Planning your web directory submission campaign

Having a good web directory submission campaign will greatly increase the benefits your website will receive from web directory links.
Whilst submitting the same website details to a random list of web directories will give some benefit to your website, following our simple guidelines will gain your websites maximum benefit.

The purpose

The purpose of submitting your website to web directories is too gain more links to the website. Search engines consider these links a ‘vote’ for the website. This increases a websites position within search engine results, and ultimately drives more visitors to the website. If you plan a basic submission campaign you will have a promotional goal for your website, rather than just randomly submitting to web directories. You can also monitor the results, and apply your findings to other websites you may promote.

Campaign tips

Consider these tips when building your campaign.

1. Choose free or paid submissions

   You should consider whether to opt for free or paid submissions. This will determine the web directories you will submit to.

2. Build a list of web directories

   Keep a good list of web directories. This great Excel spreadsheet of web directories is a great place to start. When you discover new web directories, add them to the list. Also add comments to your spreadsheet, this information may become valuable to you.

3. Order the web directories for your submissions

   Don’t just start submitting your website to the web directories in a random order. Start with the important web directories, DMOZ and Yahoo. Then submit your website to niche web directories, where the topic is relevant to your website, such as a travel web directory for a travel related website. Links from topical web directories carry more value than general web directories. Then submit to general web directories. Some people like to start with web directories with the highest PageRank, which is generally a good idea. Although these tend to be large directories, and getting accepted may take time. Also look out for new directories, where a link might be less valuable, as the directory will have a low PageRank, but your website is likely to be accepted much sooner.
   Order the web directories on your spreadsheet, either by cutting and pasting the rows, grouping the web directories, or by colouring the rows.

4. Add your websites to the spreadsheet

   For each of your websites add a new column on the spreadsheet. When you submit the website to a web directory, add the date in the corresponding cell, for that web directory and website.

5. Record when your website is added to a web directory

   Most web directories will send you an email when your submission is accepted. Record this data on your spreadsheet. Change the date in the corresponding cell to a green colour, if rejected to a red colour. You will then build up a colour map of which directories you have been successful with. You can then start with the successful directories when promoting another website in the future.

Submission guide

There are several important factors to consider when writing your website details that you will submit to the web directories. This is discussed in detail in the web directory submission guide article.

Conclusion

Having a well planned web directory submission campaign makes the difference between getting some links, and getting lots of powerful links. By following the above tips, you can help ensure your websites get approved in as many web directories as possible.