Is Submitting to Yahoo Directory Worth it?

Category: Web Development Author: User Image

Gary R. Hess

I have had the privilege to be accepted into two separate categories within the Yahoo Directory. Although both are seasonal, I have received traffic from the links throughout the entire year.

But is it worth it?
Well, that really depends. In my case, both acceptances were free of charge, thus in theory they will stay forever - so it is definitely worth it. Of course, not everyone is as lucky as me. So here are some questions to ask yourself before ponying up the $299/year.

How much is a visitor worth?
Will the money be better spent on PPC or other directories?
Is there even a slight possibility that your site could be added due to its content instead?

In my case, each directory listing brings in around 1,000 visitors per year. Looking at just those numbers, it equates to around $0.30 cents per visitor. If your website is within the tech industry or insurance that sounds like a good deal - others, not so much. Further, the Yahoo Directory listing passes along some nice link juice. Not only does the listing look good in Yahoo, but also Google. You will notice a nice increase within the SERPS once accepted.

But is that enough? Well, it is hard to tell. For this particular website, the increase in Yahoo SERPs wasn’t much. In fact, I still don’t rank well for much of anything besides very basic terms I have held #1 in Google for several years. On the other hand, Google began seeing the website as a trusted brand. Frankly, that is what it comes down to. Are you willing to spend $299 for your brand?