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Submission to Directories Checklist

A search engine ranking can be influenced by a listing in a respected web directory. Google in particular adds weight through its PageRank (tm) technology for a listing within DMOZ (Open Directory Project) due to the amount of mirroed ODP sites. It is not just Google that places extra weight for websites with links from major directories either. Studies suggest that Altavista and FAST (AllTheWeb) powered search engines also give added weight to those sites with a link from a major directory.

Before I even begin to discuss the major directories individually there are several very important checks to be carried out before you even consider submitting to ANY human reviewed web directory.

Below you will find a check list which you would be wise to follow if you want to get in your directory of choice first time and without editing!

In no particular order, as they are all important...

• Your directory submission title should include either your proper business name or website title.
  
  
• Your website should have unique content or content of high value. A single page with sales copy is not classed as content of value and will not be indexed. A good idea is to have a "do's and don'ts", FAQ, or have a community element such as a forum. Basically anything that makes your site unique or of high value. Aim for your site to be a resource or "expert" site.
  
  
• Your website should not just be a partner / affiliate program or just links to one. This includes all MLM type of schemes and affiliate programs. These sites will not be included due to many directories no duplication of content rules. Your site would not be unique or of value. Affiliate type websites generally have problems getting listed in the important directory DMOZ (ODP) for example.
  
  
• Your site should not contain too much that will make it potentially inaccessible to even a minority of users. This can include excessive use of JavaScript, Java Applets, Flash objects, Shockwave and other web elements that may necessitate some form of plug in download.
  
  
• Keep your loading time to the minimum. A Yahoo! or DMOZ editor may have a backlog of sites to index and after 12 seconds may well decide enough is enough and move on, or quite rightly, decide this is not what its directory users will want to have to go through.
  
  
• Many Yahoo! editors use Netscape, and not necessarily the latest version. Check that your website displays reasonably well in Netscape 4.x.
  
  
• Make sure your site is 100% finished! If it isn't an editor will commonly simply move on to the next web site in his / her list. Especially if you have "under construction" notices around your site.
  
  
• If your site is mainly a membership area of some kind be sure to supply login details at submission in order to speed up review. If you do not wish to do this be sure to have full contact details on your page.
  
  
• Your navigation should be clear and user friendly.
  
  
• Serious business websites have their own domain name and are not with a free hosting such as geocities or tripod. It is a web business killer in any case not to have your own domain name. There is simply no excuse nowadays for not having your own domain name as hosting costs are next to nothing.
  
  
• Make sure your Website has full contact details including street address not postbox), telephone and fax number if you have one. You should also have your email address on your pages even if you use a form contact of some kind.

• If your site claims to be current and is time sensitive, such as a "latest news" web site, be sure that it is indeed up to date and current.

• Dmoz and Yahoo! editors frown upon submitted URLs that use redirection methods of any kind. The URL you submit must not take a visitor somewhere else, even to a sub page. Redirection such as the meta tag refresh, JavaScript or URL masking using the good old load a different URL in a frameset trick are easily detected and will rarely be indexed.
  
  
• READ THE WEB DIRECTORIES OWN SUBMISSION GUIDELINES CAREFULLY!

Those are the main checks you should carry out before you even consider submitting. Now lets move on to the submitting procedure itself...