In the past 10 years, the world of link directory submissions have changed dramatically and submitting your URL to directory websites could actually harm your SEO efforts.
With the World Wide Web being submerged in low quality link directories, the best practice for submissions requires careful consideration on where you are placing your URL. Rather than forgetting directories altogether, we need to refine our efforts to match the world of modern SEO.
Why Do we Still Need Link Directories?
We can’t rely on directories alone and we shouldn’t assume that every directory is going to be advantageous, but if we use them correctly, we will see a few benefits:
• A more diverse link profile
• Authority and trust from a unique domain
• Link juice from do follow directories
• Referral traffic
So we know that building links using directories is still a core part of the Search Engine Optimisation, but how can we refine our strategy?
How to Build Quality Directory Submission Links
If directories are clubs then it’s only natural to want to be a part of the best clubs out there, the exclusive ones, the premium ones, the ones that everyone wants to join.
The harder it is to get listed, the more impressive the directory appears to search engines, so if you’re submitting your URL to web directories, it’s a good idea to implement some quality control.
• Find niche directories – getting a link from a directory site which focuses on your specialist area is much more valuable.
• Consider paid directories – top directories such as Yahoo! or Best of the Web charge high inclusion rates, and they are also very selective about which submissions they select. They can be expensive to submit to, often having high annual charges, but they can be quite beneficial to your site’s SEO.
• Keep your profile natural – for every two directory links you build, balance out your link profile with a more natural link. There are many ways to build links and if you only submit to directories, there will be alarm bells ringing for the search engines.
• Choose relevant sites – submit to relevant sites and relevant categories. Not only will this be more natural but it can also generate traffic to your website.
Social Submissions Are Beneficial Too
It’s not all about getting do follow links that share the link juice. Link love can come in many forms and the social form is something that the SEO has not been able to stop talking about. Links shared on social media sites have a direct impact on website rankings and can of course boost traffic. So it’s worth investing a little time and effort in the social world, posting a few links and sharing your best content.
There are many social sites for you to get your hands on so it’s worth branching out from the big three (Facebook, Twitter and Google+) and start integrating other social networking or bookmarking sites such as Digg, Reddit, StumbleUpon and others.
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