Top Website Directories to Submit Your Site
Online directories are human compiled databases of websites arranged in specific categories. The major benefit of submitting in directories is that they help generate more traffic and also help in improving the link popularity of websites.
SEO and Directories
Submitting in directories is an extremely lucrative method of getting quality inbound links that matter to the search engines. This is because of the fact that most search engines tend to crawl top directories more frequently. So getting your site listed in top directories is an extremely easy method of getting your site indexed by almost all major and minor search engines.
One thing to be kept in mind is to avoid submitting to directories that use 302 redirects. 302 redirects are temporary redirects that can cause confusion regarding a webpage's URL amoung search bots, giving rise to problems of content duplication.
Increasing traffic from directory submission
Submitting in directories is also a great means of getting a highly targeted traffic. This is because directories present information seekers with a huge database of related websites which most search engines fail to do. In addition to that, directories which have data complied neatly in specific categories are also considered by many as a better and easy means of finding related websites than search engines.
Free and Paid Directories
The World Wide Web consists of thousands of directories some of which offer free listings and others that charge a small fee for geting listed. Some directories are extremely focused whereas others still have all general categories. The ideal way would be to submit websites in specific as well as general free directories along with only the top paid directories.
Top Directories to be listed in
The Open Directory
The Open Directory Project or the ODP is the best place to kick-start your directory submission campaign. It is better to submit to ODP in the beginning as it may take a minimum of a few months before your site would be lucky enough to get listed. Becoming an ODP editor is a great way of ensuring a listing, but is in many cases as tough as the site listing process itself.
Getting listed in ODP is free and will give you all the exposure you would ever need. Google uses the ODP database for its own directory; in addition there are many other websites that make use of the ODP database.
Yahoo Directory
Getting listed in the Yahoo! directory could give your site a huge boost except that it does not come free. Yahoo! charges a non-refundable amount of $299 for (merely) reviewing your site which will be added to their directory upon approval. Once listed, the site will have to pay $299 annually to maintain the listing. Yahoo! directory is almost as popular as DMOZ and getting listed would be certainly great; but Yahoo! has set a long list of criterions that a site needs to have before it can get listed. If your site lacks any of them then Yahoo! will reject your site and will also keep the $299 review fee. So make sure to read guidelines properly.
Business.com
Business.com is another excellent directory to get your site listed. Business.com has a good network and attracts a decent traffic. They offer advertisers with three basic options for getting listed. A standard listing would cost you an annual flat rate. Though here again all submissions are subject to review by the business.com staff.
GoGuides.org
GoGuides.org is a good directory but it does not come anywhere near to Yahoo! or DMOZ when it comes to traffic.
GoGuides works similar to ODP with volunteer editors reviewing and adding sites that are submitted. GoGuides also offers an express submission facility using which your site will be reviewed and accepted (if approved) within two business days for a one time listing fee of $39.99.
Bluefind Directory
Bluefind is another good directory where you can plan on getting your site listed. Bluefind charges a one time fee for a standard listing with a guaranteed review within two business days. Bluefind also offers a sponsored listing service which has a higher fee. To submit a site you will have to select a suitable category and click 'add URL'.
Gimpsy.com
Gimpsy.com offers a free as well as a paid listing option. The problem with the free listing option is that your site can take a minimum of four months to get listed. On the other hand using the paid listing service will give your site a chance to be reviewed and listed within 72 hours. The paid listing has a one time fee. Gimpsy also promises to return part of your money in case your site is rejected.
Allthebizz.com
Allthebizz.com is not as prospective as the above mentioned directories when it comes to paid listings but it can offer a well worth listing at a low cost. To submit a site you would have to go to a specific category and click the add URL link. Allthebizz.com claims that sites will be reviewed and listed within two working days.
A similar directory smallerbizz.com is available for small businesses. This directory offers a free listing service (your sites will be reviewed within six weeks) along with paid listing with similar rates as Allthebizz.com
wowdirectory.com
The WOWdirectory is an excellent directory to consider getting listed in. The best part is that WOWdirectory offers free listings; though it does not specify as to when a free submission will be reviewed and included. They also offer paid listing facilities with a one time fee of $20. Paid listings are reviewed and accepted (upon approval) within 24 hours as compared to free listings. To add a URL to this directory you will have to find a relevant category and click on the 'Add URL' link.
JoeAnt
JoeAut offers two different options for sites to get listed. You have the option of becoming a JoeAut editor (which is extremely easy and fast) or pay a flat one time fee. Paid submissions are reviewed and listed (if approved) within two business days.
In addition to the above the internet is filled with thousands of lesser known directories and most of them offer a free listing. Some will even include your site in less than a week's time. Though these directories will not give you the profits that these popular ones promise, they can help increase your link popularity in a huge way.
01Webdirectory.com
01webdirectory.com is a unique web directory. Along with listing websites in thematic, unambiguous category structure, it also provides related information about each category. One can even list the websites in category information pages. 01webdirectory.com offers permanent links under both free and paid options. To list the websites in category information pages, please visit 01webdirectory.com.
Ed Kundahl
IdeaOverTen
