What is Directory Submission?
Directory submission is a process of submitting a website’s URL and other information, such as title and description, to a directory, which is a collection of websites organized by category. The main goal of directory submission is to increase a website’s visibility and backlinks, which can help improve its search engine rankings.
Directories were once a popular way to build backlinks and improve search engine visibility, but the effectiveness of directory submissions has decreased over time as search engines have become more sophisticated and the quality of directories has become more variable.
Submitting to directories that are not relevant to the site or are low quality can in fact harm the site ranking. Also, submitting the same site multiple times to the same directory or to multiple directories can be considered spamming and can also harm your site ranking.
It’s important to note that, search engines like Google have started penalizing website that have low-quality backlinks and too many links from directories, so it’s important to be selective when submitting a site to directories.
Types of Directory Submission:
There are several types of directory submission, including:
Free directory submission: Websites can submit their information to a directory for free, but the listing may not be as prominent or may be subject to a review process before it is accepted.
Paid directory submission: Websites can pay a fee to have their information listed in a directory, which can increase the visibility of the listing and may guarantee that it will be accepted.
Reciprocal directory submission: Websites can exchange links with a directory, which means that the directory will list the website’s information in exchange for a link back to the directory from the website.
Niche directory submission: Websites can submit their information to directories that are specific to a particular industry or niche, which can help increase visibility among relevant audiences.
Regional directory submission: Websites can submit their information to directories that focus on a specific geographic region, which can help increase visibility among local audiences.
Deep link directory submission: Websites can submit individual pages or deep links of their website, which can help increase visibility for specific pages or products.
It’s important to note that, not all directories are created equal and some may be more valuable than others in terms of building backlinks and improving search engine visibility. Also, it’s important to keep in mind that the value of directories has decreased over time as search engines have become more sophisticated and the quality of directories has become more variable.
Method of Directory Submission:
The method of directory submission can vary depending on the directory, but generally, the process involves the following steps:
Finding relevant directories: The first step is to find directories that are relevant to the website’s industry or niche. One way to find directories is to search for keywords related to the website in a search engine, and look for directories that appear in the results.
Creating an account: Most directories will require the website owner to create an account before submitting a listing. This may involve providing personal information, such as a name and email address, and creating a username and password.
Filling out a submission form: Once the account is created, the website owner will need to fill out a submission form, which will typically include the website’s URL, title, description, and keywords.
Submitting the listing: After the submission form is completed, the website owner can submit the listing to the directory. Some directories may require an additional step, such as verifying the email address or paying a fee, before the listing is accepted.
Approval process: Some directories may have an approval process, where the listing is reviewed by an editor before it is accepted. The approval process can take several days or weeks, depending on the directory.
Once the listing is approved, the website will be live on the directory, and the website owner will receive a notification.
It’s important to note that, not all directories have the same process and some may require additional information or steps.
Some directories may require a reciprocal link, which means that the website owner will need to add a link to the directory on their website before the listing is accepted.
FAQ directory submission in SEO
Directory submission is the process of submitting your website's link and information to online directories. This can help to increase your website's visibility and improve its search engine rankings by generating backlinks.
By submitting your website to directories, you can increase your website's visibility and generate backlinks, which can help to improve your search engine rankings. However, it's important to note that not all directories are created equal, and some may be more valuable than others in terms of improving your search engine rankings.
It's important to be selective in the directories you submit your website to, and to only submit your website to reputable and well-established directories. Submitting your website to too many directories can be seen as spammy and could even harm your SEO.
You can find directories to submit your website to by searching for relevant directories using search engines or by looking for directories in your industry or niche.
Directory submission can be a useful tool for SEO, but it's not a major ranking factor and it should not be the only strategy used for SEO. The value of a backlink from a directory is usually low and Google in the recent years has been devaluing links from directories as they are considered as low-quality links. So it is important to have a mix of high-quality backlinks from reputable sources such as websites, blogs, social media, etc. to improve your website's search engine rankings.
