Thread: Directories still a good business?

I would go for option number 3. The reason why I said that is because, let's face it, how many of us still use directory to search for things that we want. Most of us go to search engines instead.

Originally Posted by Jamie

I would go for option number 3. The reason why I said that is because, let's face it, how many of us still use directory to search for things that we want. Most of us go to search engines instead.

Yeah, but the search engine is getting those listings from the directory.

That's where the "traffic" is coming from.

Let me be more specific. When I indicate to people that Kingbloom drives traffic to sites, its not necessarily traffic derived from people that came to Kingbloom.Com and searched for something and then landed at your site.

Its because someone does a Google or other SE search and finds a link in the Kingbloom directory and ends up clicking it and eventually landing at the site the link was directed to.

What's useful and effective about a well run and put together directory is that it is able to harness the collective power of a keyword or keywords and description in an organized enough way that listings within it show up in relevant search results in an SE.

I'd submit that now more than ever directories are not only effective and useful, they are crucial to maintaining a SE's content.

Originally Posted by Mia

Yeah, but the search engine is getting those listings from the directory.

That's where the "traffic" is coming from.

Let me be more specific. When I indicate to people that Kingbloom drives traffic to sites, its not necessarily traffic derived from people that came to Kingbloom.Com and searched for something and then landed at your site.

Its because someone does a Google or other SE search and finds a link in the Kingbloom directory and ends up clicking it and eventually landing at the site the link was directed to.

What's useful and effective about a well run and put together directory is that it is able to harness the collective power of a keyword or keywords and description in an organized enough way that listings within it show up in relevant search results in an SE.

I'd submit that now more than ever directories are not only effective and useful, they are crucial to maintaining a SE's content.

On the more competitive keywords, the directory listings probably won't drive to much traffic. I was doing some searches for local companies and services. Most the the search listings are directories. So in that case a few dollars spent on directories can bring the Business owner 1000x return on the investment.

Originally Posted by bogart

On the more competitive keywords, the directory listings probably won't drive to much traffic. I was doing some searches for local companies and services. Most the the search listings are directories. So in that case a few dollars spent on directories can bring the Business owner 1000x return on the investment.

i do agree, ... and more so from a directory owners perspective, most of the traffic i get from google ends up on the details pages! so yes, directories do work!

M.