Bidding directories have always been accused of being selling links and not delivering real content useful for the visitors. Yes there is a solution with the new article mod launched by Mikey of Zorg-Links for PhpLB script. PhpLB remains to be one of the most popular and versatile script for bidding directories.

With this mod, you can easily add articles to any category and demo can be seen here.

The article mod currently supports PhpLB v1.2 and will also be upgraded soon for the upcoming release of PhpLB v1.4

Download : Install instructions

I am planning to add this mod on my directory soon. If you face any problems with the installation you can contact Mikey here.

Amit.

Popularity: 20% [?]

It is really easy to start a new directory these days, with some amazing scripts like PhpLD, Esyndicat, Site Sift, PhpLynx etc. The best thing being these directory scripts offer free versions which can allow almost anyone to start a web directory easily at no cost other than the hosting (this again can be free).

Now we are here to discuss, what happens to an average guy who plans to start a web directory (wants to really make it BIG and also wants to make some money with it easily) & his journey along the directory market.

Here is the story, I hope you will enjoy it. Let me name this new directory owner who is looking to make a quick buck with web directories as “BigLoser”.

Now BigLoser plan to start a new directory, so he searches for some free directory scripts and also gets in some free hosting from friends, manages to install the directory script. He plans to start a general directory, uses one of the category dumps available online and in 10 minutes, he has a brand new directory ready!

So assuming that he is using PhpLd script, He selects one of the many free templates available online and has a directory ready to be launched. Now our Big.Loser has goes to many directory forums and makes posts that he is launching this directory and the submissions are free. Long before he has finished posting threads on various directory forums, he realizes that he is already getting tons of submissions. Traffic really makes him excited. So he starts working on his directories 4 hours a day.

He submits his site to various other free directories, dying for an approval and that precious backlink. Now this goes on for some days, finally making him realize that out of the 800 submissions he is getting daily 775 submissions are either spam sites, adult content, MFA sites, Casino/Gambling sites or racist material which he cannot approve as per his own TOS. So now he spends around 6 hours/day just in approving submission.

Now he reads on some directory forums, that converting his free directory to a paid directory will result in a fewer number of spam submissions and it is also good way to earn some money. So that makes him convert his free web directory to a paid directory with regular links at $1.00 and featured links at $5.00, only to realize that the traffic on the site has dropped by 90% and also there is an amazing bounce rate. Now since there is really no way of going back. He just prays that he gets a good pagerank so that there will be some featured link submissions to fulfil his objective of making money.

Finally after months of free directory submissions, PageRank updates our Big.Loser and the directory gets a Pr3, which makes him very happy and he is all set to make money. Only to again realize that there are already many PR3 directories, his site lacks custom design, no premium mods. So our Big.Loser now invests arounds $300.00 and gets a cool design and some directory mods installed. Only to again realize that he has no traffic to his directory and there are no featured link submissions coming. Big.Loser ponders that he burnt a hole in his pocket and wasted some really good time and the fact that he could have made at least 100 times the money he has made with his directory, working part-time a pizza parlor.

Many guys planning to start up in directory business have experienced the above scenario and it is really not that easy to make money with directories. It requires a lot of hardwork, link building skills, SEO and also money to invest to build a quality directory or in other words a resource site which is useful for everyone.

I hoped that you liked the article, please post any points that I have missed in the comments. I will update them in the blog post. This post is written with the prime objective of helping new webmasters trying to venture in the directory business with the motive of making a quick buck although it may look really easy.

Amit

Popularity: 25% [?]

Directory Submissions are really becoming very popular these days. Packages like submission to 1000 or even 2000 free directories (I don’t know that If so many free directories also exist!) are really hot these days and best thing is that even an Excel Report is provided as a proof of by these submission service providers. Now the topic that we will be discussing today is that how are we going to make the best use of these services in terms of SEO and Link Building.

Here are some of the tips that we need to follow while submitting to Web Directories.

1. Randomize the use of Anchor Text’s : This is absolutely important to randomize the anchor text’s when you submit to directories as If you get 1000 incoming links (in the ideal case, I am sorry but sometimes we have to use that) all pointing to your domain with the same anchor text, then this will definitely make Google raise a Red flag against you. Randomizing anchor text’s and description really become a key for a successful directory submission effort.

2. Writing Quality description about your site : I have seen that many sites that are being submitted to directories for review are without any quality descriptions and by this I really don’t mean that you need to type in a sales letter in directory description box or just hype your product. Use realistic descriptions that will encourage the users to click on your link.

3. Stop submitting to Spam directories : I really don’t see any advantage of submitting to tons of spam directories (directories build on dropped domains, no backlinks & directories made just made to make a quick buck). Submission to these directories will not help in terms of SEO, But will surely make your life more difficult as being associated with SPAM. Submit to a fewer quality paid & free directories which will surely help you a lot with link building.

So the next time you opt for a directory submission service for your site(s), Ask your service provider a sample of the directory list that he will be using for submission & then make an decision based on the above mentioned points.

Amit.

Popularity: 30% [?]

Google has finally updated PageRank and this time it has really came more as a shock rather than a green bar update on the tool bar. This update saw many established & highly promoted directories losing the PageRank value & many new starting directories jumping on the PageRank value (many directly from 0 to 4 & 5 also). I know of Directory Journal (This site really has some amazing content) jumped the PR scale directly from PR0 to PR7.

Many established Web Directories like Alive Directory, Aviva Directory, Elegant Directory, DirectoryDump, Romow Web Directory and many more saw PageRank drop directly from PR6 to PR4. All the above directory owners worked really hard so that they offer the best link value to customers.

Now here comes the pinch with this Google Update when established directories (dropped by PR) and be compared with the new directories awarded higher PR. I really don’t think PR now is the metric for comparison right now & will be influenced with many other factors.

Here are some of the conclusions that can be drawn from this PageRank Update

1. Google is not against directories (I know that this will make a lot of people happy).

2. Google is only against PAID Links and attempts to manipulate PageRank.

3. Content will always rule Google, So if you can add relevant & quality content to your web directories, you will be always away from the problem.

4. Too Much Over Linking between Directories : A pattern in seen mostly where in a web directory links to other directories (or a group of directories). These are not necessarily sponsored sites, But mostly directories owned by the same owner.

Requesting every one to comment on this article & point out If I have made any mistakes while writing this article.

Amit.

Popularity: 18% [?]

This is the first time, Google pagerank was so much awaited. The update was really strange this time. First the PageRank of all the established sites updated & just some hours back. The following 3 datacenters ( 72.14.217.104, 72.14.221.99 & 209.85.135.102) started displaying the updated values of pagerank for all the new sites.

The trend this time is that many sites saw a drop in the pagerank value, mostly associated by Google’s theory of paid links.

Both of my directories got a jump from PR0 to pr4, for which I am really happy with this pagerank update. You can post your directory new updated pagerank here along with other web directory owners.

Amit.

Popularity: 18% [?]