Posted in Link Building on Feb 27, 2008
Some sites that pose as directories do not provide static text links and/or their pages do not get indexed. Many of these databases will never provide any direct traffic or link popularity. Additionally, many directories require reciprocal linking and use their sites to promote aggressive high-margin products. If you link into sites that primarily promote off-topic high-margin items, then you are sharing the business risk that site owner is taking.
If you choose to spend money on directory submission, you should ensure that the directory provides direct traffic or link popularity. You can do this by checking to make sure their directory pages have some PageRank on them and are in Google's cache. Search Google for "cache:www.directory.com/page.php," and check the links of listed sites. When you scroll over a link in the directory, the status bar at the bottom should indicate the domain that the link is pointing to and not some sort of redirect. You also can right click on the link to copy link location and then paste that to the address bar.
You can check PageRank by downloading the free Google Toolbar.
To ensure that a page is not showing phantom PageRank, check that the page is in Google's cache. Search Google for "cache:www.whateversite.com/whateverpage.com".
Also make sure that the cache date is within the last month. If a page has not been cached for many months, then search engines do not trust that page much.
To check that links are indexed by search engines, scroll over a listing in the directory. The status bar at the bottom of the browser should show "www.whateverlisting.com". A few good directories happen to show some funky characters for redirects. Yahoo! is the only major directory I know of that shows funky characters and still provides text links that search engines index.
Most directories that show some funky tracking characters are not providing static, spiderable links. If in doubt, ask questions at SEO forums before spending any money.
Some redirect links do get indexed, but there is no simple litmus test to make sure that they do. You can right-click and copy links from within the directory and do a server header check on them. If they show a 301 redirect, they will probably add to your link popularity. If they show a 302 redirect, they probably will not add to your link popularity. If they show a JavaScript redirect, then they do not count. When in doubt about whether a link counts or not, ask in a couple SEO forums.
If you use the Safari browser, you can use a tool from Digital Point to
view PageRank.
Popularity: 19%
