There are a lot website owners, and even more bloggers, who seem to be getting the jitters over Google’s apparent change of heart over blog directories, or directories in general. Google used to recommend directories such as DMOZ and Yahoo! – not any more.
However, why are bloggers and the like getting the jitters. Okay, so Google removed any reference to blog directories altogether. They have not however, said that there is anything wrong with directories.
From Google’s point of view they may be fine about links from directories; it just suits their current situation that making a recommendation is not quite right. Never fear, Google can speak, at least through a forum:
[Google's John Mueller]I wouldn’t necessarily assume that we’re devaluing Yahoo’s links, I just think it’s not one of the things we really need to recommend. If people think that a directory is going to bring them lots of visitors, then it’s obviously fine to get listed there. It’s not something that people have to do though.
Google have, in the past, discounted any directory that requests payment (except Yahoo! and is not hand moderated. Perhaps over time blog directories will, in general terms, lose any search rank relevancy. Rumor abounds of late that Goolge is going to incorporate more into general social media. Perhaps this is just the first step down that track.
Question:
If blog directories are serving a legitimate useful function on the Internet, why would Google want to devalue this process??
Any process can be abused, but don’t throw out the baby with the bath water.
In terms of categorization and information retrieval, blog directories still and will probably always serve an important function.
As part of this function there are emerging many niche directories with a narrow focus.
Building backlinks from blog directories, RSS submisssion sites, and article directories is still a very basic and productive marketing strategy for any blog.
A properly developed backlink program will deliver far more targeted traffic to your blog due to its impact on the search engines than due to the actual directory links themselves.
Best of success,
Robert A. Kearse
Do people use blog directories? Or are they just bait for G spiders? I think G tends to feel it’s the latter, and G wants to count stuff that people actually use.
Seems odd Google would want to devalue these links. More and more it’s getting tougher to get links and the ones you get are being devalued.
Is the trend to just have the old, crusty websites with ‘age’ on them the only ones who’ll get ranking?
As I read it, relevant links will always help but it’s logical that old directories without traffic would be devalued as a link source. Perhaps some directories will give more PR boost than others if traffic is coming from them.
Andrew Goulding
Is this another Google algorithm tweak, or a policy shift, or a strategic move against Yahoo!, Microsoft, etc.? Who knows? We all see sudden shifts in traffic from Google, and sites with good content and strong links (almost) always bounce back, and often gain presence.
What most people don’t appreciate about serious blogging is the work that goes into presenting and marketing the blog, not just the work that goes into creating the content.
Many good reminders here of the latter.