Definition: A Web Directories is a database of websites arranged to make it easy to navigate. These links to web addresses are sorted based on specific criteria, such as alphabetical order. This helps users search for information in a particular way. Before search engines came along, web directories were the only way to search for websites on the Internet.
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How does a Web Directory work? in Web Directories
A web directory organizes websites by subject and is usually run by humans rather than software. A search engine searches sites organized into a series of categories and menus. These collections of links are generally much smaller than search engine databases since human eyes, rather than spiders, see the sites.
There are two ways for sites to be included in web directory listings, either when the website owner submits the area by hand or when the directory editor comes across said site and decides to list it.
Search Engine Registration in SEO
Long ago, web directories were one of the main strategies to promote a website since they were a relatively simple way to obtain links to a page to reinforce its positioning.
However, after the arrival of the changes in the Google procedure with Panda and Penguin, indiscriminate registration in directories is an inadvisable practice that can have very detrimental adverse effects on SEO hiring since, although the presence of thematic guides and quality is not damaging, many of them are considered as link farms. That is why, currently, one of the first tasks addressed when starting an SEO project is a link audit to detect harmful links.
Types of Web Directories in Web Directories
We can classify web directories in different ways according to their type:
There is a variant within the payment directories known as bid directories. This payment method explains our website’s visibility within the directory. According to the cost: if these allow us to include the link to our website without any cost, we will talk about free guides. If, on the contrary, it is necessary to pay to register on our website, we will refer to paid directories. The latter tend to be much more beneficial for SEO as a general rule since they are less saturated and convey greater authority. The opposite happens in many with the free ones and can even be like webspam emitters.
According to correspondence:
numerous directories are free, but in exchange for including our website, they demand a link to it, known as reciprocal directories; these are usually more relevant than free non-reciprocal directories.
Depending on the geographical area:
if it is a web directory that includes only web pages from a particular geographical region, we speak of a local guide. It is a global directory if it does not have any geographical limitations.
According to the specialization: if it is a directory that is not specialized in any specific topic, it is called a general directory, while if it is, it is a thematic directory. The thematic directories are as varied as there are disciplines, and we can find directories on sports, news, health, technology, shopping, etc… Within the thematic directories, we can highlight the academic directories that focus on particular subjects as support for research or teaching.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Web Directories
You may convey specific authority to our website.
Advantages :
- These include descriptions of the websites.
- They present classified information.
- They organize the websites by theme.
- These bring visibility to our website.
Disadvantages:
- In the vast common cases, they do not represent an essential benefit for increasing traffic on our website.
- They are not usually updated very often.
- Their databases are much more minor than those of search engines.
- The websites’ descriptions are usually quite general and do not offer too much detailed information.
- Many of them are in disuse.
Main Web Directories
Although many of the most infamous web directories have fallen into disuse, it is worth mentioning some of the most prominent:
- DMOZ: born in 1998 as a concerted global project, this directory that closed its doors in 2017 was one of the most successful, with more than 5 million links to websites and almost 100,000 collaborators.
- Yahoo: Originally conceived as a web calendar, the product quickly expanded by opening a web portal and becoming the most popular search engine in the late 1990s and early 21st century.
- Hot frog: This is the common directories orients for free for the company profiles
What are web directories or link Directories?
Web directories, also known as link directories, are websites that list valuable and exciting pages. They are a kind of guide or index of Internet pages and websites, sometimes with a short description of each site they recommend—spots on the Internet, usually organized by category.
They emerged a few years ago due to the need and demand of users to discover sites and pages of interest, according to the objective of each one when browsing the Internet.
There are thematic directories, that is, focused on specific content and others open, in which it is possible to find references on any subject.
They usually work by allowing sites to be suggested for inclusion in their database, which are manually verified and, if suitable, included with a short description of their use.
How many types of Directories are there on the Internet?
Expense Directories. They are beneficial for placing since fewer links transmit more fantastic experts and occasionally PageRank. It is essential to pay to include our link.
Free directories. It is probable to register a website for free.
They are of little interest for positioning because they are very soaked . In many cases, they are measured by search engines as emitters of web spam (An exception is DMOZ).
Directories by the record:
They are free, but you need to catalog, suggest a site, and wait for a review. The benefits are similar to the preceding ones.
Reciprocal directories:
They are more related than the free ones. link must required to return in list for free.
That is, an exchange of links is generate
Directories by bids:
It is new mode of payment . In them, a position is occupied depending on the price paid by the auction. The more you spend, the higher.
Conclusion
A web directory or connection directory is an online list or collection of websites. It is a manual on the World Wide Web of the World Wide Web. Factually, directories typically listed entries on people or businesses and their contact information; such directories are still in use today