DDL Sites – Gold or Garbage?

So over the past couple of weeks, many DDL sites have noticed a huge slump in their traffic. Why is this? Google now recognizes dynamic content. What does this mean? Sites that use Google bombing techniques - i.e., people who are using the same design as hundreds of other DDL sites, packed full of ugly keywords trying to scam users using services such as clickbank, have gone from their high and mighty 150,000 unique per day, down to a crawl of 10,000 - if that, due to Google throwing out their pages. These sites tried tricking Google, and had small amounts of returning visitors, with almost no support. Majority using a similar design (most ugly at that), trying to earn their living off users. One example of old fashioned Indonesian DDL site can be found on the site called freewarelist.net. (Do you have different opinion about this Drupal powered site?) For several years this site stayed at the top of number one Indonesian blog directory – kampung blog. However this old DDL site could not stand any longer. Sorry to say that you are too lazy to make it up!

“This may actually mean that new DDL sites will come up with a unique design and some good content!? Shocking, isn’t it.”

If you want good content, and visitors that return (ones that actually give a damn about your site), then you have to be unique! With virtually any DDL site, you could show me the design, and I’d show you another 10 sites using the same one. Do people not take pride in their site anymore? I can understand needing to cover the server bills, but quite frankly, is it necessary to bombard your users with pop up advertisements, clickbank links (i.e.: click here for free mirror + keygen + lulz), and other retarded shit nobody cares about?

My message to those who use the same design as most other sites, and have a bounce rate of higher than 99% - you’re an idiot. You’re one of those people who in school wasn’t “included”, and who tried being cool by copying everyone else. It worked for a while, and then you fell flat on your ass. Maybe the ones earning their living and hundreds of dollars per day through these pathetic methods will actually ventune outdoors and get a job?

As shown countless times, for your site to be successful, you need to be innovative! Don’t just copy the other 1,000 people thinking you can do the same. If you wish to buy a $8 info domain, $10 IIX or USA based hosting, and then fill up your site with more ads than content, get the fuck out and work for McDonalds. Your pay will be higher.

If you’re planning to start a DDL site (which I have nothing against), don’t become one of the people I mentioned above. Whether you own a forum, blog, or DDL site - love and sculpt your site. Show everyone that you’re better than the others around. It’ll be hard, but ultimately, it’s worth it. No PAIN No GAIN!