Directories Yes or No in 2014?

[spiderspider]

Getting links to your site from directories still works and still helps with SERPS positioning, if done properly.

-Stands by and awaits all the keyboard warriors to jump on that and tell me how I'm so wrong, and can't possible know anything. Well, you can do one.

I recently set up a new site. {service} {city} domain. Just a small city, and a service that has low to mid competition. The only external links to the domain are from directories. But from the likes of FreeIndex, Yell, Yelp, Scoot (which is basically most of the national newspapers as well) etc.
Avoiding at all costs any directory that looks like Bert from the pub has worked out how to install Pligg or a wordpress plugin, or a site that I've never heard off before.
Result a few weeks later is that we are on page 1 for 2 of our main keywords, in position 4, behind Gumtree, Yell and Thomson.

So I feel that for a local service, they can still work. Plus we've had calls from the Yell and Free index ads

 

[Murray]

But from the likes of FreeIndex, Yell, Yelp, Scoot (which is basically most of the national newspapers as well) etc.

Without looking I would guess they're all nofollowed no?

So I feel that for a local service, they can still work. Plus we've had calls from the Yell and Free index ads

A reflection of the lack of competition rather than the helpfulness of directory links perhaps?

 

[Aiden Roberts]

Thanks Guys this has been a very useful discussion, done properly and not in a spammy way directories are still relevant in 2014.

Thanks

 

[Murray]

done properly

What would qualify* as done properly?

 

[spiderspider]

Without looking I would guess they're all nofollowed no?



A reflection of the lack of competition rather than the helpfulness of directory links perhaps?

No idea on the follow / nofollow. Always ignore that anyway. Never found it slightly relevant or helpful when dealing with bigger sites.

As for the competition Vs links thing, I don't think its due to the lack of competition, as over 3 pages of results there are 18 individual companies. Small niche and low competition, but still competition. Either way, the links are doing no harm, and having calls direct from the directory listings (free) to get jobs (paying) is always a good thing.

 

[Aiden Roberts]

What would qualify* as done properly?

To me done properly means the directory should be bolted onto an established blog not stand alone, discussed regularly in the blog, no free listings, a page for each submission rather than a paragraph and in a tight niche.

Quality over quantity, actually offering value to the advertiser and the useful to the visitor.

Doesn't mean I'm right?