How to submit to website directories.

Directories are different from search engines. A directory is a categorised index of websites that do not use robots to index the website pages.

All sites that are indexed in directories are submitted manually. Websites are submitted under a relevant category and they are then reviewed by an editor who then either accepts or rejects the submitted website.

Some of the important directories on the internet are Yahoo and The Open Directory - DMOZ.

The basics of submitting to any directory are similar. One must be very careful while submitting your website to any directory. Many directories allow only one submission to you have to make the most of this one opportunity. It is important to keep the reviewer in mind while preparing the submission. One should always read the submission guidelines very carefully before submitting their website.

Take time to browse around the directory and choose the category that bests fits your website. One of the best ways to find the most relevant category is to do a search on the directory with the keywords that are most relevant to your website and then see the results of the search and note in which category these websites are listed. It is always harder to get listed in top level categories, therefore you must do proper research to find the most suitable sub-category to which your website belongs.

Apart from following strict guidelines on the non acceptance of websites such as mirror websites, sites that simply redirect a visitor to another website, websites with illegal content and under construction websites, directories usually exercise broad editorial discretion in determining the content and structure of the directory. The discretion extends to what sites to include, where the websites are to be placed and the content of the title and description of the site.

As mentioned above, the description of the website is a big factor on how a website will rank, once it’s listed in the directories. It is crucial that you get it right the first time. A description that is either too long or too full of promotional jargon is sure not to go down too well with the editors. Be sure that your description is concise, to the point, effective and if possible including a few keywords relevant to your website.

Yahoo is one of the largest directories on the web, it is also one of the most difficult to get into. In addition to the specifications mentioned above, Yahoo places emphasis on useful content, easy navigation of a website and the time that a website takes to load. After submitting to Yahoo, it could take 6 months for your listing to appear in the directory.

If however, you are in a hurry and would like to see your website listed earlier, you may avail of the Yahoo! Express service. This is a service specifically for small businesses. By paying a fee of $299, Yahoo! Express guarantees that a member of it’s editorial staff will look at your site and consider it for inclusion into the Yahoo directory within seven days. The payment does not guarantee inclusion, only that an editor will review it within 7 days.

Almost all directories provide guidelines and instructions for site submissions. Make sure you read these carefully, the time spent doing so will garner you huge returns in directory traffic.