Thread: How much can I earn from a directory

I'm just wondering how much could I earn with a directory.
As I see, everybody here has minimum 1 directory! I know that it depends on the PR, but let say Directory with PR5 on the home page.
I'm not sure - to try or not in that business!
Will be very happy for any comments!

How much can I earn from a directory?

You could earn as much as you want if you put efforts in your directory.All depends on your strategy IMHO!

As I see, everybody here has minimum 1 directory!

Aha,I think Kalina doesn't have one!

I know that it depends on the PR, but let say Directory with PR5 on the home page.

Not only the PR but also the popularity,design,traffic,ect.

Originally Posted by Richie_Ni

You could earn as much as you want if you put efforts in your directory.All depends on your strategy IMHO!


Aha,I think Kalina doesn't have one!


Not only the PR but also the popularity,design,traffic,ect.

Don't forget me, I also don't have a directory!!!! yet!

There is no amount like, oh if you have a directory you will make xx amount of cash! I wish there was and that only I knew this!

I hoped that some one with directory would give away the secret how much he/she earns! From payed links, from adsense, from additional advertising... and what efforts he/she puts in. Just to know what can I expect if I make something in similar way.

I've lost about $700-$1000 so far this week on my directories

Originally Posted by grim

I've lost about $700-$1000 so far this week on my directories

On the templates?

Originally Posted by Richie_Ni

On the templates?

or on marketing/adwords?

Originally Posted by Richie_Ni

On the templates?

Originally Posted by Klaas Koopman

or on marketing/adwords?

Templates, paid submissions, etc. General overall marketing..

I make like nothing with directories, hate them want them gone but now I feel bad because people bought links ($2-$5 a link) and I feel like I have to keep it up for them. Adsense I make nothing on directories, very rare that I get any adsense money on my directories, except some of the more niche directories

Even if you don't make anything they are a great place to put your own links

Totally agree with you Grim, I do use my directories to get my other sites indexed quick!

Just like any other business, you have to advertise your directory.
I see so many new directories opening up every single day, and the owners never advertise them except for putting them up on a forum or two.
I offer directory owners free advertising on my blog, but maybe one in 100 actually take me up on it.
Good reason I found is that very damn few directory owners know how to actually write a review of their own site! They write an ad, which is not the same thing.
And heaven forbid that any of these new directory owners would actually spend money to advertise their directories!
Why is Alive directory so well known?
Because the owner spends big bucks every day advertising it!
ANd he makes money from his advertising budget.

Same with me, I advertise my directories on many places besides forums and other directories.
So a few bucks per day per directory, it adds up for me.

Free directories, I no longer have free directories! It is paid all the way for all of them.

And yes, all my sites are on all my directories.
Good lnkbacks, and an occasional visitor.

Now, I don't know in the short run or the long run if this is good for directories, but Dave Duval of Phpld started this with del.icio.us.
Every one with an account there adds everyone else's directories, and their directories are hopefully picked up by everyone else.
http://del.icio.us/iowadawg
Now me, I instead of mass accepting directories, been contacting the directory owners first and if they delicious my directories, then I do the same to theirs.

With proper advertising schemes im sure you could make a healthy amount of money from one, but not a huge amount.

Directories have been done to death so unless its something new, or you spend hours and hours promoting it till its so busy with some fantastic marketing ideas, I wouldnt expect it to make that much money.

Good topic. I just registered a domain and hiring kalina to design the template for me. well as soon as she replies to my PM *cough* *cough*

Originally Posted by kevinn

Good topic. I just registered a domain and hiring kalina to design the template for me. well as soon as she replies to my PM *cough* *cough*

She's out shopping for the holidays, but hopefully she wont be to late

Oh ok, thanks for the heads up!

Thank you felows,
I decided not to make a real (standard) directory . I created this: http://seodirectories.squaredimages.com . It's something between normal directory and the milliondolarpage. I will check if I can earn something with it and will tell you the results in month or two.

Ok,
now I have 2 directories:
One general directory: http://www.abaculus.net
and 1 travel directory: http://www.triporiginator.com

They are online since April.
I have visitors, but adsense on directories simply doesn't work. I have sometimes 1000 adsense viewls, but 0 clicks
I supose this is normal for directories.

Both directories are free, with the option to bid for top position.
My best earnings till now from biding: 10$

I have to advertise them more... Maybe the money will come with the time...

Yes, advertising is the only way to get a directory out there.
Too many directory owners put it up on forums and then that is it for advertising.

I use blogs, articles with embedded links on my keywords, and those bring in backlinks and some visitors.
Then I advertised my directory, still advertising, using ezines and newsletters.

It's hard to say really. The amount you will earn depends on how much you charge for submissions, if you have advertising on the site aswell, if you get good traffic, etc.

good question.
The answer is highly depending upon your idea, efforts and strategy.

Originally Posted by grim

I've lost about $700-$1000 so far this week on my directories

Grim, it would interesting to know how much you earned, beside your investments...

If you open a directory, make sure that:

1. your directory has something original which will make it unique · This days the trendy directories are those on which you can bid for your placement.
An example: Big Web Links Directory - Bid for Position Permanent Directory

2. your directory is branded · Think about it as about a general business.

3. you intend to work on it and to invest in it · A great example of a successfull web directory is Aviva · If you visit webmaster-related forums,
you already know that when it comes to web directories, you'll read about Alive and Aviva. Why? Because there is a tremendous work [and investment] behind them.

tagspage.com is not a web directory, but it is a great example for advertising. Its owners did a heavy SEO job and invested a great amount to make it popular and relevant. I saw their ads on many CSS galleries and similar sites.

Another great example is bigweblinks. They have spent thousands in advertising and it has a unique look to it.

What you can earn depends on the directory,
but be sure: from adsense on directory - you will earn ZERO.

I have only one directory and so far only 2 bought links from my directory . I keeping the directory first to get enough backlinks and popularity then can charge them as your wish.

it ain't what you, it's the way you do it !

I have a feeling that people are not submitting to directories anymore
(to paid inclusion ones at least) they try to get blog links instead that seem more natural to the search engines ....

Directories are long term investments. They normally aren't profitable unless you invest a substantial amount over a long period of time.

With a directory, you will not get many people purchasing links unless you have a good and well known directory with a good PR and Alexa ranking and also charge a reasonable rate for the links.

I think it's diffcult to earn from directory unless you have a high pr.
I had a pr5 directory ,I just in balance.

Originally Posted by mmatchev

I'm just wondering how much could I earn with a directory.
As I see, everybody here has minimum 1 directory! I know that it depends on the PR, but let say Directory with PR5 on the home page.
I'm not sure - to try or not in that business!
Will be very happy for any comments!

You can earn an awful lot of money if you do it right and target the right audience. PR is only relevant if your going for a general directory as there's so much competition out there for this. Go for a niche directory in a field you are familiar with an the skys the limit. Two examples are allabouthomes.ca and petsiteguides.com, they don't really look like directories but they are going to make a fortune down the line, PR or no PR. It depends on whether you have a long or short term goal.

I think it' not easy to make money by the directories.
Except you have a high pr one which have great traffic.

Originally Posted by GiorgosK

I have a feeling that people are not submitting to directories anymore
(to paid inclusion ones at least) they try to get blog links instead that seem more natural to the search engines ....

I'm not sure but I get submissions daily.

People are surprising when it comes to paid submissions.

I only have 3 bid link directories.
The top one, I got a new one today who bid higher than anyone on the page.
Nice little chunk of change.

Usually, it is a dollar here and two dollars there.

Your earnings from a directory are not directly related solely to PR alone.. You need to assess the value that you intend to provide your listers with. Good organization, decent SE saturation, good / valid and fresh links and well organized categories. Bringing traffic to those listing is the ultimate Plus.. It's not just about the PR.

With a good directory you can expect a decent, consistent flow of income. To name a dollar amount would be like trying to tell you how long a piece of string is...

Anyway, the goal behind any directory should be to provide value... I'd be thinking about how to do that instead of how much money you can make. They are a lot of work, so be prepared to devote a lot of time to it.