Understanding Directory Link Value
Not all backlinks are created equal. Directory links, when done correctly, can provide significant SEO value for your startup. Here's why directory links matter:
Why Directory Links Are Valuable
- Relevance: Tech and startup directories link to businesses in your niche, which search engines view favorably
- Authority: Many established directories have high domain authority built over years
- Diversity: Directory links add variety to your backlink profile
- Legitimacy: Being listed in reputable directories signals credibility to search engines
- Referral Traffic: Beyond SEO, directories send real visitors to your site
Google has evolved significantly. While spammy directory links from the 2000s can hurt you, quality directory submissions from relevant, authoritative sites remain a legitimate and effective link building tactic. The key is quality over quantity.
What Makes a Directory Link Valuable?
| Factor | High Value | Low Value |
|---|---|---|
| Domain Authority | DA 50+ | DA under 20 |
| Relevance | Tech/startup focused | Generic link directories |
| Editorial Standards | Manual review process | Auto-approve everything |
| Traffic | Active user base | No real traffic |
| Link Type | Dofollow (when appropriate) | Nofollow (still has value) |
| Link Placement | In content/profile | Footer/sidebar only |
Dofollow vs Nofollow Links
Understanding the difference between dofollow and nofollow links is essential for your link building strategy.
Dofollow Links
- Pass "link juice" (PageRank)
- Directly impact rankings
- More valuable for SEO
- Should look natural in profile
- Worth prioritizing
Nofollow Links
- Don't pass PageRank directly
- Still provide indirect SEO value
- Essential for natural link profile
- Drive referral traffic
- Build brand awareness
A natural backlink profile includes both dofollow and nofollow links. Google expects to see nofollow links from user-generated content, social media, and certain directories. Having only dofollow links can actually look suspicious.
The Ideal Backlink Profile Mix
For a healthy, natural-looking backlink profile, aim for approximately:
- 60-70% Nofollow: From social media, forums, some directories
- 30-40% Dofollow: From blogs, quality directories, press mentions
Domain Authority and Domain Rating Explained
Domain Authority (DA) from Moz and Domain Rating (DR) from Ahrefs are third-party metrics that estimate a website's ranking potential.
Understanding the Metrics
| Metric | Provider | Scale | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domain Authority (DA) | Moz | 1-100 | Predicts ranking ability based on link profile |
| Domain Rating (DR) | Ahrefs | 1-100 | Strength of backlink profile |
| Trust Flow (TF) | Majestic | 1-100 | Quality of backlinks |
DA/DR Tiers for Directory Links
| Tier | DA/DR Range | Value | Difficulty to Get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elite | 80-100 | Extremely High | Very competitive |
| High | 60-79 | High | Moderately competitive |
| Medium | 40-59 | Medium | Accessible |
| Low | 20-39 | Low-Medium | Easy |
High DA Directories with Dofollow Links (DA 70+)
These are the most valuable directory links you can get. Prioritize these in your first phase of link building.
| Directory | DA | Link Type | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crunchbase | 91 | Dofollow | Free | Excellent for B2B, links from company profile |
| AngelList | 90 | Dofollow | Free | Must be a startup seeking talent/funding |
| G2 | 89 | Dofollow | Free | High authority, requires reviews for visibility |
| Capterra | 88 | Dofollow | Free | Same company as G2, list on both |
| GitHub | 96 | Dofollow | Free | For open source projects, profile links |
| Product Hunt | 91 | Nofollow | Free | Nofollow but high traffic value |
| AlternativeTo | 83 | Dofollow | Free | List as alternative to competitors |
| SourceForge | 92 | Dofollow | Free | For software products |
| SaaSHub | 72 | Dofollow | Free | Growing authority, good for SaaS |
| Software Advice | 78 | Dofollow | Free | Gartner property, B2B focused |
| GetApp | 76 | Dofollow | Free | Also Gartner, submit to all three |
| TrustRadius | 74 | Dofollow | Free | B2B review platform |
| StackShare | 71 | Dofollow | Free | For developer tools |
G2, Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice are all owned by the same company (Gartner Digital Markets). You can submit to all of them and get multiple high-DA backlinks from a single submission process.
Mid-Tier Directories with Dofollow Links (DA 40-69)
These directories offer solid link value and are generally easier to get listed on. They should be your Phase 2 targets.
| Directory | DA | Link Type | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetaList | 65 | Dofollow | $129+ | Pre-launch/beta products |
| Launching Next | 58 | Dofollow | Free | Startup launches |
| StartupStash | 55 | Dofollow | Free | Tools and resources |
| SideProjectors | 52 | Dofollow | Free | Side projects |
| Startup Buffer | 50 | Dofollow | Free | Startup promotion |
| Land-book | 58 | Dofollow | Free | Landing page gallery |
| Startupranking | 48 | Dofollow | Free | Startup rankings |
| Toolspond | 45 | Dofollow | Free | Business tools |
| Startup Collections | 44 | Dofollow | Free | Curated startups |
| SaaS Genius | 42 | Dofollow | Free | SaaS products |
| Startup Inspire | 45 | Dofollow | Free | Design inspiration |
| Remote Tools | 52 | Dofollow | Free | Remote work tools |
| MicroConf Directory | 55 | Dofollow | Free | Bootstrapped startups |
| Tiny Startups | 40 | Dofollow | Free | Small startups |
| Startups.fyi | 48 | Dofollow | Free | Revenue-focused startups |
| Uneed | 45 | Dofollow | Free | Modern products |
| F5Bot | 51 | Dofollow | Free | Monitoring tools |
| AppRater | 46 | Dofollow | Free | App reviews |
Niche and Long-Tail Directories (DA 20-39)
These directories have lower DA but can still provide value, especially if they are highly relevant to your niche. They are also the easiest to get listed on.
| Directory | DA | Link Type | Niche |
|---|---|---|---|
| NoCodeList | 38 | Dofollow | No-code tools |
| AI Tool Directory | 35 | Dofollow | AI/ML tools |
| Future Tools | 42 | Dofollow | AI tools |
| There's An AI | 38 | Dofollow | AI products |
| Top AI Tools | 32 | Dofollow | AI tools |
| NoCoder.io | 30 | Dofollow | No-code products |
| DevHunt | 35 | Dofollow | Developer tools |
| Maker Tools | 28 | Dofollow | Maker community |
| IndieTools | 26 | Dofollow | Indie maker tools |
| Startup Tracker | 32 | Dofollow | Startup tracking |
| BuiltForMarketers | 30 | Dofollow | Marketing tools |
| SaaSFrame | 34 | Dofollow | SaaS inspiration |
| Launched | 28 | Dofollow | Product launches |
| Growthtools.io | 32 | Dofollow | Growth tools |
| Postmake | 35 | Dofollow | Maker resources |
| 1000 Tools | 30 | Dofollow | Tools directory |
| Ecommerce Stacks | 28 | Dofollow | Ecommerce tools |
| Saas Landing Page | 35 | Dofollow | SaaS design |
| ToolPilot | 29 | Dofollow | AI tools |
| AIAwesome | 25 | Dofollow | AI products |
| ToolsForMakers | 22 | Dofollow | Maker tools |
| SaaS Worthy | 28 | Dofollow | SaaS products |
| Pineapple Builder | 24 | Dofollow | Website builders |
| Startup Lister | 26 | Dofollow | Startup listings |
3-Phase Link Building Strategy
Build your backlink profile systematically over time rather than all at once. This looks more natural to search engines and is more sustainable.
Phase 1: Foundation (Weeks 1-2)
Focus on the highest-value, most reputable directories first.
Phase 1 Targets
- Priority: DA 70+ directories
- Goal: 8-12 high-quality backlinks
- Time: 4-6 hours total
- Focus: Crunchbase, AngelList, G2, Capterra, AlternativeTo
Why start here: These links establish credibility and provide the strongest SEO foundation. They also take longer to get approved, so starting early ensures they're live sooner.
Phase 2: Expansion (Weeks 3-4)
Broaden your profile with mid-tier directories.
Phase 2 Targets
- Priority: DA 40-69 directories
- Goal: 15-20 additional backlinks
- Time: 3-4 hours total
- Focus: BetaList, StartupStash, SideProjectors, niche directories
Why this phase matters: Diversifies your backlink profile and adds more topical relevance. Many of these directories have engaged communities that can drive traffic.
Phase 3: Long Tail (Weeks 5-8)
Fill in with niche and lower-DA directories for comprehensive coverage.
Phase 3 Targets
- Priority: DA 20-39 directories, niche-specific
- Goal: 20-30 additional backlinks
- Time: 2-3 hours total
- Focus: AI directories (if relevant), maker directories, industry-specific
Why continue: Niche directories often have highly engaged audiences. A link from a DA 25 AI tools directory might be more valuable than a DA 50 general directory if you're an AI product.
Don't submit to 50 directories in one day. Spread submissions over weeks for a natural-looking link velocity. 3-5 submissions per day is a safe pace for new sites.
Optimizing Your Directory Links
Getting listed is just the first step. Optimize your listings for maximum link value.
Anchor Text Strategy
Most directories let you control some aspect of your link's anchor text. Use this wisely.
| Anchor Type | Example | Recommended % |
|---|---|---|
| Brand Name | Acme Inc, Acme | 40-50% |
| Naked URL | acme.com, www.acme.com | 20-30% |
| Brand + Keyword | Acme project management | 15-20% |
| Generic | Visit website, Learn more | 5-10% |
| Exact Match Keyword | project management software | Under 5% |
Having too many exact-match keyword anchors looks unnatural and can trigger penalties. Let most directory links use your brand name naturally.
Profile Completeness
Complete profiles get more visibility and often get better placement in directory search results.
Profile Optimization Checklist
Getting Reviews
For review-based directories like G2 and Capterra, reviews significantly impact visibility.
- Ask satisfied customers to leave reviews
- Make it easy with direct links to your review profile
- Respond to all reviews (positive and negative)
- Time review requests after positive interactions
- Don't incentivize reviews (against most TOS)
Avoiding Penalties
Done wrong, directory link building can hurt your SEO. Follow these guidelines to stay safe.
Safe Practices
- Submit to relevant, quality directories
- Vary your anchor text naturally
- Space out submissions over time
- Complete your profiles fully
- Mix dofollow and nofollow links
- Focus on directories with real traffic
- Keep listings updated
Dangerous Practices
- Mass submission to low-quality directories
- Exact match anchor text everywhere
- Submitting to 100 directories in one day
- Using automated submission tools
- Paying for links from spammy directories
- Submitting to irrelevant directories
- Duplicate content across listings
Red Flags to Avoid
Don't submit to directories that exhibit these warning signs:
- No editorial standards: Approves everything automatically
- Spammy content: Full of gambling, adult, or pharmaceutical links
- No real traffic: Check SimilarWeb - if no traffic data, be cautious
- Reciprocal link requirements: "Link to us to get listed"
- Excessive paid links: Every listing is "sponsored"
- Poor design: Looks like it was built in 2005 and never updated
- Massive number of outbound links: Thousands of links per page
Measuring Success
Track these metrics to understand the impact of your directory link building efforts.
SEO Metrics
| Metric | What to Track | Expected Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Domain Rating/Authority | Monthly DR/DA changes | 2-4 months to see impact |
| Referring Domains | Number of unique linking domains | Immediate (once indexed) |
| Backlink Count | Total backlinks from directories | 1-4 weeks after submission |
| Organic Traffic | Search traffic growth | 3-6 months |
| Keyword Rankings | Position changes for target keywords | 2-4 months |
Traffic and Conversion Metrics
Track in Google Analytics
Realistic Expectations
Setting the right expectations is crucial for evaluating success.
- DR/DA increase: Expect 5-15 point increase over 6 months from directories alone
- Referral traffic: Most directories send modest traffic (10-100 visitors/month)
- High-value directories: G2, Product Hunt can send 500+ visitors/month
- Conversion: Directory traffic typically converts at 1-3% to signups
- Compounding effect: Links improve rankings which improve everything else
Tools for Tracking Backlinks
Use these tools to monitor your backlink profile and measure the impact of your directory submissions.
Premium Tools
| Tool | Best For | Starting Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs | Comprehensive backlink analysis | $99/month | Best backlink database, DR metric, link intersect |
| Moz Pro | DA tracking, link research | $99/month | DA metric, spam score, link tracking |
| SEMrush | All-in-one SEO suite | $129/month | Backlink audit, toxic link detection |
| Majestic | Trust Flow analysis | $49/month | Trust Flow, Citation Flow, historic data |
Free Tools
| Tool | What It Does | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search Console | Shows linking domains Google knows about | Limited data, no competitor analysis |
| Ahrefs Webmaster Tools | Free backlink checker for your site | Your site only, limited data vs paid |
| Moz Link Explorer (Free) | 10 queries/month for any domain | Very limited queries |
| Ubersuggest | Basic backlink data | 3 free searches/day |
| Small SEO Tools | Basic backlink checker | Less accurate data |
Start with Google Search Console (free) and Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (free). Once you have budget, Ahrefs Lite ($99/month) provides the best value for backlink tracking and research.
Setting Up Tracking
Create a Backlink Spreadsheet
Track every directory submission with: Directory name, submission date, approval date, link URL, link type (dofollow/nofollow), DA at time of submission.
Set Up Google Search Console
Monitor the Links report to see which directory links Google has discovered.
Configure Analytics Goals
Set up conversion tracking to measure signups/purchases from directory referral traffic.
Monthly Check-ins
Review your backlink profile monthly using your chosen tool. Note any new links, lost links, or changes in metrics.
Ready to Build Your Backlink Profile?
Start with our curated list of 100+ directories, organized by authority and link type.
View All Directories