Recognizing a High Quality Paid Web Directory

Paid web directories should, in theory, provide you with links to only the best sites on the Internet that fall within the category and subcategory you are browsing through. After all, the web site owner had to pay to have the site reviewed in the first place, so you would think that would mean that only the best would be included in the site, right?

Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.  In fact, some web directories will allow just about any site to be included just as long as the site owner is willing to pay a fee.  This type of web directory does not benefit the person using the directory or the business trying to get listed.

Since a web directory that will allow just about any site to be listed will inevitably include a number of sites that simply are not too good, web surfers are not going to return to the directory to use it.  As a result, anyone that paid to have their site reviewed for the web directory will not be reaching a very large audience.  Therefore, whether you are looking to use a web directory to help you search the Internet or you are looking for a web directory on which to list your site, you want to be sure to choose one that is high quality.

The Benefit of Humans

One of the first things you should look for when trying to find high quality web directories is whether or not they are human edited.  Some web directories are based primarily on a bidding system or on how much the site owner is willing to pay rather than on quality.

With a human edited web directory, the directory is maintained by editors that follow certain policies when determining whether or not a site should be included.  Check the web directory before using it or submitting to it in order to find out if certain polices are in place when it comes to submitting a site.  If there are no policies, the chances are pretty good that the directory accepts just about anyone to the site.

Those human edited web directories that are edited by volunteers that are experts in their field typically yield the best quality.  These types of web directories often take a long time to approve new sites, however, since they are maintained by volunteers.

Give it a Test Run

There is probably no better way to test the quality if a web directory than to give it a test run.  Randomly click on a few different links within the directory and see where they take you.  Were the sites relevant?  Did they contain good information?  Were they user friendly?  If you can say “yes” to each of these questions, you have probably found yourself a high quality web directory.

Check Out the Links

If you are a web master looking to get included in a web directory, it is most likely because you want to get some links back to your site from a reputable site because that will give your search engine ranking a boost.  The same is true when it comes to directories – look for those with good links and that are highly regarded by other reputable sites.