The fabulous popularity of resource directories such as Open Directory introduced a whole new age of guides, lists, and directories intended to help people search out things on the Web. While the focal point of Web guides is almost always on the top or best sites, lists and directories spotlight classifying information found on the Web.

Because hundreds of search engines are available, you can find hundreds of guides, lists, and directories on the Web also. Regrettably, trying to submit your site to every guide, list, and directory is not the best use of your time and resources.  As an alternative if you are going to be doing this by yourself, you should center your attention on the top resources you find in this section. For those with even time, using a service such as OneStopMarketing.com can help. Their service is affordably priced and best of all, over time, it works.

Submitting Your Site to Lists and Directories

Guides, lists and directories are all words used to describe Web resources that offer links to Web pages.  Web guides almost always provide helpful hints to the best or top sites.  Regard a guide as a directory you might purchase at the bookstore to assist you in learning about a city you are visiting.  The term list means one thing when it comes to the Web: Lists of Web sites that are arranged into a couple of major categories.  Regard a list as something you might compose before you go on a shopping trip. After lists, you will find directories, which typically have extensive listings of Web sites separated into many categories.  The word directory automatically makes you think of the Yellow Pages directory, that large yellow book that is hard to read but lists tons of businesses.

We need not worry so much about terminology when it comes to distinguishing a list from a directory because size is usually the only factor.  Lists and directories serve the same function and the terms can be interchangeable.

Web site listings in guides and directories are very dissimilar from the results returned by a classic search engine.  Guides and directories do not index your Web pages at all; they merely use the information you supply to create a listing for your Web site.

When you present your Web site on a list or directory, you submit the URL for your home page or alternate top-level pages on your site.  In addition to the page URL, you are asked to submit the Web page title, a short description of the Web page, and an exact category for the Web page.  The Web page category ought to be customized to the specific directory to which you are submitting your page. Some directory sites have hundreds of tightly focused categories, such as movies about children and cook book reviews.  Other directory sites have only a handful of broadly focused categories such as sports and education.

Nearly all directory sites monitor all new submissions strictly.  If the same page is submitted more than once, the site usually ignores the submission.  The site may also disregard the submissions of the page was entered into a wrong category.

Instead of placing your listing in a popular category, you should enter your listing in a category that actually relates to the topic your site pertains to.  Positioning your site in a category that applies to your content guarantees that readers who are searching for a site like yours will be able to locate it.

You will usually find yourself in trouble if you try to enter the same Web page in multiple categories.  Instead, take a look at the type of content that you publish to see if different areas of your Web site fit into other categories.  You could list your home page in one category, and your job center in another.  If possible, list each of the major areas of your Web site in separate directories.  You will have a better chance of being recognized this way. And, of course, the more your site is noticed the more your traffic will increase.

THE OPEN DIRECTORY AND YAHOO!

A directory on the Internet is a humanly edited compilation of information about Web sites. Visitors from all over the world regularly search the major Web directories to seek information in regards to specific topics.  All Web site publishers realize how important it is to be listed in a Web directory.    By being listed in a major Web directory your site may eventually be noticed and then indexed by some major search engines.

As there are many Web directories available, two are extremely well known and popular, the Open Directory and Yahoo’s directory.  As a result they should be paid attention to.

The Open Directory is the only major directory that is 100 percent free.   Some directories are only available if you pay a fee while others offer both free and paid inclusion. A world wide community of volunteer editors manages the Open Directory. The importance of getting listed in the Open Directory is that results from this directory are often retrieved by many search engines on the Internet such as, Google, Netscape, and AOL.  Also, many search engines supply direct access to the Open Directory.  For example, if you go to www.google.com and click on the Directory link, you will be presented with a listing of the high-level categories that encompass the Open Directory (directory.google.com). Click on a category to scroll down into subcategories and finally to a list of Web site links.

Yahoo is one of the Internet’s largest search engines. But before it changed over to accessing its primary search results for its search engine, Yahoo’s primary source was its directory.  Yahoo still retains its directory.  For non-commercial submissions, Yahoo provides free registration. 

TIP:  It is best to do your homework before you go out and start registering with different directories. First, arrange a well written description of your Web site that is approximately 25 words in length and be sure to include a few keywords or keyword phrases. Using a service such as OneStopMarketing.com can help immensely with this important task.