Search engines love links. In 1998, when Larry and Sergey founded Google, they not only wanted to create a new-new search engine, but a highly relevant, reliable and trusted one. But how?
Altavista Search was all the rage at the time, but the young founders decided that a key metric for their search engine would be based on something new: a core algorithm using links as a measurement of relevancy and ranking among the key formulas. The basis for their emergent PageRank system was that a link to a certain page would yield a particular vote or value from a web page to that linked-to page.
There were, and still are several additional factors that include this value-type system, including anchor text, matching of theme/topic from that incoming link, and semantic attributes of the on-page text surrounding the link, and checks for spammy-looking links, or paid links (a heated topic).
Having said that, you can easily rank for the long tail keywords by making sure that you have TITLE, DESCRIPTION and body text that matches your keywords (1-2) to that page. I ranked my own site, SEO Videos Secrets to the top of Google in 2 days using “seo video secrets” in a link from an external site, no search engine submission (a big no-no!). Long tail keywords are typically not highly searched terms (my example has none), but as an aggregate, can bring relevant (converting) traffic to your site. Try a free tool like http://tools.seobook.com/general/keyword/ to make sure they have search counts, and to find these obscure, but strategic search terms across multiple engines. Then, watch your analytics and make sure they convert.
If you are trying to elevate your listings, build traffic and create a trust network for yourself (you should be!), you can do a lot with your SEO by using linking strategies in combination with the above, creating a better competitive edge for yourself, and a sustaining search engine presence.
Some past examples of highly first page ranked pages *without* content that matches link text are “click here” (adobe acrobat: to download ‘click here’), “miserable failure” (the whitehouse google bomb) and “robot” (the irobot movie with Will Smith, which only had Flash as content).
Your link strategy for relevancy, ranking and traffic should include adding links from the Top Directories, not just partner sites or social networks. You must apply the link from within related categories, as well as ensuring a “clean link”, something like this: ‘<a href=”http://www.your-website.com/” mce_href=”http://www.your-website.com/”>Your Preferred Keyword Here</a>’.
You should also verify that the directory is being indexed by Google. You can do this by the site: command – example - site: http://www.botw.org. (Check the cached data for the latest update, should be very current!)
Additional tips to begin or enhance your link building is found at the Top 101 link building tips website.
Top 10 Directories For Link Love:
Dmoz.org – free – can take weeks, months and years
Dir.Yahoo.com – $299/year – listed quickly and internationally also
GoGuides.org – $39.99 per URL – included right away
JoeAnt.com – $39.00 onetime – about a week to be listed
Gimpsy.com – $40.00 reviewed – if turned down, has a $20.00 fee, commercial
Botw.org – $69.95 per year or $199.95 one time fee – should include
Uncoverthenet.com - $49 or $199 – depending on feature
site-sift.com – $29.95 annual recurring, other program – high pagerank inner values
lii.org - free – high valued, but hard to get, should have lots of hight quality content
wowdirectory.com – typically free, $59 top placement – large directory
There are several others, including article directories (ezinearticles.com, isnare.com) and specific B2B directories like Business.com you may want to check out as well.
You heard it here: “Linking can be fun”. Happy Friday!
6 Responses to “Linking Strategies: The Top 10 Link Love Directories”
Leave a Reply
ULTIMATE Guide to Search Engine Optimization
August 6th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
[...] Tips by search marketing consultant Jon Rognerud on maximizing links to drive traffic to your Web site. A good link strategy to score high in relevancy, rank and traffic should include links not just to partner sites or social networks but also to 10 top directories he names “link love.” Apply the link to these Top 10 within related categories, he advises, and make sure the directory is indexed by Google. Rognerud goes on to list the 10, which includes free directories such as dmoz.org as well as paid directories such as dir.yahoo.com Ways to get a clean link are also included. Read on … [...]
August 14th, 2007 at 10:30 am
I recently read on Google’s Webmaster Guidelines that reciprical linking is considered a “link scheme” and frowned upon. What are your comments on this?
August 17th, 2007 at 10:30 am
another directory that should not be over looked is mastermoz.com free to list, instantly online, and many social networking features. http://mastermoz.com
August 19th, 2007 at 5:09 am
[...] Submissions – see a previous blog entry about [...]
August 20th, 2007 at 4:55 am
[...] Submissions – see a previous blog entry about [...]
August 22nd, 2007 at 1:27 am
Thanks Jon,
I’ll take up your advice on submitting to some of these directories.
Lewis, Google frowns upon sites that focuses on reciprocal linking for the sake of inflating PR. But if I link to you and you back to me, it’s ok.
That’s why Google is against paid text ads that do not use the nofollow attribute. As the developer of WP Text Ads, I’m careful not to step into this gray area.