How to turn directory listings into backlinks that count
You know which of your listings pass authority and which were a waste of an evening.
1h 30mMediumSEO
By this point you have dozens of listings. Some pass authority, some are not even indexed. An afternoon of checking tells you where the remaining time should go.
01
Check which listings are indexed
Search the listing URL directly. If the page is not in the index, the link on it does nothing for you.
02
Check the link attribute on each
Inspect your outbound link on the live listing for a nofollow or ugc attribute. Record it next to the entry in your submission log.
03
Fix the ones worth fixing
Some directories only make the link dofollow once the listing is complete or claimed. Those are quick wins.
04
Stop maintaining the dead ones
A directory with no index presence and no traffic does not deserve another update when your product changes.
Watch out
- Buying link packages costs more than it returns; the sites selling them are the ones search engines discount hardest.
- Do not delete listings that are nofollow but send visitors. Human traffic is worth more than the attribute.