Built several new sites over a period of a year. Prior to launching them, I linked all their URL's to an existing site I have with a PR5 ranking. I put those text links on a sub page of the PR5 site. After I launched them, about 8 weeks later, half of the new sites already have a PR3...never bothered submitting them to Goog. Preferred to let them organically elevate. I then went into submitting them to various web directories over the last month....manually. I chose no paid listings but opted for the "free / no reiprocal" option and after submitting to almost 150 directories (whew! . . .talk about TEDIOUS), I currently have been notified that I am in 49 directories. I'm explaining all of this to ask: How many directories is enough? PS: Additionally, several have been registered into (and accepted!) at niche directories devoted to their unique subject matter . . . .
Hello... Submitting to directories and link-building in general is continuous job for as long as your site is alive and the same niche/site. Now of those 150 "free directories" that you submitted some will change themes ( the site will change or domain will expire or be sold) or for whatever reason and no longer in existence after a few years and you will lose those back-links and that is why its an on going job. Please dont forget that of those 150 free directories you submitted some will take weeks or even months to approve your listing as most of the time they are so back logged that they wont have the time to do the review and why sometimes its best to pay a fee for directory submission services as this will free up your time to handle more important tasks associated with your site/business. Like anything when considering a service from anyone or company do some research first as sometimes the cheapest is not the best especially if they are using automated tools as directory owners will catch it and delete immediately.... "buyer beware" As for the "amount of directories" i would recommend (1000 timed submits IMO) then skip a month or two and see where you are at as if you build to many to fast the you stand the chance of getting your site banned or penalized for unnatural linking... thx malcolm
There is no any fixed criteria for that IMO. Submit your sites to quality directories (free and paid both) gives you good benefit for sure, thats all. DON.
Good answer, and it doesn't have to be just directories. Go for other sites if you can althouh that will get easier as you get bigger.
ForestStone, Malcolm1, DeluxDon & JamieG: Muchas Gracias! Wow, I have some BIG work ahead of me if I have to get them into 1000! Ok, I surely understand as to some of the directories taking upwards of a few months to list them even. Additionally, I haven't paid for any listings yet. Maybe I'll consider that....but my big problem would be the expense because I have so many I have been submitting. Seventeen sites, total! What I've acquired are lisitngs I discover at the DirectoryCritic site...which seems to list new places every 24 hours. One aspect malcom1, I also try getting the URLs mentioned on specific blogs, other forums (not here of course - TOS), social networking sites etc. Luckily, I've been accepted into some PR5's with no payent / recips so cannot complain. For now, I'm just seeing what the next week ahead has in store. I sincerely have appreciated this "mental reinforcement".
I think Malcolm was right on target. You can never submit to enough directories. Even if only 1 more quality directory appears each year, thats 1 more you need to submit to.
Personally I would recommend adding to a few new ones every week (10-20) for the duration of your site. This way it will not take too much of your time and will give you a steady increase of BL's. That's obviously in addition to anything else you are doing to gain links.
As many of the replies suggest there is no limit, I want to say you have to do DS as long as you want to live in top of the search engines
Never enough, you should not put a limit on the numbers that you submit to, some of them wont be around for long so you will lose some of those backlinks, just keep submitting, or have someone do it for you.
Very good! One BIG question W3Bmaster....please reiterate what you mean by "but not in a short period of time"? I have devoted most of February to strictly submitting INTO all of these 150 directories so hoping I haven't missed a step on some aspect of all this. In fact, I was just notified this morning by yet another of these directories that all of my websites have been accepted and checked through all of them - this specific directory is a PR3 and I initially submitted all to this directory about 10 days ago. One thing I did when I started all of this....I began keeping track by building a list in MSWord of what places I submitted to....it eventually turned into an alphabetized list and every time I got accepted into one of these directories, I add at the end of the URL "listed" and highlight that in RED font. Then when I reopen the file each time, can count out who I have submitted to, or if I discover a new directory, cross-reference whether or not I submitted to it (if it isn't in that list) and whether or not I have been accepted . . . additionally, in MSWord, I can just click the URL which will open up to any of these directories homies to see if it's still active and so forth. So to sum this all up, I began submitting at the beginning of this month, now totaling 150 directories I have submitted all of these to, and have been taken in by 50 of them. Is getting into 1/3 of them a success story? I'll know next month after all the spidering & re-spidering and re-indexing by the various engines and bots I guess.
Actaully numbers is not important. Directories should have high PR and should allow do follow links. I love much better submitting to article directories. Have you compiled list of directories you are submmiting to. It would be great if you share it with us here.
Well i do keep submitting my sites to lot of directories every month. I target specially new directories as they approve fast and can add pr value in future.
i have submit my site to many directory this month,but i don't think have any effect. how long it could appear effect? thanks
Forever. Free directories have little or no impact on the results. If you want to argue with me on this, answer following questions: 1. Have you seen big companies doing DS? Who is ranking #1 for your keyword? Go over some free directories and try if you can find this #1 company anywhere. 99.9% you can not 2. Have you seen serious SEO companies offering their clients DS? When I say serious, I don't mean Joe Next Door Ltd (sorry Joe, no disrespect meant). Sorry to spoil your fruit but I just don't think it is worth the while spending a month collecting PR n/a and PR0 links that have no authority whatsoever. You'll soon find that you need different strategy to succeed.