There is a lot of debate over the efficacy of using web directories to help build links for a website. Some argue that the search engines, in particular Google, have reduced the value of directory links because many directories are little more than link farms and a link from a directory can be acquired easily and quickly with no consideration of the quality of a website that is linked to. Yet, many SEO services and practitioners continue to generate directory links as a part of their ongoing Website Optimization Link Building process because they argue that these links still offer benefit.

Link Devaluation

There’s little doubt that Google has devalued directory links, or at least the majority of directory links. While they once had a very strong link with DMOZ, the open directory that was hand edited, it is widely believed that they no longer consider that directory to be the main source of their link determination. At the same time, Google has also introduced a number of factors to the algorithms they use when determining the value of a link that would mean links from many directories would prove next to useless. It’s unlikely that they still value directory links that they would otherwise count for very little.

The Problem With Directory Links

The fact is that most directories can be worked by an SEO in next to no time. They offer a single page submission form, and rarely refuse the addition of a link because they are more interested in building their own portfolio than they are in offering only high quality links. This is usually done so that they can either sell sponsored listings that give a more prominent link or so that they can serve advertisements on various areas of the directory pages.

Contradicting Theories

Contradictions do emerge throughout the consideration of Directories and the Website Optimization links they produce. Some directories still enjoy very high rankings and good PageRank. While PageRank is nothing to write home about for the experienced SEO, the fact that some directories receive a PageRank of 5 or 6 and even higher would seem to indicate that Google still considers them to be a genuine addition to its own index. Despite this, the fact that most directories serve dozens or even hundreds of links on each single page is also a sure fire sign that Google will not value these links highly, if at all. They consider these types of pages to be link farms and avoiding link farms is certainly good practice in a Website Optimization campaign.

Directory Links And Your Website Traffic

Google may not give the same benefit to directory links as they once did but Google is not the only search engine. Furthermore, search engines are not the only source of traffic. Building links to your website can direct surf through traffic directly from the page that offers the link and in the case of good directories that are well categorised and demand a reasonable amount of their own traffic this can make the link worthwhile regardless of how Google views that link.

Get Involved