By: Jeff Gribbs
Applying to world-wide-web sites is one of the most straightforward ways to build links to your websites, however such a practice is not without problems, there is a prevalence of small article directories and list operators who mainly exist to swindle you. For instance a list operator may constantly launch new article submission sites, focusing all the PageRank they have on the new ones, to make it look like an attractive submission, then eventually they may get banned for manipulating PR etc, or submissions dwindle, and they open a new one, forsaking the old one. Meaning, that nice listing you paid for, quickly evaporates.
Directories alone also cannot be your only linking endeavor, you need other types of links as well, that being said, here three of the most important and powerful article directories on the web:
Dmoz, the poorly managed free directory. It can take a long time or years to get in, and then a competitor who is a list editor can just remove your listing or not approve it to begin with. There have been predicaments where even higher up Open Directory Project editors (so-called meta editors) were corrupt in this way. Still, every new site should be submitted. You just cannot count on it.
Yahoo, the highest regarded pay directory website, has vastly dropped in importance due to Yahoos own decisions to devalue and de-emphasize their website directory in their search results and throughout their site. Meaning less and less traffic browses their submission site than what used to. They also charge a yearly fee, not a one-time fee, of $300 a year. So, in order to submit to them you need make sure you will earn at least $300 a year directly off the traffic & link benefits you gain from the list listing. In general I consider listings for sites whom I think can be rewarded with an increase of at least $10 a day through higher traffic. I know, an actual positive return on investment would be around $1 a day, but there are other methods for raising traffic than a Yahoo submission, that would give a much better return on investment, so the gains in my mind have to be substantial to justify it.
BOTW, what I consider the last of the number one tier directories, has the benefit of being very similar to Yahoo, but better in that they have one time fee submission options. With a one time fee submission you have 5 years, 10 years, to make up the cost, it is much easier to justify than Yahoos yearly fee (BOTW also has a yearly fee option). BOTW has been around nearly as long as Yahoo as well, and throughout the directory website page ranks are very close. They have less traffic than Yahoo of course, but they are much cheaper too.
Link building is as much about your blogs reputation as your sites rankings, and I think being discriminating in your submissions is a good thing and will help make sure you do not over do things and trip any present or future filter or penalty.
Another magnificent place to submit your website is my own little list (requires a recriprocal link): Add Your Websites.
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