The Most Important Directories for Submitting Your Website

Building links to your website is an incredibly important part of search engine optimization. Now, more than ever, Google and other search engines are putting incredibly priority on the quality of your backlinks.

There are a lot of ways to generate backlinks to your website. The simplest way is to just ask. If the site that links to you is in your same industry, or "neighborhood," you'll get far more respect from the search engines. The importance of "link neighborhoods" and authority sites is a growing factor in the search engine optimization process.

In addition to requesting links to your site, you can submit your website to directories. A directory is simply a listing of websites, a link with a short description, sorted by categories. While there are thousands upon thousands of directories out there, the best are Yahoo Directory and Best of the Web. These are directories are different from Local Search Directories, which focus more on Brick and Mortar business.

Yahoo Directory & Best of the Web Directory

Yahoo Directory

Yahoo Directory $299 per year - This directory is so important, that even Google will suggest that you submit to this directory. It's great for websites that are just starting out because its an authoritative link, which Google loves. And of course Yahoo, since it's their directory. Any business serious about Search Engine Optimization should submit to this directory.

Best of the Web Directory

Best of the Web! $69.95 per year, or $199.95 one-time - BOTW is a close second to Yahoo, but they're both way ahead of the rest. It's a bit cheaper too..

Submitting Your Website

Submission guidelines are standard among directories and they all pretty much say the same thing. As long as you have a complete, English website that doesn't promote hate, crime, illegal drug use, and the like, your submission should be fine.

1. Find the Right Category - It is important to make sure your website is submitted to the correct category. This will improve your chances of being accepted, and it will pretty much determine the quality of the link for the long-term.

2. Seriously, find the right category! If you're selling to the entire country, then a general category will suit you best. For example, Shycon Design can be found in Computers > Internet > Website Design and Development > Designers > Full Service.

If you're a local business printing business for example, you would go to Regional > US States > Colorado > Metropolitan Areas > Denver Metro > Business and Shopping > Business to Business > Printing

3. Submit Your Website - Once you find the right category, its time to submit your website. The basic information required is your name, address, website, and short description.

4. Wait for Approval - When you submit your site, it should take 3-7 days to be accepted. If you did everything right and your website is up and running, you should get a response e-mail within a week.

And there you have it. Simple, isn't it? Remember that there are a ton of directories out there, and some hold far more weight than others. This article should help get you started on the Top 2 directories on the internet.

Read our Local Search Quick Guide for more exposure opportunities!