Directory Submissions:

An online directory is a catalog of Web pages and information grouped by categories. This is a legitimate way of letting the World Wide Web know that your site and individual pages exist.

The most popular directories are DMOZ.org, Business.com, and Yahoo (which owns a search engine and a directory). These directories include many categories you can select from to improve the chances of your site being found by your target audience.

DMOZ sponsors ODP, the Open Directory Project, with the mission of creating the largest, most comprehensive human-edited directory of the Web. What's different about this directory is that it isn't automated like the others. Instead, it's maintained by a global community of volunteer editors who manually create the best results for a search. The ODP powers core directory services for some the most popular portals and search engines on the Web, including Google, AOL, Lycos, DirectHit, HotBot and hundreds of others.

It's not difficult to submit your site to a directory. Just be aware that each one has its unique guidelines about where you can be listed and the kinds of links you can include. Once you take a look at some directories, you'll also see that they each have their own style. Your submissions can be tweaked for each directory.

Again, we aren't advocating that you manage directory submissions yourself. It can be time-consuming to become and remain directory literate, as this industry is constantly changing-just like everything else on the Web!

Instead, the point of us telling you about directories is so you'll have a clue about what your Web team recommends regarding directory marketing. You'll actually have fun seeing what they come up with for suggestions and evaluating the results!

Next week I'm on vacation biking Nantucket, MA, but will the Blog will return on Monday, August 25 and we will talk about the benefits of Directory Banner Ads. Until then have a great week, C S Wurzberger