Search directories are a simple and sensible tool for the Internet user. Most users would say they are useful and many more users would go on to say that they have never used a directory. Then again how would a user know if they actually did use a directory? Well the truth is you do not have to search at http://dmoz.org to see results from their directory. Many to search engines use results from directories like dmoz.org and Yahoo! directory to fill in their search results. Filling in or fall through results are when a search engine like Google uses search results from a directory like Dmoz.org for search engine result pages on a specific search term. Most of the top search crawlers also use search results from directories in their search engine result pages.
A comprehensive search engine strategy must include directory listings. A directory listing gives your web site inbounds links. Inbound links are a critical component in building link popularity of a website. There are many different directories. Searching on Google it is easy to locate directories for your specific industry. The most valuable directories to be listed in are Yahoo! directory and Open directory project know as http://Dmoz.org .
Yahoo! directory is a paid for inclusion directory where a commercial website will typically pay $299.00 per annum for submission review. It is important to note that not all submissions are included in the Yahoo! directory.
Dmoz.org, unlike Yahoo! directory is a free for inclusion directory. Dmoz.org uses the services of more then sixty-five thousand volunteer editors to review and include quality websites in their search directory. Because it is a volunteer editor directory there are no commercial pressures on the inclusion process. The draw back to commercial web site owner is your site may never be reviewed or accepted into the directory. Knowing that Dmoz.org feeds Google.com search results indicates there is a great commercial value to being included in the Dmoz.org directory. So what does it take to get listed in Dmoz.org? Below are a few tips listed in Dmoz.org web site to help getting listed:
http://dmoz.org/guidelines/include.html
ODP recommendations:
The title should identify the site, not describe it. It should be both informative and concise.
Good titles ....
- Do give the official name of the site as the title. Generally, the title will be obvious and prominently displayed on the site.
- Do give the official name of the business or entity as the title, if the site is about the business, organization, or other entity (e.g. a company's home page).
- Do contain the full form and acronym if the business, organization or other entity is known by both, and both are used on the site.
- Do derive a concise title from the site's contents if the title is ambiguous or would give the appearance of spam.
- Do have the first letter of each word in the title capitalized, except for articles, prepositions or conjunctions unless they begin the site title or a new part of a compound title.
· Do not include superfluous keywords, unnecessary symbols and letters, company slogans or promotional language as part of the title.
· Do not include words and phrases such as "Welcome to," "Online" and "Homepage of" or "Website" at the beginning or end of a title if it is not a component of the official name of the site.
· Do not include punctuation marks or unnecessary symbols and letters, or special characters at the beginning of the title. Listings are, in some cases, sorted alphabetically and sometimes people try to get to the top of the list unfairly. If "aaa Website" is the submitted title, but the website is really called "Website," the best title is "Website."
· Do not capitalize titles in their entirety.
· Do not end with an exclamation mark or any other unnecessary punctuation.
An organized concentrated effort is required to be listed in Dmoz.org and even if your site meets all the possible criteria and handles the submission process very carefully there is no guarantee your site will be listed in the directory. However the gains from a directory listing in Dmoz.org make the effort well worth it. Consider contracting with an internet marketing professional to locate organize and submit your website to web directories. A successful web directory submission campaign can make all the difference to your Internet marketing efforts.
About Sure Solutions - Since 2001, Sure Solutions has been dedicated to ensuring the success of our clients. Sure Solutions is the distributor of Actinic ecommerce software in the United States & Canada. We specialize in a variety of services from search engine optimization, web hosting, and custom ecommerce store designs to dynamic web applications and client portals.
Need help with your Local Search program or you want to speak to an expert in the field of Internet Marketing? Contact Brian Johnson brian@suresolutionsinc.com
