Directories

[Cleaningprof]

Several people have recently sugested to me that acquiring links from directories may be a waste of time, or worse that the BIG G might consider this as gamesmanship and penalise my site.

I have been acquiring 3 or 4 each day but should I stop?

[Phil Staff]

Google says:

"Have relevant sites link to yours."

That is pretty cut and dry.

If the directories that you are registering on are relevant to your business/profession and highly beneficial to your end user then it is not a waste of time.

If the directories are irrelevant and would be considered by most to be generic link farms or free for all sites then I would be concerned. Both of those situations can negatively impact your SE rankings.

Hope that information is helpful. No one can say for sure but we have yet to see a site get punished for having relevant and beneficial links. :D

Phil Staff

[Cleaningprof]

Thanks Phil,

With a one-way in-bound link, located in a directory category relevant to the business of my site, would that be OK?

[Phil Staff]

With a one-way in-bound link, located in a directory category relevant to the business of my site, would that be OK?

That sounds like a great link to me. Anytime you can get a one-way link from a relevant site and/or directory it is a good thing.

Many times it is easy to find these sites; however, make sure that they are an established directory and not just a free for all. Typically if they mention human edited or have a system of activation emails you are in the right place.

Of course you want to build any one-way links gradually or naturally so it doesn't appear that you are buying links. Too many good links too fast could be negative.

Phil