It is hot topic these days that Google is penalizing the selective web directories so weather getting directory links is good or simply bad .
Selective directories are
Aviva
Alive
Big Web Links
ewebpages
Directory Dump
Elegant Directory
gii
Idk
Nobledirectory and many more
Google is removing their pages and they are not even ranking for there name. It has happened in past to directories like bluefind , uncoverthenet .
As many as 60 directories, according to this report, suddenly dropped in ranking, leading to suspicion that Google has begun aggressively (and likely, manually) targeting paid link directories deemed to be in violation of the search engine’s quality guidelines. Some have suggested competitor sabotage via the recently initiated paid link reporting form.
http://www.webpronews.com/insiderreports/2007/09/06/is-google-hitting-directory-links
I made complete study of the case and found that Google is against those directories which are inter linked by way of mass linking to get the artificial PageRank and then selling listings in such directories as paid links. Google cannot be against the paid listing of directories as it is the only financial support for directories to survive. Yahoo charges 299 USD for paid listing. What Google can do in this case? So only those directories will be penalized from case to case basis particularly highly linked network of directories just to achieve ranking and high page rank
Well there is no problem to free directories or getting listing in free directories at all. Search engines likes free links and particularly when they are organized in thematic manner which directories are. Directories are there since inception of web and will remain in coming days
Site owners should be held accountable for making good editorial decisions. He talks about the Yahoo Directory and how they take your money to “evaluate†your site to see if it’s worthy enough to add to their directory. Is that not a paid link?Â
http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/archives/2007/08/are_paid_links.html
Google says “Submit your site to relevant directories such as the Open Directory Project and Yahoo!, as well as to other industry-specific expert sites.â€
http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=35769