Is having thousands of categories a good thing?
- Thread starter gkd_uk
- Start date
M
mrcrowley
Guest
I have often wondered too. There is also the issue of being many clicks from the homepage (very deep categories). I think this makes it less attractive to submitters.
M
mrcrowley
Guest
For serps i don't think it matters much because whats important is to be in the correct category. But for pr a link 4 levels deep won't get as much value passed as a link 2 levels deep.
S
SkinnerW
Guest
Some people create more top level and first sub level categories for that exact reason so submitted site will not be too many levels deep and would have a better chance to be found by se spiders. Even if your link is on very relevant content page but it is 4 clicks deep on the directory with no PR or very low rank - this page may never get indexed.
I did an experiment - submitted some of my sites to brand new directories where my links would be guaranteed to be on the first page in the category and no more than 2 clicks deep. At the same time I submitted same sites to more established directories with some PR and traffic but my link would be on the 3rd or 4th page in the category so it would make it 5-6 clicks deep.
Links from new directories were found by Yahoo site explorer within few weeks, links from other directories with deeper pages were never found by any link checking program I've used.
I did an experiment - submitted some of my sites to brand new directories where my links would be guaranteed to be on the first page in the category and no more than 2 clicks deep. At the same time I submitted same sites to more established directories with some PR and traffic but my link would be on the 3rd or 4th page in the category so it would make it 5-6 clicks deep.
Links from new directories were found by Yahoo site explorer within few weeks, links from other directories with deeper pages were never found by any link checking program I've used.
I treat my directories differently than most I think, but I willthrow my comments in.
I spend MORE time on the taxonomy of the directory than just about ANYTHING in the planning stage. Taxonomy (how the categories are structured and relate to each other) is the single biggest problem with a directory.
Do you go geo then generic? IE top level uk next level Wales next level Counties next level plumbers? But doing this results in a lot of empty categories which is absolutely no good ! So do you have plumbers at the top then plumbers here there everywhere?
do you go generic and GEO? IE two listings each? Do you go Geo then generic ?
The simple answer is that you sit down and write the directory structure that is BESt for your visitors. You see I build my directories for TRAFFIc and a LOT of traffic. I am within a week or so launching a niche directory for Wales (another one
) The cost is £25 per month but whoever takes the spot will get a LOT of traffic, a VERY high quality Listing, which is really a mini site as it has address photographs, contact details opening times/availability times, areas covered etc. But most of all they will get business from the site.
Now in structuring the site I consider what the user would want. IE imagine it is a homeonwers site. So say it is plumbers in Neath (stick with this theme) what links would the user like to see on the same page? Well if they are looking for a plumber in Neath (where I live), then there is a chance that they might want other tradespeople in the same area. so having the other trades linked as related categories clearly on display one click away means that the USER gets what is best.
Personally I don't care about people submitting, if they can not work out what category to submit to then I wouldn't really want them in my directory anyhow
As for not being able to find deep links, well THAT is because people do not spend the MOUNTAIN of time needed to cross link related categories etc. Spiders like links, and they like internal links a LOT. If you have a single route to your links, up or dwon the navigation tree, then you are going to struggle to get your directory spidered and indexed.
I spend MORE time on the taxonomy of the directory than just about ANYTHING in the planning stage. Taxonomy (how the categories are structured and relate to each other) is the single biggest problem with a directory.
Do you go geo then generic? IE top level uk next level Wales next level Counties next level plumbers? But doing this results in a lot of empty categories which is absolutely no good ! So do you have plumbers at the top then plumbers here there everywhere?
do you go generic and GEO? IE two listings each? Do you go Geo then generic ?
The simple answer is that you sit down and write the directory structure that is BESt for your visitors. You see I build my directories for TRAFFIc and a LOT of traffic. I am within a week or so launching a niche directory for Wales (another one
) The cost is £25 per month but whoever takes the spot will get a LOT of traffic, a VERY high quality Listing, which is really a mini site as it has address photographs, contact details opening times/availability times, areas covered etc. But most of all they will get business from the site. Now in structuring the site I consider what the user would want. IE imagine it is a homeonwers site. So say it is plumbers in Neath (stick with this theme) what links would the user like to see on the same page? Well if they are looking for a plumber in Neath (where I live), then there is a chance that they might want other tradespeople in the same area. so having the other trades linked as related categories clearly on display one click away means that the USER gets what is best.
Personally I don't care about people submitting, if they can not work out what category to submit to then I wouldn't really want them in my directory anyhow
As for not being able to find deep links, well THAT is because people do not spend the MOUNTAIN of time needed to cross link related categories etc. Spiders like links, and they like internal links a LOT. If you have a single route to your links, up or dwon the navigation tree, then you are going to struggle to get your directory spidered and indexed.
I give up. What is the obsession with submitting to directories based on PR?
I give up. What is the obsession with submitting to directories based on PR?
Hey OldWelshGuy,
We are not talking about an obsession with PR as that is defo not the case.
The concentration lies on thousands of categories and the confusion it could create and whether this could work!
My intention of submitting to directories is based on
Potential of the directory itself
Pages indexed
Part Alexa rank
Part Pagerank
World Location - preference being the UK
GKD, I see you quoted the words 'Most'. That is a very true point.
Many a webmaster and SEO experts have different techniques!
Why some barely need to get too many links to a site based on the fact of their content and search engine optimised pages all being picked up and pointing to their homepage!
Many a webmaster and SEO experts have different techniques!
Why some barely need to get too many links to a site based on the fact of their content and search engine optimised pages all being picked up and pointing to their homepage!
I was replying to your post above mine where you said as the first factor
"However, if the directory has a high PR"
This is what made me make my reply about people obsession with PR. ESPECIALLY as you can't see what the PR is to begin with. If a site is showing 5000 backlinks but has a PR Zero in the stupid green toolbar, then someone would have to be PRETTY DUMB to believe that site has no pr
PR as a metric is so far off the mark it is unbelievable (Unless one is simply trying to get as much PR as possible of course) .
The answer to the queston about categories is simple, have as many as are usable and needed, while ensuring there are no empty categories. End of debate really.
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