We can define Web Directory as a directory of Websites. Normally, a Web Directory contains name, URL, and description of a Website. Its entries are sorted in order of categories and sub-categories. The Web directories are still a major source to be referred by almost every Internet user to check out Websites of his/her interest. Even a fresher in SEO know that importance of backlinks from quality sources. Let us tell you a SEO secret. The directory submission is one of the best link building techniques. If you submit your Website in an online directory then you will get an incoming link and attendance of the directory users towards your Website.

Importance of Directory Submission

1. It is an effective of quality link building.

2. Web directories automatically submit your Websites to their related search engines.

3. The Web directories only accept the submission after manual validation and link consistency. If you get a listing their then this will increase the credibility of your Website.

4. The backlinks from quality Web directories can let search engines to give more privilege even to a Website having more images, scripting, and Flash-based animations.

Types of Web Directory

Directory submission is of two types – Local Directory Submission and Global Directory Submission.

Global Web Directory

A Global Web Directory is a directory for the complete globe and has the URL of non-location specific Websites. Most of the Web directories are accessible by all users and fall in this category. For example, a Global Directory contains links for www.twitter.com, www.facebook.com, www.google.com, www.msn.com etc.

Local Web Directory

Local Web Directory is the location-specific Web directory. For example, the users living in Brazil will refer a Brazil Web Directory for Brazil-specific Websites only. There are numerous Web directories for different regions and countries. A Local Web Directory has location-specific links like www.timesofindia.com, www.google.co.in, in.microsoft.com, www.check.bz, www.google.ca. etc.

Benefits of Local Directory Submission

Nowadays, every big business being localized to get the attentions of the audience living in a particular region. Almost every search engine either has a localized version or provides location-based searches. The search engine will refer to the local directories first for getting the relevant localized results. In addition, the Internet population likes the Local Web directories more than Global directories. With Local Directory Submission, you can get attention of search engines and users looking for location-specific Websites.

What we suggest?

We suggest you to select both global and local directory submissions to get more quality incoming links.

Methods of Directory Submission

Let us have a look on following three methods of Directory Submission.

Manual Directory Submission

It is the traditional method to submit your Website on a Web Directory. Most of the Web directories and SEO experts still prefer this method. You have to manually open a Web directory in the browser, fill its form and submit your link.

Automatic Directory Submission

A Directory Submission Software eases your work and automates the directory submission. The software can also be a script written in a scripting language like PHP, JavaScript, etc. Normally, this lists the name of different Web Directories and a common form. The user just has to select the name of directories, fill the form, enter CAPTCHA, and click Submit button to list his Website in selected directories.

Automatic Directory Submission eases the work but it is not the preferred way. The major and quality Web Directories have placed proper checks in place to stop the automated directory submission techniques and Directory Submitter Software. If you are using such software then a denial can be there. Automated Submission is still considered a way to increase spam. The users do not have a control on the working of Directory Submission Software and are not aware whether it has performed its work properly or not. There also chances that it select wrong categories for your submission.

Semi-Automatic Directory Submission

This is the combination of Manual Directory Submission and small tools. We’ve described few tools here-in-below.

1. Autofill Tools – You have to visit the Website manually in the browser, but you can use Autofill tools like RoboForm, Google Toolbar, and Chrome Autofill to automatically fill the submission form. Remember that you still have to manually enter the CAPTCHA and click Submit button.

2. Directory Submission Software – Some software opens a Window of Web Directory Website and let you manually fill the form to submit your directory.

What we suggest?

The industry experts including us suggest you to go for Manual Directory Submission with Autofill tools.

Guidelines for Effective Directory Submission

1. Before directory submission

a. Build your Website completely before going for directory submission. The Web Directories do not consider the Websites under construction.

b. Check whether Web Directory

i. has listing related to your field.
ii. allows deep linking to internal pages or only backlink to home page.
iii. allow submission of commercial and/or affiliate Websites.
iv. allows to enter keywords/tags.

c. Prepare keyword-specific and relevant content for Title, Name, and Description.

d. Limit the title to 63 characters and description to 255 characters including space.

e. Make sure that links to be submitted are not broken else a Web Directory can reject your submission.

f. Avoid promotional language, spelling and grammatical mistakes in Title, Name and Description.

g. Go through the Rules & Regulations of a Web Directory.

h. Follow rules of each Web directory.

2. Use Manual Directory Submission method with Autofill tools. You can prefer free Google Toolbar and Chrome Autofill option.

3. Avoid Automated Directory Submission using Software and Scripts as they can spam.

4. Perform only 20 directory submissions for a Website in a day. More than that will lead to spam your Website.

5. Make sure to select relevant category and sub-category.

6. Enter alternate email address always with the preferred one.

7. Enter URL of your Website only. Most Web directories reject the submission having URL to others’ Website.

8. Submit your Website only to quality Web directories only.

9. Submit your Website regularly on directories to maintain the ranking on major search engines.

10. Limit the number of links on submission page as per Web Directory guidelines.

If you follow above guidelines then there are chances to get approval easily from a Web Directory. We hope that this article helps you to get thorough knowledge of directory submission.