Directory Link Evaluation

Use this skill to decide whether a directory, listing, association profile, citation site, or resource index is worth pursuing or keeping.

This skill is derived from Garrett French and Eric Ward's Ultimate Guide to Link Building and uses transformed guidance with durable book-topic references. Do not copy book prose into user outputs.

Quick Start

1. Use the Contents table below to choose the smallest useful reference set.
2. Use workflows/evaluate-directory-links.md for a full evaluation pass.
3. Confirm the directory serves a real audience or market function.
4. Apply hard rejects before considering authority metrics.
5. Return submit, update, monitor, or reject recommendations with evidence.

Default Output

When asked to evaluate directories, return:

1. Directory type - local citation, niche directory, association, marketplace, resource index, or paid listing.
2. Audience and relevance - who uses it, category fit, geography, and business fit.
3. Quality evidence - editorial standards, indexing, visible traffic signals, outbound link quality, and maintenance.
4. Risk flags - thin pages, paid-link footprints, links across the whole site, irrelevant categories, or low-quality neighbors.
5. Tool choices - browser inspection, search operators, crawlers, backlink tools, index checks, and tracking sheet.
6. Recommendation - submit, update, monitor, reject, or remove/disavow review if toxic.

Contents

Core Posture

• A good directory helps users find relevant options.
• Relevance and editorial standards matter more than raw authority.
• Paid inclusion requires extra scrutiny and link qualification.
• Local citations are evaluated differently from national SEO directories.
• Reject directories whose main purpose is selling ranking-passing links.