Ranking factors
- Category fit A directory must match the product, service, buyer, or industry. Broad reach is useless when the audience is wrong.
- Buyer intent We favor listings people use while comparing options, booking services, checking reviews, or finding tools for a specific job.
- Trust and search value A useful listing can create proof: reviews, citations, alternative intent, category visibility, or a durable profile buyers can inspect.
- Cost versus effort Free is not automatically good. Paid is not automatically bad. The question is whether the expected upside justifies the setup and spend.
- Operational risk We downgrade spammy directories, weak moderation, pay-to-rank traps, fake traffic, and listings that create noise without customers.