Article: Search Directory Listing

Article: Search Directory Listing

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Rodney Burutsa is the owner of CrossMediaGroup.net and an author of articles and tutorials on the Internet, e-business, and online marketing. These articles are free content you may reprint or publish in your website, forums, newsletter or e-book as long as the links and appropriate credit bylines remain in context.

Search Engines and Directories

What is a directory? A Web directory is a tool for finding Web pages with information about a particular topic. Topics are arranged into categories, so you can find lists of Web sites simply by clicking increasingly specific category names. Human editors set up the category structure and select the Web sites to include, applying judgment so sites meet standards of quality and relevance.

What’s the difference between Web directories and search engines? Web directories and search engines are two different methods of locating information on the Web. Most people use both tools, sometimes in a single session, as with Google. Directories are useful when you're interested in a topic and wonder what's available about it. While search engines normally accept almost any Web site or page submitted to them, directories usually accept sites that offer quality information only.

Search engines are useful when you know a specific piece of information. Search engines enable you to search for words or phrases in the text of Web sites throughout the World Wide Web. The search engine index is created by automatic programs called robots or crawlers that move systematically through the Web using hyperlinks returning information from each site. Using patented algorithms, search engines rank the results to present the most relevant sites first. A typical search might find hundreds of thousands of Web sites and present you with the most relevant 200 Web addresses. You can search by typing only words and phrases or you can include commands that focus your search in very specific ways. See the Search Engine Submission article for more.

Search Directory Listing

Directories list Web sites by category as evaluated and placed by human editors. You have the added benefits of titles and descriptions chosen by editors as well as their judgments that the sites are relevant. Most people find directories very easy to navigate. Directories currently contain millions of the best Web sites, but cover only a relatively small percentage of the World Wide Web. Sites with low quality rarely get accepted since all sites submitted are reviewed. Before submitting your site to any directory, make sure that your site is completely ready for it! I strongly recommend that you get a good Website design before publishing it online.

Most major directories, such as AltaVista Search and LookSmart, require a fee for submittal. Yahoo! Search does not require a fee for screening your site, but the fee is optional if you want faster service. Screening your site takes approximately 6 months without a fee or within a week for $199.99. The Open Directory Project, used by Netscape and Yahoo!, does not require a fee for Web site submission.

Directory Submission Guidelines

How can your Web site get listed? It’s crucial for your Web site’s acceptance that you read through the directory’s FAQ for submission guidelines! If your Web site is not selected, you may contact the editorial teams that select Web sites. Remember that directories list sites, not pages. In normal circumstances, you should only submit the front page of your Web site to directories. It’s usually best to submit to the "highest" category that applies to your site for more exposure. It’s also wise to spend some time searching for the most accurate category since submissions to the wrong categories are usually just thrown out. In addition, submitting to the wrong category might cost you some heavy traffic! See the Search Engine Submission article for more on search engines.