Australian Business Directories

[NickMorris]

I've just finished creating a list of Australian business directories. These are all free directories and most of them are dofollow.

I wanted to ask whether people think business directories are useful for marketing, both from an SEO and traffic perspective. Here's my view:

Free directories (dofollow)
SEO- An easy way to get followed links. I think Google should be able to tell pretty easily that the links are self created and hence give them less weight than an editorial link but I still think they have some benefit. It's important to have substantial unique descriptions so that Google recognises that the listings contain unique content and will hopefully index them. If possible, get your keywords in the anchor text of the link to your website.
Traffic- Some of the bigger directories will refer significant traffic that could lead to sales. Most of the small directories will deliver little to no traffic.

Free directories (nofollow)
SEO- The directory won't pass any link value or anchor text to the website but the listing itself still has the potential to rank and the refer traffic. This can be helped by targeting a long tail phrase with the directory listing.
Traffic- Any traffic has the potential to convert so any traffic is welcome.

Paid directories
SEO- Rarely is a directory worth paying for from an SEO perspective, the Yahoo directory might be an exception.
Traffic- Would have to deliver substantial traffic to make it worth it (depends on the costs of course).

Questions
Has anyone advertised in paid directories, what were the results like?
Has anyone advertised in free directories, what were the results like?
Do you think directory listing are beneficial for SEO?

[craiglongmuir.com]

i think the general consensus is that directories are not that worthwhile for SEO...but every little helps

[PerfectNotes-Kathy]

I listed our business in as many free directories as I could find when we set up. There is the occasional click-thru - but I'm definitely glad that I didn't pay for any of them...

I figure that there is no harm in putting entries in - and occasionally updating them - but don't hang your entire SEO hat on them!

Kathy

[craiglongmuir.com]

definitely no harm,. but filling out all the forms can be fairly time consuming so from that point of view the time is usually not worth it..not sure if there is an auto submitter for oz based directories?

[websitedesigner]

No but it's a great task for a VA

[PerfectNotes-Kathy]

Originally Posted by websitedesigner

No but it's a great task for a VA

Absolutely, Dan! Part of a package we have recently compiled - and delivered for one customer.

Kathy

[nduncan]

I've never seen much traffic come through from free business directories. I doubt they give a lot in terms of SEO however there may be some benefits if you can have anchor text in your links.

[tonyk]

never had any success with business directories, despite registering with a majority of them. but as others have said it's worth trying when it comes at zero cost

[NickMorris]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Some of my clients have gotten sales from directory traffic so they certainly have some value on that front.

From an SEO perspective, here's something I didn't mention explicitly before- The 2011 Local Search Engine Ranking Factors survey ranked 'Volume of Traditional Structured Citations (IYPs, Data Aggregators)' as the 4th most important factor for local search rankings.

[seocourse]

I love how someone shares something good and the 1st thing we do is point the negative, instead of doing what we are suppose to do in the 1st place.

NICK:

THANKS FOR SHARING MATE.
Great list.

(Love your Logo by the way)
if we keep pointing negatives instead of encouraging people to provide good info, the forum will become a "ranting" resource, instead of a community of people willing to help each other to grow.