Bid directories have many benefits and have become popular with web site owners due to the considerable direct traffic and exposure provided.  Listed below are some tips to help bid directory owners maximize revenue, benefit for web site owners, and convenience for submitters.

(more…)

Most people know about and consider PR as a factor for determining quality web directories.  Although PR can be useful as a quick reference, it is far from the best or only consideration.  Below you will find a list of other factors that should be taken into account when evaluating directories.

(more…)

Listed below is a collection of "bad ideas" for web directory owners.  The list provides information on actions that will damage your directory and/or your own reputation as the web directory owner.  Being involved with any of the below mistakes should be avoided to prevent risk and revenue loss for your business.

(more…)

Email communication to web directory submitters should be minimal.  That is, you don’t want to get your emails considered as spam or thought of as "just more mail from some directory".  However, the communication you do have with web directory submitters is valuable.  Listed below are some tips to maximize the benefit from emails sent:

(more…)

Sorting by Google PR seems to be the best overall option available for web directories, and many web directories display the PR value for web site listings as information for visitors.  However, a lot of web directories are not obtaining valid PR information for the listings.  This can be a significant problem for those that sort by PR.  If you use the popular PHP Link Directory script, install and use the PR update MOD.  The tool seems to work even when the information is not obtained normally with submissions.  Doing so will even increase sales as submitters will be able to judge the future placement for a new submission.  Otherwise, the submitter is left to assume the listing will be placed at the bottom, several pages deep into a category.  The tool is also very useful for updating all listings when a Google PageRank update occurs.

If you’re thinking about starting a web directory that offers only an option for reciprocal listings, you may want to think again.  Unless you are already trusted within the webmaster community, the project is doomed to fail.  The reason is because most people value their own site more than a new site from an unknown source.  Therefore, few will want to add a free link to your site, not to mention the time it takes to implement the link.  Starting off with only this option will do you more harm than good, even if you do get some submissions and links.  There are several reasons for this:

(more…)

A question recently came up about the titles that should be accepted with web directory submissions.  Listed below are some tips to keep in mind when reviewing submissions:

• Avoid accepting titles that are overly promotional, such as "cheapest", "best", etc.  Consider using "affordable" or "high quality" instead.  Otherwise, your directory would be endorsing a web site that may in fact not be the cheapest or best.
• Avoid titles that are too long for the sake of keyword "stuffing".  Such titles should be revised to include a few of the targeted keywords.
• Avoid approving titles that are too short, such as a one-word title.  These titles are not descriptive enough to properly represent a web site and should be altered to do so.
• Most obviously, ensure that titles actually represent the content of the web site submitted.  Some web site owners and marketers will attempt ranking for keywords because of the volume of traffic they will send when it is not truly appropriate for the web site.

The above efforts should be common practice for quality web directories, and helpful tips for all web directory owners that want to maintain a valuable resource.

Offering a special promotion/discount is a great way to encourage new business and further establish a project.  However, like many things, doing it in excess can produce unfavorable results.  Firstly, having a discount offer too often will deplete its effectiveness.  If something is too common or predictable, it’s no longer special, and has little meaning.  However, more importantly, offering excessive or regular discounts makes a company seem desperate.  Whether it is true or not, the perception is very damaging for business, and can lead to numerous problems and revenue loss.  It can even result in customers believing that you are charging too much to begin with.  One tip is to offer a special promotion over a longer period of time rather than repeating it.  After that period, do not duplicate the discount in the immediate future.

Below you will find a comprehensive collection of tips and guidelines for operating a web directory. Some of the information is personal opinion, but it is largely either fact or popular consensus. Most of the tips provided will help you increase sales, and some of them have been said over and over, some are obvious, and others may be useful to everyone with any experience level. The goal of this article is to be a comprehensive collection of tips for web directory owners all together in one place.

(more…)