How to Find Good Link Directories for SEO
There is a directory (a catalog of links) for just about every topic. There are also a few mega-directories that try to list all the websites on the internet. These directories will often link to your site for free, although sometimes they require a reciprocal link.
Make sure your site is finished before submitting it—nobody wants to list your under construction page.
Global Directories
Yahoo Directory used to be free, but now it’s a $299 yearly charge to be listed. Could be worth it…depending on how crowded the page you would be listed on is, and what PageRank it has.
The Open Directory Project (DMOZ) is still free. Getting in can be a bit of a pain, since all the categories are run by different volunteer editors, and sometimes they won’t get back to you right away. Make sure you find the exact most appropriate category for your site, and prepare to wait quite some time for it to be approved.
Niche Directories
Although niche directories often do not have the PageRank that Yahoo and DMOZ have, they have the advantage of being very relevant to your site, and being easier to get listed in.
To find niche directories, you will need to search for them using your keywords. For instance, if you sell organic handmade soap, you could search for:
bath products directory
natural products directory
You can also try searching for words that are typically on a directory site:
handcrafted goods “add site”
handcrafted goods “submit site”
You get the idea.
Avoid submitting your site to directories that don’t relate to your business at all, such as free-for-all links pages. Search engines like links that are relevant to your site content.
Paying for links
I think that paying for listings in small niche directories can be very worth it. The fee is generally small, and some of these directories have been around a long time and have built up good PageRank. You’d also be surprised at how much traffic you can get from them, independent of the PageRank boost they might give you.
If you are buying a link primarily for the PageRank benefit, be sure to check that they are not using rel=nofollow in their links – this tells Google to not pass PageRank through the link from their site to yours.
Reciprocal links
People debate this one. It is true that Google devalues reciprocal links compared to one-way links, but it still counts them. I think they can be valuable. It all depends on if they are relevant to your topic and are otherwise a good link.
