Direct Your Web Site to a
Directory
By Brian Chmielewski
The most pervasive search tool on
the Internet is the directory. Under standing the
differences be tween search
engines and directories is essential to your online marketing
strategy.
The most obvious way that
directories distinguish themselves is through the amount of
information that they accept
during the submission process. In fact, submission forms are
considerably longer for
directories, allowing your personalized descriptions, company name,
keywords, contact information and
more to be entered, along with your URL and e-mail
address, into a category of your
choosing. In essence, directories are full of these
categorical submissions
(listings), which they turn into a hierarchy. To be located properly,
you should list your site in the
most appropriate category at the directory. For those who
feel that their site's topic is
not recognized by existing categories, most directories also
provide a space to add a new one.
To see what a directory's submission page looks like,
visit the registration page at
http://www. stpt. com/gen eral/sub mit.html.
Another major difference between
search engines and directories is that directories do not
utilize scouts - i.e. robots,
spiders, etc. - to gather web site information for their database.
All directories rely on humans
for their listings. For this reason, your URL will not appear at
any directory unless it has been
manually submitted. Like wise, humans review sites that are
submitted to directories, causing
a longer delay for your site to be indexed in their database.
The following are things to
consider when listing your site with a directory:
Since each directory has a
unique categorization scheme and particular rules, you
must treat each directory
individually.
Relevancy in directories is
based upon your keywords and the words that are found
in the description that is
initially submitted. Don't try to fool directories with
repeated keywords or words
that are inappropriate for your service or product.
Chances are that you will be
caught, rendering your submission useless.
Spend the extra time to
submit to the appropriate category - the one that will
ensure that your targeted
customer will respond. Find out where your competitors
are located and compare this
with where you think you should be categorized.
Choose specific categories,
rather than general ones. It will pay off in the long run.
Categories do not represent
the same meanings in every directory. View a few of the
listings to get a feel for
who your categorical neighbors might be.
Don't choose a category just
because it has fewer listings, expecting to provide
yourself with greater
visibility. Similarly, don't choose a category simply because it
is popular. Remember to
think like your customer would think if they wanted to find
your business or service.
Take advantage of the
directory by suggesting a new category for your site. It
cannot hurt to ask for a new
category, but realistically, new categories are added
sparingly.
Finally, you will find a few
directories, which edit submissions for appropriateness and
categorization before they are
added to the database. If you follow their guidelines when
submitting your web site
information you will probably be listed without a problem. HBM
Copyright WebPromote™. Reprinted
with permission from WebPromote™- Intelligent
Internet Marketing, 1580 S.
Milwaukee, Suite 320, Libertyville, IL 60048. URL:
http://www.webpromote.com, phone:
(847) 918-9292. Visit
http://www.webpromote.com/directory to get listed or refresh your site
in over 200 sites
made up of search engines,
directories and yellow pages.
