What's your favourite SEO directory?

[Digirank]

We're having a bit of a debate in the office today about SEO directories. We all seem to have our favourites here - Octopedia, AbiLogic and JoeAnt to name a few that have been mentioned.

Just wondering what everyone else's favourite directories for SEO are?

Which pass the best link juice? Which offer the best value for money? Would love to know everyone's thoughts...

[SparkplugDigital]

The best directories in my opinion are directories focused in your niche. For example if your website is about web design services, I would look for web design directories. You might search for something like allintitle:web design services directory

[donford]

Yep, this I agree with this. 98% of the directories I see on the web are a waste of space and actually offer no value to a person looking for something. At one time they at least gave value to a business as a backlink. There are a few exceptions in each demographic as some directories actually have real content and good information along with their listings. Efunda / EngTips / IndustrialLinks to name a few in my demographic.

If you're just looking for a jumping off point, then those directories are worth some time, but I would agree with Keith that the value of such directories are at the very least waning.

Personally, if you have the time I would invest it in your business appropriate forums  and blogs. Find where your potential customers interact with each other, go to their forum and "engage" the community. Offer them free advice, answer questions and in general share your knowledge. By proving yourself helpful and when it is appropriate you can drop a link to a product page or an article on your site. The biggest caveat I can say is don't run around hitting up forums and spamming them, every forum that you want to be on has some sort of moderator that will remove your post. And personally if I'm on a community site and I see a blatant spam post, not only will I not click it, I will make a mental note to never go there.

[Digirank]

Thanks Keith, totally agree with you - directories definitely aren't as valuable as they used to be and they only make up a tiny part of our link building strategy now. This is why we seem to have developed our favourite ones as we submit sites to so few directories, we want to make sure they're good ones!

[kbloemendaal]

Love the BBB answer Syed. Real legitimacy involved in that so MFA's would never do it. Good call!

[kbloemendaal]

I actually question the value of any of these directories anymore (even the ones listed on SEOmoz)... just seems like the things that worked a few years ago with the directories just doesn't do it anymore.

Maybe the big G is hip to these techniques.

After all, Google's job is to provide the best results to searchers, the most relevant information. Just because you have more directory submissions, does that make your site better than one that has more natural links?

Certainly not knocking using directories, I just usually start with the on site metrics like content, titles, descriptions, images, video, etc... Then move towards social interaction (I honestly think this is where more weight is, or will be given) including articles on authority sites if possible, maybe even press releases... all before ever even thinking about directories.

Once again, I don't want to say directories are a waste of time, I just go in a different direction maybe.

[Syed1]

I would have said Google Directory just looking at all the importance Google gives to their own services (look +1, personal results, etc) but its been taken off couple of months ago - so Dmoz it is for Free.  And definitely BBB for paid - great to give trust signals as BBB verifies business extensively and I am positive Google wouldn't ignore that in their algo. but its pretty expensive and time-consuming to get listed there though.

[donford]

I don't to derail your post getting into Dmoz.org specifics since its covered so many other times here and well.. just about everywhere on the web. I will say of the 10+ sites I've been part of submitting to them, so far 75% of them are approved, the longest one taking about 1 year.

If you haven't check it out yet SeoMoz.org has a very good listing of directorys / sites to get on if at all possible and or appropriate for your demographics.

http://www.seomoz.org/directories

[Digirank]

Yes - agreed, DMoz is a classic, and where we start a lot of our link building campaigns. But do you have much luck when submitting? It seems to us that sites are rarely approved

[donford]

Never heard of any of them you mentioned. The most valuable would be Dmoz.org, though I think its "value" maybe waning, and its not a guarantee for any site.