Thread: Is there a downside?

Originally Posted by ruben

I think your worries have been answered
choose your outbound links wisely
update your directory frequently

and I'm not 100% sure but I think its better not to ask for reciprocal links.

I would also suggest you yo read this if you are planning to charge a fee.
Google Hates Paid Links | SearchMasters

Matt Cutts
Google Software Engineer
SES San Jose, August 21, 2007

Directories got a Google 'slap around September of 2007. One of the major benefits of the directories was the quality link that you got back.

In my opinion, the niche directoies are the way to go. They key is that the descriptions are well written so that the directory gets long tail traffic.

Rather than requiring reciprocals, you can ask for them or provide a small gif to link back to help promote the directory.

Originally Posted by bogart

Directories got a Google 'slap around September of 2007. One of the major benefits of the directories was the quality link that you got back.

In my opinion, the niche directoies are the way to go. They key is that the descriptions are well written so that the directory gets long tail traffic.

Rather than requiring reciprocals, you can ask for them or provide a small gif to link back to help promote the directory.

yes niche directories and optional reciprocals are the way to go
also avoid using the same anchor text again and again and again that is why optional backlinks are a good idea because they would be different depending on the website owner

Originally Posted by Kovich

I'm thinking about starting a niche directory for online business/internet marketing sites on a subdomain of Make Money Online | Running Online Business - but I'm wondering if doing this could be damaging to the domain and my blog somehow!

Could anyone clarify?

I don't think that this will be damaging but I do question whether it will be helpful to but a directory on a subdomain of a blog.

I have a similiar situation where I have placed a directory on a domain that I'm planning to build out into a blog. I want to place the directory into a subfolder. But I'm wondering if the blog will be able to flow enough PR into the directory to make it worthwhile?

Originally Posted by bogart

I don't think that this will be damaging but I do question whether it will be helpful to but a directory on a subdomain of a blog.

I have a similiar situation where I have placed a directory on a domain that I'm planning to build out into a blog. I want to place the directory into a subfolder. But I'm wondering if the blog will be able to flow enough PR into the directory to make it worthwhile?

subfolder is king

http://www.seomoz.org/blog

http://www.seobook.com/blog

http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/

http://www.seo.com/blog/

Originally Posted by ruben

subfolder is king

Subfolder is better. Google sees the subdomain as a separate site.

I'm thinking more along these lines

NetBuilders Directory

But in the case of a directory, if Google decides that it's not up-to-par and penalizes it, and it's in a subfolder, then your primary site gets hurt too - right?

Originally Posted by bogart

Has it hurt? No, not really... The reality is I think most people understand that PR does not mean shit, probably never did. Its traffic that means something, and traffic is what we've delivered.

The main motivation behind the directory slap was to stiffel competition. The reason behind killing the bigger ones out there was not because of the links they had, not even because they were selling links, it was because they were BUYING links from outside entities to build up PR.

Unfortunately those of us that had legitimate PR were slapped as well. Google made a blanket attack on every directory as a result. Lot of collateral damage as a result, initially anyway.

To this day Google has never given my Legitimate PR6 back. Legitimate in the sense that it was earned not by buying links, but over time (YEAR in fact) of having a directory and offering quality listings and constant editing.

Has it hurt? No, not really... The reality is I think most people understand that PR does not mean shit, probably never did. Its traffic that means something, and traffic is what we've delivered.

Googles constant manipulation of the SERPs has if anything only succeeded in delivering more irrelevant results, dead links, and crappy content sites.

Originally Posted by Mia

Has it hurt? No, not really... The reality is I think most people understand that PR does not mean shit, probably never did. Its traffic that means something, and traffic is what we've delivered.

PR throws must people off the right track. You are right that traffic from a links means something. Even if Google palys with the results, the traffic that links bring you can help you survive and even prosper.