A blog directory is a specific type of web directory which focuses on listing blogs. Blogs, short for web logs, are a type of website commonly updated frequently, usually by an individual or a small group of individuals, and often listed as posts with the newest posts first. Because there are literally millions of blogs in the world, a blog directory helps people sort through them by interests, and helps them find the type of blog they are looking for. A more advanced blog directory may include small reviews or human-edited descriptions, to further help users find what they’re looking for.
Unlike a blog search engine, a blog directory is not based on keywords and a simple search. Rather, it is based on the concept of browsing, and categorization. Blogs are placed in a blog directory based on what their main themes are, and may be placed in one or more categories in a directory tree. The user then makes their way through the directory tree, and in each category or sub-category they are able to see a listing of all of the blogs that were placed in that category. Most directories also include a search engine, but this is a secondary feature.
The vast majority of directories are generalized, featuring categories that in theory can cover every sort of blog. There is such a thing as a blog directory with a much more narrow scope, however, for example one covering only personal blogs, or one covering only corporate blogs. These often have a greater level of human editing put into them, as they are able to focus much more on their limited amount of listings.
Any given blog directory may have a range of different listing options, sometimes depending on the nature of the blog being submitted. Some directories offer only free listings, where any user can submit their blog for listing. Others offer reciprocal listings, where a user can submit their blog for free in exchange for a link on their blog back to the directory site. Others offer a paid listing option, often in conjunction with a free listing, which usually grants a faster review time, and in some cases an improved listing. Some paid directories offer a bid for position feature, where different sites bid to the blog directory for a higher listing position.
Many blog directories are highly-automated, with users submitting their blogs for automatic inclusion, or inclusion after a rudimentary check by an employee. Others are human-edited directories, which have a team of either volunteer or paid employees who look at each blog that is submitted. These workers then decide whether the description is accurate, and if not they rewrite it to some extent, and help place it in the best possible category or sub-category, if it is chosen for listing.
The blog directory is an important part of the modern blog world, particularly because of search engine relevancy. Many directories have a high ranking by powerful search engines, because of the amount of inbound links to them, the relevancy of their content, and the fact that they are so strictly structured. As a result, an inbound link from a blog directory can help improve position in search engines dramatically.