Directory Links! Useful Or Not

A recent thread ‘What is the value of directory links‘ started a captivating debate on Webmaster World over the significance of directory links.

One of the reply states, “Here’s what I would do. If you’re thinking of submitting to directories, gather a list and check them out. Do this by using the link and site operators in google to see if GOOGLE considers them real sites (counted links and indexed pages). Then, to be a little more cautious, check their ‘who is’ information to see who owns them (and also to see if one person/company seems to own many of them) and to avoid anything that smells fishy.”

Another reply states, “I don’t care what a search engine thinks… give me a link from a respected, trafficked, regularly updated and non-biased directory anyday over dmoz which sends a site single digit referrals a month - once your site has actually made it in.”

The debate further continued and another reply read, “I think niche directory links related to your industry can be enormously valuable. I also think some of the more prominent directories like Yahoo! (and DMOZ, of course) can also help you out. I have yet to see any evidence that directory links can hurt you - if so, then there would be a whole market directed at placing competitor’s links in "bad" directories.”

This thread is a must read for anyone who wishes to meliorate their understanding of directory links.