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Making the Most of Web Directories
by Brian Pratt
Published on this site: April 25th, 2006 - See
more articles from this month
A web directory is just like an online phone book. It contains
listings of web sites arranged by category.
While most web directories don't provide a lot of traffic
it is still important to have your site listed in as many
as possible. It helps build your web presence, assists with
your site's page rank and link popularity.
When looking for directories to submit your site to, the
following are good places to start:
- Search engine listings, just do a Google/Yahoo/MSN search
for "web directory"
- http://www.best-web-directories.com,
http://www.seocompany.ca/directory/free-web-directories.html
and http://www.directorycritic.com
all offer quality directory listings
- In forums. New directories will announce their creation
in some of the larger forums. You can pick up free one-way listings from
new directories that will later on charge for inclusion.
Having selected a list of directories, it's worth checking
a few details before listing your link:
- Check The Page Rank of the site.
The higher the better. Site with higher page ranks tend
to get indexed more quickly and are more "authorative".
As a general rule don't add your link to a site with no
page rank.
- Check the Meta Tags.
On the page where your link will be submitted, click View
> Page Source on your browser. If the robots meta tags
look like - Meta name=robots content="noindex, nofollow"
don't go there, your link wont be indexed and your link
wont be counted.
- Check a few links
Again on the page where your link will be submitted click
View > Page Source on your browser. Look at the coding
of a few links. If you see an anchor tag with - rel="nofollow"
you link wont be counted by the search engines.
- Ensure the links are direct
Run you mouse over a few links. If the status bar doesn't
show the target URL and refers to another link within the
directory your listing will be wasted. Also look at the
code for a few links to double check that the link does
point directly to your web page.
And finally here are a couple of guidelines for submitting
your link:
- Check the directory submission guidelines
If you read and follow the directories submission guidelines,
you have a better chance of having your submission accepted.
It will also save you time by preventing a submission that
is sure to be rejected.
- Always submit to a relevant category.
Most directory owners strive to run a clean, well-kept directory.
Submission to anything but a relevant category significantly
increases the chance of rejection.
- Check the page rank of the page your link will be
placed upon.
Generally the higher the page rank the better for you. If
there is another similar category with a higher page rank
and the same or less links, then submit your link there.
- Submit to a page with as few other links as possible.
While future additions may change the value, pages with
fewer links will transfer more page-rank.
- Vary your anchor text and description.
Search engines like it better this way. Also sprinkle a
few choice keywords in your description.
- Make you anchor text to be the keywords you are focusing
on
and nothing else.
This maximizes the effectiveness of the link.
Brian is a 48 year old New Zealander with over 10 years
internet experience. If you are looking for a
home based business, be sure to view his website at http://www.bestrealincome.com
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