hey everybody. My first post so be nice. When you submit to directories does the description have any effect on search engine ranking? Does the description count as keywords? Does a good description do anything other than have the admin accept the listing? Thanks, FunnyFeel
The description helps to build the theme of the page - so while your keywords directly impact on how a search engine sees your site the description helps build the relevancy. For example: you have a real estate link on a page full of seemingly incoherent text - maybe a jumple of casinos, scooters, real estate and blogs. The search engine will look at your link and think it's a general sort of site. Not strongly about anything. On the other hand your real estate link is on a page with text talking about MLS, homes, houses, realtors then the search engine will know that your site is definately something to do with real estate. The theme can change, page by page, but only submit to directories which use strong categorisation. Therefore if you are running a directory and want smart webmasters to submit to your directory then you need to ensure you have strong categorisation. That said, it can open up a swag of problems. A year ago I broke up a Florida category into regions. Before it was relevant that the listings said "south florida" etc, now it seemed repetitive and spammy. The page was strongly titled "south florida" (for example) so the links didn't need to be. But it was a big editing job to move them about (given that I don't have a clue where anything in Florida is and have never been there) and change each link.
Welcome to the forum MrFunnyFred, something that i only recently did myself was to change the text of the Description for my submissions to directories, i had been using the same text in the description, but about a week ago i wrote a new description and i was advised to do that again from time to time, also i was advised to write new Title text every now and then too. Its something i now realise i should have known before but i didn't and so had carried on using the same text everywhere, oh well, better late than never.
Agreed, i m getting a lot of visitos on of my directory because of Keywords rich description. i have one rule in this directory -- Description must be 250 chars minimum and must contain all your keywords.