Whilst looking for directories doing interesting things, it was suggested that I look at DirectoryMonster.org. When I looked at the submission guidelines page, I found a really simple tip that I think should appear on all directories!
Apart from the rules that most submitters tend to ignore, it gives a simple example of a good and bad submission:
We like this submission!
Title: izeel network
Desc: Web related service provider. Offering quality web directory service, tools and resources for webmasters.
We don’t like this submission!
Title: izeel network - Quality Web Directory Service, Tools and Resource provider
Desc: Web related service provider. Offering quality web directory service, open source templates, tools and resources for webmasters.
Don’t add any keyword for your link title and description, Title should be official web site name or Company name. And briefly describe your business, service or web site at description area. Don’t repeat the title in the description.
It only takes a few minutes to do and should reduce the number of bad submissions too!
I’ve only just discovered that there are now new versions of phpLinkDirectory available. The free release has now reached V2.12 and the paid version has reached V3.20.
I have been very busy lately, and I have been trying to complete the PR Update Mod. However, with the release of two more phpLD versions, I will aim to add support for them. Looking at the changes for V2.12, the PR Update Mod should work with no problems but I need to check this. I also need to check the support for V3.20 too.
I’m getting there, I promise!
Thank you to all of my recent donations! They are very much appreciated. Thank you to my latest two donors, Hitflip Media Trading GmbH and Femi Hasani. You can see everyone who has donated on my donations page.
I’ve been working on the newest version of the PR updater mod. It currently supports phpLD V2.10, V3.06, and V3.10. I still need to sort out documentation and beta testing. But looks great already!
I’ve now updated the Category Dumps package to contain a dump for phpLD V3.10. In reality, the V3.10 dump is identical to the V3.06 dump which I verified this weekend. So if you’re starting a new directory off on V3.10, you can now use the category dump from Directory Spy.
I’ve had a couple of questions on how to install a category dump. In short, its best you know what you’re doing. However, the basic process is to install the phpLD as usual, locate the database used by the directory, then use the Import or SQL option of phpMyAdmin (depends on version). There should be a browse button that allows you to upload a file, where you choose the database dump version that matches the version of phpLD you are installing. Click upload, and it should work fine!
Hint: If any directory blog owners want to write a tutorial on category dumps, it would be very useful!
You Cubez.com is a new way to advertise your website, with a cube! You basically buy a cube for at least £1 ($2), and then try to increase the value of your cube until it reaches the top of the page. The greater the value of your cube, the higher it reaches on the website, and then the more clicks it attracts. Since there are many ways to increase the value of your cube, you can even sell your cube at a profit too!
This website blends together the ideas of a directory, the million dollar homepage plus a few other elements of clever thought. Credit where its due, this site uses some clever techniques gaining cheap targetted traffic. Basically there’s a direct incentive to encourage visitors to You-Cubez.com:
- Your cube gains value if you refer someone that purchases their own cube, so that’s an affiliate-style incentive for referring visitors.
- Your cube also gains value if you refer lots of visitors to the site using your cube link.
So that’s the traffic taken care of. Now for the money. There is no upper limit to how much you can ‘invest’ in your cube, so the value of cubes can only increase. Of course the site owner earns money from every cube and topup purchased. However, if a cube owner sells a cube, the site owner earns commission on the sale. So when the value of the cubes reach high levels, this commission becomes valuable. My only suggestion is that the commission fee should be simplified. I think it should be 10% before Paypal fees, not after. This is because its difficult for the seller to work out how much they actually receive.
I can see copies of this site popping up in the near future. All good ideas are copied very quickly!
The Directory Blog over at Aviva Directory is quickly becoming the best resource for directory related news on the web. For February, it ran a competition for the best phpLD directory, best phpLD mod and best phpLD template.
I am really chuffed to say that DirectorySpy.com won first prize for the phpLD PR Update Tool mod! In addition to some cash, it appears that I have won some free advertising and links in a number of directories.
So a huge thank you to everyone who voted for my mod. You already know that I’ve got a newer version in the works, which adds compatibility for phpLD V3.1 and is easier to install.
I know its been a while since I updated the site, but I have been working on other interests. However, I have some more stories lined up in the near future, so do look out for them.
I am currently looking for features requested for a new phpLD PR Update Tool version. I’m going to add support for phpLD V3.10 and improve the installation instructions to make them easier to follow. Any other ideas?
I recently posted about Fighting Directory Spam. The feedback I received was mixed, but the chap behind phpLinkDirectory was kind enough to comment.
“Thank you for your release of this mod.
In addition, we have been continuing to fine tune the methods over in the phpLD supporters forum as well, and when we reach a point where we have some solid controls in place, we will likely make a new release of both v2.1 and v.3.1. I can tell you that using the existing release of 3.1 I have been able to cut down spam by 95% already. Thanks again for your release.”
It appears that work has already started on preventing spam. Therefore I will not start working on my ideas for a new mod until I see what is released!
Contextual Links @ V7N is a contextual link broker service where you can purchase contextually relevant links from a number of popular blogs.
You pay for a hyperlink containing a couple of keywords from a relevant blog. The service will match you up with a blogger who will find a relevant existing post on their blog and hyperlink your chosen keywords to go to your designated URL. You pay the service, and they pay the blogger for the service. The link is then immersed in relevant content (something Google is paying a lot of attention to these days), and it is also permanent.
The service also allows you to sign up as a blogger to earn money by putting up links for buyers. So a great way to earn a little extra cash too!
Clearly with any directory, the better the backlinks, the better ranked your directory is in the search engines. You also gain good Google Page Rank, additional relevant backlinks, as well as targeted traffic. If you have a paid directory, the better the ranking, the more you earn! So why not give V7N Contextual a try and build up your contextual backlinks?
