Tips For All You Running Directories

Our DP friend Tuning just submitted 7 of the sites I run, times 150 directories means over a thousand submissions. I got a good look at how things work and to be honest, most of you have a crap confirmation e-mail.

Here are my tips on your e-mail confirmations so you can make your directory a lot better...

• Keep it short...
• Put the status near the top... Is it pending, approved or does it require confirmation?
• Show me which URL you're talking about! 8 our of 10 just say "Thanks for the submission, we will review shortly..." which is a useless message IMO. Most of us have more than 1 website.
• Don't auto-subscribe us to your newsletter... Heard of "opt-in"?
• 1 x Submission confirmation + 1 x Approval confirmation is ideal... No more e-mails after that please... (Once a quarter maybe, if you have something really newsworthy...)
• In the approval e-mail, it's very nice to get a link to the category where we just got listed...
• A couple of "premium service" pitches / ads are fine but don't overdo it...
• Sort out your e-mail headers... doesn't look good... Call it something like Your Directory Submissions...

A good example (besides the wonky first sentence):

Bad example:

(From field = admin Subject = New Link)

If the whole mesage doesn't fit in the average Outlook preview pane, it's too long. Remember your directory is far from the only one we'll submit to so don't make it a boring experience.

One last tip, do a spell-check. If you want to look like a professional service, this does you no good:

Good luck with your directories, I hope this helps... And thanks for the free links.

 

thanks for the advice Tops,

does anyone else have any gems for the newbs among us?

 

Thanks, very good tips. My directory don't send emails, but if I was to change that I would follow your advice.

 

Just two notes:

- most people are limited on what the software allows (for example, Php Link Directory in the current version has some problems with the sender field, and doesn't allow to show category where the site was approved, nor the url for the site that was approved)

- some, though not many, of the directories are just setup for that, to get your email, so be prepared to get an email more often than once a quarter - that's why it is suggested to use some bulk email address

 

Yeah I did use a 'spam risk' address. I do think that Directory owners are responsible for their offering so using the software as an 'excuse' doesn't do it for me.

But these are indeed tips for those that can control the output of the e-mails. If you can't then one day I hope you upgrade software.

 

I also got a little problem with the PHPLD Email templates, I can´t make it work it only shows my own adress and e-mail correct not the one who has submitted and thats annoying to the submitter.
It´s really annoying if someone sends 5 websites and get 5 confirmation letters which are all identical.
So plz help me if u can

 

Marcus: you are in the wrong forum . Go to the phplinkdirectory.com forum.

TOPS30: that's not an excuse, just explanation. The people who use those scripts are often inept at moding it on their own (myself including), so they have to take what is available. PHPLD is rather very good in other aspects so I'm not wondering many people prefer it despite some of it's shortcomings (like the approval mail features).

But of course your suggestions are good!

 

Yes, I know we discussed it in the forum there. One of these days, maybe we'll take some time to write some instructions on using the email templates, as it can be confusing.

 

All directory softwares make lot of pages Even each page of ech CAT. try to use robots.txt to aviod duplication in ADD URL script

 

Thanks for the tips!
That would make us look more professional..

 

The tips are really good.I think an email confirmation should be surly sent once a site gets listed as it not only boosts the morale of the person making the submission but also gets more traffic in future.

 

That's why I never intend to make a website using these famous PHP Scripts.
Limited cababilities, options, etc. They would never be perfect.
If you want to do realy what you want, take time and write your script yourself.
You'd know how coding works, you'd know where and what options needs to be improved, etc.
I think some of the directory owners who using PHP scripts are being lazy and going for easy way to create another cloned directory or they don't understand anything about programming what so ever.

 

very nice advice man, thx

 

I've got a tip for directory owners. When performing a search on your site, I'd like to see all the matching categories.
And when listing the normal results of the search for the sites, list the category that site was found in.

 

It's a great tip, useful for submitters and also for users of the directory, so I've just implemented both "features" in my directory. Thanks

 

I don't run a directory myself. But I have done successful marketing for a few of them. If it's a free directory they have the right to sell to you. How else are they going to pay for their sites? You cannot always rely on sponsorship or adsense type programs. Typically on paid directories you see less marketing because that is how they pay for their hosting, bandwidth, etc.

While I can sympasize with your hundreds of emails. You did do this to yourself. If I send you 1 or 2 emails, why would it be my fault you decided to submit to several hundred other directories at the same time. I am not going to lose my opportunity to sell to you because you decided to use a program or service to auto submit to hundreds of sites.

Keep it short...
-- Why? As a directory owner here is your opportunity to sell, sell, sell.

Put the status near the top... Is it pending, approved or does it require confirmation?
-- If you give away the main info in the beginning they won't read your marketing copy. It's like watching a TV show backwards.

Show me which URL you're talking about! 8 our of 10 just say "Thanks for the submission, we will review shortly..." which is a useless message IMO. Most of us have more than 1 website.
-- That makes very good sense.

Don't auto-subscribe us to your newsletter... Heard of "opt-in"?
-- Since you had someone else do this for you, it's up to that person to READ THE GUIDELINES of each site. When you add your site to a directory it makes sense to make you opt-in. Remember this is probably a free listing. The least you can do is get their emails once in a while.

1 x Submission confirmation + 1 x Approval confirmation is ideal... No more e-mails after that please... (Once a quarter maybe, if you have something really newsworthy...)
-- Twice a month is ideal for most email marketing. Anything more than that is abusive anything less than this not very productive. Assuming you have other services you have to sell. Don't just send an email for the sake of sending an email. However give the option to opt-out. A great valuable directory would allow you to opt-out. The one's that typically do also remove your link from their directory if you opt-out. This is a great marketing strategy.

In the approval e-mail, it's very nice to get a link to the category where we just got listed...
-- That makes sense but shouldn't you already know where you submitted your site to?

A couple of "premium service" pitches / ads are fine but don't overdo it...
-- Remember you are submitting to a free directory someone else owns. They have every right to send you an email full of ads if they wish to do so. They have a have a golden opportunity as a directory owner to sell any product and/or service that would relate to submission. To get the best results is to target your ads based on the submission. If a person submits to a wedding category offer some wedding related services, articles or tutorials. Something uselful.

Sort out your e-mail headers... Steve_Imaginary_B@aol.com doesn't look good... Call it something like Your Directory Submissions...
-- I would create a marketing type message in the subject line.

While you make some great recommendations, I felt it lacked the directory owner point of view and wanted to clarify why some of these items are needed or are necessary.

 

nice tips tops..

 

Some excellent suggestions there.

Definately.. Some of the responses are extremely generic, and I too submit a lot of different sites.

I think some sites that reject listings do this too... I was just thinking about this the other day seeing how many newsletters I receive every day now.. And I bet that I can trace some of them back to sites that were rejected. So if anyone is adding people to newsletters that got rejected please stop.. But I also agree on the opt-in thing.



I agree thanks for the free links...

 

I've managed to create an HTML email reply for my Uncover China site using the tips above, the problem I feel is that alot of my confirmation emails go into people's junk email folders...