Hottest Niche/Directory Category?

[espmartin]

It occured to me that with all the web directory site owners here, you
all would be a great resource for this question:

• From a SEO standpoint, what directory categories have been the "hottest"
• as far as inclusion requests?
• Have you noticed any trends that content sites are headed, by the number
• of requests to any given category

 

[temi]

I have a feeling this may vary from directory to directory but in my directories, I found the category "Directories" to be the hottest category, perhaps because other directory owners know the power of directories hence they always ensure they submit their sites.
Categories and sub categories under "Internet" are also quite popular, after that Shopping related categories.

 

[espmartin]

Great! Keep them coming directory owners! These are the type of statistics you have to
pay for!!!

 

[chilie]

so many directories are put up by SEO scammers to just to create a place for links they sell to other webmasters.

 

[espmartin]

Kinda like link farming, Chilie? I've seen that too, and that has put a bad taste in my
mouth to directories in general. That is, until I joined this forum, and found that there
are quality directories available.

 

[SkinnerW]

No matter how you look at it and how well it maintained - general stand-alone directory is still a link farm, even if it's called ODP...

I don't know about the "hottest" but most populated probably, like Temi mentioned, "directories" category.

 

[espmartin]

1. Directories
2. Internet
3. Shopping (ecommerce)
4. Web Hosting
5. Search Engine Optimisation
6. ?
7. Travel
8. Games
9. Health (mostly dentistry and cosmetic surgery)
10. SEO Contests

Anyone care to fill in the rest?

 

[loredan]

1. Directories
2. Internet
3. Shopping (ecommerce)
4. Web Hosting
5. Search Engine Optimisation
6. ?
7. ?
8. ?
9. Health (mostly dentistry and cosmetic surgery)
10. SEO Contests

Anyone care to fill in the rest?

I will also add the "Travel" and "Games" categories to your list

 

[espmartin]

http://forums.ukwebmasterworld.com/37851-post7.html
#6 spot remains... Question - anyone feel the list needs re-ordering for importance?

 

[temi]

Ahhh, I forgot our Gambling friends, Casinos, they do submit to directories an awful lot

 

[Meti]

Ahhh, I forgot our Gambling friends, Casinos, they do submit to directories an awful lot

I agree, a established gambling/casino directory can bring you lots of submissions -- a good market.

Meti

 

[espmartin]

In the eyes of serious directory owners, are there niches that are viewed as "ghetto"?

Of course, a quality niche directory with quality (not spammy) gambling sites listed would
be a good market financially, but how about what I guess you'd call it "lower class" sites?
What would constitute a "bad" directory?

 

[temi]

I am not sure "ghetto" directory can be confined to a niche, the directories I consider "ghetto" directories are the one that accept ANY listing as long as the cash is paid, they are not selective of what site they list and what site they reject. I was guilty of this in my early days as a directory owner for example, I approve a one page poorly designed site because the inclusion fee of £30 per year was paid.

Recently, I rejected poorly created site that paid me £90 for listing.

Also, you can end up with a "ghetto" directory if you do not stricly enforce listing at the correct category, for example, "Internet" categories tends to have higher PR thank say "Web Hosting" which is usually a sub category of Internet, some web hosting companies will submit to Internet category instead of web hosting, if you move their site to the appropriate category, some ask you to leave it there or they will ask for a refund, I tends to tell them that its either in the correct category or you can have your refund.

Another way to turn a director to a "ghetto" is not enforcing listing title correctly, some webmster stuff it full of keywords rather than a proper sensible title.. the "ghetto" type directories leave it like that, the quality directories do not allow spammy titles.

I could go on and on and on

 

[espmartin]

Thanks Temi. So a bad directory site is a bad directory site, no matter what it's niche is...

 

[temi]

Thanks Temi. So a bad directory site is a bad directory site, no matter what it's niche is...

You put it very succinctly

 

[Meti]

In the eyes of serious directory owners, are there niches that are viewed as "ghetto"?

Of course, a quality niche directory with quality (not spammy) gambling sites listed would
be a good market financially, but how about what I guess you'd call it "lower class" sites?
What would constitute a "bad" directory?

"Ghetto", I would say there are directories in very popular fields (eg.. general directories) that may be more "ghetto-like" than directories in the gambling field.

It's like, when you visit a web directory you can immediately valuate how much work/efforts that went into the directory, you can rate a directoriy very quick on some common factors. You can clearly see which directory is the best both for the browser, and for the submitter.

I wouldn't say it's a "bad directory", do you know why? In my eyes, the bad directories are the ones that are launched today, and finished tomorrow. The directory business itself, is very crowded at this stage, lots of web directories (both free and paid).

I think it is funny to see that a majority of free directories often list "sh*t sites", on top level categories, that is a bad directory, the market should never judge a directory, it is the way it is being managed.

Meti