Internet directories are a collection of descriptions and links to websites across the web. These websites are indexed into categories with sub categories and sub sub categories that can go many levels beneath the first general grouping. Your goal with directory submissions it to get your website listed with the right anchor text heading and the right description into the most exact category to in which your website belongs.
Although most directories do not provide a significant amount of traffic to your website the links from these can be valuable in improving the indexing and ranking of your site on major search engines.
Directory submissions provide links to your site. Permanent one way links are a vital SEO tool.
The value of these links is dependant in part upon how you handle the submission process. The value is also determined by the value the major search engines such as Google and Yahoo place on the directory itself.
Here are some tips to help you get the most from your directory submissions.
Research and find the best anchor text for your link.
Most directories allow you to provide them with a hyperlink containing keywords describing your site. This is called the anchor text. It‘s a good idea to do a little research before choosing your anchor text. You want it to correctly describe what you have to offer while at the same time incorporating keywords visitors would actually type in to find you. Keep your anchor text under 40 characters. This should be acceptable to most of the directories.
How is your description?
Write a short description of your website to place in your directory listing. Write it as if you are telling someone else about this great site you’ve found. Make your website sound interesting but make sure you don’t make your description sound like an ad. Your description should be no longer than 250 characters. This way it will fit within the requirements of just about all the directories.
Have available several anchor texts and descriptions.
Your links from directories will appear much more natural if they are not all the same. Mix it up a little. Before starting the submission process have three or four different anchor texts and descriptions available to use for submissions.
Pick the right category.
From DMOZ or Yahoo down to the smallest directory you will want to take great care in finding the correct category in which to place your listing. If you don’t search through and get the exactly right one for that particular directory chances are you website won’t get listed there at all. Editors of these directories are so busy they don’t have time to correct your mistakes. Also, the correct category for your listing coupled with the right anchor text in your hyperlink give the search engines more clues on how to index your site. The better your site is indexed the more likely it will be that it will come up on the first page of a user’s keyword phrase search.
Are you submitting to enough directories?
Submit to all the free directories you can find. Even if they show no page rank it won’t hurt your website to be listed there. If you get one visitor or one sale or one link permanent, indexed link for each ten directory submissions you make you are doing great.
Author Resource:
Meridith Berk is one of the founders of http://UltimateSitePromotion.com one of the oldest and most respected Search Engine Optimizing and Pay Per Click Management firms on the Internet. To find out more about how to optimize your site you can visit her site at http://ultimatesitepromotion.com
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