I am a little bit worried about the directories submissions role in the real time promotion of the website.
google index, adwords, link exchange, article submission with signature, blogging, offline marketing. How useful really are directories? I've never looked at one in my life, that is why google was invented. Only thing directories do nowadays if respectful is give better PR. LIYD
I question directory submission myself these days, I will still do it but a few links each day just randomly to directories, simply for link building. I still think all links are important so directories are still easy backlinks.
Directory submissions still play a good role in link building. One-way links from directories are far more cost-effective, and google-effective than "purchased links" or "exchanged links", as Google hates them.
The good ones still serve as a valuable hub of internet mapping, and there's a boost of a sites credibility if it makes it thru the process of a review by human eyes, but if something about them worries you, dont submit to them... problem solved.
I am worried that they will affect my SEO. I don't want to create any 'bad' backlinks to my website. And Google doesn't recognize every directory to be good.
Submit your site High PR directories it will not effect ranking although helped to increase website traffic
Look at what the directory lists, if they sell a lot of sitewides, if its on a dropped domain, if it looks like it will list just about any site submitted to it.
I submitted one of my site to around 1500 directories and then I got pr4 and some traffic from google searching. However, after stopping submitting and no other promotion, it's pr0 now and no traffic from google.
you should not be worried if you understand that directory submission does exactly 0 in terms of immediate promotion. as a good site, think at this : you can get pr3 and some decent traffic only by submitting to free directories, it's true : many of them, but its easy.
This is exactly right. Google treats directories just like any other site. Some are valuable sources of information while others are complete crap. If you can get your site approved in the good directories then you become referenced by part of the "hub of internet mapping" and this boosts your SERPs substantially. The trick is weeding out the crap directories and finding good ones.
As many have mentioned directories are a major source of back links and contents for users and webmasters and some directories do offer good traffic, however try to avoid the spam free and useless directories. Also you can know and measure the quality of your web site by submitting your web site to decent free directories and if rejected, many directories provide reasons for rejections in which you can use to improve your website and submit it again.
Directories can generate backlinks and traffic if you submitted your link on popular directories like Yahoo and DMoz.
Directories are not bad for link building and they don't have any side effect. Don't worry about that. Just build links and promote your website.
If you are submitting your link in high quality directory, it will be useful to you as a back link. so do submit on high quality directory.