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
- Use the Contents table below to choose the smallest useful reference set.
- Use
workflows/evaluate-directory-links.md for a full evaluation pass.
- Confirm the directory serves a real audience or market function.
- Apply hard rejects before considering authority metrics.
- Return submit, update, monitor, or reject recommendations with evidence.
Default Output
When asked to evaluate directories, return:
- Directory type - local citation, niche directory, association, marketplace, resource index, or paid listing.
- Audience and relevance - who uses it, category fit, geography, and business fit.
- Quality evidence - editorial standards, indexing, visible traffic signals, outbound link quality, and maintenance.
- Risk flags - thin pages, paid-link footprints, links across the whole site, irrelevant categories, or low-quality neighbors.
- Tool choices - browser inspection, search operators, crawlers, backlink tools, index checks, and tracking sheet.
- Recommendation - submit, update, monitor, reject, or remove/disavow review if toxic.
Contents
| Need |
Start Here |
| Understand directory link concepts |
references/core/knowledge.md |
| Apply evaluation rules |
references/core/rules.md |
| See scoring examples |
references/core/examples.md |
| Evaluate directories |
workflows/evaluate-directory-links.md |
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.
1---2name: directory-link-evaluation3description: Evaluate directories, listings, profiles, citations, associations, and resource indexes for legitimate link-building value, editorial quality, spam risk, local relevance, and submission fit. Use when deciding whether to submit to a directory, audit directory backlinks, compare listing opportunities, or reject low-quality indexes.4license: MIT5---67# Directory Link Evaluation89Use this skill to decide whether a directory, listing, association profile, citation site, or resource index is worth pursuing or keeping.1011This 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.1213## Quick Start14151. Use the Contents table below to choose the smallest useful reference set.162. Use `workflows/evaluate-directory-links.md` for a full evaluation pass.173. Confirm the directory serves a real audience or market function.184. Apply hard rejects before considering authority metrics.195. Return submit, update, monitor, or reject recommendations with evidence.2021## Default Output2223When asked to evaluate directories, return:24251. **Directory type** - local citation, niche directory, association, marketplace, resource index, or paid listing.262. **Audience and relevance** - who uses it, category fit, geography, and business fit.273. **Quality evidence** - editorial standards, indexing, visible traffic signals, outbound link quality, and maintenance.284. **Risk flags** - thin pages, paid-link footprints, links across the whole site, irrelevant categories, or low-quality neighbors.295. **Tool choices** - browser inspection, search operators, crawlers, backlink tools, index checks, and tracking sheet.306. **Recommendation** - submit, update, monitor, reject, or remove/disavow review if toxic.3132## Contents3334| Need | Start Here |35|------|------------|36| Understand directory link concepts | `references/core/knowledge.md` |37| Apply evaluation rules | `references/core/rules.md` |38| See scoring examples | `references/core/examples.md` |39| Evaluate directories | `workflows/evaluate-directory-links.md` |4041## Core Posture4243- A good directory helps users find relevant options.44- Relevance and editorial standards matter more than raw authority.45- Paid inclusion requires extra scrutiny and link qualification.46- Local citations are evaluated differently from national SEO directories.47- Reject directories whose main purpose is selling ranking-passing links.
LVTD-LLC