Directories Versus Search Engines
Before we look at search engines we need to remember that they are not the only way that people can find your site. In fact up until 2004 Yahoo was the tool used to find information on the Internet and that was then a directory.
Directories are lists of websites organised into categories containing just a basic site description (max usually 250 characters), which you normally supply. In some cases someone will visit your site to check its content, and then either allow or disallow your site for inclusion in the directory.
Because directories usually require some form of human editing to be useful they are very manual intensive and may require a fee for inclusion.
Directories Are Still Important
The most popular directory until 2004 was Yahoo, until Yahoo moved from a directory driven engine to a spider driven search engine model. The Yahoo directory still exists and is still regarded as important, but whether it is worth paying for inclusion depends on your circumstances.
Because the popular directories like Yahoo and DMOZ are hand edited they tend to be of high quality. Most search engines will give more weight to a website if it is listed in a quality directory.
So if a search engine thinks two sites are equally valid but one is in a major directory and the other isn’t, then the directory site would normally be listed first. So in highly competitive fields a directory listing can be crucial. Besides their use as a quality control, they are incredibly important as a non-reciprocal link source.
Free and Paid Inclusion Directories and Reciprocal Links
There are currently three directory models being operated.
Free Inclusion- Here you submit your site and it is added to the directory, either automatically or manually.
Paid Inclusion-Here you need to pay and then submit your site and it is added to the directory, either automatically or manually. Some directories (Yahoo in particular) don’t guarantee inclusion even though you have paid. Therefore always check the terms and conditions. Paid directory listings have recently(dec 2007)come under scrutiny by Google and sites penalized.
Reciprocal Links- These directories will let you have a free listing but you must also link back to them.
Local Directories
These will probably, in time, replace the yellow pages that ruled the telephone world. There will however be many more of them, some stand alone and others provided as part of local Portal sites.
These will become very important for local businesses as more and more people use the Internet for locating local businesses and services.
Niche Directories
These don’t exist in the off-line world (at least not for the general public). They are organised around a theme (e.g. Windsurfing,painting) rather than a place. They are particularly important for websites/businesses that have a wide geographical appeal.
About the Author
Stephen Cope is a freelance trainer,webmaster and seo consultant. This article is taken fom the free understanding search engine e course which you can receive when you sign up to the
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