Like Search Engines, a web directory does not show results based on keywords, instead it lists websites by categories and subcategories. The categorization is usually based on the whole web site, rather than one page or a set of keywords and websites are often inadequate to inclusion in only one or two categories. Web directories often allow website owners to submit their website and then the submissions are reviewed by human editors to approve.
Web Directories offer various types of listings :
Free Submission - they do not charge for listing the website. Such web directories do take time to review and approve a listing.
Reciprocal Link � You have to place a link on a webpage of your website before submitting
No Follow - there will be "nofollow" attribute associated with to your submitted link, implication search engine bots will not follow the link. In other words, it will not help you in your SEO process.
Featured Listing � Your website is given a premium position in one or more categories.
Bid for Position - Bid your way to the top position by bidding a certain amount to have your link shown on the homepage.
Why submit to Web Directories: Submission to web directories is one of the foremost part of link building or seo process. Directory Submission provides you one way links from the relevant pages. In a bid to promote their own web directories for high traffic and PR, directory owners promote their web directories continously through various means, hence it also helps you to generate traffic from them.
Directory Submission Tips : Following are the important things to be kept in mind while submitting your website to web directories :
SEO friendly :The directories should be SEO friendly where you are submitting your website. It helps your website in search engines rankings and promotion i.E. Search engine robots will easily find and index your web sheet. Links must not contain attribute.
The PR helps you to get more credibility but not making a whole of difference anymore. Search engine placement is more important. Many people think that those directories are additional beneficial having high PR but these directories either do not allow free links or take more time to list your website. If your website is new, there is no harm submitting to low PR or Zero PR web directories as these web directories would also attempt to gain high PR in the future.
Organic and Natural Submission : The submission process should be slow. Do not try to submit to many directories in one go.
Steer clear of submitting to spam directories. Submit only to quality web directories.
Strictly follow the submission guidlines set by the web directory owners. Read carefully their guidelines while submitting your website.
Your website should not under construction and do not put any forwarding to the submitting webpages as many directories owners do not approve such links.
