My random thought for the day. These can be dangerous. Hold my beer.
What would happen if you combined a standard web directory script with Indieweb.org features like webmentions and such? I think you could end up with a very powerful tool for a directory. I have not the slightest idea how one would actually do it.
Presuming that both parties have webmentions here is how I see it working:
- Editor adds a website to the directory. The directory (equipped like an Indieweb blog, send out a Mention to the page and/or root URL that was added.
- The owner of the URL that was added to the directory, may keep or discard that Mention but at least they now know that they are listed. They might want to go to the directory and “claim” that listing and edit it or not.
- For the directory there is a chance that the directory gains a link. It may well be a nofollow link in a facepile somewhere but as long as it is a clickable link back there is a gain for the directory.
There are two kinds of directories 1. rare legitimate directories that are trying to be a navigation aid on the web, and 2. link popularity directories that are basically there to sell a link to websites for SEO purposes. A mention from the former should be welcome to any webmaster. And a directory that is trying to be a legit web navigation aid needs to attract searchers to use it. Win-win. On the later, I could see spam directories trying to abuse this. The moderating factor is unlike a decade ago, very few new directories of any type are being started these days.
Why?
The web has changed in 20 years. Webmasters no longer run out and submit their sites to directories, they are used to social media and the search engines just find them eventually. So a very high percentage of listings in a new directory are going to have to be added by an Editor rather than by a submission to the Add URL form. Because of this it is even more important for the directory to let webmasters that have not submitted to the directory know they have been listed. It’s a point of contact.
This was also posted to /en/linking.
