Submitting your listing to a link directory is a simple yet effective way of generating traffic for your website. The actual listing process will only take mere minutes of your time but will reap a lifetime of rewards.

Step 1

Get a domain name for your website. Link directories prefer, if not exclusively accept, listings from websites with paid domains. When choosing your domain name, consider something that’s distinct but easy to recall or if not that then at least something directly related to what your website’s about.

Step 2

Make sure the content in your website is keyword-rich and optimized for search engine indexing. This will make it easier for link directories, especially those utilizing computer editing, to evaluate your listing.

Step 3

Choose which link directories you wish to submit your listings to. Many offer both free and paid listings. With free listings, you might have to wait a certain amount of time before your website can be posted. You might also be required to link back to the directory and description for your website may contain a "nofollow" tag. This tag generally implies that the link hasn’t been fully evaluated or approved by the link directory and readers may therefore follow on the link of their own will. There may also be a limit as to which categories are available for your listings.Paid listings on the other hand will have none of the disadvantages of free listings, but they may also be displayed in link directories more prominently. They may also be given a greater variety of ad options for displaying their links.

Step 4

If you are submitting your website to more than one link directory, it is better to use a uniform set of information so that they may be properly indexed by search engines. A link directory will usually ask for the title of your website, its URL, description, and category.

Step 5

Choose the category and subcategories for your listings carefully. The wrong choices will prevent your listings from being exposed to your target market.

Step 6

Be familiar with the terms and conditions of the link directories you’re submitting to. Most, if not all, link directories will automatically ban your websites from their lists if you submit mirror sites: websites that have different URLs but duplicate content. Some will not permit you to submit more than one listing for the same website. Others will not accept websites that are "under construction", URLs that are not the home or front page of the website, possess certain undesirable content, and do not adhere to the required submission format.

Step 7

Consider the pros and cons of submitting to link directories that do and do not use human editing. Computer-edited link directories might have a hard time indexing highly specialized websites but human editing isn’t flawless either. Your choice will mainly depend on the kind of website you have and which of the two is more likely able to categorize it accurately.

Step 8

Review your website description several times. Pay your fees on time and be patient while waiting for your listing to be evaluated and approved. Monitor its results.