My story is one of frustration, having a great idea, building it and then having it taken away.
The idea: build a target specific online directory.
Build it: Commencing in 1998, the UK Motoring Directory (ukmd.co.uk) was one of the world’s first online automotive directories
It was definitely the world’s first CMS, dynamic and database driven directory.
History: 1998 – 2017
- 1998 – 2003 – Software ASP
- 2003 – 2004 – Free and paid advertisers
- 2004 – 2008 – Google Adsense
- 2008 – 2011 – Software PHP
- 2011 – 2017 – De-rank: no paid advertisers, traffic drop
I created some of the world’s first directories. I built software capable of managing directories. I designed directory tree structures. I formulated terms with meanings specific to the directory industry. I created a criteria designed to publish a quality directory of listings.
For all of this what was the outcome: in 2011 , Google de-ranked every directory in the world (including mine).
I never did anything wrong
- No paid links
- No keyword spamming
- No cross-industry data
- No repeated data
- Every listing was reviewed by a human
Why De-Rank Directories?
Easy answer: $$$
Google, followed by other search engines de-ranked directories from their search index to move advertisers from directories to the search engine.
In simple terms: I never did anything wrong.