Have the big directories been penalised by Google

[vicdigi]

Curiosity now begins to strike.

Been doing some searching on Google for the most basic search terms the big directories would normally come top on but nothing.

Does this mean they have been penalised by Google or this just a process whereby they will show up again sometime soon?


bigweblinks

big web links

alivedirectory

alive directory

avivadirectory

aviva directory

What's your verdict on these directories coming back and serping for their most simplest phrases? Especially where Alive Directory was serping high for keywords 'Web Directory'.

[temi]

All depends... there are two school of thoughts on the demise of the directories. One argued that Google is just bashing all directories and site that sell links over the head.
Another school of though said that the leading directories were reported to Google for selling link and were penalised manually, and not via algo change.
If the second thoughts are the right one then I think there is not home of them coming back, however, if the first is the correct version of events, then they may well come back and rank highly again.
But I have seen this pattern a few times.... a directory becomes incredibly popular (eg. bluefind.com , hotvnothot etc), words gets to Google, Google basked directory over the head and directory goes downhill

[vicdigi]

Didin't think of the latter in reporting. That's nasty but I guess there's alot of jealousy out there.

Still, even with all the talk about Google getting reports on directories selling links - surely this is nonsense on their behalf to act this way. Don't see them doing this to the Yahoo directory now.

[temi]

Yaoo is much too big to be bullied by Goolge.. even Google recommends Yahoo directory. They can only bully little people like us