High Google rankings can only be achieved if a website has both optimized web page content and good inbound links. While it is relatively easy to optimize the content of a website, it is more difficult to get good inbound links to your site. The most easiest way to get inbound links is to submit your site to web directories.
2 years ago these web directories were hot and popping up all over the place, in fact, I had over 20 of these and it made me some good money back in time. Today, the hype is over and webmasters are questioning if links from web directories still work.
That brings in the question: do these web directory links still have value when it comes to search engine rankings? Will they increase your website’s position in Google’s search results?
Case study
An internet marketer tested 3 pages with a normal structure at the website. These were created to provide valuable content to the search engines. This guy submitted the 3 pages to high quality paid directories (Yahoo, BOTW) and some free directories. 45 days after the paid directory links went live, the 3 pages had increased visibility on the search engines. Traffic increased and the tracking of the marketer indicated that at least 50 percent of the results could be attributed to the directory links.
Results that were attributed to the directory link building:
- Lift of traffic to levels that other highly visible site pages receive within 90 days
- Increase in monthly conversions for the business line of 45 percent year-over-year
What does this mean?
Links from web directories should be included in any search engine optimization strategy. I am not telling you that you should get your site in all the big paid web directories, but at least start with the free ones if you want higher seo rankings!
Yep, I heard a lot of people telling me that it doesn’t work… hell no! It works perfectly. Just make sure to submit only in quality directories and no more than 100 or 200. Submission in more directories could raise “red flag” and bring many low quality links. Also, I don’t reccomend to use submission software.
Exactly Sergey. Take some time to find good relevant directories and make sure you submit your site in the right area of the directory.
I think it pretty much works for sure these days. I have sites which have nothing but directory backlinks to them….works well for sure…maybe for bigger sites and competitive’r niches you need more backlinks from other types.
Really cool experiment. I often submit my sites massively to directories but I would never pay to get my sites listed.
I would pay for a DMOZ listing, or BOTW & Yahoo, but not that much..
I also still do it, but on small scale though and only good directories
Yeah, directory submissions work for sure, its a fact for me no matter what the “web masters” say.
The main thing here is not to spam them with the same titles all in one day and you are good. With thouthands pages on each directory it is pretty hard to see the incoming link from one but from my research, after submitting to about 700 web directories I got about 10 backlinks showing on google, so it still works to an extent. Google doesnt show many inbound links, but backlinks still count.
exactly Rasim. it takes work to submit to those amounts and with all different descriptions and anchor text’s.. but worth in the long run!
Seems that the number of directories is growing too. Many of them pop left and right and disappear within a year.
While administering http://www.easysubmits.com I found 50% of the directories go dead within a first year. I wonder if directory owners have more expectations when they start one up. This is why I usually submit only to the ones that been out for at least a year.
P.S. Decided to start blogging today, let me know what you think of a theme, still working on it a bit.
Directories are very easy to start, that might be the problem. I got one to.. but am neglecting it totally! haha!
Nice blog though