Are Website Directory Submissions Obsolete.

An Internet directory is a site that maintains links to other websites, simply structured so visitors and search engines can search for sites thru a categorized listing system. This can later reflect on how you are listed in Google, Yahoo, etc. depending on the value of the site, the link and the actual interaction. In the world of Black-Hat SEO you can see thousands of submissions to dead links, porn sites or comment posts. This may temporarily boost your site’s position but will ultimately hurt your standings with search engines. When choosing a directory make sure to research the site, when it was last updated and what listings it accepts.

Yes and No. Plain and Simple; Google no longer cares and Yahoo is catching on. There are plenty of directories, each focused on its own niche or providing general directory info on sports, business and personal blogs. Search Engines use directories less and less in targeting products and services offered but directories aren’t obsolete quite yet. When you start submitting a URL, it's a good idea to only use relevant directories.

Although it is apt to change, social interaction and blogging are the best ways to transmit information about your website. Social connections through Twitter and Facebook or other social network enhance your search results by showing product feedback.

Directories provide direct links to your website for search engines to find it correctly listed and categorized but does not weigh in as heavily today as it once did; all thanks to the bad directory links gaming the system. You can register directly with search engines and assure your site is properly categorized.

Website design and functionality is a crucial part of promoting your site, but never forget “content is the king", the quality of your text can persuade the reader that you are the authority of your field. Users generally browse through websites, so if the content isn’t clear customers won’t read it. When writing content you must be clear about what´s on sale and provide facts about products to entice an audience into becoming customers.

Always provide relevant information and quality writing.

• The pages of your website should contain keywords and phrases often used by customers in search engines as relevant terms.
• Link to other useful and well-known websites, blogs and information sources. Always consider the quality and PR of the link.
• Track analytics to determine the terms your visitors use to find you, did they find you thru organic SEO or paid ad?
• Create individual web pages for all your different goods and services.
• List products and services online and create rich snippets where available.
• Cooperate with other companies and websites to link with each other, NEVER buy links, search engines could penalize you!
• Never use a Black-Hat SEO or Black-Hat techniques, auto-submitters, article spinning or scraping. These are forbidden practices and will cause search engines to completely ignore and penalize your site.
• Update your website blog and Facebook business page and tweet regularly with fresh content.

Remember you can't buy your way to the top Google, Yahoo or Bing search results with a magic formula; hard work, SEO skills and marketing knowledge is a requirement.