Getting listed in human-edited directories is one of those incremental SEO tasks that can
make a difference in the aggregate. It’s relatively easy to find directories with categories
that match your organization, and they represent a chance to build a link to your site
using your own well-researched, well-targeted words. Think of a directory listing as just
another inbound link with a slightly different link-request process usually there’s a submittal
form to fill out, and specific editorial guidelines to follow, instead of a free-form
e-mail correspondence.
description match your site’s content. So if you have substantial optimization that needs to
take place before this is the case, use today’s task just to gather submittal information.
You can perform the actual submittal when your site is ready.
There are some big, well-established directories such as the Yahoo! Directory (http://
dir.yahoo.com) and the Open Directory www.dmoz.org, which survived extinction when
the Age of Directories in the ’90s made way for the Age of Algorithmic Search that came
after. Submitting your site to Yahoo! and the Open Directory, while no longer crucial
to a site’s visibility, is a fine thing to do. They have specific categories that might describe
your organization perfectly, such as Health: Alternative: Practitioners: Wellness Centers:
North America: United States: Michigan. If the category fits, you may as well submit.
But the majority of today’s directories, the ones you’ll be spending most of your
time on, are little guys with niche traffic. Niche directoriesare small, but they can be powerhouses for targeted traffic. You know your company, and you know your niche. Now
it’s time for you to find directories that speak to it.