Are Directory Links Worth Anything?

[WizBit]

I've just stumbled upon a directory that I’m thinking to add my site to.

Here is the category I want to submit to: http://directory.askbee.net/business...ices/building/

The page is related to my site and only costs $1 for a link, or $5 for a featured link.

If I purchase a featured link, I will also have my link on the homepage with my chosen keyword anchor text link. According to seomoz the homepage has extremely high page authority.

For $5 I’m more than happy to purchase this link. If and when the link gets devalued I have only lost $5.

I would like to hear opinions about this as after constantly observing my competitors links it seems that these kinds of links are running Goggles organic search.

Maybe I’m in the wrong state of mind, but when I see my competition all ranking from either directory links or paid blog posts, then I just feel like saying Fxxx you Google if this is what works then I’m going to do it as well.

[KernelPanic]

I've just stumbled upon a directory that I’m thinking to add my site to.

Here is the category I want to submit to: http://directory.askbee.net/business...ices/building/

The page is related to my site and only costs $1 for a link, or $5 for a featured link.

If I purchase a featured link, I will also have my link on the homepage with my chosen keyword anchor text link. According to seomoz the homepage has extremely high page authority.

For $5 I’m more than happy to purchase this link. If and when the link gets devalued I have only lost $5.

I would like to hear opinions about this as after constantly observing my competitors links it seems that these kinds of links are running Goggles organic search.

Maybe I’m in the wrong state of mind, but when I see my competition all ranking from either directory links or paid blog posts, then I just feel like saying Fxxx you Google if this is what works then I’m going to do it as well.

save your money. spend more time here on the stickies and learn what makes a valuable link

[WizBit]

My question was more that these kind of links are running google.

Here is an example: http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=builders+london

These guys are all ranking from worse links than my example.

[ElectricPrez]

That said KP, much to many people's chagrin, directory links do work. They're not going to build up your domain authority or improve your PR, but from an anchor text standpoint I've seen time and time again that they do contribute (in much the same way you observed with your competitor's back links).

Will they work for long? Probably (almost assuredly) not.. if Google just hit content farms, link farms are bound to be next. But there's a reason you see them in the back link profiles of so many competitors.

That's not an endorsement of directory submissions as a viable long-term link building strategy. But it is the truth, even if it's an ugly one.

[KernelPanic]

My question was more that these kind of links are running google.

Here is an example: http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=builders+london

These guys are all ranking from worse links than my example.

If you add home or engine or career or myriad other words to Builders you'll see a different story.

[KernelPanic]

That said KP, much to many people's chagrin, directory links do work. They're not going to build up your domain authority or improve your PR, but from an anchor text standpoint I've seen time and time again that they do contribute (in much the same way you observed with your competitor's back links).

Will they work for long? Probably (almost assuredly) not.. if Google just hit content farms, link farms are bound to be next. But there's a reason you see them in the back link profiles of so many competitors.

That's not an endorsement of directory submissions as a viable long-term link building strategy. But it is the truth, even if it's an ugly one.

Please be so kind as to give me a web site that ranks in a competitive industry on the power of directory links and I will take it all back.

Guessing you can't, but lord knows I have been wrong before!

[WizBit]

Please be so kind as to give me a web site that ranks in a competitive industry on the power of directory links and I will take it all back.

Guessing you can't, but lord knows I have been wrong before!

Kernal Panic,

http://www.builderstown.co.uk/

Ranking Number 1 in google UK for "Builders London"

Please show me 1 half decent link pointing to this site.

It is either directory links or blog comments that is ranking this site.

[bkseo]

nope not for SEO...directory links are only good to get your site indexed and also create traffic ...

you want to have editorial links..l recommend you do some guest blog posting

there are a couple of resources for guest blogging

http://wwwguestblogcommunity.com
http://myguestblog.com

[KernelPanic]

Kernal Panic,

http://www.builderstown.co.uk/

Ranking Number 1 in google UK for "Builders London"

Please show me 1 half decent link pointing to this site.

It is either directory links or blog comments that is ranking this site.

Site has 2k IBLs. Did you look at all of them? Builders London is not competitive. You can rank for that with little work.

[ElectricPrez]

Please be so kind as to give me a web site that ranks in a competitive industry on the power of directory links and I will take it all back.

Guessing you can't, but lord knows I have been wrong before!

Directory links in isolation? I can't. That's not what I was trying to say at all.

But I can show you http://www.aot.edu.au who ranks for multiple competitive keyword phrases using low-quality links for (check their internal pages...) with exactly the anchor text they want to rank for.

That's all I was trying to assert - that these types of links do serve a function and that these types of links do contribute to rankings insofar as anchor text goes. Again, that's not me advocating directory submissions as a viable long-term strategy.

[KernelPanic]

Directory links in isolation? I can't. That's not what I was trying to say at all.

But I can show you http://www.aot.edu.au who ranks for multiple competitive keyword phrases using low-quality links for (check their internal pages...) with exactly the anchor text they want to rank for.

That's all I was trying to assert - that these types of links do serve a function and that these types of links do contribute to rankings insofar as anchor text goes. Again, that's not me advocating directory submissions as a viable long-term strategy.

Sorry guys. If you want to make claims about CRAPPY SPAMMY POS DIRECTORIES DRIVING RANKS YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SHOW SOME PROOF.

Otherwise, please don't lead people down the road of wasting time.

[sprintdriver]

My question was more that these kind of links are running google.

Here is an example: http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=builders+london

These guys are all ranking from worse links than my example.

The Directory links are good for Anchor text, but the reason your competitors are ranking well by using such links, is because of the competitiveness of the Query! Use the information you have, and should obtain, and build a link that is more valuable than the competitors directory links, which is easy to do, then use the directory links for variance of anchor text, and use less competitive queries, as they will then be more valuable links.

[joshz]

Wow, what is with everybody jumping on KP?

The man is just telling the truth and how it is. The mentioned domain has 2k IBL, which means ONE quality link can outweigh 1,999 crappy directory links.

I agree with above. If you have a couple bucks you want to toss and get a link, go for it. But me, personally? I would get a natural, free link faster than your card will be charged the $1 or $5.

[AlexTampa]

I wont even pay for business.com or yahoo for a new site anymore.

Now, I AM reluctant to drop them from existing sites.

[sprintdriver]

1,999 crappy links annihilated by one of high authority, I have heard such a number in comparison, another being 555, but personally I have nuked over 3 Million Crappy Links or what I call "Dinky Links", with one link of enormous authority in content, follow, and yet vary natural indeed. Its like a Rose garden full of blossoming serp flowers.