Submitting Your Site to Directories

Submitting your site to search directories should be your step in link-building. Many have an inexpensive one-time, lifetime listing cost. This is money well-spent and is the best way to get PageRank to new sites quickly. Although directories provide less traffic compared to search engines, the quality of that traffic can be better targeted as you are listed on a specific category.

Search directories contain listings that are ordered under categories and sub-categories. Site listings are placed into directories by people – unlike search engines, which use automated programs to return ranked pages. Also unlike search engines, search directories can alter the title and description of your site listing to better "fit" into their categories as their editors deem fit.

Always submit your site manually. Do NOT use software or an online service that submits your site to multiple search directories automatically. This is particularly important for the larger directories, which ignore submissions from automated programs. You want to control how and where your site is submitted.

Note: Google has blocked some websites and directories from being able to pass PageRank. Such pages may still show PR value in the Google Toolbar however.

Submitting Your Site to the ODP

Due to it's importance, a listing on the ODP (also known as DMOZ) is considered quite important. The ODP provides directory listings not only to Google, but also for the directories at AOL, Lycos, Teoma, AskJeeves, Netscape, AltaVista, HotBot and a host of smaller, specialized directories.

It can take several months (if ever) to show up in the ODP as the ODP is staffed by volunteers who are overwhelmed with work. As such, you should focus on getting listed in the ODP as soon as possible after your site is complete.

You can increase your chances for a listing if you can find a topic or category page that is not oversaturated already with listings. Also, consider signing up to be an Editor for a particular topic, this is a sure-fire way to get your listing added.

An ODP editor will review your submission. If applicable, submit your website to the ODP twice – once for the appropriate topic-related page and once for any location-specific page if your business is regional. However, submit only once per page, otherwise you will get shuffled to the end of the queue.

Tip: If you are interested in seeing where your website is ranked solely on PageRank alone, go to the Google Directory at http://directory.google.com. It is based on ODP data and displays all sites in the ODP in order of PageRank alone.

Submitting to The Yahoo Directory

Yahoo charges $299 a year for all business sites ($599 for adult sites), but is worth it if you can afford it. Non-business and non-profit sites can still get listed for free. Editors at Yahoo will review your site first, and are known to change your title and description as they see fit. Not much you can do about it – same if you mess up and want to change your listing.

Bear in mind your $299 is no guarantee that your site will be listed, it is merely the fee for having your site reviewed and considered for a listing.

Getting listed on Yahoo can be a bit of a challenge as they have exacting editorial standards. You want your site to be 100% complete before a Yahoo editor looks at it.

You must follow the review submission guidelines for Yahoo precisely. For more information, see http://docs.yahoo.com/info/suggest/busexpress.html.

Submitting to Second-Tier Directories

You also should be submit your site to second-tier directories. Here is a list of some important secondary search directories you should submit your site to:

About.com: http://www.about.com. You need to email the "Guide" of the topic first. Click on the Guide's photo in the upper left of the page and then scroll down until you see a "Suggest a Site" link. It can be difficult to get in but is worth it

Business.com - https://secure.business.com/registration/newlisting.jsp Business.com charges $199 per year and is an excellent directory for B2B listings.

Small Business Directory - http://sbd.bcentral.com

This is Microsoft's bCentral service for $49 per year. Gets you several listings.

Gimpsy - http://www.gimpsy.com/ GoGuides - http://www.goguides.org/ Joeant - http://www.joeant.com/ Best of the Web - http://www.botw.org/ ExactSeek - http://www.exactseek.com/ WoW Directory - http://www.wowdirectory.com/

Skaffe - http://www.skaffe.com/

Abilogic – http://www.abilogic.com

Anthony Parsons – http://www.anthonyparsons.com

Greenstalk – http://www.greenstalk.com

InCrawler – http://www.incrawler.com

Info-listings – http://www.info-listings.com

Seoma – http://www.seoma.net

Sitesnoop – http://www.sitesnoop.com

Sublime – http://www.complete-directory.com

World Site Index – http://www.worldsiteindex.com

Yeandi – http://www.yeandi.com

For a larger list of both paid and free search directories to consider, see http://www.strongestlinks.com/directories.php. The problem with most free directories is that they take months to list you, if they add your site at all. So I generally don't recommend wasting your time with the free directories.

Submitting to Local and IYP Directories

I don't care if you work out of your home office and use a 3x5 mailbox down the block as your business address, you should get your website listed in the local and Internet Yellow Page (IYP) directories.

The Google search results are getting more crowded with Google Local listings appearing above the other search listings. Google Local and Yahoo Local search results are predominately influenced by listings in Switchboard and Verizon SuperPages so you should strive to get listings in these.

Here are the top ones to submit your site to:

Yahoo Local

To add your business listing to Yahoo Local, go to http://local.yahoo.com and then click Add/Edit a Business at the bottom of the page.

Google Local

If you advertise with Yellow Pages, you should already be in Google Local. If not, read the information at http://local.google.com/help/faq_local.html and then send an email with the required information to local-listings@google.com.

AOL Yellow Pages

Go to http://yp.aol.com for a listing.

Verizon SuperPages

Go to http://www.superpages.com/about/new_chg_listing_business.html to get a business profile listing.

Switchboard.com

Go to http://www.switchboard.com/adproducts.asp. Listings range from $15/mo to $35/mo.

MSN Yellow Pages

Go to http://yellowpages.msn.com. MSN charges $400/yr for this - they need to keep the shareholders happy I guess. Do only if you can really afford it.

Finding Industry-Specific Directories

Some of the most targeted traffic will become from the niche, specialty "vertical" directories in your industry or market. A simple way to find industry-specific directories is to search for them using terms such as:

"YourKeywords + add url" "YourKeywords + add site" "YourKeywords + add listing" "YourKeywords + suggest site" "YourKeywords + submit" "YourKeywords + submit site" "YourKeywords + directory"

A good resource for finding industry-specific and specialty directories is at http://www.isedb.com/html/Web_Directories/Specialty_Directories/.