link love
Credit: BigStockPhoto.com

Web Directories: More Than Just Link Juice

link love
Credit: BigStockPhoto.com

Are you wondering whether or not you should submit your own websites and blogs to Web directories? You might just be hoping for some link juice (improving your PageRank with new incoming links). Or you might know that Google hates it when sites go out of their way to get links for this purpose, so you might be skeptical about directory submissions.

While Web directories are often only associated with link juice, there are actually several other benefits that can make them worthwhile marketing tools for your website. So if you’ve passed them by before, it might be time for a second look.

Looking Beyond Link Juice: Other Benefits of Web Directory Submissions

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Web directories help your brand leave its mark on the Web. -- Credit: BigStockPhoto.com

Here are some of the benefits of Web directory submissions other than trying to increase your PageRank:

  • Targeted Traffic — Web directories don’t only offer links. They can drive direct click-through traffic to those links. If you want to get the most targeted traffic, focus on niche directories or respectable larger ones with decent-sized sections relevant to your site.
  • New Site Indexing — Forget about long-term link juice. If your site is new, you need to get indexed first. And one of the best ways to do that is by getting some targeted backlinks. Web directory submissions can give you those with little effort and no waiting around.
  • More Control Over Anchor Text and Descriptions — In a more general SEO sense, Web directory submissions can give you a lot of control. Where you can’t control things like anchor text or site descriptions if someone else links to you organically, you can control those things on many Web directories.
  • Brand BuildingIt isn’t all about search engines. Your overall brand is extremely important, no matter what kind of business you run. You want your business name to be associated with certain things as frequently as possible. Get listed in those areas in major directories and you build brand presence.

As you can see, there’s more to Web directory submissions than link juice. They can be a cost-effective (and sometimes free) marketing tool to promote your websites. And effective Web promotion can lead to everything from increased traffic to increased sales.

Why do you like to use Web directories as a marketing tool? How have they helped your business in the past, or how do you hope they will in the future? Leave a comment below to tell us your thoughts.

Written by
Jennifer Mattern
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6 comments
  • I am sorry, but in my experience, web directories are a waste of time. Most of the submissions do not get approved and even if they get approved, it takes a very long time. There a just a few popular directories than send some traffic to your website.

  • Many seem to have forgotten that there is a very good reason for directories. They are far better than indexes for comparing similar sites and businesses and especially location and niche specific sites. There really isn’t any good way to do that using a search engine/

    Local directories send highly targeted traffic that converts well and they don’t yank you around with your listing coming and going the way search engines have been doing. I strongly recommend businesses get listed in directories – and I keep recommending it until they listen to me!

  • Web directories are very useful especially for online and offline businesses. Submitting directory listing requests is definitely worth the time if you want to increase quality traffic and stay ahead of your competitors.

  • Depends really how the directories are used. But i think they do help a bit and they dont if the blog/website have poor content 🙂

  • Quality web directories with high PR can give you traffic and improve your domain authority. I think web directories charging a small review fee are good since they are usually maintained well. I wouldn’t bother with free web directories though.

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