Info Vilesilencer Directory Owners Forum and Free Directory List » The New IVS Site » IVS Site General Discussion

[Dan]

Now that the Top 100 rankings have been fixed up. We need to go through and do another strict cull of the list. I really want directories to combat the spam within their resources. Get rid of it today, and let's look at creating much better resources on-going.

If I remove a directory it isn't permanent. It's a wake-up call to fix the problem. I'll probably contact the owner, and let them know their listing has been removed and why (I will point them to this thread).

The flower test is a simple test that we run on directories to determine whether they are editing their listings or allowing spam into their directory.

If a directory fails the flower test then we reject it from our lists because if they are allowing spam in for one topic, they are probably allowing spam in across the board and the directory needs to fix that before we send them any more traffic.

How does the flower test work?

• We type the word flower into a directory's search box and hit enter.
• We review the results that are returned.
• If there are a lot of duplicate descriptions or keyword spam descriptions we conclude that the directory has FAILED the test.

Why flowers?
We have identified that this is an area that is being spammed heavily in directories. There are literally hundreds of spammy Indian flower shops/websites all with the same descriptions that are being submitted en-masse to directories.

What is an example of BAD flower listings?
This is a real example of poor flower results returned from a directory. This is spam. Directories including this are promoting spam.

Originally Posted by FAILED FLOWER TEST

flowersnfloristsindia.com
Our site enables you to Send flowers and gifts to over 340 cities in India and 32 countries worldwide through our website. We offer flower delivery to India where you can send flowers and gifts to india in a few simple steps. [Read More] flowersnfloristsindia.com

flowersnflorists.com
Our site enables you to Send flowers and gifts to over 340 cities in India and 32 countries worldwide through our website. We offer flower delivery to India where you can send flowers and gifts to india in a few simple steps. [Read More] flowersnflorists.com

floristonlineindia.com
Our site enables you to Send flowers and gifts to over 340 cities in India and 32 countries worldwide through our website. We offer flower delivery to India where you can send flowers and gifts to india in a few simple steps. [Read More] floristonlineindia.com

indiafloristshop.com
Our site enables you to Send flowers and gifts to over 340 cities in India and 32 countries worldwide through our website. We offer flower delivery to India where you can send flowers and gifts to india in a few simple steps. [Read More] indiafloristshop.com

What is an example of a good flower test result?
Check out A1 Web Directory, they have a well edited flower result: http://www.a1webdirectory.org/index.php?search=flower

If I don't have any of the sites or descriptions in the bad example am I safe?
Not necessarily! A quick checklist:

• Site Titles should contain no repetition of words.
• Descriptions should only repeat words where necessary (like in a new sentence). A word that appears anymore than 3 times in a description is spam (unless it's not a keyword --- "and", "or", "to", etc)
• Descriptions should read as complete sentences and not product lists. e.g. We sell nike shoes, runners, joggers, t-shirts, sweatshirts, pants, tracksuits, and reebok pumps, bags, hats, clothes, racquets and balls --- is bad.

If you are sitting on the fence with a listing, then you are probably doing that with good reason. It's not a good listing. It needs fixing. Never say "oh well it'll do" because then you end up listing mediocre junk, and you'll only have to fix it later on.

Top 100 Flower Test Results
The directories being reviewed here aren't suddenly the worst directories on the web (The worst directories don't make our lists in the first place). The directories below are some of the best, however we need to be super strict and help people identify spam within their resources. Any directory that is active in removing the spam will be quickly reinstated if removed. It needs to be nipped in the bud now. Those who let it continue to grow or who aren't actively trying to combat it, aren't serious about their resource and may remain removed

1 - 20
- Pegasus Directory failed!, it has been removed. owner contacted
- So Much has a couple of bad listings, but overall looks ok.
- TSection has 1 poor listing, but overall looks ok.
- AMRAY has 5 poor listings in 65. Borderline.
- MasterMoz has a large number of poor listings, but also has a credibility/reputation meter, which may allow for hiding off dodgy website listings. Double checking with a view to removal. owner contacted
- ProLinkDirectory has quite a saturation of the keyword "flower" but this is due in part to breadcrumbs, and URLs. Has a few poor listings but overall ok.
- Domaining failed!, it has been removed. owner contacted owner has responded
- The Great Directory has 1 poor listing, but overall looks ok.
- Add URL Guide failed!, it has been removed. unable to contact owner
- A List Directory failed!, it has been removed. owner contacted owner has responded
- Free Directory Submit failed!, it has been removed. owner contacted
- The rest of the Top 20 looked ok...

21 - 40
- Info Listings has 1 poor listing, but overall looks ok.
- The Free Directory (UK) failed!, it has been removed. unable to contact owner
- SEO Executive failed!, it has been removed. owner contacted owner has responded
- Business Seek has quite a saturation of the keyword "flower" but this is due in part to breadcrumbs, and URLs. Has a few poor listings but overall ok.
- 1 ABC has 1 poor listing, but overall looks ok.
- Synergy Directory has a few poor listings, but overall looks ok.
- WWWi had some weird looking listings, but overall looks ok. owner contacted
- The Net Directory has 2 poor listings, but overall looks ok.
- Run Fat Cat failed!, it has been removed. owner contacted
- Directory Fire has 2 poor listings, but overall looks ok.
- Elite Sites Directory has a few poor listings, but overall looks ok.
- Samaprzyjemnosc failed!, it has been removed. owner contacted
- The rest of the Top 40 looked ok...

[YMC]

And so, the top 40 becomes the top 30. Sigh.

[Dan]

I need to be pedantic. If I'm not then complacency creeps in. The timing coincides with the rankings being fixed...

To be fair, the directories contain very little bad listings.

So consider it a tightening of the screws for the benfit of all

There were 120 directories on the Top 100 list when I started. I expect (given that I'm contacting the owners and some --- 3 already have --- will respond and fix their resources) that number will drop much closer to the sheer 100 that we want.

I may adjust the actual way the site lists directories by allowing quarantined/removed directories to keep their details pages [as reviews and what not are still viable content] but whose links either become nofollowed or unlinked. That could save people wondering why directories have disappeared. Especially if there is a "this directory has been removed" or similar notice --- like there is now, but so they can understand why.

[drwebs]

@Dan , I would say you should keep the directory page and just un-link them until a fix or whatever you decide. Keep the page for a few reasons, no 404 error, don't have to 301 redirect and equally important is the review bit you mentioned. That is good content and one more page index.

Maybe you can un-link and give a reason in red text or whatever.

Also, wonder why I've never gotten one flower submission. spam protection yay?


Edit: I've reviewed some of the ones deleted now. I tried to search for them did you disable the page? Just my opinion but id keep the page Dan and just remove the live link. I know it's the top 100, maybe you can have a lot of reviews and also explain why this one or that one does not meet the top 100.

like examples. This guy did not pass the flower test.

[Dan]

The page is kept, it has a message on it... but I think in terms of keeping reviews and what not...

I'm just wondering if I can do it by "removal type". If it is for weak editing or there is an issue... I'd rather keep the details page listings.

If the site is offline or domain expired then I don't see much of a point in keeping the page, because that content is gone.

Dont count your chickens in regards to flowers... they will come... they aren't the only spam and people need to realise I just use it as 1 simple test. I use it because those websites are rife and I've seen directories with 20 pages of bad flower listings.

I've removed directories in this list for 4 duplicate spam listings. That's how strict.

The reason is.... if they let that in... then how does the rest of the database look. But if they are willing to clean that, and admit there is an issue. We CAN work with them

I'll consider the page changes... will require the coder to do work, it'll have to wait, I have other things to fix.

Edit - I was forced when having the site built to compromise and make changes quite a lot, because the coder I was working with wasn't familiar with directories (something I needed him to be so tha he built what I wanted rather than his representation based on what directories look like). He got it closer than I thought anyone could... but there are fiddly little things which mean that the site doesn't perform exactly how I would like it to (and that all involves the content and how it is presented).

The Top 100 is tricky because everything that happens on it involves rankings and calculations. Any directory that is designated "general free" is automatically in that ranking system.

I don't want to particularly create a new directory_type, but perhaps a directory_issue table I can create, and then if ticked the directory gets skipped for ranking purposes and will only appear on the alphabetical general free directory pages --- meaning it would keep it's details.

If I have that directory_issue, table - I could also have it just have half a dozen reasons available. I tick one and that reason appears on the details page itself explaining why the directory isn't listed in the Top 100 (could bring back 200-300 directories hahaha).

In essence, saying... Look the Top 100 are super clean, but these other 200-300 aren't "too bad" because they have some weak editing here and there.

I would have to double-review though, because some of the directories I removed (domaining for example) had 3 or 4 particularly bad listings, whereas others had literally 20-30.

3 or 4 is one thing. 20-30, I don't want to be supporting a directory like that (unless they are willing to clean it up of course).

So perhaps then the issue also needs to be addressed in terms of time (contacting owner and cleanups). Setting a timeframe for expiry on their listing.

Once a listing is expired, turn all links off so that it is really just a holding page saying "we removed this directory because it is weakly edited and the owner isn't willing to fix the problem".

Right now... the directory just gets removed. But maybe a more pro-active way of fighting the problem is to say (like Google does) well, we aren't going to remove you completely. We are just going to drop you down rankings (or in my case off the top 100 table) and let people know there is an issue.

[Dan]

Quite a few owners have contacted me now (one decided to simply abuse me), but most seem co-operative.

I'm going to work through another batch of the list over the next few days and try and weed a few more out.

[drwebs]

Looking forward to the updates. I am going to start reviews again Dan, I kinda was holding off till I know what ones were making the cut. I guess I could just start back up and see. or better yet I could just do the flower test and see for myself what it looks like.

[YMC]

Originally Posted by Dan

Quite a few owners have contacted me now (one decided to simply abuse me), but most seem co-operative.

I'm going to work through another batch of the list over the next few days and try and weed a few more out.

I'd just take Google's lead - my list, my rules. Don't like it? Tough tiddlywinks.

[Dan]

Well I do take that line... Just I like to give everyone a chance, and keep them informed, so they can make the changes to improve "if they want".

Always up to the directory owner to do whatever they want to do. It's their resource. But I won't include them if they don't meet my standards.

I reckon I'm far stricter than Google. Far stricter, they include some absolute garbage.

[YMC]

No matter how genius their programmers are and how big their data centers get, unless AI really gets more mature, Google's results will never rival human reviews for quality. Assuming, of course, that the human(s) are actually checking the sites and telling site owners that their stuff doesn't measure up.

If that weren't the case, the whole micro-niche website industry would have never started.