Finally the eye speaks: Info Vilesilencer

******Part of DT’s Exclusive Interviews

If you are a directory owner or a directory user you might have used or seen this eye on many directories claiming to be SEO Friendly. The man behind the eye is Dan Jensen, the first propagator and creator of the SEO Friendly list of free web directories. Now Dan might not be the person to regulate the definition of “SEO Friendly”, but is one of the people  advocating the benefit and importance of a SEO Friendly directory.

My first meeting with Dan was a little spam like encounter, I was looking for a place to promote my directory and fell upon the eye and reached the Info Vilesilencer Forums. I was a little skeptical on first contact but soon lost my reservations when I realised that this was a place where I could learn a lot for developing my directories and a place that was moderated by a very learned and an approachable man in the field of web directories.

Now that I was starting a interview section at DT, the most obvious person to be interviewed was Dan.

So i prepared a quick questionaire for him and now i would like to share his responces.

Remember, i DONOT focus on covering the complete niche in the directory business but my focus is on areas that i feel the candidate can shed the most light on.

Hope you enjoy the conversation

My only regret is that i could not do this live via IM, maybe sometime later. :-(

Subject : Dan Jensen

Location : Sydney, Australia

Age : 31

******Lets being with the famous “LIST”: SEO Friendly Free Directory List

~..::How long has the list being going and what can you say about the list from back then to the list we see now ?

Dan: We released the first public list of directories back in October 2004. At that time we had a PR4+ directory list (around 150 directories). We also had a non-PR ranked directory list that had over 200 directories in alphabetical order. In January of 2005 we released the original SEO friendly directory list. A list that contained only SEO friendly directories that met a standard set of criteria that we applied to the outbound links within the directory. I guess in 2007 the list is becoming more honed, we are also tackling directories who have become stagnant or broken or who require conditions to be met before they accept your submission. We’ve always stuck to the criteria but now we are attempting to narrow the list further so that we just have a core group of very good directories.

~..::The community at IVS is also one of the best directory forums, how did the plan to start a forum crop up and in what ways can a directory owner expect to benefit by participating in the discussions ?

Dan : The forum was really never about creating a place that thousands of people would congregate at, and to that end we have succeeded in keeping the forum small and intimate. The forum idea came about because I wanted to create a much easier way for directory owners and submitters to not only share their ideas and feedback with each other, but also to submit their directories for approval to the list, and allow the membership to decide whether a particular directory was genuine and does indeed meet the criteria. Previously this was done by email and it just became too cumbersome, so the forum was created to allow open participation in building the list and encourage community involvement.

~..::What were the challenges that you faced at the initial stages of developing and promoting the SEO friendly list ?

Dan : Initially it was to create a criteria that properly encapsulated what it means to be “SEO friendly”. The idea of being SEO friendly was new, and actually finding the directories that follow this philosophy was a difficult process. We took a list of over 320 directories, applied the strict criteria, and produced an SEO friendly list of 120 directories. Any time you make something smaller, you run the risk of yielding to your competition who are often much bigger. We were lucky in that, as the community that has come together understands the importance of the criteria that we maintain, and we have gained trust by sticking stringently to the criteria. If a directory strays from the guidelines we have set then it is removed. We try and inform directory owners of any changes that need to be made to remain on the list, and for the most part the response is positive. 

~..::We have heard speculations that there are major plans lined up for IVS, can we get a hint of things to come ?

Dan : IVS has grown beyond it’s initial aims. With more users than ever contributing, and most directories being SEO friendly by way of the most popular scripts being tailored to the SEO friendly philosophy, our focus has switched from providing SEO friendly directories, to ensuring that the directories that we do provide actually add websites actively, so that as a submitter you are likely to gain a listing if you are submitting a quality website. So the new development is more about getting the contributors actively involved in the site updating and giving them a feeling like they own a part of IVS. It is a community site and I really want to broaden the hands-on exposure that the members of the site currently have.

*** Much to watch out here ;-)

~..::What is “Out taking a chainsaw to dead directories ” all about ?

Dan : Hahaha. Ok, you are referring to the “location” I have set next to my username on the forum. Essentially, I am talking about chopping off the dead branches of the SEO directory tree in order for the rest of the tree to survive. There are a lot of directories being created by people who are in it for a “quick buck” and who are not interested in creating a genuine resource. We really want to cut those directories from the list as they are no use to anyone. This is a crucial process as it ensures that the list will remain relevant, and dedicated to providing the best directories the web has to offer.

******Let talk about directories in general

~..::What do you forcast for the future of directories, has the market saturated ?

Dan : I think it has reached a saturation point, which again is why we have switched focus. To combat this we have capped the list to 500 directories to prevent us from becoming just another bloated directory resource, full of garbage and a handful of useful directories. I think it is dangerous to just include any-and-all directories that are created. It really now is more about including those directory owners who are genuine about providing a quality resource, and I think IVS does that better than anyone else on the web. No one has our strict criteria, and no one turns away directories like we do. We include only the best. I think the future of directories lies in being able to evolve, and obviously we are seeing that at the moment with several new types of directories emerging.

~..::What features would be like to see in a directory script ?

Dan : What features would I like to see?  Anything that improves useability of a script for anyone accessing that directory will be a useful feature. Other than that, providing more data in an easy-to-read fashion is always useful. We have so little time in this day and age, so if we can get a snapshot of a website, and a general idea of what that website is about, from a single directory listing, then I think we are on the right track.

~..::Tips to a run a successful directory ? Will take the answer in points.

Dan : - Be in it for the long haul. Don’t expect immediate success

- Choose a real and unique domain name. Try and get the appropriate .com/.net/.org domain or if regional the right regional address that represents your country (if australia then .com.au etc)

- Choose a comprehensive script that is going to meet your needs. Try and think about where you want to take the directory and ensure you won’t outgrow the script.

- Skin, skin, skin. Too many directories look the same. Same look, Same layout. Anything that is unique or different in this regard is going to have a much stronger chance of standing out from the crowd.

- Promote. Like with any website, you cannot just build it and expect people to come. Work out your budget and promote your site accordingly. Free options exist out there in directory-specifc forums (like IVS and DP) and directory lists (like IVS and DC) that will generate targeted traffic for you. The remaining advertising you will most likely have to pay for.

- Evolve. Too many people put their directory up and then do not change with the internet climate. If you do not remain relevant then your lifespan is numbered. Keep up with the trends and ensure your directory and its content doesn’t become stagnant.

~..::There are a lot of wrongs, but what do you see happening “Right” in terms of directories ?

Dan : I like the fact that directory owners are working together to promote and build their resources. I think the best thing about this whole movement is the friends that are created along the way. I’ve made so many contacts both friendship and business, that I wouldn’t trade for anything. Community is a very under-rated benefit of owning a directory. You gain a sense of belonging to something special. I’m also impressed at the work ethic, particularly in combating spam, that directory owners display. Given time I think spam can be reduced to a workable minimum, and that’s a goal worthy of achieving.

******Lets get candid

~..::Alive of Bigweblinks ? Just one

Dan : Alive. I prefer the branding and it has been marketed so impressively, that it stands as a perfect example for directory owners to follow in terms of their own promotion.

~..::When are you starting a directory ?

Dan : I do have directories, however I removed them from the list as I do not want a “conflict of interest” situation. Especially as these days people seem to want to point fingers a lot. Whilst they were on the list I used them to keep in touch with the industry. In particular, the types of sites being submitted; managing queues and numbers; directory scripts and their differences; and the old favourite - combating spam.

~..::Trusted friends in the directory Circle ?

Dan : As I stated above, I’ve gained so many friendships, it really would be difficult to pinpoint individuals without missing someone out. Perhaps the longest standing and most valuable friendship is that of Tomas Drahokoupil. He’s been with the list since its inception and has contributed more than anyone could ever ask for. I commend his dedication and loyalty

~..::A contest idea to promote a directory ?

Dan : I’ll run naked around Australia… No wait, what was the question again?

~..::How many people have you publicly caught stealing from the list ?

Dan : In the first year a great deal of people were caught. I think the internet breeds an atmosphere that theft is ok. Since a lot of what is being stolen isn’t tangible per se, people think it’s ok to take something that doesn’t belong to them. Many times the excuse when those people are confronted is that “you can’t copyright a list”. These people were often caught lifting the coding as well though, and that certainly is under copyright. What hurts most about the theft, is that the thieves do not realise the countless hours of work that go into maintaining the resource. So, when they take the finished product without credit, it’s like we are working to provide them content for their website too. If they linked back to the site, it wouldn’t be a problem, but they almost never do. It is great to see the community on Digital Point addressing concerns like these by creating the http://www.quickbuckcrew.com/ website and outing the worst offenders.

~..::Which directory would you bet your money on ? (no dmoz kinds of one belonging to the biggies)

Dan : I’m not much of a gambler so I probably wouldn’t bet on any of them hehehe. If I’m taking your question correctly though, you are asking which of the newer types of directory do I think is going to make it. The answer lies in the point-form responses I gave above. The strongest directories, to my way of thinking, aren’t just those with the most visible attributes like PR and backlinks. I think that less obvious values like trust, recognition and longevity are also extremely important. There are some directories, who have been on the free list since its launch (and a long period before IVS existed) - that speaks volumes to me.

******Lets chill to give the man a break, he has already been diplomatic enough ;-)

~..::With constant updates and counterchecking repported directories do you get any time fro yourself and also do you have a job apart from maintaing the list ?

Dan : It is hard work, and by that I don’t mean difficult I mean time-consuming. I do have a job and it is multi-faceted. Some work comes to me through business contacts by way of the list, though my main workload consists of design agency & consultancy work, and other offline projects that I won’t go into detail about here.

~..::Do you have a personl blog we can follow ?

Dan : At the moment? No, not really. I have been wanting to get Mr Altruistic online for quite some time now, but I just never get the time. The name comes from what a colleague once dubbed me after a particularly long night of maintaining the list. We laughed about it then, but the name kind’ve stuck, so I think it’s appropriate for a personal blog.

~..::How you you relax when you are not loaded with work ?

Dan : When I’m not working, I like to get away from computers & the internet altogether and go camping and fishing in the great Australian outdoors. A favourite camping spot is Hill End, an historic mining town that harks back to the Gold Rush days. It is like being transported back in time and the perfect way to escape technology. At the end of last year some Canadian and American friends I met whilst exploring Europe in 2003 came out to stay and it was a blast catching up with them and showing them my country. So I would also put down travelling as something I enjoy doing in my downtime.

~..::Three things we dont know about you (except for the fact that you are bald)

Dan : - I have played bass guitar for 17 years. Many of those years on-and-off in a band called Chillum. We did a few live local performances and produced a 10-track CD in 1998.
- I’m a keen amateur photographer (albeit not a very good one). I’ve been trying to follow in my late father’s footsteps. He was the Editor of one of the major newspapers here and before that also did the press photography, covering major events like the Tokyo Olympics in 1964.
- I’m one of several server owners on a popular Australian chatroom network, Induced.net. We frequently organise celebrity chats in conjunction with radio stations whereby Australian and International celebrities can interact with their fanbase via our chatrooms from the radio station studios. 

******That’s Dan the Man as brought to you by DT. Hope you enjoyed :-)

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