Google
Moving Against Directories ( 2005 - 2008) In a recent algo tweak, a bunch
of directories were delisted by Google, which has led to fears of "Google
hates directories" on one hand to "Google is dropping scraper sites,
these got caught by mistake" on the other. If you look at the ones
dropped, most (not quite all) were adsense promotions - a directory is an easy
way to create 20,000 pages to display adsense. And Google hates them, directory
or not. One or two directories with similar setup, but possibly sounder motives
also got dropped. There's no doubt that Google has demoted, even removed,
many poor quality 'link directories'. There's equally no doubt that a quality
directory is still respected by Google. Sites that link to you , cannot
harm your site (February 2005)Wrong. In general, Google seems to argue
'you control who you link to, so a bad choice may bring a penalty - you cannot
control who links to you, so incoing links cannot harm you'. Fair enough - in
most cases. But Google is a sophisticated animal these days; long able to detect
reciprocal and three way linking, there are signs that more complex linking scams
are beginning to be found out - if you choose to join any 'network' for the purposes
of gaming Google, you have been warned. There are good 'submission services'
(2001 -5)Yes, but there aren't many! You [virtually] never
need to submit your site to search engines - they'll find you.
You do not
need your site in 20,000 directories;
you do not need free email spam for
life,
you do not need your site side-by-side with porn and scam sites. From
the directories available, who better than you to select appropriate directories
and categories for your site? Who better than you to look at the directory
style, and word your entry so that it is likely to be accepted - and unlikely
to be edited? Why pay silly money to an idiot who finds the task boring
and delegates it offshore, when you would find it challenging, interesting, and
learn about your competitors? Why pay to be submitted to a search engine,
when with just one quality link, they'll find you? (The only exception
is a few quality, highly specialized search engines - 99% of sites do not need
them). Why spend two days briefing someone who is not listening, when it
would have been quicker to do it yourself? (Oh? He didn't need briefing? Great
job he's going to do, huh?). So, in general, submission services are a serious
waste of money. the exceptions? Well; site submissions can be a boring and monotonous
(and thankless) task; if you really do not have time to do that job yourself,
then - like any other job - it can be outsourced. But do choose carefully; be
sure it is a service that will take the time to understand your site. Ask them
what kind of directories they will submit to, and listen for general directories
you may have heard of, and specialist ones that sound relevant, that you have
not previously heard of. Ask how many; above a hundred, look again - below that,
it depends how specialized your site is. If you care about your site, care
enough to get this vital task right. Go for a quality service - or do it yourself! Please
be clear about our Google ads, on the left: We are not endorsing these companies,
they are endorsing us; if idiot spamming search engine submission services choose
to subsidise a site that exposes their scam, should I complain? Sorry, No.
Published: 31 August 2005; updated 2006, 1 Oct 2008
This article may be
published elswhere, provided this footnote is included as is,
with a live
link to the source: http://www.sick-site-syndrome.com/articles/
Copyright © 2005 Andrew Heenan. Comments very welcome. | 
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