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Directories, Guides and Other Listing Services
Aside from Search Engines, the most likely way that visitors are going to find your site is by doing category or keyword searches in Web guides, lists and directories.
Submitting to Lists & Directories You're best off submitting to the most popular Lists and Directories yourself, so you can tailor your copy to the specific site you are submitting to. Since you don't have to worry about META Tags or Descriptions when submitting to directories, it might be a good idea to get this done first. When submitting your site to Lists and Directories, you submit the URL of your homepage along with the page title, a brief description of your site and a specific category for the page you're submitting. The page category should always be tailored to the specific directory to which you are submitting. Some directories have hundreds of narrowly focused categories, while others have only a few broad ones. TIP: Rather than place your listing in a category you think is popular, you should pick a category that strongly relates to the topic your site covers. Placing your site in a category that fits your content well ensures that readers who are looking for a site like yours will be able to find it - and this translates into highly targeted traffic. All new directory submissions are carefully screened. If the same page has been submitted previously, the submission is disregarded. A submission might also be disregarded if a page is submitted to the wrong category. TIP: Trying to submit the same page to multiple categories will usually get you in trouble. Instead, examine the content of the major areas of your site and, if they fall into different categories, then submit each top-level page separately to the directories. This will improve your chances of getting your site noticed. Once you've registered your site with the major directories manually, you can use Search Engine Submission Services or Submission Software to handle the rest of your listings.
Getting Listed in Web Guides Their focus on the top or best sites puts Web Guides into a league of their own. When you submit your site to a guide, you are hoping that the guide's reviewers will find it useful, informative or well-presented. If the reviewers count your site among the best on the Web, they will write a review of it and your site will show up in their guide's database. If it doesn't measure up, it will be passed over. Don't go overboard on dolling your site up with fancy graphics and multimedia displays in an effort to impress guide reviewers. They aren't impressed with glitter and gimmickry. As with the search engines, when it comes to getting listed, it's content that counts. In fact, some of the highest rated websites are comprised mostly, or solely, of text. TIP: You can improve your odds of getting your site reviewed by taking the time to learn what each guide looks for and what its reviews look like. When you have a clear understanding of how a particular guide works, go ahead and submit your site with a compelling and relevant description. Along with the summary information, you might want to include a rating for your site. If the rating is realistic, it might give the reviewers a reason to visit - and hopefully recommend - your site. Since there is no guarantee that you'll ever be listed in a Web Guide, you might feel it isn't worth the time and effort to submit to one. If you aren't particularly proud of your site - or it is merely one among dozens of others just like it, it's probably just as well to content yourself with the exposure directory listings give you. But, if you think you stand a chance of making the cut, go for it! A single listing in any guide will likely double or triple your Web traffic, something a directory listing can't do. The bottom line is that people tend to seek out the best the Web has to offer and, if you think your site is one of the best, you'd be foolish not to seek out the endorsement of guide reviewers. Remember though that these reviewers are real people with thousands of Websites to review daily, and it might take them a while to get to your submission. Don't bother following up until a few months have gone by. Spend the time spiffing up your site and then try again. Unlike search engines that periodically schedule your site for re-indexing, most guides and directories rarely update their listings. So, if you make a lot of changes, updates or improvements to your site (something you should do regularly) it's probably a good idea to repeat the submission process anyway.
Business Yellow Pages The major search engines and directories are great for getting your Website noticed by the masses, but you also want your site to be accessible to people looking for specific types of information. This is where the Business Yellow Pages and Specialized Search Services come in. Business search engines and Yellow Page directories are a great resource for online entrepreneurs who offer products, services or business-related information. Most Web-based Yellow Pages have features of both directory and search engine sites. You can use them to search for specific companies by name, location and industry, as well as by the products and services that they offer. And because these directories have a very specific focus, they are great for increasing targeted traffic to your site. Granted, they won't drive hoards of visitors to your site, but the traffic you do receive will be highly qualified. Visitors to these directories are usually looking for very specific types of information, products or services. Having actively searched out your site, they generally arrive ready and willing to purchase or participate in what you have to offer. So, while a listing in a traditional search engine or directory might bring you more customers, if you're looking for quality rather than quantity, the Yellow Pages just might be the answer. TIP: Be aware that some Yellow Page directories are in the business to make a profit. The worst of these sites exist only to push paid services on unwitting netrepreneurs who want to get listed at their site. So be leery of signing up for anything that will cost you money. There are plenty of business sites that are happy to list you for free. These sites get their money from advertising.
Announcement & What's New Sites Their name tells you what they do - announce new Websites. What's New? Lists or Announcement Sites are actually far more popular than you would think, considering that they are not very well publicized. These sites are organized much like other directories with specific broad categories, such as business and entertainment. Listings within a specific category are usually arranged alphabetically by title and often chronologically as well. TIP: Although What's New Lists are intended to be guides to new sites, if you've never submitted your site to a specific list before, it'll be new to the list so by all means go ahead and do so. Registering with What's New directories will generally result in a short-term increase in your Web traffic. The reason for this is that your site will usually be featured in the directory for only one or two days. After this, it will appear in the site's archive files, provided the site has archive files. So, is it worth it to go to the trouble of submitting? It's up to you, but it's my feeling that anything you can do to attract initial attention to your site is worth doing. And, if you consider the fact that people often bookmark the sites they like for re-visiting, a listing in a What's New directory can provide modest increases in traffic over the long haul as well.
Winning Awards Nothing makes your site stand out from the crowd like an award. Awards are stamps of approval that tell the masses your site is definitely worth their while. The right award can make all the difference in the world when it comes to driving traffic to your site. Not just any old award will do, however. Unfortunately, with more than a thousand different organizations offering awards of one type or another, you really do need to make sure that the award site your are submitting to is worthwhile and carries a lot of clout. The true equalizers are the underlying meaning of the award, and the strength of the award giver's endorsement and announcement medium. Not to fear, however, the Award Services listed on this site are all top-notch. To increase the odds of being selected by Top Award sites, you should take some time to get to know the types of sites that the award reviewers at the various sites prefer. Some reviewers look for best sites based on cutting-edge graphic design or coverage of crazy or controversial issues. Others focus on content and resources, giving little consideration to design and presentation. Because personal opinion weighs heavily in the decision, some sites are passed over simply because their premise does not appeal to the reviewer. A site might also be passed over because it doesn't fit within the content parameters of the award site. For instance, it won't do you any good to submit your business-oriented site to a directory that reviews mostly entertainment sites. TIP: Sometimes you can improve your odds of winning recognition by the award review panel by submitting the URLs of various key areas within your site separately. A word to the wise, don't give up if you aren't recognized the first time you apply. The old adage, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again," definitely applies to award site submissions. Just don't overdo it.
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