What do you think of this....

[gkd_uk]

This is from Directory Script Or Directory Software Can Harm Your Site the owners of Barracuda directory script.


Directory Script Or Directory Software Can Harm Your Site

The Internet has changed. Directory scripts used to be an effective way to build your site link-popularity and increase your rankings in search engines. Not anymore! As of now, directory software can bring a load of problems to your site, often irreversible. It was hard for us to understand and admit that it is time to stop distributing Barracuda as a links directory script, but we can confidently say that, nowadays, links directory scripts should be avoided at all costs.

Why? First, you would be losing your time - building links-popularity through directory-script reciprocation does not work anymore. Second, it is now official that directories are very likely to cause long-term or even permanent exclusion from major search engines, like Google. Third, directories are now nearly useless for end visitors and bring little value to your site.

Our recent observations (including panelizing of our sites by Google) prompt us to recommend that you not deploy link directories on your sites anymore and consider removing your current link directories (unless you're absolutely confident about their value).

BoonEx Stops Barracuda Distribution
Barracuda is no longer available for download. We will not continute its development. Instead, the name and the icon will be used for a whole new product, which is now being developed at BoonEx.

[temi]

I am not sure I agree with this, the problem could be with their own specif directory script. I know a lot of directory and directory script that is prospering. They ( BoonEx) use link back technique that is more or less spam for all their products so I am not suprised they are having problem for example when you use their dating/community software, there are lots of link to the community software, the so called Barracuda, dolphin Community builder etc etc.

[Gorkfu]

I don't completely agree either. I mainly only agree with one portion quoted below.

Third, directories are now nearly useless for end visitors and bring little value to your site.

I agree with this notion to be true if your directory is nothing new or special and is just a bunch of categories with links. Most people won't bother with directory searchs anymore unless it has added functionality and something the user can gain possible knowledge from.

[MarkeD]

Its all about neighbourhoods - reciprocal linking with random sites won't work as its too easy and you'll be in the same neighbourhood as spammers of porn and poker.

Saying that, a site is never going to get deranked because they are in the wrong directories - its way too easy for a competitor to put your links in there. I'd say sites got demoted more for other spammy practices than the actual fact of being in the "cursed" directories.

[OldWelshGuy]

There is ALMOST nothing a competitor can do to harm your rankings

[seo2]

In my opinion, links from directories must have some value, especially for free, non reciprocal directories.
I say this because, in order to get your link there, somebody must approve it. So if you are a big search engine, you know that, at least as an average estimation, those links must have been checked by somebody. Following this idea, the more links you have in such directories, the more checks you must have passed....
So, if your link appears in 100 directories...the posibility that all 100 webmasters are spam helpers is quite low.

[tb987]

I think this product may be a script that people use to manage link exchanges with random sites rather than a dedicated directory script and yes these are of little value and if you were to put such a script on your site that section could be considered a link farm.

[OldWelshGuy]

FFA link sites are bad news, Google doesn't like them. if ALL your backlinks are low value links, then your site WILL get pinged, make no mistake. but one single link from DMOZ etc is enough to ensure your site is unlikely to get google bowled!

Also SEO2, MANY directories don't monitor links, they auto approve them!

[MarkeD]

There is ALMOST nothing a competitor can do to harm your rankings

Well, aside trying to outrank you themselves or reporting a spamming site to Google - can't think of anything else at the moment although I'd probably not be able to do anything too shady .

Re: directories I think truth be told there are only a handful that make a real impact on rankings - and they're almost certainly not in those "Submit you site to 1000 directories for $30!?1!!" sites.

[OldWelshGuy]

Oh you CAN make site disappear, sily grab their site, enbsure your copy has a higher page rank and better links, then cloak the content to google. BANG your competitors site will be replaced by your cloaked site, only as you have nocached your cloaked copy, they will see your site, the one that is nothing like theirs, so they will be blisfully unaware. That is/was a common black hat practice.