Reach Your Potential With Web Directories
Source: Flickr
There are many webmasters and very few that realize the true potential web directories. Those few that understand are the ones that realize the rewards of a solid campaign of directory submissions. With the millions of competing websites on the internet, this is clearly what makes the difference between online success and failure.
Web directories are directories that contain categorized information and links to other websites. Quality web directories will have already reviewed the sites listed for quality of content and site design and only allowed those that pass strict standards to be listed.
A web directory is not a search engine. A web directory is based upon categorizing quality websites by content while search engines will display websites based upon keywords associated with them.
There are several different types of web directories. Niche directories deal with one particular topic, say real estate. General web directories are essentially many niche directories categorized into one website that generally gets a larger volume of traffic. Most sites topics can be listed in a general web directory providing they meet the submission guidelines and pass the review.
If you are wondering where you should submit first, a good rule of thumb is to focus on general web directories and then go on to any niche directories that you may want to submit to after that.
With any directory of quality that is worth listing in, there will be a review fee associated with it. This allows the directory to market itself and those websites listed within it to generate traffic and improve search engine results for all. I find the best long term results come from directories that require annual reviews with fees.
Free directories are also available for submissions, but I find little value in them. Since they are free they have no capital to invest in marketing the directory to achieve traffic and search engine goals for themselves or their listings.
Your main goals in a quality directory submissions campaign is traffic generation from the listing and traffic generation from search engine improvement because of the link to your site. If you happen to be looking for links strictly for the link itself, you will want to make sure that the directory you are submitting to does not employ the “nofollow” attribute in its listings.
The most well know of directories are DMOZ and Yahoo. DMOZ is a free directory that you can submit your site to and wait over a year in some cases to find out if you’re approved or not. Yahoo is a quality paid directory with annual review fees that are quite high.
The key to a successful directory submission campaign is to identify and target the authority directories for your listing and make a consistent effort to submit your website to those quality authority directories.
