Using directories for search engine optimization and to further market your products and services is a valuable practice to include in your overall online marketing efforts. Directories are different from search engines. Directories are compiled manually and organized differently. Listing well in them can have a direct impact to how you rank in the search engines though. People who are searching for specific categories and information will oftentimes refer to a directory instead of searching the more general search engines.
The largest directories to be listed in are DMOZ and Yahoo. Other directories beneficial to be included in will be directories specific to your business classification. Along with being found easier by those looking for your specific product type, these listings will also help you gain inbound links which are an important part of search engine optimization.
The first thing you want to do before you submit your site to directories is to make sure your website is put together well. A directory will review your website for relevancy and determine if it is a good resource before it will accept your submission. Making sure you have the best quality website before you submit to the directories will save you a great deal of time, and will also increase the likelihood that your website will be accepted as a resource in their listings.
When you submit your website to the directories you want to have a compelling description about your business. You will have limited space for this. Directories typically allow up to 200 words, which is not much. Make sure you use important keywords and create a compelling description that is relevant, without sounding like an advertisement. Directories are not for advertisements, they are to list resources. Keeping that in mind will help you write your description.
Choose four to six directories that you feel will give your website the best listing. Choose directories that are high quality and have a lot of traffic. Other directories will not be worth the time or effort to list at. You can find out about the best directories, by searching at DMOZ or Yahoo. Using directories for search engine optimization will take some time and a bit of research, but it will be time and effort well spent. Visitors that come to your website from a directory are usually much more targeted than coming from a general search engine.
