Submitting To Directories - what you need to know - © 2002 Jodi Krangle. All Rights Reserved.

If you're reading this, chances are pretty good that you're interested in promoting your website to more than just your family and friends. Having a wonderful site is a first step, but it won't do you any good if no one can find it. The "build it and they will come" philosophy simply doesn't work on the web. There are millions of sites out there equally as deserving of being noticed. So how do you tilt the scales in your favor?

Search engines aren't the only locations you need to submit your site. Directories are equally as important - and in many cases, MORE important.

But there is a distinction between search engines and directories that you should know about before we continue.

Search engines are software-driven. They employ what are called "spiders" - a (in some cases) fairly sophisticated little software program that finds your website and "crawls" through it, adding your site into its list of sites to "index" or include within its listings. Google, FAST/All the Web, Inktomi & AltaVista are all examples of search engines.

Directories on the other hand, don't go out and search for your site. In order to be listed in a directory, you need to go to the directory's website (some of the most important of these are Yahoo!, Dmoz.org & LookSmart), choose the category that best suits your website's content, and submit it to their human editors. Other human beings - (volunteers in the case of Dmoz.org or LookSmart's noncommercial directory at Zeal.com) - then take it upon themselves to add your site to their directory's listings. In some cases, they may also reject your submission.

Here are some general hints to keep in mind when you're submitting to these important directories:

1) CONTENT IS STILL KING:
Your site should have some content before the directories will list it. Pages of affiliate links or banners, one page "flyer" type sites, etc., may make it into the search engines (for a short time) but they won't make it into the directories. Remember that there is a human editor looking through your site to decide on its suitability. You want to do everything in your power to make that editor feel that your site is a legitimate and helpful addition to their directory. Try having some information on your site such as articles, or resources that someone interested in your business, service or field might find useful. Also try to have a good bunch of links that you think might be relevant to those visiting and try to give each link some actual description as to its content. Giant pages of links are generally frowned upon - but pages of links with explanations as to why they're being included, will be seen as a genuine resource for your visitors. Exchanging links with other sites is also one of the BEST ways to both increase your site's "popularity" with the search engines, and make a connection with other webmasters administering sites like your own. Who knows where that networking might lead?

2) CONSIDER GETTING YOUR OWN DOMAIN NAME:
I hate to tell you this, but unfortunately, directories are less likely to categorize a site on GeoCities, FortuneCity, Tripod, or any service like that. Even if they do, you're likely to be low on their totem pole. Tripod and sites like it certainly do serve a purpose - and a valuable one at that - but unfortunately, they don't have a great reputation for quality with the major directories. I always advise those wanting to promote their business or service on the net to get their own domain name. It's not very expensive at all these days. Try a service like http://www.dotster.com. If you're intending on making any money from your website, it's time to get serious. Having your own domain name lets other people know that you mean business.

3) DON'T KID A KIDDER:
Don't try to put one over on them. These are human editors, remember. Some directories may display their content alphabetically, but if you try putting an "A" in front of the title of your entry just to get yourself listed higher, it's likely to get your submission tossed in the figurative wastebasket instead. Think about your title carefully. If you can include an important keyword in your title, that's great. Keep in mind though, that most of the directories only allow you to use the actual name of your website - and Yahoo! for one, often actually checks the WHOIS of your domain name to find it!

It's also a good idea to stick to a description that's 25 words or less. On Yahoo! this is VERY strictly enforced and in fact, you might want to keep it to about 12-14 words in order to make sure that your keywords actually make it into your description. The longer the description, the more likely it is for the editors to choose those words to remove when they shorten it - and they just about always do shorten it. On dmoz.org, they're a little less strict, but they're equally as likely to edit your entry if they place you. It's always best to make their job easier.

4) NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF DMOZ.ORG
You probably already know how important it is to be listed on Yahoo! & LookSmart. But how much do you know about dmoz.org or The Open Directory Project? If you don't know a lot, visit dmoz.org and have a look around. Then visit Google, Lycos, AOL's Netfind & Netscape.com - to name a few. All of these locations use filtered dmoz.org information for their listings - which means that if you get placed on dmoz.org, you'll eventually find yourself in ALL of these listings at once. Dmoz.org also allows other webmasters to use its listings on their own sites, which means that it's difficult to tell exactly how many websites out there are listing Dmoz.org results.

There's about a week to three week delay between finding yourself listed on dmoz.org and the filtering down of the information to the other sites that draw their results from that location. This is the best darned directory you never heard of. If you haven't gotten yourself listed there, DO IT NOW (or I can do it for you). It takes a little bit less time to get listed than a Yahoo! free listing at this point (though they're getting slower) and the results will be amazing.

5) IF YOU AREN'T GETTING A LISTING, BE *POLITE*!!:
On Yahoo!, if you're not seeing your listing appear within two or three weeks (this is assuming you used the free submission option), try resubmitting. The editors see far more submissions than they're able to review and it's worth trying again until they review yours. If you're still not listed after another two or three weeks, try submitting again. If after two or three weeks beyond that, you're still not listed, then try once again - but in conjunction with the third submission, try sending an email to url-support@yahoo-inc.com indicating the fact that this is the third time you've tried to get listed, the url that you submitted and a polite inquiry as to when it might be listed. You could also ask them if there's a problem with your submission, indicating your willingness to change whatever might be causing that problem.

If you're having a problem getting listed in Dmoz.org, have a look at the bottom of the section you submitted to. You'll find a link to the editor's profile there and it might just be a good idea to write to them in order to see if there is a problem with your submission. Again, wait at least two or three weeks before doing this, make sure you include your web site's url and possibly tell them a little bit about your site, though you should try and keep the marketing jargon to a minimum (if not nonexistent). If there is no editor listed at the bottom of the section you submitted to, have a look at the category above that one and write to the editor there.

Above all, BE POLITE. These are real people you're writing to, not robots. They appreciate a kind word and a friendly inquiry just as much as any of us would. They also get thousands of submissions in a day. Give them something to smile about. By the time they read your note, they'll need it! If you're not listed, simply ask them why, if there's something you need to change about your listing in order to make it acceptable, and mention the information suggested above. It might take a little more effort to be nice, especially if you've been waiting a long time, but it's always worth it. Trust me.

Promoting yourself on the web is getting easier all the time but while it's possible to automate a lot of things, submitting to the directories really should be done manually. Give it a shot. What do you have to lose but anonymity? Good luck!

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