A web directory or a link directory is a directory on the World Wide Web. It specializes in linking to other web sites and categorized into links. A web directory is not a search engine and does not display list of web pages based on keywords, instead it lists web sites by category and subcategory. The categorization is usually based on the whole web site, rather than one page or a set of keywords, and sites are often limited to inclusion in only one or two categories. Web directories often allow site owners to directly submit their site for inclusion and have editors review submissions for fitness.
Directory submission is a good way of generating back links and they also help you generating traffic to your website. Before you start submitting to directories, you must have clear picture about the process.
Directories have various types of listings, often dependent upon the price paid for inclusion:
Free Submission - there is no charge for the review and listing of the site.
Reciprocal Link - a link back to the directory must be added somewhere on the submitted site in order to get listed in the directory.
No Follow - there is a rel"nofollow" attribute associated with the link, meaning search engines will not follow the link.
Featured Listing - the link is given a premium position in a category (or multiple categories) or other sections of the directory.
Bid for Position - where sites are ordered based on bids
Important things to be kept in mind while submitting your website in major web directories :
1. The directory must be SEO friendly where you are submitting your website. It helps your website in search engines rankings and promotion
2. Web directory must be in google cache. If it is not there are chances of it being banned by google. Do not submit to banned web directories as it will impact your ranking badly.
3. The directory should have preferably some Page Rank but not necessarily. The high PR directories generally paid or take more time to approve your link and a low PR directory will also gain higher PR in the near future as their directory owners also keep working to increase its web popularity.
4. Well optimize your web pages before submission. Define meta tags with relevancy to page content. Websites with poor on page optimization do not rank even after submitting to lot of directories.
5. The submission process should be slow as your links must grow in a natural way.
6. Do not spam. Do not use automated software/scripts for submission of your website to directories.
7. Strictly follow the submission guidlines of directories as it will result in fast approval of your link.
8. Your website should not be under construction, forwarded to another url or doorway pages.