JoeAnt http://www.joeant.com JoeAnt is a directory that is growing in popularity.

Gimpsy http://www.gimpsy.com Operates differently to other directories. Web sites are organized according to question asked.

Information needed to submit to directories:

When submitting a link to a directory you will more than likely be asked to provide following information about your web site:

* URL * Title * Description * Keywords that describe it

One thing I recommend that you do before submitting is to prepare this information in advance and to use same information when submitting to all directories. As much as possible place keyphrases that describe your web site into Title text and Description text you submit, especially into Title text (this is known as anchor text optimization).

When a directory asks you to provide keywords that describe your web site it uses these keywords to locate your site when someone performs a search within directory. So for example if I submit keyword 'lawn' I have a better of chance of being listed in directory's search results when someone searches within it using keyword 'lawn'. However focus more on writing keyphrase-rich Title and Description entries than Keywords when submitting.

Tips when submitting to directories:

* Submit your link to most appropriate category Every directory will tell you this as it makes their job easier when it comes around to listing your link. This point should be stressed though as it not only makes directory editor's job a little easier therefore speeding up your listing, but also search engines will look at other links that surround you on page you are listed on and if they are of a similar theme to your own this can boost your rankings.

* Be patient One point to remember about directories that provide a free listing, be patient. If you are not paying to be in directory then your link listing has a lower priority than paid listings. It can take several months to get into some directories so it can be frustrating. The best thing to do when you submit is to put it out of your mind.

* Keep a log One of most useful things to do upon submitting to a directory is to write name of directory and date of submission into a log of some sort (try an Excel sheet). This prevents you from submitting to a directory more than once (keeping editors happy) and gives you satisfaction that you are getting something done. When your link gets listed in directory mark it off in your log. Job well done!

Summary:

Submitting your link to directories is an excellent way to build your web site's link popularity and improve search engine rankings. There are many directories out there, ranging from general to specific, each with their own link submission processes. Prepare keyphrase-rich text that accurately describes your web site to submit to directories. Choose most appropriate category for your web site before submitting.

Submitting to directories requires a little effort and a lot of patience. Your search engine rankings will thank you for extra effort.

Reciprocal links can add to your link popularity if web site that you exchange links with has a higher link popularity than your site. However they are not as powerful as inbound, one-way links as they are quite artificial in nature i.e. most probably created by communication between owners of both sites.

How to build link popularity

So it is quite obvious that to help build up a nice link popularity many inbound, one-way links need to be created. This can be achieved in a number of different (and most importantly, legal) ways:

Directories:

Directories are categorized listings of links from around web. Many, many directories exist and vary in their methods of getting your link posted on them. They provide a great source of quality inbound, one-way links. Getting listed in quality directories such as DMOZ or Yahoo can be more beneficial for your link popularity than a lot of links from smaller, newer directories.

Great site content:

The most powerful way to get inbound, one-way links is to have great site content that other web sites will want to link to. This allows you to get links from sites other than directories, which can definitely be better. The best thing about this is that it requires no communication on your part, it just happens naturally. If your site has poor content then others sites may not link, including directories. Most of top ranking web sites today got to top because of great content. Writing interesting and informative articles for your web site is a good way of getting these kind of links.

Emailing web site owners:

If you come across a listing of links on a web site other than a directory e.g. a links page on a somebody's personal web site, it can do no harm to write web site owner a polite email requesting a link to your site from their page. They may request a reciprocal link in return but sometimes they do not and you can get a quality inbound, one-way link for your efforts. I have got many links in past using this method. In my email I always ask them to visit my site first before making a decision to link and I personalise each email with a comment or two about their site.

Summary

The best and most effective way of increasing your search engine rankings is working to improve your web site's link popularity. This can be achieved by getting as many inbound, one-way links as you can from quality sites such as directories. Other ways to get these links are having great content on your site and requesting a link to your site from other web sites.

Increasing link popularity is a time-consuming and sometimes frustrating process but is definitely worth time and effort when you see a dramatic increase in traffic.