A Web Directory is a categorized list of Web sites. There are many differences between a Web Directory and a Search Engine. Search Engines are far more complex than Web Directories and since I’m not a Search Engine Expert, I will only address how the average user will experience the two different methods of indexing the Web.

Most Internet users know the basics on how to use a Search Engine. How effective they are depends on how well they determine the keyword or keyword phrase of whatever they are searching for. Learning how to search effectively can take some determination and a willingness to try different search terms and even different Search Engines in order to find a good variety of what they are looking for. How well a Search Engine performs for each individual can depend in part on the search terms (keywords and keyword phrases) used to perform the search.

Web Directories are not so dependent on keywords and keyword phrases. In fact, most directories have a very basic search feature, not nearly as complex as major Search Engines, and not as necessary. A Directory is focused on categorization, with parent and child hierarchy, that can go as deep as 10 or more pages, depending on the size and focus of the directory. While most directories have the same basic structure, how they use that structure may be different. Web Directories are one of the most unutilized features on the Internet today, mostly because the average and many not-so-average users don’t know they exist or don’t know how to use them.

There are less than ten major human-edited general directories online today. While there are tens of thousands of directories online, most offer very little to potential users (surfers). Their focus is on selling links, trading links, ad click-throughs and/or for the benefits of search engine placement. They are not focused on building a useable directory for the average Internet user. I’ll be writing more about this in the future.

Niche directories can be a valuable resource when researching in a narrowly focused area of interests. There could be thousands of niche directories worth your time to explore. A good niche directory could provide you with more information than you would ever find using just a Search Engine because the directory has weeded out the redundancy and less appropriate Web sites for you. Niche directories are usually created by people with a passion for the subject of their niche and go out of their way to find good Web sites that fit their niche.

Next I will write about how to use a directory and the benefits of exploring a Directory as opposed to a Search Engine.

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