SEOMoz directory list - some clarity needed FROM SEOMOZ STAFF

[Jeepster]

There are 455 directories (212 web, 188 social & 55 local) on the SEOMoz list.
Presumably they are there because SEOMoz recommends them.

Yet common wisdom seems to be that web directories have negligible SEO benefit - see this recent SEOMoz Q&A discussion.
Matt Cutts advises against paid directories in this video (which >99% of them are)
In a private Q&A last  month a member of the SEOMoz staff told me a link to my site from this directory, which appears on the list, was a "poor link".

I think some better clarity in SEOMoz's guidelines on directories would be appreciated -- and I'd appreciate SEOMoz staff weighing in as promised when Private Q&As were ended -- especially as many SEOMozzers take most of what we learn here as near-gospel.

[BeardoCo]

I believe Google is against paid directories that accept everyone.  Directories such as Yahoo, BOTW etc charge a fee, but those fees can be considered an editorial fee.  Believe it or not high quality directories actually do reject applicants.

In google's guidelines it tells you to submit to directories, but people ended up taking that and submitting their site to thousands of directory sites not matter the quality.  Submit to the big high quality directories and you will be fine.  Make sure that the directory page you are submitting to has a higher page authority that way you can pass some link juice.  These are my personal practices and beliefs and may vary with other people on this site.

[MoosaHemani]

Yes, Google have turned down the link value of links coming from most of the directories but saying that the link value of directories is finished is untrue! There are many directories which contain a link value and paying for them is a worth investment (in terms of link juice and business conversions.)

Yahoo directory and others are few of finest example of it as people still find them reputable and pass businesses to the businesses listed here!

[LynnPatchett]

Regardless of the value (or lack of) of a specific link from a specific directory I would agree with you that the seomoz directory list is a bit problematic. Since they are listed it does give the impression (rightly or wrongly) that these directories are 'approved' by seomoz and this might be sending the wrong message to many people. Would be interested in hearing the thoughts of a staff member on this, personally I would be tempted to get rid of the list!

[Dr-Pete]

That's always been a tough line to tread - we want to list potentially useful resources, but that list is certainly not an endorsement. Personally, I think directories can have limited value, but:

(1) It's true that Google doesn't put much value on non-editorial directories.

(2) It's an easy thing to abuse. Picking a couple of relevant directories to list yourself in can be a way to pick up a few links and get a small amount of traffic, but someone is going to try to list themselves in all 455, which would be a terrible idea.

I think the original goal was to help people understand the diversity of what's out there and give them enough information that they could find 2-3 relevant directories that fit their niche. Unfortunately, in SEO, any good thing can be taken too far and often is.

[Jeepster]

Thanks for your response, Peter. But I'm still as confused.

Surely, if SEOMoz cherry picks a shortlist  -- having applied criteria for inclusion, otherwise you'd have www.spamlinkdirectory.net and all sorts -- then puts them on a page headed "SEO Web Directory List" it must been seen as an SEOMoz endorsement (implicit or otherwise) of their SEO benefits. I could probably find 75-100 on that list (Web+social+local) that could be construed as relevant to my site. Would listing in them be a "terrible idea", given that I'm also using other link-building techniques?

[EGOL]

Toss up a lot of keyword links into those directories.  I bet you get hit with Penguin.

A big list of directories on SEOmoz will mean "go here" to lots of people.

[Jeepster]

Dear SEOMoz

I don't know why/how this thread has been marked as "Question Answered" when it hasn't.

[Dr-Pete]

I'm not really even disagreeing, but the original goal was a balancing act. My recollection is that we wanted to find decent directories but also enough breadth that it covered a lot of industries. This naturally means that, for some industries, the end result isn't always as high-quality as we'd like. It also means that finding editorial directories was nearly impossible (there just aren't many of them).

I would not list yourself in 75-100 directories, regardless of industry. It could absolutely look low-quality, especially with exact-match anchor text.

I know there's been discussion about whether this is a resource we want to continue to support, and I can't give a definitive answer, because there isn't one at this point. The goal was to try to create something actionable and weed out the truly bad directories, but as Google's  attitude towards directories change (and, unfortunately, as some directories become lower quality over time), we'll probably have to revisit this.

[RuthBurrReedy]

I would add that one criterion we look at for the directories list is whether or not real people are actually using them. I don't think directories are a good tactic (and certainly shouldn't be your only tactic) for getting links, but can be a way to build brand recognition and drive some additional referral traffic, which is part of the reason why we don't just abandon the directories page completely.

I will say that we have plans to go a different direction with the directories page/list in the near future, although all of the specifics haven't been nailed down yet. It's definitely a resource whose usefulness we've questioned and we're working to make it more useful.

[jennita]

Actually, you have asked that our staff respond, and we have. So I see this being answered.

[hasansplace]

I am not seeing the list anymore on the new Moz. Shall we consider the list dead or is it going to come back?

[Dr-Pete]

We've decided to hand off the directory list to a few interested industry friends, who are planning something new for it. There should be a placeholder for the new site soon, but it will no longer be part of Moz.