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Ways to make revenue from your web directory!
By MeetHere | March 11, 2007
Your web directory is not only a source of information for your site-visitors but it can also help you in getting some $$$ out of it.
The revenue generated out of a directory depends on its quality, search engine rankings, traffic, Google PageRank, SEOmoz PageStrength etc.
Following are the ways for generating revenue from a directory :
Paid submissions where an advertiser (submitter) pays certain decided amount to get his site listed on your directory.
There can be 3 types of paid submissions - Featured, Regular and Reciprocal.
- Featured submission - Here a site-listing appears on the top of other listings in a particular category with some visible customization. This helps a listing to get some traffic; so definitely the cost of a featured listing is higher than other types of listing.
- Regular submission - Here a site-listing appears as normal listing and is ordered according to directory owners preference like PR ranking, No. of hits, Alphabetically etc. This can be paid or free listing (so called free directories).
- Reciprocal submission - Where a submitter has to give a link-back to your directory in order to get listed. This can be paid or free listing.
Advertisements - You can add different types of advertisements (Links or Banners) like Sponsored ads, PPC / CPA / CPM ads, affiliate ads, Newsletter/Email ads etc.
(Don’t fill your site with too many Ads - It decreases its SEO value and quality and you may loose visitors/submitters)
- Sponsored Ads - Here an advertiser pays you for adding his link on your directory as a Sponsored Ad. This can be a text link or banner ad and can be a home-page or sitewide (appears on all pages) listing. The advertiser’s aim is to get traffic and better SEO value. For this you can create an automated process or contact form for the advertiser. Text-Link-Ads (aff) is also a better option here.
- Pay Per Click (PPC) Ads - You get some revenue when a visitor clicks on a PPC ad. Some of the high paying and popular PPC ad campaigns are Google Adsense, AdBrite, Chitika, Clicksor, Bidvertiser and many more.
- Cost Per Action (CPA) Ads -CPA ads are those where a publisher generates revenue when a visitor performs some successful action. This action can be buying a product, completing a survey, etc. Some of the popular CPA publisher campaigns are Azoogle, Amazon, Clickbank, Commission Junction etc.
- Directory Affiliate program - where a publisher gets paid on referring a successful submission to a paid directory. You can refer a vistor via Text or Banner Ads. Some of the popular directory affiliate campaigns are Aviva Directory (aff), v7n directory (aff), iwebtool directory (aff) , Lobolinks Directory, etc.
- Cost Per 1000 impressions ( CPM ) ads - where a publisher earns revenue when a CPM ad (banner) generates 1000 unique impression. Some of the popular CPM publisher campaigns are Adversal (aff), Tribal Fusion, TrafficMP, Fastclick, Valueclick, Burstmedia, Casalemedia , Maxonline etc. But CPM ads are not popular on directories.
- Newsletter / Email Advertisement - Whenever someone adds a listing (paid or free) on your directory, you can send Automated Email notifications to the submitters. These notifications can be for Link submission (waiting for approval), Approved or Rejected submission or can be for Payment notification. You can also generate revenue from these email notifications by putting Text link or Banner ads and Affiliate links in the newsletter.
So best of luck with your directory. start seeing your Paypal account getting flooded. Remember - More strong the directory, more better the earnings.
If you know any other way to make $$ from a directory then please post your comment here ( will be visible after approval by me) .
For hosting a directory, i would recommend a shared hosting plan from hostican as a directory don’t require much web space. Check here
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Popularity: 6% [?]
Topics: Directory |

February 28th, 2007 at 10:11 am
Good description of how earn revenue, search engine optimization and how to increase page ranking.
March 13th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
Thanks for this article , Will make a Directory Sooner or later and use the tips you have give here bookmarking this page
April 6th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
Reciprocal linking can be hazardous to your Google health…
April 23rd, 2007 at 7:02 am
This post came with excellent timing. As late as last night I decided to create a directory on one of my domains, and although I will not generate revenue from the start, it is nice to know what options I have available. Thank you.
May 19th, 2007 at 1:44 am
O, super project. Yes!
so hold.
May 20th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
Good job! Your site is great!
October 19th, 2007 at 3:39 pm
It is very informative. I’ll try your tips on my directory.
Hopefully I ‘ll get some money.
Thanks again!!!
Jenny.
December 24th, 2007 at 8:27 am
Thanks for your comments.. I removed linksjuice and web1directory affiliate programs as they are no more available. Added 2 more.
January 7th, 2008 at 4:48 am
I think CPM banners would make the most on a directory since the visitors are webmasters. Most likely having no interest in clicking on a Ad.

So least you make some change from the page impressions that they make while submitting.
January 27th, 2008 at 9:04 am
yes, i am agree. webmasters hardly click on the directories. no doubt few hundrard inpressions could earn you few $$$. but main source of income from a directory is paid submission & advertisement. for that one need good template.
February 1st, 2008 at 10:11 am
thanks
have to start a Directory soon
March 30th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Thanks for the information..
May 2nd, 2008 at 11:08 am
Great Article! I like that
May 14th, 2008 at 7:16 am
thanks good information
June 21st, 2008 at 10:47 am
Thanks for your tips mate . i will try on my directory
June 24th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
I agree with you the directory if is good quality could help to make money or as web promotion in general..