Agnivo Roy

Many of you webmasters should be knowing that the first Directory Contest has ended on the 6th. Feb. and results declared a couple of days ago and as many other friends in this niche, my reactions are mixed. Though this was the first directory contest, I feel that the position achieved by my entry (12th.) is worth more than just a number, considering that I didn’t take it as a SEO contest where participants resort to all means - white hat and black hat and plaster their links all over the net, just to win it : by hook or by crook.

The objective of the first directory contest as thought out by Mike Dammann and a few other friends at the DP forums was that it should bring out the directories which were able to come out in top pages of google search results for a particular, completely new and unique term “directorycontest.com”. This should help gauge the natural link power and strength of the directories that are mushrooming in numbers for the last 2 years. Yes, it’s insane when you find hundreds of directories launched everyday, most of which are poorly maintained, spammy or deserted after a few months - worthless crap. But, there are ones which are promoted, maintained and marketed well with enormous link popularity and page strength which should naturally come higher in google search rankings.

Quite surprisingly, I was amazed to find that the directory contest has just turned into a full-fledged SEO contest with directory owners having huge money frantically buying links wherever they could. Some people started to use black-hat tactics and later removed them as the ending date neared. Some people even devised of unheard ways to get backlinks to their contest entries. Free templates with links to the entries were not uncommon to find. Well, this is just a start… I can’t finish narrating the complete thing.

As far as I’m concerned, I was glad when the contest was announced and immediately, I read the rules and put up my entry. Truly, this was a way to gauge my directory’s power. So, I didn’t try to build external backlinks in huge numbers to my entry. Instead, I chose just 5 of my other sites and added a link to my entry from each of them. Well, this is quite acceptable and yes, I didn’t even try to build artificial paid links or spam links to my entry.

What is the need of this contest if everything turns artificial ? It seemed sometime in the middle that the more rich you are, the higher you rank in the contest… As reflected in the google results pages : the top rankers have bought or acquired in some way huge amount of external backlinks pointing to the entries. So, it’s those links that are making them winners, not the natural quality of their directories. I have full sympathy and respect for my fellow buddies who participated without going for the “link frenzy” and yet, have ranked reasonably well in the contest.

As for myself, I used only one of my directories - Hot Business Directory to enter the contest. Well, I got a 12th. place finally, but I feel it deserves a place in the first 10… but who cares ? There will be “tycoons” everywhere in every form tying to sit on top of poor guys by throwing money.

At last, i’d like to make it clear that I have no personal grudge against any of the winners or the organizers…this is just a reflection and analysis from my end. I wish them all good luck and better luck to myself.