Directory VS Article Directory

[imageworks-261290]

Which got hit harder in penguin update. I was looking at SEER Interactive backlink profile (the SEO company that didn't rank for it's main keyword phrases) and noticed a pretty big trend on why it might not rank for its domain name.

SEER was in a majority of anchor text, many coming from directories.

i'm guessing THEY were effected because they matched the exact match domain link profile rule

I'm not an expert programmer, but if i was playing "Google Programmer" I would think the Algo update went something like.

If ((exact match domain) & (certain % anchor text==domain) & (certain % of anchor text== partial domain + services/company))  {

tank the rankings

}

So back to the question, do you think that this update had a lot to do with directories, article directories, or neither.

Is article directories still a legit way to get links. (not ezine)

[AlanBleiweiss]

No direct hotline to Matt Cutts so I'm not going to guess whether directories or article directories were hit more than the other, if at all specifically within Penguin.

Know this though - crappy SEO only directories and crappy SEO only article directories are both targets for elimination.  Given the leaps and bounds strides Google has made in the past 15 months, I'd suggest avoiding both at all costs.  Been suggesting that for years.  Hopefully more people will finally listen given that directories AND aritcle directories have clearly been taking hits in recent months.