The question is “What is Directory Submission in SEO?” and the simple answer to this question is, it is a method to submit your website or blog to different genuine web directories under a specific category.
Directory submission is an essential and very useful element of Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
The primary goal of directory submission is to create high quality authority increasing backlinks, which help improve the visibility and ranking of a website in search engine results pages (SERPs).
This article will explore the concept of directory submission in detail, its types, benefits, and how it contributes to SEO.
How Many Types of Directory Submissions are there?
There are three main types of directory submissions in SEO:
Free Directory Submission
- Definition: This type of submission does not require any payment. Website owners can submit their sites to directories for free.
- Pros: Cost-effective, accessible to everyone, increases the number of backlinks.
- Cons: Approval time may be long, quality of directories may vary, and the effect on SEO can be limited.
Paid Directory Submission
- Definition: In this type, you will have to pay some free in order to get backlinks. It is also known as a premium directory submission.
- Pros: Faster approval, best quality backlinks, better SEO benefits.
- Cons: Cost involved, may not be suitable for all budgets.
Reciprocal Directory Submission
- Definition: This requires the website owner to provide a backlink to the directory from their own site in exchange for the directory listing.
- Pros: Free listing with potentially faster approval, increases mutual backlinks.
- Cons: Requires giving a backlink, which may not always be desirable, and the quality of directories can vary.
Is Directory Submission Still Relevant for SEO?
- Improves Link Building: Directory submission helps in building backlinks to your website. These backlinks are crucial for improving your site’s authority and ranking in search engines.
- Increases Website Traffic: Being listed more in directories help you drive traffic from the directories where you’re linked. Also, there is increase in rankings in search engine results page which drive you organic traffic from search.
- Enhances Search Engine Visibility: Submitting your site to directories can improve its visibility in search engines. Directories are often indexed by search engines, and having your site listed can help it get discovered more easily.
- Increases Domain Authority: Backlinks from reputable directories can boost your domain authority easily. This makes your website appear more trustworthy and authoritative to search engines.
- Boosts Online Presence: Directory submission helps in creating a strong online presence. It ensures your website is listed in multiple places, increasing its chances of being found by potential visitors.
Now, you got the perfect answer about “What is Directory Submission in SEO?”. Now, we will further move on to submission of your website to a directory.
How to Submit a Directory in SEO?
- Choose the Right Directories: Select directories that are relevant to your website’s niche and have better domain authority. Avoid spammy or low-quality directories.
- Prepare Your Website Information: Gather the necessary information about your website, such as the URL, title, description, keywords, and contact details. Ensure the description is concise and properly represents your site.
- Select the Appropriate Category: Choose the category that best fits your website’s content. This ensures your site is listed in the correct section, making it easier for users to find.
- Submit Your Website: Follow the submission guidelines of the directory. Fill out the required fields with accurate information and submit your site.
- Wait for Approval: After submission, you may need to wait for the directory to review and approve your listing. This can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks.
- Monitor Your Listings: Keep track of your submissions and check if your website has been listed. Ensure that the information is correct and up-to-date.
You can use SEMrush’s Link Building Tools for monitoring your backlinks status regularly.
Also Check: FCSO WordPress: Must Ways to Improve Website SEO
You know “What is Directory Submission in SEO?” and also the successful submission to directory. But you should also be aware of some common mistakes to avoid for the best quality of the submission.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Directory Submission
- Submitting to Low-Quality Directories: Avoid directories that have a poor reputation or are known for spam. These can negatively impact your SEO and may result in penalties. Search engines can also add your domain to Spam Category.
- Ignoring Directory Guidelines: Each directory has its own submission guidelines. Ignoring these can result in rejection or removal of your listing.
- Using Duplicate Content: Submitting the same content to multiple directories can lead to duplicate content issues. Write unique descriptions for each submission.
- Submitting to Irrelevant Categories: Ensure you submit your website to the most relevant category. Submitting to unrelated categories can confuse users and search engines.
- Overlooking Directory Quality: Evaluate the quality of a directory before submission. Check its domain authority, traffic, and reputation to ensure it is worth submitting to.
Top Free and Paid Directory Submission Sites
| Sr. No. | Directory Submission Sites List |
|---|---|
| 1 | webdirectoryphil.com |
| 2 | business.yelp.com |
| 3 | blogflux.com |
| 4 | boingboing.net |
| 5 | ontoplist.com |
| 6 | scrubtheweb.com |
| 7 | bestplumbers.com |
| 8 | inyectronicawc.com |
| 9 | bloggernity.com |
| 10 | directorycodes.com |
| 11 | gardendirectory.com.ar |
| 12 | gigablast.com |
| 13 | intercambioseo.com |
| 14 | 10directory.info |
| 15 | sonicrun.com |
| 16 | entireweb.com |
| 17 | addnewlink.com.ar |
| 18 | biddingdirectory.com.ar |
| 19 | Submitlink.com.ar |
| 20 | khersonrent.com |
| 21 | directorycloud.info |
| 22 | top-site-list.com |
| 23 | viesearch.com |
| 24 | lawyersdirectoryusa.com |
| 25 | linkcentre.com |
| 26 | bloghints.com |
| 27 | somuch.com |
| 28 | attorneys.superlawyers.com |
| 29 | infotiger.com |
| 30 | thetopz.com |
Alternatives to Directory Submission
There are many alternatives to directory submission in the market. You can easily try them as per your interests.
Content Marketing: If you like writing unique and legit content, then you can generate high quality content. Impressing the verified bloggers can make your website list in their blogs.
Quora: Answering Questions in Quora help bloggers create best links inside the answers. As Google pushes Quora answers to top 10 in the SERP, it will be easy to make a directory in Quora.
Medium: Content Writing in Medium.com is the best way to push a website by adding links to the content in Medium. You can easily create a short summary of the content you previously created in your website. After that, just link the Medium Content Summary to your website and see the boost!
Pinterest: Pinning your content thumbnails, summary videos, infographics in Pinterest will give your a medium to share your website visuals to a directory. Try adding your website link to every pin, which will help you create high quality dofollow links.
LinkedIn: Creating summary posts from your website content in LinkedIn can push your website rankings. But, Google ranks many LinkedIn posts to number one if the content is well-organized and better than other sites.
Conclusion
Directory submission in SEO is a strategy that involves submitting your website to online directories to gain backlinks and improve search engine visibility.
While its role has evolved, it can still provide benefits when done correctly.
By choosing the right directories, using unique descriptions, and following best practices, you can enhance your SEO efforts through directory submission.
Remember to evaluate the effectiveness of your submissions and explore alternative strategies to build a strong and diverse backlink profile.
Understanding what directory submission in SEO is and how to leverage it effectively can contribute to your overall SEO success.
