For quite some time, Google has suggested that a good way to increase your ranking in the Google index was to get yourself listed in a few reputable directories. Of course, much like any other thing that Google admits might help, directories became the go to place to get yourself some nice links. And an industry was born.
Now, Google has removed that suggestion from their webmaster help guide. Does that mean the end of the directory industry? I doubt it. In fact, my guess would be that it doesn’t change much of anything. Google probably hasn’t given much weight to most directories for quite some time and is finally letting us know about it.
Personally, I don’t use many directories when I start a new website. I find the majority of them to be repositories for spam sites and don’t want to associate my sites with them. Instead, there are plenty of other ways to go about getting links like blogroll exchanges, paid links (don’t pretend you don’t.), and a variety of other programs and strategies that can attain you plenty of quality links in a short amount of time.
Plenty of links will do you no good if you don’t have plenty of content too. You’ll still get some traffic, but having the content can mean the difference between a visitor that shows up and a visitor that shows up and stays. Which would you rather have? If I were you (I’m not, but if I were), I would spend about 75% of my time on content and the rest on link and traffic building practices.
About Shane Ede
Google have moved the psots again, telling you one thing and changing the rules, so after you’ve spet time and effort creating backlinks form directories your time has been wasted in effect.
It’s a miracle Google haven’t thought of charging people to be listed on Google for the top spot…could this be next?
Tony Bradley.
I belieave google still counts directory links, just not the same way they used to, Their proberly less effective
They probably rank some directories that they feel are relevant and downgraded the rest.
I think making your site as good as it can be which includes good content, easy navigation is important and without this basis your site will struggle, with or without links this is important for your website.
You are right when you claim that directories have become huge link drains.
A large proportion of people I know own directories and they sell links making it even worser.
G did catch up with some of this, but there’s a large piece of the puzzle which is yet unsolved.
Google is coming down on people who sell links, penalising them and the people who buy them. But then when you report someone for using spam posts they do nothing.