Free Directory Listing 101

How to submit to free directories and actually get listed

Updated: 03/17/06

Several visitors have asked me for some pointers on directory submissions and how to get accepted more often, so here goes:

1. Make sure your site is ready to be reviewed by human editors. Do not submit your website while it is still under construction!

2. Find a good list of free directories. This may seem pretty obvious, but your choice of lists can greatly impact the amount of time required for the submission process. Look for lists that provide you with the information you need to decide if the directory is worth the effort, such as PageRank, is the link static, is registration required, and how long does it take to get listed.

My Free Directory Listings section is my ongoing contribution to webmasters and site owners, where I try to provide the type of information I would have liked to have found when I first started submitting sites to directories.

Here are two lists that I have used in the past and I am currently using for reference while compiling the free directory reviews:

http://info.vilesilencer.com/ - I think this is the best "list" of SEO friendly free directories and it's been very helpful in selecting which directories to submit to first. Dan, the list's editor, provides you with a downloadable Excel file and a web based list of free directories that he updates regularly. He color codes links based on whether his submissions have been accepted or not. He also notes PageRank and if registration is required. He also has other sub-sets of lists for various niches.

http://www.seocompany.ca/directory/free-web-directories.html - is another good list. Bob, this list's owner, provides up to date information on page saturation and back links. I use Bob's list to augment Dan's, which is my main resource.

I used to use this list: http://www.strongestlinks.com/directories.php, but although it shows as being updated regularly, I find that some of the info is not accurate or up to date. Therefore, I am not recommending this list a prime resource.

3. Prepare your submission information in advance in a word processor program. Write several different versions of your site's title or link text, description and keyword list. Make several different lengths of each one, such as title or link text using 50, 75, and 100 characters. For your description, make them range from 100 - 250 characters. Same thing for your keyword list, make different lengths with and without commas.

If you find a site that allows more or less characters than you have in your "submission info list", consider writing a longer or shorter one and adding it to your list. Remember to rotate your title or link text a bit, so all your inbound link text is not identical.

Make sure your title flows smoothly into your description. Remember the character count allowed by most sites includes spaces and therefore, is larger than what your word processor counts as letters. Always check your spelling.

After you read number 4 below, you can copy and paste your prepared text into the form on the directories. Verify that all of what you pasted is shown in the form field and that the end is not chopped off. A lot of sites do not offer you a preview of what you have entered prior to submitting and it is hard, if not impossible to get your listing changed after the fact with many directories.

4. When you are ready to start submitting, go to the directory you have selected and choose the best category for your listing. If you choose a category just for its PageRank and if your site does not really fit in that category, a lot of sites will just reject you rather than move your listing to a more appropriate category.

I try to choose the most applicable category, with most PageRank, and the fewest listings. How do I do that? I have different titles and descriptions for my site aimed at different elements of my overall theme. As an example for this website, I can use website design, search engine optimization or marketing, and webmaster resources. That usually gives me multiple categories to choose from. I have had great success in getting this site and client's site listed following this approach.

If you follow these basic steps, your submission process can be relatively painless and successful.

That's it for now. Stay tuned for more on this subject.

As always, your comments are welcome below by clicking on the "comments" link or by email by clicking on my name below.

martin