SEO Recap – Directory Submissions Mistakes

While it is clear that directory submissions can assist you in increasing your back links and especially in developing traffic to your inner pages by using them for deep links. Since this is one of the easiest ways of getting back links, you need to take advantage of it and be aware that there are a number of mistakes associated with directories submissions.

wordpress.com/2009/08/mistake.jpg?w=253&h=168″ alt=”mistake” width=”253″ height=”168″ />One of the most common mistakes webmasters make is to submit their webpages/website to directories that are not relevant to the website or the targeted keywords. Submitting in wrong categories is also a common problem, as this can add to spam links to your website.

Another important mistake to avoid as it could have a  highly negative impact is using the same description to submit to all directories. If you hire a company to do directory submissions for you, you must make sure that they create a number of variations in the descriptions used for submitting your website to various directories. Variations on the title should also be created to keep the text unique.

Some webmasters spammed directories using a number of automated directory submission tools, so a number of directories do not prefer automated submissions. This software is better off left alone. Manual submissions take time, but are regarded more favorably by directories. However, there are certain software products available in the market that mimic manual submissions by using web browser submissions.This kind of software can be utilized to meet the requirements of the web directories and still save some time. Of course, it will not work for all directories.

When you begin to submit your website to the directories make sure that not all the submissions are made on the same day. Space out your submissions to make it look more natural. A sudden increase in the number of links to a website can be harmful as they can trigger the search engine alarms for suspicious behavior, and the result could be that all of your links can be considered spam links. Take a long term view, and do a few a day over a period of weeks or months. Trying to get instant results with search engines will only make your website unpopular with the search engines, as they become suspicious of you.

Getting lots of traffic through directories doesn’t really happen these days. However, this does not mean that no traffic comes at all from these directories. If you eventually have submitted to thousands of directories, your overall traffic can increase slightly.

Huge red flag – any directory that asks you to pay for multiple links back to your website. Only black hatters or advertisers who carefully no-follow pay for links. Paid links are often of temporary nature, and will not be useful in boosting your website’s rank. When these links  cease to exist, any gain your website got will disappear again. Search engines are suspicious of paid links as they run against the concept of back links. The idea of back links is to find the most important sites in every given field, which means organic linking is more trustworthy. Paid for links do not present an honest picture about the website.

Directory submissions are great if carried out properly. Just make sure you or whoever you hire follows the rules.