Interview with Brent Champagne@Best Web Directories

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Hey,

This interview is with Brent Champagne @ Best Web Directories

We would like to thank him for taking time out to do this interview! This interview was done by Directory-Owners.Com

Q. Are you able to give us a short insight into your background?

For most of my life, I consulted as a Systems Analyst and owned my own computer consulting company. In my late 30s I sold the company and retired. I then travelled and did some major home renovations. About six months later, as the days started getting shorter, I started looking for something else to do. I had some experience as an amateur card counter so I started a blackjack site. Even though I had a computer background I knew next to nothing about building web sites. Three years later, I have diversified into 30 websites. I spend most of my effort on Best Web Directories.


Q. How did the idea of Best Web Directories come to you?

The idea for the site came to me early in the directory craze. It took a long time to submit in those days so I saw a need for unbiased directory information. I found that the few sites that were around tended to be superficial and self-serving.

Q. What was your biggest challenge getting the Best Web Directories to where it is now?

My biggest challenge is the undisputed fact that submitting to directories can be very tedious, not to mention keeping meticulous records of the submission and approvals. I have a spreadsheet with 1700 rows of submissions (many directories have been submitted to multiple times). Another challenge is keeping the site up-to-date. I slacked off over the summer and couldn’t believe how fast the information lost its usefulness.

Q. What promotion methods do you use to make people aware of Best Web Directories?

I submit to a lot of directories along with some advertising. I also try to stay active in the forums. I pay attention to how and where I advertise. This process has worked very well as the site is ranking incredibly well in Google and Yahoo. When I’m not number 1 its often because of DMOZ, Yahoo and Google’s directories are ahead of me.


More can be read here:-

http://www.directory-owners.com/showthread.php?p=8469#post8469

 

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OR the rest here !


Q. When you list directories, do you personally submit your sites or do you go on feedback which you have received?

I personally submit to the directories. I usually submit to a bunch of established directories. Of the ones that approve my submissions I’ll sometimes submit some more. I’ll usually submit a couple more while writing the review. It depends on the directory. My expectations of a new directory are much higher than an established directory. I was submitting to a lot of paid directories at first, but I have reduced paid submissions because of the cost.

Our directory submission service also allows me to keep track of hundreds of directories. Directories switch from Free to Paid every day. Others get overwhelmed by the volume of submissions and quit approving free ones. It’s a full time job just to keep our list updated and I don’t do it all myself.


Q. What have you noticed when reviewing directories? Have you found that they are becoming more and more unique?

I would have to say the opposite actually. The PHP Link Directory script has become quite popular so 9 out of 10 new directories are using it. The templates have gotten fancier but the guts behind the directories are very similar.


Q. Over the years of running Best Web Directories what have you noticed about the changes with directories?

Well directories have become a commodity of late. Entrepreneurs build a directory and then sell it. They take a copy of it and sell it dozens of other times. In the past, Directory owners would come up with and idea and promote it. Today, directory owners are mass-producing the same directory over and over. Some owners are even storing half a dozen directories on the same IP.

Q How long do you spend researching each directory before you list it on Best Web Directories?

I’ll spend on average 15 minutes per directory but I keep an eye on some for months or years. Whenever I can, I try to get an idea of the integrity of some of the owners. Once listed, I’ll look at it every 3-6 months and may change its rating accordingly.

Q. With many website owners now placing high level's of attention to SEO, do you think that directories will have to evolve to keep up with the changes on the internet?

I think they should keep up or be at the cutting edge of SEO. I believe that true SEO friendly directories will have an edge in the long run and when I say SEO friendly I mean much more than providing a direct link. Over the years, I have been blown away at how smart Google are. They have surprising me so many times that I know their algos will continue to get better. I believe that duplicate content is one area that can hurt directories since many of links submitted are submitted word for word to hundreds of other directories. Add to the mix duplicate category structures and you have an easy way for the search engines to ignore all the outgoing links on a site.

Director owners should pay attention to SEO when promoting their directory. Sitewide links may pad your site’s stats but it may hurt your ranks. The same goes for footer links. I’m a strong believer that if a site doesn’t rank well then its links will not be valued high.


Q. In your view what is the biggest challenge for directory owners in this day-an-age?

The biggest challenge to free directory owners is automated submission software. Many directories are getting hundreds of automated submissions per day, which are of poor quality and submitted into inappropriate categories.


Q. With so many directories, what do you see for the future of the industry?

I don’t see any reason why the fortunes of directories would change drastically, although I don’t see room for continued exponential growth of new directories. As I said above, duplicate content may hurt some directories if it hasn’t already devalued their links. On the positive side, the last toolbar Pagerank update has been very kind to directories.

Q. How do you relax at the end of the day?

I spend a lot of time with my family as my girls are fast approaching their teens. In the summer I like to spend my time at a cottage or camping. I do a lot of boating, tubing and water skiing. I downhill ski in the winter and I travel whenever I can.


Q. Do you own any other sites or scripts?

I own about 30 sites. They include Webmaster, SEO, gambling and legal sites. I also run web-directories.ws, a directory of directories. I have just started incorporating information from Best Web Directories into this site. The directory format has its advantages, as I was able to automatically update the PR for the 3100 directories. I’m pretty proud of some of the niche directory listings.