Google No Longer Suggests Directory Submission

Google changes there Webmaster Guidelines. Google has long condemned trading links that pass PageRank and link farming applications, but they have consistently encouraged submission to paid directories like Yahoo.

It now looks like that era might have ended this morning. The following points have been removed from Google’s Webmaster Guidelines:

• “Have other relevant sites link to yours.”
• “Submit your site to relevant directories such as the Open Directory Project and Yahoo!, as well as to other industry-specific expert sites.”

One wonders if this is an attempt to root out paid links passing PageRank, or an initiative to reduce the volume of low quality linking, or both, by Google.