Submitting your site to web directories is a common and useful SEO tool that can improve your sites rankings in search engines and increase your link popularity.   There is, however, an unbelievable amount of mis-information, exaggeration, and outright lies about directory submission and what is most effective.   We have made the mistakes already and spent a good amount of money finding out the hard way. Learn from what we have found.  The directory submission game is chock full of pitfalls.  Here is the naked truth.

First, do not fall for the literally thousands of website that “will submit your web site to 10,000 directories for only $24.95” These services all use directory submission software that usually incorrectly categories your directory entry and your entry usually gets rejected by the directory anyway.  Most of these sites claim to “hand submit” but it just isn’t the truth.  We tried a few and got 150 directory submission confirmations in 10 minutes (It takes about 10 minutes to hand submit to just one directory” so there is no way possible that they are doing hand submissions.   Even if you use a service that does get you in directories they are usually directories just set up for SEO and are saturated with low quality sites and are often only around for a short period of time (so you link will soon be useless).

Search engines do not favor new and SEO friendly directories.  Search engine companies have smart people who make sure these illegitimate directories do not carry any weight with their search engine.  Three guys in Pakistan are not going to outsmart Goggle.  It is tempting to believe, especially when you have a new site with little traffic, but it just isn’t true.  We tried it several times (when we where younger, more naïve, and possibly just a little bit less jaded) and it simply does not work.  Remember, search engines have a huge interest in their searches producing relevant data to their customers.  If a brand new site with little content or traffic can beat out well-established sites with lots of good info and traffic, no one would trust them anymore.  Search engine companies literally have teams of people that continually update their search algorithms to ensure relevant search results.

Okay, that paints a pretty bleak picture but all is not lost.  There are quality directories that you can hand submit to that will improve your sites rating with search engines.  First, we will cover the “best” directories.  These are not listed in order as “best:” is always changing.  Of the three best directories only DMOZ allow for free listing.

1.  Yahoo:   Yahoo is a very high quality directory but the main drawback is price.  It cost about $300 a year to be listed in the Yahoo directory but it is yahoo, one of the oldest directories and search engines.  It commands a great deal of respect not just from Yahoo but also from all search engines.  It is expensive but give your site a lot of credibility.
Yahoo Directory

2.  Best of the Web directory:  This is an older directory (started in 1994) with lots of high quality inbound links, and is a favorite of many SEO enthusiasts.  The older a directory is, generally, the more weight it has with search engines.  Last time we checked it cost $240 for a lifetime listing.
Best of the web directory

3.  DMOZ (The Open Directory Project).   DMOZ is also one of the oldest and most respected directories and is universally loved by search engines.  Also IT’S FREE!   The drawback is that DMOZ is run by volunteers who do not get paid, so directory work is probably not their biggest priority.  It can take a very long time
DMOZ (The Open Directory Project) Directory

Although the three aforementioned directories  are considered the best directories, they are not the only game in town and there are plenty of other very high quality free directories you can list your site at.  All submissions must be done manually and make sure you follow their instructions.  Each directory has its own guidelines so make sure you read them.  Yes, this is time consuming and tedious but it is the only proper way to do it.  You can see a great listing of well trafficked and well respected directories at the Web Ad Helper Free Directory List.   Plus, all of them are free!

Lastly, the final category is niche directories.  These directories are usually for small segments of the business market and are very targeted to a certain type of service of product.  Search engines love these directories as they are targeted and tend to be more reliable.  To find them, just type in your business field into a search engine (ex.  Macintosh Compatible Software) and put the word “directory” behind it.  If there are directories for your niche, check them out and do a submission.  Niche directories tend to approve submissions more quickly as the receive a lot less submissions than general directories.

Best of luck, you truly can improve your rating with search engines but the only way to do it is to put in the time by manually submitting to high quality directories.  There is not a magic bullet out there, we have looked, we wished there was but if it did exist everyone would be doing it and soon, it wouldn’t be magic any more.

Here is an example of how to properly format a press release.  This is a standard format for press release submission.  If you don’t follow the proper format, you will have a very hard time getting people to take your press release seriously.

The Headline is in the Title.  You Capitalize Every Word Except for Prepositions.  Ideally, it is Not More than 170 Characters and You Do Not Need a Period at the End.

City, State, Month 1, 2008 — The first paragraph is your lead.  It should be strong and contain the most information.  You must be able to grad the reader’s attention and the lead should be able to stand on its own.  Keep the lead paragraph to 3 or four concise sentences.

The rest of the press release provides further details that support the lead.  It is important to cover who, what, when, where, and why in the first couple of paragraphs.  In the same manner as your lead paragraph, your supporting paragraphs should each be kept to three or four concise sentences.

“A quote from someone involved or knowledgeable is important to give your press release a human factor,” said Bob Smith, Director of Marketing for WebAdhelper.com. “It let’s people hear directly from someone familiar with whatever is being talked about.” Read a couple of press releases from other companies.  You will almost always find a quote.

The last paragraph should include a brief summary and or details about availability, shipping, time lines, etc.  Sometimes trademark acknowledgements are put into the summary.

About Company:

Include a short company background or a background of the person quoted if their participation is newsworthy.  If the person is a member of the company generally you should stick to company info.  If the person is not, and is well known, it is proper for them to have their own about description.  You can have more than one about description if it is relevant.  If your press release involves another company, a separate about should be written about them.

Contact:

Bob Smith, director of marketing
WebAdHelper.com
555-555-5555
http//www.webadhelper.com

Submitting a press release is one of the oldest and most “tried and true” methods of promoting your website and or company.  We have been doing it for a long time for our sites and have learned quite a few things over the last 10 years.  Here are some tips:

1. Have a strong lead:  In press jargon the first paragraph is called the lead.  Your lead always needs to be strong and effectively communicate your message as quickly and concisely as possible.  Think of it this way, if someone was to only read the first paragraph, would they understand what your press release is about?   The rest of your press release should provide the details that support your lead.  Remember, journalist see tons of press releases a day and you only have a few seconds to grad their attention sufficiently for them to continue reading

2.  Who, What, Where, When, and Why: The five W’s are what any journalist looks at.  It is the first thing that they teach you in journalism school.  A good press release will always answer these questions.

3:  Do not sound like an advertisement: Again, news sites and publications sell advertising, they don’t print it for free.  If you sound like an advertisement you will have zero chance of having your press release picked up.  Avoid any terms like “best, favorite, etc”.   Journalists are looking for news not biased opinion.

4:  Why should they care: Companies launch products and websites all the time.  What makes yours special?  What makes yours different from all the other ones out there?  If you have something new or different write about how it.  What is your angle?

5:  Brevity is the sole of wit: Your press release does not have to be long.  Publications and new sites have a limited amount of space that they dedicate to press releases.  Communicate your idea as effectively and efficiently as possible.

6:  Vocabulary: Speak plainly and limit the use of insider jargon.  Don’t use a big word when a small word will do just as well, that is of course, unless your target audience where all English majors in college.

Press Release submission has long been a popular for of SEO but what are your really getting.   We have put together a few facts to help people decide which method is write for them.

First,  always remember, the ultimate goal of any press release is to get picked up by traditional publications or by online news sites so make sure that your press release is newsworthy.  Publications and online news sites are not in the business of giving free promotion.   Remember that these sites primary source of income is advertising and they are not going to give it away free.  If your press release is news worthy then it is valuable to them.  If you press release just talks about how wonderful your are, it won’t get picked up.

Standard Press Release:  A standard press release is generally only on the press release site for a couple of days which is generally plenty of time for any publication or news site to pick it up and add it to their publication or site.  News companies subscribe to press release sites in search of content and are alerted to relevant content when it is posted.   In the couple of days it is up on the press release site any links you have written into your article will be visible to search engines and should help your page rank.  Press release sites are popular and get indexed by search engines constantly.  A couple of days of free PR is always a good thing.

Featured Press Release:  The main reason for purchasing a “Featured Press Release” is that it will remain on their site for longer or forever (it differs from site to site) and the link to your site will remain active and help your ranking in search engines.   We generally do free submissions and build our links with directories and articles but it can be valuable to have your release perpetually on a highly rated press release site.  If you do want to buy a “featured” press release, here are some things to look for.

1.  How much does it cost:  Price varies from site to site

2:  How long does it stay up:  Some sites will archive your press release and keep it up forever, some will keep it up for a month.  It varies from site to site.

3.  How good is the press release site:  Check the ranking of the site on Alexa (www.alexa.com).  The better the ranking the more weight your link will carry with search engines.