What makes a good listing site?

[codestryke]

I often ponder this question because I've always wanted to make one. I know we have both game developers and game enthusiasts here. So, really, what makes a good game listing site? Graphics, reviews, screen shots or is it just the amount of time they've been online?

I look at 3 game listing sites almost daily..

ApexWebGaming.. Slow to add content but I really like the new top movers rank they added on the front page
TopWebGames.. Just a simple site, something comforting about a stable site that never changes
Galaxy-News.. Content and a very nice layout.. But poking around they really don't have much of a community as it would seem, well least not one that posts to much

Use to go to mpogd.com but, eh, it just became to much of a sell out with there "themed" advertising.

What do you think? Where do you go to check out other games (besides here). What draws you into listing your site?

[Chris]

This is outdated (written a year ago) and I no longer care for some of these points but it still should give an idea.


A good toplist does two things, brings players and saves my time.

Priority 1:
First, I hate when they ask for screenshots or require non standard pictures, banners. How the hell I could find the time to make all this? I wish they all just use EvoToplist script...
Second, the out votes statistics. If they do not provide it I need to analyze my logs and I can do it only after some time. I rarely go for sites that do not state clearly out votes. I also resign if they have set "PageViews" as display criterias (since they do not understand how it works with pbbgs).
Third, suspicious links or sites on listing. If I see something like "Hot XX games, adult 18+" or AdultFinder ad, I quit at once. Gee, do they really get so much traffic/income from these? If I see on ToS clearly stated that they deny such sites, I give them priority during inclusion decision, even if the traffic is lower.

Priority 2:
- Easy to use for players (gateway require only one click to vote, no human validation)
- New players. After a week I check how many players registered through it. If at least 2, then I put the link on a better place with more votes, otherewise I will send up to 10 votes per month. It is crucial that the votesite can generate visitors even to sites that are low on listing. It means it's worth sending more votes there.

Priority 3 (non critical to decision making, only if the things above do not provide the answer):
- Number of ads. I there is a brand new site and I see already ads, it's not very encouraging. It means they are impatient. I have resigned once because of this.
- No vote banner on server (need to download it). Resigned once or twice due to this.

[mdshare]

well I own a voting portal and I have to agree with a lot of points you made Chris

1.

* Screenshots, no screenshot needed, a thumbnail is fetched
* Out stats is a important factor, and most game owners don't even see that this is FREE advertising, if it would be a paid ad it would cost them like 10 cent minimum for a redirect to their game (banner ad)

2.

* I always hated confirmations so hence I left that part out, just a click on the vote link ingame should be more than enough
* Tracking is important, all depends how you use the information

3.

* Ads are important to keep a voting site alive, they do get a nice chunk of hits so cheap shared servers don't work allthough they aren't overwhelming on CETWG they blend in nicely.
* I always prefered to keep control, so the vote micro banner 88x31 is on our server hosted

4. I would ad this one, why does everyone use evotopsites, aardvark, etc ... it isn't so difficult to write a voting portal

Now what else ... on www.cetopwebgames.com , you might check out this topic http://community.bbgamezone.net/index.php?topic=1312.0

[Chris]

To prove that I have split personality, I will say that I do not full agree with the thing I posted above
More serious, the priorities changes over time, let's say the one posted before was for average size game owner.


Currently I have several games and I have slight different priorities:

- big size game - The main issue is my time, I got flooded with new votesites emails. I expect to receive a special treatment, which means my site is added by the votesite owner with proper description etc and the votesite owner just send me the votelink. Also much less time to determine the quality of the site, unless the votesite provides really good returns it will stay in the "low priority" area of the voting page. Also chaecking only my intyernal starts (no time to check every site separately to look for OUT votes).

- average size game - Only votesites that proved to be the best in the big game are put here.

- new games - I strive for SEO there, sites with direct links are a priority, even if no traffic at all.


General "rules" of a good votesite I found out so far:
- if the site shows only first 10 games on the front page it won't provide traffic
- if the site displays banner on all 50 games in listing on the front page it won't provide traffic (top 10 banners seems the best)
- custom made votesites (no evo/aavarak) usually provide less traffic (but there are some outstanding exceptions)
- evo is better than aavarak (maybe because evo is paid, so no kids who get a free script and want to make quick money)


Anyway, I found at least one exception to almost all points given above, so if there would be enough time I would give the chance to all votesites no matter how unproffesional or broken they are (one of my favourite is a votesite which has broken registration, I got tons of players from there, maybe because serious competiton can not register there anymore? )

[mdshare]

Yep true also

Now I disagree with the 10 games on front page that it will not provide traffic as I can tell from stats from +2y on 1000s of games. Yes games die, each year around a 1000 submitted ones.

Custom vote sites are usually the big ones, I yet have to see aardvark, evo to be one of the super big voting sites.

You do however use a tactic that not many game owners figured out yet , I'll let them wonder what... easy to spot on your game(s) as on a german company game(s) portfolio.

This does give you a extra benefit also , not on all but on several

[jannesiera]

To prove that I have split personality, I will say that I do not full agree with the thing I posted above
More serious, the priorities changes over time, let's say the one posted before was for average size game owner.


Currently I have several games and I have slight different priorities:

- big size game - The main issue is my time, I got flooded with new votesites emails. I expect to receive a special treatment, which means my site is added by the votesite owner with proper description etc and the votesite owner just send me the votelink. Also much less time to determine the quality of the site, unless the votesite provides really good returns it will stay in the "low priority" area of the voting page. Also chaecking only my intyernal starts (no time to check every site separately to look for OUT votes).

- average size game - Only votesites that proved to be the best in the big game are put here.

- new games - I strive for SEO there, sites with direct links are a priority, even if no traffic at all.


General "rules" of a good votesite I found out so far:
- if the site shows only first 10 games on the front page it won't provide traffic
- if the site displays banner on all 50 games in listing on the front page it won't provide traffic (top 10 banners seems the best)
- custom made votesites (no evo/aavarak) usually provide less traffic (but there are some outstanding exceptions)
- evo is better than aavarak (maybe because evo is paid, so no kids who get a free script and want to make quick money)


Anyway, I found at least one exception to almost all points given above, so if there would be enough time I would give the chance to all votesites no matter how unproffesional or broken they are (one of my favourite is a votesite which has broken registration, I got tons of players from there, maybe because serious competiton can not register there anymore? )

What is evo and aavarak (maybe I learn something new here ) ? + Lol 

[raestlyn]

I'm not sure, but I assume Evo and Aavarak are for listing sites like McCodes is for PBBGs..

[mdshare]

Aardvark and evo are 2 topsite scripts that are free, easy to install no brains needed

Yet you have a site like 1000s others on the net.

* mdshare goes back to making a xmas bag of prizes to win

[jannesiera]

Aardvark and evo are 2 topsite scripts that are free, easy to install no brains needed

Yet you have a site like 1000s others on the net.

* mdshare goes back to making a xmas bag of prizes to win

Ah, I see.