A web directory is a hand-crafted list of websites. These lists, also known as a subject directory, create an organized method of finding websites. It is similar, but not identical, to a search engine.
What is a web directory? How do you use it and what are its benefits?
Both are used to find content on the web, but the main difference is that links found through a search engine are collected automatically, while links in a web directory must be added by humans.
The result of a web directory is an easily digestible list of links organized into general categories. A directory makes it easy to find websites by topic, while a search engine is useful for finding websites by keywords (or images if it is an image search engine, or audio search engine, etc.).
Web directories are personal and can even be biased, depending on the feelings of the owner. Most search engines are much broader and more powerful. A search engine that locates people is an example of a resource that a web directory will never be able to provide.
