Grumpy SEO Guy – Episode 130: Are SEO Link Directories Useful?

Podcast: Grumpy SEO Guy
Host: Grumpy SEO Guy
Episode Date: October 29, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Grumpy SEO Guy tackles a persistent question in the SEO community: Are link directories useful for SEO, and should you bother using them for building backlinks? Drawing on his 14 years of experience running an SEO agency, the host explores the history, identifying features, and current value (or lack thereof) of link directories, especially focusing on their relevance today.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Are Link Directories?

[02:08]

• Historically, link directories were essential before search engines became effective.
  • Quote:

    "Way back in the day, before search engines, if you wanted to find something, you would use a directory." – Grumpy SEO Guy [02:59]

• They served as large compilations of links for different topics, organized by category.

2. How to Identify a Link Directory

[03:16], [04:37]

• Modern link directories often display these red flags:
  • Websites with nearly identical layouts, themes, and organization, differing only by domain name or colors.
  • Domain names stuffed with keywords like “SEO”, “backlink”, “directory”, “links”, “AI”, “best”, or “ranking.”
    • Quote:

      "If you're getting backlinks from a website that has words like backlinks in the name of the domain, you probably would want to not get backlinks from them." – Grumpy SEO Guy [04:38]

  • Multiple directories sharing the same IP address, forming an obvious footprint and risking a search engine penalty.

3. The Problem with Link Directories: Link Farms

[06:25]

• Most link directories operate as link farms, which are detrimental for SEO.
  • Definition:

    "A link farm is a website that has a big number of outbound links... It has a huge number of OBLs [outbound links] on the same page." – Grumpy SEO Guy [07:22]

  • Characteristics:
    • Hundreds of outbound links per page, often with little to no context or content.
    • Little value, as they appear designed purely to sell or distribute backlinks.
  • Impact:
    • These links do not pass value and can potentially hurt your site if detected as manipulative.

4. Are There Any Useful Directories?

[08:47]

• Exception: Local SEO
  • Genuine local directories, run by actual organizations serving real local businesses, can benefit local SEO efforts.
    • Quote:

      "...an actual organization in your town that is providing backlinks to legitimate real local businesses. Okay? So that's a time when a backlink from a link directory can actually help you." – Grumpy SEO Guy [08:47]

  • Avoid directories selling backlinks or unrelated to your niche/locality.

5. Why Do People Still Use Them?

[09:11]

• Many website owners don’t realize they have bad backlinks from link directories.
  • Often, these come from agencies that choose the easiest, cheapest solution rather than earning quality backlinks.
  • Some have simply remained on old directories out of habit or outdated understanding of SEO value.

6. Final Verdict: Should You Use Link Directories?

[09:38]

• For most sites, link directories are not beneficial and potentially harmful.
• If not blatantly harmful, they’re at best a waste of time—with little or no positive impact.
• Recommendation: Avoid modern link directories; only pursue backlinks from reputable, local, or highly targeted directories if relevant.
  • Quote:

    "It’s probably not going to hurt you, but feasibly just try to avoid doing it because it’s not really going to help you either." – Grumpy SEO Guy [09:47]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Identifying Bad Directories:

  "If the domain name literally has the word backlinks in it, that's not a website you want a backlink from. Okay?" – Grumpy SEO Guy [04:38]

• On Link Farms:

  "A link farm, again, is a website with too many outbound links on it. Okay? That looks like it was designed to post backlinks." – Grumpy SEO Guy [07:43]

• On the Only Valid Use:

  "That's a time when a backlink from a link directory can actually help you." – Grumpy SEO Guy [08:47]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:08] – What are link directories?
• [03:16] – Identifying link directories and their red flags
• [04:37] – Example of identifying characteristics: domain names and templates
• [06:25] – Link directories as link farms: what makes them dangerous
• [08:47] – When a directory link can be useful (local SEO exception)
• [09:47] – Should you use link directories? Final advice

Conclusion & Takeaways

• Most link directories today are not worth your time and can be a red flag for Google.
• If you spot backlinks from these sources, it’s usually because of an outdated SEO agency or practice.
• The sole exception is reputable, local directories for local SEO.
• The best strategy: Focus on earning backlinks from high-quality, real websites—not generic or obvious directories.

For more candid, no-nonsense SEO insights, tune in every Wednesday to Grumpy SEO Guy.
Questions or ideas for future episodes? Reach out via email, Reddit, or the podcast’s subreddit.