Can a Content Site Afford a Yahoo Directory Listing

**Chris** · 07-22-2005, 02:53 PM

So I've crammed http://www.SavvyShopping.net with a bunch of articles centered around decently high paying keywords with adsense. Additionally it's promoting some products, such as plasma TVs, that if sold can generate 3 figure commissions.

So, does that make the $300 annual fee from Yahoo worth it?

We'll see. All told I've spent around $1500 so far on this site in content and directory submissions (3). My goal right now is only $10 a day, but I think it could potentially do more than that.

I'm really going to be curious to see my adsense earnings after my yahoo submissions are approved.

**Cutter** · 07-22-2005, 04:25 PM

You should wait a few months before submitting it; that way you will be able to measure the difference Yahoo makes vs. all of the other places you've submitted.

**James** · 07-22-2005, 04:44 PM

Yes, but if he submitted then rather than now he could be losing money if the site does well--which, knowing Chris, it probably will.

**ozgression** · 07-22-2005, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by Chris

directory submissions (3).

Where else did you submit to?

**Chris** · 07-22-2005, 05:34 PM

No place, other than free Google submissions which'll take a few weeks.

.... ahh I didn't submit the homepage of the site... I submitted 3 subpages, thats where the 3 comes from.

**Chris** · 07-22-2005, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by James

Yes, but if he submitted then rather than now he could be losing money if the site does well--which, knowing Chris, it probably will.

Yes, money first, science second.

**Kyle** · 07-22-2005, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by Chris

No place, other than free Google submissions which'll take a few weeks.

.... ahh I didn't submit the homepage of the site... I submitted 3 subpages, thats where the 3 comes from.

Does Yahoo accept multiple subpages without any problems? Like if I could afford it, and it made sense, and the content was acceptable by Yahoo, could I submit 10, 20, even 50 sub pages?

**Cutter** · 07-22-2005, 06:28 PM

Its not about science, it is about money. Thats why when you make changes to your site, make them slowly rather than a complete overhaul.

This makes it so much easier to isolate what makes you $$$ from what is losing you $$$.

**Chris** · 07-22-2005, 07:57 PM

Sure Cutter, but are you saying that submitting to Yahoo isn't going to result in traffic/money? That perhaps if I waited I'd decide I'd not want to do it?

Waiting a few months for the site to be fully indexed in Google and then submitting to Yahoo is only going to retard the growth of the site, which will cost me money.

Icebane, yes. I have over 20 listings with my literature site (all free consequently).

**James** · 07-22-2005, 08:06 PM

I'd understand something like changing your layout, leaving it for a few weeks, and if it doesn't work out well then change it back, then try something new after a while.
But for something like this it's not going to do anything but improve how his site does, and he'll be able to see how many people go to his site from Yahoo through his stats, anyways.

**Cutter** · 07-23-2005, 12:00 AM

I'm not saying it won't help you; I'm just saying wait so you can fully measure it. Maybe its only a tiny benefit -- maybe its an enormous benefit & its worth paying to get every single site you have listed.

I'm just using a principle copy writers use. You keep everything but maybe only change the headline or price. If you apply all the techniques at once it makes it impoosible to isolate the real income producer.

With my Adsense I tweak afew things at a time. Maybe the color or placement -- but I never will change color, placement, and ad format all at once.

**chromate** · 07-23-2005, 04:30 AM

I'm deeply skeptical about buying Yahoo directory links. I just don't know if they're worth it. $900 for 3 links.

How much traffic do you think they'll bring in per day? I guess it depends on the directory, but less than 50 uniques I would think? Unless you have a strong affiliate prog in place that's highly targeted to the traffic, from AdSense, based on a 5% click through and a CPC of $0.20 it'll make about $0.50 a day. I can understand it for a high converting affiliate program which might generate $20 a day on the same traffic, for example. That would definitely make sense.

Of course all these figures are probably *WAY* off, but that's the way I think about it when trying to work out if it's worth it.

On top of that, Yahoo directory links seem to carry no PR and have no effect on Google rankings?

Even worse, I don't like the idea that they might not even accept your submission and you lose $300 for nothing. Unlikely though.

**AndyH** · 07-23-2005, 05:13 AM

What is the chance that they don't accept your submission?

$300 may be worthwhile, but not if i'm almost certain the website will be added.

**Kyle** · 07-23-2005, 05:15 AM

The Yahoo links will greatly help you with your ranking in Yahoo, which is still a great search engine to get some moderate traffic. Especially with a commercial site.

**Chris** · 07-23-2005, 05:34 AM

Its only a recent issue of Yahoo links not helping in Google, and I still find Yahoo links from their regional directories helping, and by getting listed in their us directory you often get into many regionals.

And the traffic is pretty good, atleast 50 uniques a day, a hundreds of uniques your first few days while you're a new site. Also many sites pull and then link to new Yahoo listings on a daily basis.

http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...Dcode%2Ecom%2F