Most directory listings offer nofollow links unless you pay or meet engagement thresholds

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A developer who submitted a product to over 20 online directories found that only 5 of those listings provided dofollow backlinks. Several directories were found to tie followed links to paid upgrades or engagement conditions, such as reaching a minimum of 10 upvotes before a free listing's link becomes dofollow. One directory offered a dofollow link in exchange for displaying their badge on the submitter's site, but the outbound link was already set to nofollow before the condition was met. The developer concluded that followed links are effectively a monetization tool for these platforms rather than a standard feature of free listings. The key takeaway offered is to check a directory's pricing structure before submitting, and to treat free listings only for what they reliably provide, such as brand visibility and name-based search presence.

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