Directories - does anyone use them?

[Jeff FV]

As the tittle says - does anyone use directories for anything other SEO purposes?

As part of an SEO strategy, our site has been submitted to a number of directories, giving us back links which may, or may not, improve our google ranking.

I've visited a couple of the directories that now list us and I must admit I'd never use them as a directory - if I want to find something I use google. Am I missing a trick here, would directories offer me something I can't get elsewhere? How do they make their money?

I'm genuinley interested - there seem to be 100's, if not 1000's of directories out there - do real life human beings ever use them?

Jeff

 

[Gratis Guidance]

Directories were big about 10 years ago but I think they still have a use with niche interests. It does seem to be mostly a SEO thing by today although I have used them for finding vertical market info.

 

[david64]

There are 10,000s if not 100,000s of directories on the Internet. The vast majority exist solely or almost solely for the purpose of increasing search engine rankings - and they do provide results.

There are however some good directories online. For example in the SEO arena there is SEOConsultants.com, which gets very good traffic. There aren't many directories like this that will provide both search engine benefits and human visitors.

 

[fashion]

Directory is a good way for SEO,
if your site is submitted sucessfully to the directory, this will do much good to your site.

 

[markspenser]

directories are even older then search engines.
directories came first then search engines.

 

[SEO Positive]

I use directories for linking in SEO campaigns, I find them to be very beneficial.

As marksspencer states, there are many directories out there that were around long before Google was the favorite search engine. I personally think sites like this are a good place to start to get good links.

 

[Ali-v-8]

directories are even older then search engines.
directories came first then search engines.

Not true.
Unless your on about The book yellow pages in its solid form.
the older form of search engine worked like the modern directory

 

[Nevaeh]

directories are useful only if you submit your site to a correct category. Be mindful of your niche, don't just submit your site.

 

[eukhost]

Directory submission is still important in terms of SEO. The more links you submit more backlinks you get however quality of directory will play a big role here. You need to get links from quality directories with good PR and traffic. Your link in new directories will gain importance when it will have some PR and quality links.

 

[webpromoterservice]

You have raised a very important point about directories Jeff.
The last time i used a directory to search for something was over 4 years ago,and that was the Yahoo directory.I wouldn't bother using any of the other directories.

I guess Google has picked on this,hence they have been putting less value on directory links in ranking sites.

 

[david64]

There are plenty of high PR directories that probably don't get much traffic like:

http://www.dirjournal.com/

Not worth the high price tags IMO though. I would only pay good money for a directory listing if it was going to bring in qualified human traffic too.

 

[eventdomain]

Not true.
Unless your on about The book yellow pages in its solid form.
the older form of search engine worked like the modern directory

Directories DID start before SE's - about 200 years ago, to be precise.

It all started with Kellys Industrial Pages, an industry/blue collar directory and it's still going as an offline book. It's massive, some 100'000 categories, and thousands and thousands of paying advertisers still pay to be found in it. It's owned by Reed Business, who own Totaljobs, Caterer.com and Kellysearch.com - amongst about 80 odd vertical sites and offline magazines.

So yeah, directories were here first

 

[Jeff FV]

You have raised a very important point about directories Jeff.
The last time i used a directory to search for something was over 4 years ago,and that was the Yahoo directory.I wouldn't bother using any of the other directories.

I guess Google has picked on this,hence they have been putting less value on directory links in ranking sites.

This is sort of what I was thinking. It seems there may be few niche directories that are worth searching if you're interested in something in that niche, but my impression is that Joe Average doesn't use a directory like they might use, say, the Yellow Pages offline.

My site has been submitted using an automated process and I've just recieved an email to say that my site has been submitted to a site:

directory name/recreation/sports/cricket

given that we sell cards, postcards. gift tags etc. this seems to be a pretty pointless listing (with the possible exception of SEO purposes) It also does the directory no good either - if a human were to use this directory to find something cricket related, and then come across us - we offer great products , but nothing to do with cricket - then they're unlikely to use that directory again.

Isn't that the whole reason that google has done so well: 9 times out of 10, it returns what you are looking for.?

Jeff

 

[emmadean]

As far as I could remember I'm already using Yahoo! then later Google in searching stuff. I never thought directories before functioned as search engines.

I still use directories for my SEO but I notice it does not help in building traffic.

 

[squelshblog]

General directories are not really useful for building traffic. They are however very useful for seo.

Some niche directories can still provide a decent amount of traffic but general ones dont.