mine gives them additional exposure for the paltry amount of $10 a month.
Will this succeed? You tell me. Or I'll tell you in a couple of months.
In my niche, there are hundreds or even thousands of sites that do nothing more than provide links to websites. I suspect the site owners are happy to get enough revenue per month for a nice dinner on the town.
I'm looking to make my site a full-time paying job, and at a decent pay level.
Anyone wishing to call me crazy is welcome to do so.
