To get listed on a directory, you submit your front page URL using the directory's submission (add URL) form. Your submission is then reviewed by an editor and ranked according to the description provided on the form. Reviewers check every submission to decide if it belongs in the directory, and if it was submitted to the most appropriate category.

Only Human

When submitting to any directory, be sure to keep your reviewer in mind and treat your submission with kid gloves. Always read the submission guidelines before submitting, and follow them closely. As with everything in life, being polite and following the rules will get you far. Being rude and arrogant will most likely result in unfavorable alteration of your description -- or a completely ignored submission. Reviewers can change the content of submissions at will, so think about your Web site as objectively as possible and prepare accordingly.

Choosing the best category must be done judiciously. One good method involves doing a search using the most relevant keyword phrases for your site, and noting which categories pop up. Look for the most appropriate category, analyzing your site as an outside observer would. Choose the category your site truly belongs in, not the one where you'd prefer to see it.

Choose subcategories over top-level categories. If you submit to a top-level category even though appropriate subcategories are available, there's a good chance your submission will be denied. Similarly, if your site is local in nature, be sure to submit it to the appropriate geographic region.

Once you've decided upon the most appropriate category, find and click the "add a site" (or submit URL) link. Now you're ready to begin the submission process.

Steps to Success

In choosing a title, most directories do not allow you much leeway. To be safe, a good rule of thumb is to use your company name or the official name of your Web site. Adherence to this rule varies by directory, however. Yahoo! is very strict and allows company or Web site names only. Zeal and dmoz are more lenient, but they are beginning to crack down.

Occasionally, these directories will allow you to slip some keywords into the title, but do so at your own risk. This practice could raise a red flag for your submission and subject it to additional scrutiny.

The Web site description posted with your URL is a big factor in how your site will rank once it's listed in the directory. It is very important to do this right the first time. If you put too much promotional jargon in your description or make it too long, for example, the editors are sure to change it. When they do, you can bet your keywords won't appear in the final listing. Be concise, be sensible, and, most of all, include your most important keywords whenever possible.

If you've created a good meta description tag for your site, start with that. Copy and paste it into the submission form, then start deleting extraneous words. Move words around until you have the shortest yet most descriptive sentence possible. If you do this correctly, chances are the editors won't change it. They'll appreciate the fact that you saved them editing time.

Be sure the words you're using in your description appear on the pages of your Web site. If they don't, and the site appears to be about subjects other than what you described in your form, your description might be edited. If you don't have a good grasp on how to do this, you might want to have a professional do it for you. I say this only because it's very difficult to change a site description once it's listed in most Internet directories.

Once you've taken the steps I've described, your submission should be successful. Each directory has its unique procedure, but the basics of choosing the most appropriate category and creating the best description apply across the board.

Contact Jill Whalen by e-mail at stickysauce@highrankings.com.

Jill Whalen of High Rankings is an internationally recognized search engine optimization consultant and host of the free weekly High Rankings Advisor search engine marketing newsletter.

She specializes in search engine optimization, SEO consultations and seminars. Jill's handbook, "The Nitty-gritty of Writing for the Search Engines" teaches business owners how and where to place relevant keyword phrases on their Web sites so that they make sense to users and gain high rankings in the major search engines.