seomul Evans offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print. Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum. ----------- PUBLICATION GUIDELINES - You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety. - Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity. - Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only. - If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links. - Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article. ----------- Article Title: 6 Questions to Ask Before You Submit Your Site to a Directory Author: seomul Evans Category: Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing, Internet Marketing Word Count: 645 Keywords: SEO,Google,Internet,marketing,online marketing,blogs,Business,promotion,link building,submit url Author's Email Address: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com ------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------
Anyone who's researched SEO or internet marketing knows that the quickest and best way to increase your search engine ranking is to build up your inbound links. And smart business owners know that directory submissions are one of the best ways to get inbound links. Inbound links are valuable because search engines essentially consider each link a "vote" for your site. The more votes you have, the higher your search engine ranking will be. Search engines also place a premium on one-way links. That's not to say that reciprocal links are worthless, but they are much less valuable than one-way links, and directories are a great way to get one-way links. You may be wondering whether it's more beneficial to submit your site to general directories or to niche directories. The answer is that both are beneficial. General directories work to your advantage because they tend to be older and more well-established than niche directories, and search engines give more weight to links from older, more reputable sites. Niche directories are also great because they drive targeted traffic to your site even more than do general directories. So submit to both because both will pay off for you in the end. As you continue considering how to select directories to which you can add your URL, ask the following 6 questions: 1. What is the directory's PageRank? The higher the directory's PageRank, the more value it is given by the search engines. General directories that have been around for awhile will usually have a higher PageRank than niche directories, but don't let that stop you from using niche directories since they drive targeted traffic to your site. If you're considering using paid directories, don't pay for a listing in a directory with a PageRank less than 5. 2. What kinds of backlinks are in the directory? Are the backlinks located within the directory from real sites or are they for sites from which the directory has purchased ads? 3. How old is the directory? As mentioned earlier, search engines give greater weight to links from websites that are considered authoritative within the online community. Even if you're going to submit yours site to some niche directories, be sure to also submit your site to directories that have been around awhile. 4. What's the quality of the other submissions? If the other sites listed in the directory look like spam, or if they look like they are miscategorized, avoid the directory altogether. It probably doesn't have a high-quality directory manager and it probably isn't very selective about listings. As a result, it probably doesn't have a great reputation in the online community. Don't associate with it. 5. How much does it cost? Is the PageRank high enough for your investment? Does the quality match the price? 6. Is the company that runs the site reputable? Find out the name of the company that runs the site using whois.com. Research the company as much as possible. If it has dozens of cookie-cutter directories, stay away from it. It's probably more interested in making money than in providing a high-quality service. If you're still not sure how to go about choosing a directory in which to list your website, consider consulting an SEO expert or an internet marketing professional. He or she will be able to tell you which directories are reputable and which directories are best avoided, as well as which niche directories are worth your investment. He or she may even submit your site on your behalf! Do your research, pick some great sites, and enjoy the benefits of using directory submissions to jump-start your internet marketing strategy. You'll see increased traffic to your site and increased search engine ranking, both of which are keys to a successful business. Seomul Evans is an Internet marketing and SEO services expert: http://www.seo-1-marketing-services.com http://www.seo-marketing-guide.org http://www.add-url-cafe.com ------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
