Glossary
What is a featured listing?
A featured listing is a highlighted placement on a directory, such as the top of a category page, the homepage or a newsletter, usually sold for a set period. It brings extra visibility while it lasts. It's advertising, so any link that comes with it should be marked sponsored or nofollow.
What's usually included
- A spot at the top of a category or the homepage for days or weeks.
- A mention in the directory's newsletter or social posts.
- A "Featured" label on the listing.
- Sometimes a dofollow link, faster review or extra fields such as video.
How to judge one
Ask for traffic to the specific category page, not the whole site, and for past click numbers from featured listings. A large AI directory's homepage can send real traffic; a featured slot on a directory with a few thousand monthly visits rarely does. Compare the price with what one customer is worth to you.
Featured listing vs free listing
| Free listing | Featured listing | |
|---|---|---|
| Position | By date or category | Top, for a period |
| Duration | Permanent | Days to weeks |
| Link | Often nofollow or badge-gated | Often dofollow (should be sponsored) |
| Cost | Free or a badge | One-time or recurring fee |
Example
A design tool pays for a week at the top of a mid-sized AI directory's design category. The directory shares click data: 340 clicks that week, 12 sign-ups and 2 paid conversions. After the week ends, clicks drop back to a few a day. Whether that's worth it depends on the price and what a customer is worth.
FAQ
Is a featured listing worth it?
Only on directories with real traffic in your category, and when the price is below what the expected customers are worth.
Is a sponsored listing a paid link?
If it includes a followed link, it should be marked rel="sponsored" under Google's guidelines.
How long do featured listings last?
Usually a day to a month, depending on the directory.