Web directory's - do they it hurt page rank?

[tyler9953]

I read the post by "Voda Host" and would like some clarification on "web directorys". I have submitted to maybe 5 or so. I have one that "backlink checker" ranks fairly high on their list of my backlinks. They all have reciprical links from my site to theirs. I will take them down if this hurts my ranking in the SE's.

The reciprical links are posted at the bottem of my site. You can click the link in my signature, "medicare supplement quote".

Please, I would like a difinative answer on these web directories. For instance, one of them is dmegs, which I thought was a good one to be listed on. Thanks

[Vasili]

Re: Web directory's - do they it hurt page rank?

Tyler -

DMOZ and DMEGS are two long-standing Directories that are Category-based and not entirely searchable any longer because the composition of most submitted content is not natural nor composed within true contextual order.... they are a superficial means to paste content across the Net, and since they are so laden with pure Content, the relevance value is insignificant. It is due to their earlier presences on the web and their dynamic compilation that they have artifical PR, which is the specific site vairable used when trying to ascertain the soundness of any link strategy (especially compounded with the generic values being diminished based on superficial Search).

Like any other link-building, submitting content across the Net requires reasonable planning and sound judgement. If you are just beginning, I would suggest you take 2 or 3 of your Key Phrases of the article you wish to submit and first do a Google Search on those values. See what comes up. Visit the top 10 sites to see if they are likely a truly relevant site to submit to ... does it have the same professional compositions and natural order? Is the site not a "mill"? Does the site have at least PR4 or PR5 (Page Rank ... something you can determine by running the URL thru any one of the many free online PR tools) SERP?

Once you find 2 good PR sites that are real sites and not purely "Submission Factories" then you can submit them with a greater satisfaction knowing that they will likely create valued relevance for your site. Submitting the same article more than 2 places, however, will likely backfire on you as it will constitute the threshold of Duplicate Content Violation.... which is why good, clean PR sites often charge something to list content, to make it easier to be 100% compliant and still mutually benefit from the preserved Net Rules Structure.

Choosing Directories (especially simple site URL drops) is not as preferred as Blogs or other purely context-based sites that have interactive (the new dynamics) services with visitors - such as RSS Feeds, Leaving Comments, Registering, etc.- whereas directories do not (they are usually a one-way visit: read only, or drop content and go).

Just starting out, it will take a bit to get the hang of finding good sites to connect with, but the effort is worth it. Use common sense, and don't believe everything Google: they are in purely for the money, so they always try to skew things (and people's minds) their way whenever they can, but the Rules of the Net are actually pretty stable. Rememeber, Google is not GOD, but simply Good.
Being "Like-Minded" is the best way to establish relevance and reliable relationships that will benefit you.

[tyler9953]

Re: Web directory's - do they it hurt page rank?

Thanks Vasili. Always apprieciate your post. Thanks for taking the time. I have found a way to find blogs and sites that have relevent content (to my website) where I can contribute, plus get a backlink. I have wondered does it matter if I get a [a href] backlink within the comment or doest the signature carry more weight. It may not matter. My anchor text is the same either way, just wondered if it mattered if the backlink was in the signature or in the comments.