The Web Directory!
The Web Directory
A web directory for those who are not familiar with them is a directory on the web that is like the yellow pages, it showcases links to other sites by categories. For example, let us say that you are looking for a bookstore online, what you would do is simply locate a web directory online, you can find these by suing the search engines and then in the search box of the directory you choose to use, type in bookstore and it will bring you to as many links as they have for online bookstores. Then you can pick and choose which sites you would like to go on.
Keep in mind that a directory is not the same as a search engine. Meaning that a search engine will provide you the highest ranking websites for your request and a directory will provide you with results from sites that webmasters have paid to published in their directories. If a site does not wish to be in a directory then when you type in your search in the directory it will not appear.
Directories are used more for web sites that are looking to get more traffic. You may not see Wal-Mart listed in a directory because they don’t wish to appear in one because they get natural traffic. Directories house links to sites that want more recognition and more natural traffic. It is like getting your proverbial foot in the door. There are different styles of directories; there are some that only specialize in religious web sites or certain languages.
Then you have directories that are like the Yellow Pages they have many sections with many different sites. If you are looking for something specific you can try the niche directories but if you are looking for something random and non specific then a standard directory is the way to go.
If you have a website that you own and are looking for some traffic then a directory may be right for you. Contact a few of them, tell then what type of site you have and then find out how much they want to have you list your site in their directory. They may work for you as well. Web directories are great for looking for a site and they are great for showcasing your site as well. See what they have to say, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
What is Page Strength?
Page strength is a metric that was created by SEOMOZ.com and what is does is it tries to judge some of the principles that can make a page of a web site rank high in the search engines. It is great for a quick look but it is recommended that the user take a more in depth look at the page. When you begin to look at the directory there are many factors that go into ranking your pages. Some rating may become deceiving in ways you think they may be helpful but are not. Here are some of the ratings that can be deceiving.
If there is a site that is 10 years old but has been a parking page for the last 8 years. If you have an old site that you have changed over to a directory in the last 6 months. If you have a site that you bought a vast amount of links to be spread throughout your site. If you have a site that has gathered links in a very obvious way. A site that is involved with a large volume link exchange schemes.
The way Page Strength works is that is scores are figured out by the data from outside sources such as Alexa or Yahoo. Each day millions of data gets examined by the search engines and because of the amount there are going to be data that doesn’t get looked at so it could affect your page rank. Here are some of the factors in page ranking are the links pointing to the URL, links pointing to the domain and the position where Google has the first four words of the title tag.
But you can’t always relay on page strength because it has been know to be inconsistent. The people that have created Page strength are Matthew Inman and Rand Fishkin. They have a site called SEOMOZ.ORG which stands for A Search Engine Optimization Metric. They basically describe page strength as importance and visibility of a webpage. The possible strength and ability of a web page to actually rank well in to the search engines. It focuses on the popularity of the information on the page, what links and how many mentions of the page that come across the web. This tool was created to satisfy webmasters, surfers and marketing professionals on the web
Why Should You Pay For Web Directory Inclusion?
There should be no question in your mind as a webmaster that you want your website seen by millions of people via web directories but the question mainly comes down to is should you pay to have your site listed in the many online web directories. The answer to that question is it depends on how badly you want others to see your site. Online directories are the best, they have other submissions that paper directories don’t. If you see an online directory and you have a business, for a fee they will let you join the directory. Some directories have free submissions but some require a fee or as they put it a donation to keep the site functioning. The larger directories like Yahoo! Do not require any method, they ask you to submit your site for their directory and if you have it categorized well and it is clear what type of site you have then Yahoo! Will ok it and then you will have a submission to Yahoo!. Then millions of people will see your site, it is great exposure. If you are submitting to a smaller directory, the same premise would apply regarding the website because you want something that will catch the readers attention. If someone is looking for a shoe website and that is what you have, you want to make sure your site sticks out so that people will want to choose your submission. A clever but easy to remember name is key. If a customer can’t remember your site, then what is the point. Usually once one person finds something they like in a directory they will remember it so that they don’t have to go back into the directory at least not for that. Directories are kind of exciting because they have almost every topic covered and there are so many things to choose from. If you have never looked at a directory before then maybe you should, you may find something you like. There are hundreds of online directories to choose from and more and more are coming on the web everyday. You want the best directory with the best information so that you can find everything you are looking for and maybe something more. Now, if you have a website that just doesn’t stick out enough on its own then yes, you may want to subscribe to a directory that can guarantee to a degree that your site will be seen. Free directories will place your site wherever they feel is best. They are loose and fancy free but paid directories which the search engines like a lot better because the quality of the site is better and the better it is the more likely the search engines will look upon you. If you do well on your own in the search engines then you will do exceptionally well in the directories. You also want to define your site as a specific style such as Entertainment, Clothing, Music. If your site doesn’t have a clean and concise directory then you r site will get lost in the shuffle and no one will know what category to click on to find you. So here are the things you want to remember, You want to make sure you have an original content with an original ideas. If your site is just like another’s then your site may fail by comparison. Originality is the key. The second most important thing is to make your site look great, don’t have too many banners because even if people happen to find you and you have a ad filled site, it is a turn off and people won’t come back. You want people to find out but you want people to remember your site and bookmark it as well. The third thing is you want have informative and necessary links. A search engine or a directory won’t place you in a good position unless your links make sense and that they go somewhere and not so far off the beaten path that they have nothing to do with your site. Paid web directories will give your site or articles some graphics or they may edit your work to ensure that people come to the site once they find in the directory. with a paid directory you get extra perks that a free directory would not. A free directory is going to place your site or articles or whatever you are submitting as you gave it to them but a paid service will help you get the best results possible. What you can do to help your self to optimize the search engines as best you can. Get that website recognized and when people see it in the directory they will remember it. Another strong suggestion is if you have free website chances are the directories won’t be too keen on placing it up front because as experience shows people who have free sites do not generally put too much SEO work and there tend to be less information that websites that are not free. Search Engines and that includes all directories will pass over a website that do not have original content or great live links. There is only so much you can do with your site in its own except for do the very best in search engine optimization but you always could use more and more site views. You can have the most original content, the best graphics and ads and links but if your site is new and you are looking to jump start your page views then using a paid directory is what you need to do. You want what everyone else wants for their site, but some people may be content to have people search for them while others are looking to get people to come and keep coming back and if the way is paying for a web directory then this is the way to go. It will pay off in the ling run.
Saad