Yahoo Directory Has No PageRank

Just a few weeks ago, people started noticing that the Yahoo Directory lost Google PageRank. Well, not the home page of the Yahoo Directory, but the inside directory listing pages. The pages that link to your site and, in the past, past PageRank and link juice.

I am skimming through the pages, even the pages closest to the top of the directory are showing nothing in terms of Google PageRank. For example, the arts section or the WebmasterWorld thread it might be due to how the URLs are set up.

It seems to me that the Yahoo directory is grey barred because its got no pagerank, because the links from the home page http://dir.yahoo.com/ are all via non-search engine friendly redirects like: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dir/home/cats/*http://dir.yahoo.com/Recreation/Travel/

But that doesn't completely jive with me. I know I have personally linked to many of the non-redirected linked versions of the directory pages. Some of those pages should have PageRank, no?

So is the Yahoo Directory still passing value? I assume many would say yes. What is up with the zero PageRank score for all the internal pages?

Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.

Update: I have posted an update named Google Says, Yahoo Directory Does Have PageRank.

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posted rustybrick in Google Optimization at June 5, 2008 10:28 AM Comments (20)

Comments

I think Google started seeing Yahoo directory as paid links. But this is not just Yahoo who is experiencing this, other paid and non paid directories losing PageRank. My link resource page that I have built over 7 years on my trusted business site lost PR about a year ago. Is ODP next?

Posted by Igor The Troll at June 5, 2008 11:16

The Yahoo directory does have PageRank--I see a PR8 for dir.yahoo.com on all our datacenters. I left a comment on the original WMW thread.

Posted by Matt Cutts at June 5, 2008 14:13

I see what Igor reports. The main page dir.yahoo.com has PR8 while all internal pages show PR0.

Posted by Trezora at June 5, 2008 14:26

It seems to me that Yahoo! f.cked up commercial relations with Google...

Posted by Aki at June 6, 2008 02:39

i think the page rank is really zero now.

So the value of Yahoo listing goes down further now.

Posted by Vrindavan at June 6, 2008 04:07

I think as Google always in changing it's robot to make it works better, may be Yahoo Directory did not apply to the new rules... it's very funny, because one of SEO tips, is to add your URL to those directories and you have to pay for Yahoo inclusion... so, let's see what Yahoo will do in the next weeks...

Posted by Ruben Zevallos Jr. at June 6, 2008 05:33

This really blows.I just forked over 300.00 after resisting the temptation for last 8 months.It's a great way to furthur the erosion of Yahoo and it's revenue.

Posted by David at June 6, 2008 08:11

Now if only the same would happen to the DMOZ directoy.

Posted by Mitch at June 6, 2008 11:19

Whew! That was close, I almost got tempted in adding my link in yahoo dir. I don't think google will do the same on DMOZ since it is free. Also, Yahoo and Google are competitions while you can't say the same thing with DMOZ.

Posted by Donna at June 6, 2008 13:48

In my humble opinion Google is following the pattern of the major Communication Company I worked for. NO ONE WILL PASS GO WITHOUT UTILIZING MY (GOOGLE'S) SERVICES. MY GAME, MY RULES.

Posted by Lillie at June 6, 2008 22:42

I truly believe Google is fair in the sense that paid links no matter from which company will be discouraged in order to make sure no manipulation could be made to the SERP which in most ideal situation reflects the relevancy and quality content of the page which the user is looking for.

Posted by No Name at June 7, 2008 11:31

Based upon the "no manipulation theory" all pages of free link directories would not and should not be deprived of its PR and But if some of the links to a directory are paid links then the PR of the directory home page would be affected...

Posted by No Name at June 7, 2008 11:42

the page rank of yahoo directory is really zero now.
i think it will effect the other sites....

Posted by No Name at June 9, 2008 21:50

It's not like this was not going to happen....
its a directory, you pay for placement = no 'quality' filter. I'm glad I help off on buying

Posted by Nick Garner at June 22, 2008 12:28

I think Yahoo directory will not help increase page rank anymore. May be it will help on other search engines like Yahoo and MSN. Not clear.

Posted by No Name at July 10, 2008 15:25

hi guys, i think it is only temp- thing, it will return like before in few time, that is my impression_

Posted by No Name at July 14, 2008 10:26

is it worth $299 without any pr, please advice.

Posted by No Name at July 26, 2008 03:14

Well, all I can say is that Google still openly endorses the Yahoo directory, as evidenced here:

http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=35769&hl=en

"Submit your site to relevant directories such as the Open Directory Project and Yahoo!, as well as to other industry-specific expert sites."

So there you have it

Posted by Colin at August 16, 2008 03:51

Yahoo directory has helped my Atlanta real estate website. At least thats what I thought!

Posted by Mike G at December 9, 2008 10:21

dir.yahoo ...they changed the internal linking structure to capitals -so lost all pagerank.

google didin't do anything to yahoo - go check the UK, Canada, Australia yahoo directory which all pass pagerank

Posted by steve at March 2, 2009 05:50

Yahoo Directory Has No PageRank

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