Is submitting to directories approved by google?

I have a basic question here. I have a blog and a website. I have been submitting them to various free directories. But i am concerned that if google finds it about it, will it slap my blog and website? Although I do directory submission service, which i started long back, still wanted to confirm with the experts.

I am a newbie in this regard. I want to know whether submitting to directories is approved officially or indirectly by google? Or is it not?

I hope this is the right place to discuss, else kindly someone move it across.

thank you.

 

You do n't need to worry about submitting Directories ,It will not hurt you in any way



According to Google only paid links may affect a site's ranking as it against Google's terms

 

http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=35769&topic=8522

Fifth bullet under "When your site is ready"

 

Directory submission is one of basic SEO techniques. Don't worry about it.

 

As aspidov pointed out- Google advices webmasters to submit to DMOZ and Yahoo directory along with directories of relevance. So Google is not against directories-.

Also you may read what Matt Cutts has to say about web directories

 

Don't worry so much do it

Like anything don't abuse it ....

 

No problems about submitting to directories, as long as they are quality ones and not link farms.

 

Submitting to quality directories is actually a good idea...