by Adrian Lawrence
If you are
looking for ways to promote your website, then web directories should
definitely be considered a big part of your promotional plan. Web
directories provide web visitors with a one-stop destination on the web
to find the information they are looking for. Further, in using web
directories, you can increase the visibility of your website and derive
myriad benefits offered by web directories.
Let's
take a look at the benefits that webmasters derive from web directories:
1. Some webmasters might wonder why they
should bother to submït to web directories when 80% of all website
traffïc comes from search engines. The answer is simple when you
consider the following: what about the other 20%? When you are
attempting to maximize the traffïc that comes to your website, every
little bit of promotion helps and web directories can help you gain a
big chuck of that 20% of web traffïc you have been missing out on.
2. Did you know that a key factor in the
ranking algorithm of search engines is link popularity? By using web
directories you will be creating more links that point directly to your
site and the raising your ranking in various search engines across the
Internet. Further, everyone knows that a higher search engine ranking is
equivalent to easier accessibility and easier accessibility equals more
traffïc for your website.
3. The first way to increase your link
popularity is to include keywords in your hyperlinks. When you submït
to web directories, the links you submït should not only lead to your
site, but also should possess themed keywords within the links. The
themed keywords will not only make your site easier to find, it will
also increase the rating of your links in various search engines - again
getting more, free web traffïc for you.
4. Links that are created within web
directories are votes for a site, and they use your keywords within your
hyperlinks to associate your link with certain key phrases. As such, the
keywords you select are extremely important because they determine how
often your links will be pulled up whenever a key phrase is associated
with your created links. Therefore, it is a good idea to research the
most popular keywords associated with your website theme before submïtting
your website to various web directories: the most popular keywords can
make all of the difference in the world.
5. If you are submïtting to various web
directories, there are a few things that you need to consider. First,
for a directory to be valuable, the pages you submït your listings to
must, at minimum, be listed in various search engines. For instance, if
you submït your links to a web directory that doesn't appear in any
search engines, chances are web visitors will not only have difficulty
finding your website, but they will also have extreme difficulty finding
the web directory you have listed your site in. In such cases, the
listing in the web directory is a fruitless endeavor. Conversely, if you
list your web site in several popular web directories and you utilize
keywords in your hyperlink and a short website description, you greatly
increase the visibility and accessibility of your website.
6. The second consideration you must keep
in mind when submïtting to web directories is that when you are submïtting
your hyperlinks, you will derive the most benefit from submïtting to
directory pages that have a comparable theme to your website. For
instance, if you have a website that is based on credït cards you will
find that you get more web traffïc from a web directory page that
focuses on credït cards. Thus, when searching for web directories, look
for web directories with topics that parallel the central focus of your
website.
7. Here's a quick tip for you that can help
you derive the most benefit from listing your hyperlink in web
directories: watch out for Google Adwords because these are a good
indicator of how Google at least categorizes the page. In other words,
if you mirror your hyperlinks and descriptions to appear much like those
seen in Google ads, you will more than likely increase your search
engine ranking as well as your listing in various web directories.
8. In order to be successfully listed in
any web directory, you will need to conform to the terms and conditions
of the directory. Typically, web directories list a series of specific
listing regulatïons that you must adhere to and it would pay for you to
adhere to them. In addition, to improve the chances of your listing
being accepted you should try to avoid promotional language and you
should choose a category that is as close to your website theme as
possible.
9. Webmasters have much to look forward to
in terms of web directory posting. In fact, the next generation of web
directories are now appearing that allow business card type pages. Not
only do webmasters get the opportunïty to post a short description of
their website, but they are also afforded the opportunïty to display
their logo and contact information as well. Such offerings prove to be
particularly appealing because eye catching logos and easy contact
information will make a Webmaster's website that much more appealing.
10. In the end, web directories are a
valuable part of your web promotional program and should not be
overlooked in terms of their value. Along with the use of search
engines, and article databases, a Webmaster can be pleasantly surprised
at the free advertising available on the Internet. Finally, the
increase in web traffïc that webmasters reap can be truly astonishing
indeed.
