Generating Traffic Via Web Directories
If you run a website, whether just for fun or for business reasons, you will probably want to get as many people as you can to take a look. For business sites in particular, traffic makes the difference between success and failure. One thing worth exploring is submitting to some of the many web directories operating online. Web directories, or link directories, provide large, categorized lists of websites. Web users arrive at these sites in the search for information in a particular category. In many cases these categories can get pretty specific; for example, someone visiting the Yahoo! Directory may select “Recreation,” and then click through the subcategories “Outdoors,” “Fishing,” and finally “Walleye Fishing” before they get to the list of sites they’d really like to see.
Webmasters have the choice to submit their sites to different web directories based on the type of site they’re running, and what sort of directory they’re hoping to get traffic from. Each directory has its own criteria for submissions. You can save money by getting a best of the web coupon code. There are some that offer free, open submission, meaning that there’s no fee for review or listing. Free directories like these, which include the Open Directory Project, can be reviewed and maintained by human users, meaning that the quality of the site has an impact on its visual position in the directory. Webmasters should therefore know what it takes to make their sites suitable for submitting to web directories in order to make the most of this process.
Conversely, other directories may offer paid submissions on a one-off or subscription basis; reciprocal link policies whereby the website owner must place a link to the directory on his or her site in order to be listed; or a bid-for-position system, wherein the optimal rankings are awarded in accordance with bid amounts. Some directories, including Yahoo! Directory, which is thought to be the largest general web directory, offer a mix of free and for-pay “premium” listings. Some web directories involve a specific market, such as those that only deal with e-commerce or shopping sites, or by location, so even local, small businesses have an incentive to consider web directory submissions.
Web directory submissions, especially well-known ones, is considered a can’t-miss strategy for webmasters. Even though it can be time consuming, it’s commonly thought to be a worthwhile activity, as the gains in traffic can be considerable. Be sure to get a best of the web promotional code before paying for a listing!
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