Paid directory submission is critical to jump starting search rankings.
So you’ve developed some of your better domain names. You’ve got good content and a nice design. But how do you move up in the search rankings?
Most people know that you need (preferably one way) links pointing to your web site to get Google’s attention. There are many ways to get these, but most of my SEO friends agree you need to submit to two paid web directories: Yahoo and Best of the Web.
Search engines are better at finding new sites now than they were before, but having a directory listing on these sites still seems to matter. When I look at who ranks above me for key terms on a geo web site I recently launched, most of them are listed on both of these directories.
But wait, aren’t web directories antiquated? Doesn’t everyone use search instead of directories? Yes, and you should expect little traffic from web directories. But because the links are validated by humans, search engines trust directories. And because the top directories charge a substantial listing fee, search engines trust that they won’t be filled with a bunch of spam sites.
Yahoo! Directory – Yahoo!’s directory is the gold standard, but it will cost you. The fee is $299 per year. Your site is reviewed withinin 7 days.
Best of the Web – Best of the Web has been around since 2004 1994, and Google’s founders referred to it when they designed their search system. It’s generally considered the second most important directory to Yahoo and costs much less. You can either pay $99 per year or $249 for a lifetime listing. BOTW frequently offers coupons and promotion codes. (During May, enter coupon code MAYDAY to save 15%.)
Steve says
I always like submitting to dmoz.org . It’s free and listings are verified by individuals before they are entered into the system.
Thanks for the great site and information!
Best.
Andrew Allemann says
Steve – from what I can tell most of DMOZ is now inactive. The community volunteers aren’t keeping up with it.
Steve says
Andrew,
I did not know that. The site is still live and accepting submissions. Maybe it just takes longer because there aren’t enough volunteers. Maybe we should all sign up and volunteers to help the directory along. I always noticed listings in dmoz received favorable listings on the search engines. Thanks for the head’s up.
Cheers.
Andrew Allemann says
There are only volunteers for certain sections. I’ve heard rumblings that infighting between the volunteers caused major problems. I guess it doesn’t hurt to submit a site…just understand it could take 3 months before it shows up
Chris Robbins says
I suppose directory listings would be most appropriate for businesses. It is not very hard to get good search ranking through submitting your webstie for free through the various search engines. I submitted my website for free through yahoo and get pretty good rank for a fairly new website. Google a little harder, but I’m there and you use their webmaster tools to verify your website with them.
Andrew Allemann says
“It is not very hard to get good search ranking through submitting your webstie for free through the various search engines”
It depends on the terms. Yes, google will find you without directory listings. But these listings should help your ranking.
Nameclerk says
I submitted my site to DMOZ around 18 months ago. I’m still waiting for it to show up. I’m sure it’ll be any day now.
greg says
Thanks for including BOTW in your write up. We certainly appreciate the accolades. I would like to point out that as “the internet’s oldest directory”, botw.org has been around since 1994 – not 2004.
Andrew Allemann says
Sorry for the typo Greg. I’ve fixed it.
Chris Robbins says
5 years ago I would’ve agreed wholeheartedly. Today there just are better (and cheaper) ways to drive traffic to your website via twitter, facebook, etc. As long as you have valuable (dynamic) content and know how to engage the online community through social media you’ll be fine even if you never existed in a search engine. That said, if I had the extra chump change lying around and wanted the extra boost it MIGHT give I’d definately do it. A valuable service plus word of mouth will trump SEO every time.
Geo Domain Development says
@Andrew
Here’s a handy list of directories, free and paid, that we use all the time.
http://www.seocompany.ca/directory/top-web-directories.html
Alex says
I’d suggest looking for vertical specific directories as well. If you have a music site for example, search for ‘music site directory’ on google, then you can either email someone for inclusion or submit your site yourself.
bernard says
I have a couple of old websites within Dmoz and Yahoo, and for me those aren’t the most trafficed with Google. Directory aren’t websites for humans but for search engines.
If you want to pay for a link, there are better and cheaper solutions.
In other words and IMO, if you spend a lot of money to promote a website, it may be worth considering those directory links on top of a linkbuilding but not as a start.
Robert Haastrup-Timmi says
Hey Andrew,
Would you consider good .tel Geos as potential Directories? After all, you can easily have listings in a very perusal format from any device. The reason i ask is, I noticed all the best geo .tel domains have all gone!!
I was very lucky today to get NorthHollywood.tel and could’nt believe my luck! I’ve lived in north hollywood before, and I know the considerable potential if I can get businesses, shops, restaurants, noho clientele all the way up to encino and woodland hills etc.. to list. It’s gotta be potentially huge imo.
I’d really like to know what other domainers think without being cynical, really! I remember David Castello also mentioned on one of your blogs, that he thought it must be domainers scooping up geo .tel’s … so the question is, do you guy’s think Geo .Tel’s can make excellent easy to use directories from any device?
Cheers!
Robert
Andrew Allemann says
@ Robert – sure, it could potentially be a directory. But it’s not very flexible. Directories are powered by flexible and customizable database-powered directory software. It seems like a lot of manual work on a .tel.
Rosco says
Last month one of my geo website got listed with dmoz within a week – must of fluke the timing with it!
Andrew Allemann says
Rosco – or perhaps a good moderator in that city…
Tim_Myth says
I do directory submissions with every site I develop. I use the DigiXMAS tools to do it. I can submit a site to about 1500 directories in about 6 hours. This will net me approximately 700-800 links in my Google Webmasters panel, and the sites usully end up with a PR2. Its not free, but it is very cheap.
Here’s my affiliate link: http://www.digixmas.com/?id=385
If you’d prefer to use the tool without giving me credit for refering you use this: http://www.digixmas.com/
J.R. Jackson (Internet's $8-Million Man) says
Great information.
I’m going to go and get listed in best of the web and see what happens with a new domain.
Again thanks,
J.R.
Robert Haastrup-Timmi says
“@ Robert – sure, it could potentially be a directory. But it’s not very flexible. Directories are powered by flexible and customizable database-powered directory software. It seems like a lot of manual work on a .tel.”
Andrew, so what you’re saying is a resounding yes that .Tel could potentially be a directory once its databased powered right?
Well I have’nt looked into their API applications just yet, however I would anticipate they will slip in site search tools going forward. But that technicality is besides the big picture. I’ve noticed how easy it is to list any client, once you have created all your category fields, which is actually not difficult at all! The bottom line is, can you get clients who would want to list in any directory?
Geo .Tels should have a very strong USP considering ease of navigation through any device, particularly Cell Phones which every one now has…and that’s the strong selling point imo, that potentially canabilizes typical web directories.
Imagine Manhattan.Tel done very well, with seamless click to call any business in manhattan from your mobile….thats powerfull, and that’s why all those geos have been quietly scooped up by cunning domainers!
Andrew Allemann says
Robert, but you’ll still lack flexibility. Flexibility is design, layout, etc. At that point you could do the same thing on any other domain extension.
Robert Haastrup-Timmi says
Andrew, you are simply wrong and missing the point of what .Tel is supposed to be.
It is not about design at all, it is about quick delivery of information, it is a communication center, not a website with images and all sorts flying off the wall!
What makes google the leader is not design, it is simplicity to extract the information you require and thats’ why yahoo and msn are so boring!!! the same exellence can be said about wikipedia, very simple with the encyclopedia info you require on the fly! even if its not all that accurate. All that text is why most wikipedia enteries have a PR1 or 2 on google. So again no one will give a toss about design as long as Manhattan.tel delivers on providing appropriate listings making it easy for anyone to click to call or click to view a webpage etc… That is why your local yellow pages may be in the final death rows like their newspaper buddies!
chris Robbins says
I always find it funny when proponents of .tel accuse detractors of .tel of “not getting it.” The problem is those (domainers) who like .tel want to be able to make money from it one way or another and that’s not going to happen and not because “I don’t get” but because information wants to be free and so it shall remain. The reason why wikipedia is successful. .tel’s business plan was wrong to begin with and should never have let people buy them like domains. Domainers don’t get it.
Robert Haastrup-Timmi says
Chris,
Sounds like you are contradicting yourself! You obviously own domains with the objective of making money from them one way or the other. Even if you give information away for free, chances are you are going to be making money somewhere else depending on your business model, unless you want to go under.
Some online directories are free and some are not free. Finally, the cynicism regarding .tel is somewhat like .TV, yet a lot of .TV sites flourish! Ultimate prosperity comes through diversity and not one size fits all as you appear to be alluding to.
crinux says
If the domainers will take a stand against Google’s monopoly and enforce the removal of all references of domains in their portfolio from being listed, this Godzilla Google would be brought to its knees and tamed to display just boring untargetted stuff.
crinux.com
MCL says
There are so many freebie directories out there that will not give you traction is today’s age. Relevance is key.