Just got this message from David of PhpLD, that the new version 3.3 is to be out for download in a couple of days. David has also made a nice preview for this new version here.

Some improvements that can be seen from the preview page on the new version are as follows.

1. There is a submit article feature where users can submit articles directly & also adding content from the admin panel is also made really easy.

2. The new version is extended with the features of business directory with the integration of Google maps on the link detail pages.

3.  More Options are now available on the link submission page which can be controlled from the admin panel.

4. Now since we have the new article submissions, we also have various settings like author info, article commenting, rich text editor and many more.

With this new version PhpLD can be definately used as a blog or a product review site. Just waiting for it to be made available for the download.

Popularity: 41% [?]

Finally after much delay and lots of waiting, PhpLinkBid Bidding directory Script v1.4 is finally launched. The new update of the script really has some amazing features listed below.

* Unlimited category levels & new category settings
* Deep Links
* Email Manager
* Link Approvals
* Link Expirations + Expiration Notices
* Outbid Notifications w/ opt-out
* Latest Links
* Custom Language Files
* Configurable link description lengths + JavaScript character count
* Multiple Currencies & Currency Manager
* Custom link detail page URLs
* Non-whole dollar amounts for bids
* Scheduled jobs for automated tasks using crontab or page view triggers

The upgrade is made available at the original download URL & can also be obtained from the PhpLB support.

Also the latest upgrade also support the Advance Link stats mod for v1.4 and needs to be updated separately. Please backup all the date before you upgrade your script.

Amit

Popularity: 26% [?]

This question of How to make a Directory has been posted again and again on various directory forums. So I planned to write a small blog post to getting started on your own directory. Now let us get familiar with the term “directory“. The prime motive of any directory to organize various resources, so that they can be easily found instead of searching on various search engines.

So below are the steps listed to eventually becoming a directory webmaster.

1. Hosting : With so many hosting companies around like HostGator, BlueHost and many others you can easily sign up for a shared hosting account to set up your directory. Once your directory starts getting some huge traffic and becomes popular then you can move your directory on a dedicated server.

2. Selection of Directory Script : This is really most crucial step and with many directory scripts around like PhpLD, Esyndicat, SiteSift and PhpLynx or (PhpLinkBid for bidding directories) you will not be having a tough time deciding the script as per your needs. Again all these scripts also come in with a free version and also paid version. It is quite obvious that there is a better support and more features with the paid version of the script. So It will be really your decision, how you would like to scale your directory. There is always a upgrade from the free version of the script to the paid version.

Tip : I will highly recommend you to start on with PhpLD, not because I am affiliated with them in any way. But It is the most popular directory script and has largest number of mods, templates and a very big support forum.

3. Niche Selection for your directory : Now after that you have decided on the directory script. It is important to decide up on the fact that whether you want to start a general directory, bidding directory or a niche directory. So accordingly you can modify the category structure as per your needs.

4. Installation of the Directory Script : Most of the directory scripts are easy to install, But if you are not good with the installation or find installation difficult. You can get the script installed by paying some one on the Services forums or various directory forums. Please do not use a category dumps available with the scripts to create categories, instead use unique category structures and that will help you rank better on search engines.

5. Templates and Mods for your directory : Directory scripts generally come up with some default templates and you can use them or you can use many of the free templates available online and the same goes with mods for the directories.
Directory mods really enhance the directory functionality.

6. Promotion of your Directory : Congrats and welcome to the world of directories. There is actually no rule as to how you can promote your directory. You will have get quality backlinks for your directories, do lot of link building, social
book marking and hang around here, here and here with other directory web masters for more tips on directory submission.

Please post in your comments, If you feel that I have missed something in the above post.

Popularity: 43% [?]

I was actually planning to start making my own free directory list, But then thought that some guys have already done the hard work of organizing huge number of free directories. So why not organize all these sites as it will be a nice resource for any one searching for free directories. Submission to quality free directories will give you a strong one way link (backlink) to your site. So let’s get started with organizing the sites that offer free directory list based on their custom parameters.

1. Directory Critic List : This is one of the best and most updated list on free directories, even I use it. Now the good point about this list is that it can be sorted in terms of PR, date added, category and type of the directory. You also have an option to rate and report the directories that are present on the list. At the time of writing this post It had 1188 free directories listed in this list, so you will be definately having a busy time submitting to all of them.

2. Directory Rate List : Very nice list which can be again sorted in terms of PR, Category, Date Added & DR Strength. Now each directory that is approved and added to the list is given a DR strength number ranging from 0 to 9 and it determines the quality directory. While writing this post, the directory has 430 free directories in this list.

3. Web-Directories.ws List : One of the biggest list of free directories, very well updated and also comes in sorted with pagerank info. More info about the backlinks, indexed page, incoming links etc can be found by clicking on the directory profile pages. This site will keep you busy for a lot of time.

4. Best-Web-Directories. com List : Most resourceful list on free directories and gives you so much info like PR, paid links availability, review time also has admin comments and reviews to almost each site listed on the list. Although the list is not huge, But it is definitely amazing with the amount of content that it delivers to you about different directories.

5. Info Vilesilencer List : One of the oldest free directory lists and actually started the concept of making the directory lists. This lists comes in am Excel download with lots of directories, paid for inclusion, directories that need registration etc. Definitely the one of the must free directory excel list download.

P.S : I am not affiliated to these sites in any way and also this is not a sponsored post.

So start submitting to these directories, also If I have missed including your site to the above list, then please drop in a comments and I will include your site in the above list.

Popularity: 100% [?]

Submission to quality directory will definitely boost your SEO efforts and also offer a strong back link to your site. Let us try to explore the various selection factors to determine a quality directory. Quality directories can be both free and paid directories. The selection factors displayed apply same to both free and paid directories. I really don’t want to differentiate quality directories on the basis of PR after the recent Google pagerank update.

1. Search Engine Indexation: Before you submit to any site make sure that the directory is well indexed by Google/Yahoo and when the directory was last cached. If the directory was not cached by Google for a long time then there is definitely some problem with the directory. Quality directories are indexed completely and cached on a regular basis by Google.

2. Popularity of the Directory: This is the most important factor as you will be waiting for months to be getting listed in DMOZ or paying some dollars in to get listed in a quality paid directory but what is important is not only the link juice that the directory can offer to your site, but also the traffic that it can send to your site. A highly promoted and established directory can really offer you both traffic and at the same time give you the link juice for your SEO efforts.

3. Unique Category structure: Make sure that the category structure is unique and not from any of the SQL dumps for various available directory scripts. Also the categories should have a deep drilldown so that information is well organized, so that relevant information can be located quickly.

4. Link Attribute : A directory that uses a “rel=nofollow” attribute or places your link with JavaScript re-directs will not be of any SEO advantage and is not counted as a back link by Google. Quality directories will always offer a direct back link to your site.

5. Unique Design (Optional): Content always plays a very important role, but the way the content is presented also makes a difference. Unique directory design shows directory owners commitment and seriousness for his directory.

6. Links in the Category: Check the quality of the links that are present in the category that you are looking to submit your site. If the directory has spam links (low quality links), then there is really no point in submitting to such directory & as it will really not pass any link value. Quality directories do reject lot of links.

Please post in your comments, if you have some more selection criteria’s for quality directories.

Amit.

Popularity: 23% [?]