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How To Submit Your Website To Yahoo, The Open Directory Project And Other Internet Directories

What is an Internet directory and why should you care?

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between search engines and directories? If you don't know the difference, then your site may be excluded from major sources of web traffic.

If your site is listed in Internet directories, then it can also have a higher ranking on search engines, for example Google prefers websites that are listed in the Open Directory Project (dmoz.org).

If your website is listed in industry specific and regional directories, then it can gain a higher link popularity score which can improve your rankings on other search engines. In addition, directories bring targeted traffic to your website.

So what is the difference between search engines and directories?

Search engines use software programs to index your web pages, often called robots or spiders. They are programmed to constantly crawl the web in search of new or updated pages. They will go from one page to another until they have visited every website on the Internet.

Every search engine employs different criteria to determine if your website should be indexed and how well your site should be ranked. The most popular search engines today are Google, AltaVista and AllTheWeb.

Internet directories don't use software programs. They are compiled by humans who organize websites by subject into categories. If you submit your website to an Internet directory, your website will be visited by real people who can decide whether they include your website or not. The most popular directories are Yahoo and Open Directory Project.

If someone searches on a search engine site, the query must match the words on your web page. If someone searches on a directory site, the query must match the words in the description of your website in the directory.

A listing in all important Internet directories will have a very positive effect on your website. If you want best results for your site, you should make sure that your site is listed in all relevant Internet directories.

We recommend using IBP to submit your website to search engines and directories.

How to get listed in Yahoo, DMOZ and other Internet directories

As mentioned, good listing in Internet directories can bring your website a lot of traffic and it will increase the link popularity of your website.

In general, to get your website indexed in a directory, you have to submit your site to a particular category. In addition, you have to submit a description of your site. An editor will review your site and then accept or reject your site according to its quality.

Sometimes it's harder to get indexed in Internet directories than to get listed in search engines. There can be a variety of reasons why Internet directories won't list your website.

If you follow our tips below, it's more likely that your website will be listed in Internet directories. This will improve your search engine rankings and it will bring more visitors to your site.

The most important tip is: submit your website to the right category and follow the directory's guidelines carefully.

Most directories are very specific. They list only websites that fit their topic or world region. Even the major general directories are very picky, for example if you have a UK-based site, make sure it's in the appropriate regional category of the directory.

If you submit to Yahoo and your site is commercial, you must submit to the "Business and Economy" category. If you submit to the Open Directory Project (dmoz.org), you must follow these rules: If your site isn't written in English, you must choose the World category, if you have an adult site, you must choose the Adult category, if your site has regional information, take the Regional section.

So before submitting your website to a directory, read the directory's submit guidelines carefully. Here are the addresses of the major directories and where you can find their guideline pages:

Open Directory Project: http://www.dmoz.org/add.html
Gimpsy: http://www.gimpsy.com/gimpsy/doc/faq/faq_suggest_site.php
JoeAnt: http://www.joeant.com/guidelines.html

Further directories for the specific topic of your website can be found at "directory of directory" sites, for example searchenginecolossus.com and beaucoup.com.

Submitting to general directories and industry-specific directories can improve the link popularity score of your website and so it can improve your search engine rankings.

If you use IBP to submit your website to search engines and Internet directories, then you already have all important general directories and industry-specific directories at your fingertips.

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