Can Directories Improve Your Search Engine Ranking?

[Dale King]

A lot of marketers are under the mistaken impression that if they submit their website to a bunch of directories this will somehow improve their search engine ranking. Unfortunately, this just isn't true. So where did this myth originate? I don't know exactly, but I think a big part of the problem is unscrupulous marketers offering to submit people's websites to thousands of directories for X amount of dollars. Newbies see these ads and think they've hit the proverbial link jackpot. They don't realize that there are really only a handful of directories out there (give or take a few) that are respected enough by the search engines to significantly impact your website's ranking. And that includes Yahoo and DMOZ, plus a few specialty directories. And even those directories won't help your ranking much if the rest of your house isn't in order.

Dale King

[tam2005]

[MrCat]

[Rick1]

Yes, directory submission alone is not nearly enough. However, they can help you rank for your keyword phrases along with better quality links.

[redspace]

[website_seo]

Directories could be helpful if you are submitting your link manually.

If you are using services like submit to 3000 directories at one BLAST, then it will never help you gain higher rankings on search engines.

Buying links and reciprocal links are a medium of manipulating search engine technology. This should be avoided and you must try to gain natural links from articles, bookmarking and some nice directories.

You can read more about some objectionable SEO techniques at : http://blog.seohawk.com/avoid-these-seo-techniques/

Directories have suffered a major blow in the past few months and most of these directories are on the verge of shutting down.

[jakek]

Directory submissions work. But to be effective:

1. They must be listed on a directory that is relevant to the subject matter on your website.

2. The directory needs to have a good PR rank 3-4+ is good.

3. More is not always better. Better a few links to outstanding directories than a ton of links poorly-ranked ones.

4. You also need other backlinks from 'normal" and relevant sites. Google bases the importance of your site to how important other well-ranked sites view yours.

5. Too many links can actually backfire. Too many poorly ranked backlinks can throw your site into rank oblivion.

6. Good backlinking is done over time.