Before submitting to a directory, what do you look for?

[brandco]

I'm going through one of my competitors links and of course I'm coming across some directories. Just wondering what you might look for in a quality directory.

I'm looking at one right now called SoMuch.com and it appears to be a quality directory but then I look down at the footer and I see "Search Engine Friendly Free Link Directory". The domain authority is 80.

Thanks

[irvingw]

I remember aviva getting penalized by Google several years ago.

hotvsnot sells casino links http://www.hotvsnot.com/Games/Gambling/

this site nofollows http://central-payment-corporation.topcreditcardprocessors.com/

frcafe is a mess

chamberofcommerce looks legit but the intermal pages i looked at had no PR

[irvingw]

Such as? I would be impressed if you list 10 directories that you got links on who meet the following SEO criteria:

a) not guaranteed inclusion (which is just a silly way of skirting around pretending that they are not selling you a paid link)

b) don't have any casino, adult or meds categories

c) the page you are listed on is indexed and has decent PR with dofollow link that uses your desired anchor text

d) page has a relatively low number of outgoing links on it so your PR is not completely diluted

e) Doesn't cost $300 like Yahoo

[Christy-Correll]

I agree with James in that directory listings still have a place in link building; that is, when used in moderation. You pointed out yourself, Brandon

Here's what I look for: Highly relevant niche directories that are human curated and selective. (Submissions are hand-edited and not everyone gets approved.)

Look at other listings in the directory you are considering. Do they look like they naturally belong in the directory? Do they link to high-quality, authoritative sites that you would want to be associated with? The same goes for the directory's brand, as James noted. Do you want to be associated it?

All listings should add value to the directory and its users. If yours belongs there as well, it will too. Good luck!

[jws8118]

I don't think you should forget them altogether.  You aren't going to get penalized for directory listings with Yahoo, Manta, etc.  I would use your best judgement as to whether you believe the directory is user friendly enough that you would use it and decide if you want a link there.  I think of it more as putting your brand on another brands site, do you want to be positioned with that brand?  I personally don't want links from shitty brands or sites, I think it's too risky.

[brandco]

Another check I'll usually do is plug the url that I get from Open Site Explorer and plug it into Google to see if it's indexed.

So even if I do get a link from this directory, it's probably not going to carry much weight if any at all.

Think I'll skip it.

[ChrisHolgate]

This isn't an answer to your question as such but more of an observation of SoMuch.com.

It would appear that every category page is PR0.  In fact, I've just clicked a dozen pages at random and they all appear to be PR0 despite the homepage being PR6.  Despite being advertised as a 'search engine friendly link directory', I don't think Google like them.

Just an observation.

[DavidKonigsberg]

Niche Directories are fine if you think users will find your service in it

(ask yourself do expect that link to get clicks & If search engines didnt exist would you  still want that link) - such as a directories of seo companies based in Settle.

[brandco]

So just forget directories all together? Even SEOmoz offers a list of web directories to consider.

Directories isn't my only strategy put just a small piece of it.

I also just read an article that supports using open site explorer and get the same links that your competitors have.

http://www.ranashahbaz.com/small-business-seo

[irvingw]

Directories are no longer a recommended link building strategy.

EDIT:  haha three thumbs down for speaking the truth!

Keep posting in directories and soon you'll be contacting  (and possibly paying again) the same directories to remove your links in an effort to unwind your Google penalty. Directories provide ZERO benefit to users and all benefit to SEOs and Google has taken action on these YEARS ago.

Why are you submitting these links, to affect your sites rankings in Google or generate traffic? **You are doing it to affect your search positions! and are therefore in violations of Google's guidelines. And Google hates directory sites. **

Better you spend your time working on a link building strategy that has not already been smacked down and flagged by Google. I stopped linking on directories in 2007 when Google started penalizing directories. That was 5 years ago.

http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=465342

Good luck.