3) Give them information

If they are not yet sold on your product or service, then they are going to be looking for more detailed information when they arrive at your landing page. Give it to them. You have to convince them that you have perfect product or service to solve their problem. If they run out of information before they make a commitment to buy, then you have lost them. Nobody will spend money until they are convinced that your product or service is right choice for them. So prove it.

4) Tell reader what you want them to do

Use calls-to-action. If you want them to buy your product, than tell them often how to do it ("Click here to buy"). If you want them to call you, post number up with instructions ("Call us now at 1-877-717-3667"). Repeat it throughout text, then again in big and bold at end.

5) Use graphics

Use pictures to sell your product or service. Pictures of product or pictures of satisfied customers sell. Use them - and use them often.

6) Run tests

Set up two landing pages to see which one converts better. Set up two identical ads and send one to each landing page, then compare conversion rates for each page. Figure out why one converts better and try to improve other one. Then, run more tests until you are completely satisfied with results.

Set up your landing pages so that your potential customers arrive for a safe landing. If all goes well, they will step out of plane with their credit cards already in hand - and their money almost in your pocket.

A good tool for checking inbound and outbound links is Xenu Link Sleuth, it does a great job and of course it’s free. The reason I have focused on site link checking is DMOZ editor will most likely run a similar program on your site when reviewing it.

Submission Time

Ok your site is set, you conform to DMOZ submission guidelines, Let’s do this thing! Surf to DMOZ and perform a search using a broad search term that relates to your site. You will be presented with a category full of sites that should relate to your site theme. At top of page should be sub-category links.

At this point ask yourself two questions; 1. Does my site fit this category? 2. Is there a Suggest URL link on page for this category?

The idea behind this is to find closest category match to your website. If you answer no to any of previous two questions drill down further using sub-category links at top of page until a suitable category match is found.

NOTE* Something to note when finding a category is region. If your website is regional submit using regional categories first before drilling down.

If you think you have found right category visit some of sites that are listed to be sure they are similar to yours.

Suggest URL

Congratulations! You have found your niche category that best fits your site. Click Suggest URL link and let fun begin.

Titling Your Site

This is an area where most webmasters come unstuck by using promotional words in their titles. DMOZ editors don’t take kindly to it. Use your real site title. If your official website title is Tech Law, then that is title to submit.

As stated in DMOZ submission guidelines, don’t use all capitals in your title.

Site Description

When describing your site common sense should prevail. As with writing page descriptions for meta description tags, write a compelling, brief, and descriptive overview of your site. Don’t be overly promotional and keep site description free flowing.

Always describe your site from a third person view. If DMOZ editors write a description for your site they will use third person view.The idea is for your site to be listed with your description. So make DMOZ editors task as simple as possible. If you write from a third person view and give an accurate description editor may not make any changes to it. Using correct grammar and spelling is a must.

One way to get help for an accurate description is to ask friends to view your website or ask people from forums to view your site. Use their feedback to write a compelling, accurate and non-promotional description.

The long wait

DMOZ is free submission and edited by volunteers. There is no paid express directory inclusion and from what is stated at DMOZ directory website, nor shall there ever be.

Processing of site submissions will take a while, even up to six months, sometimes longer. Don’t focus on this but instead continue to build quality content for your site. As one of my mentors recently stated in his ebook.

“I usually submit and forget about it.”

c)2005 Paul Cody