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Directory Issues Directories are quickly becoming a critical factor in promoting your website. This wasn't always the case. Back only a few short years ago, most search engines were just search engines and nothing more. Now days we have hybrid systems, search engines that combine their search engine output with a directory. Yahoo was one of the first systems to implement this idea, although they approached from the reverse direction, creating a hybrid of their directory with a search engine. Now some of the major search engines have followed suit. Alta Vista has coupled themselves with Look Smart, Infoseek with Go. Depending on how you search, and the system you are using, the validity of the data your presented can be misleading. In some cases you are presented with matches from the directory before you're presented with the actual search engine results. Meaning that the results you see might not be what you are searching for, but rather, match a category within a directory. Some of these directories charge for submission. For example, both Yahoo and LookSmart charge roughly $200.00 for a submission to their directory. In the case of LookSmart, we highly recommend paying the submission fee. They guarantee placement for the cost of your submission. Yahoo charges the same amount, but does not guarantee placement. In our opinion, this makes Yahoo, extremely unattractive as a submission site. It also leaves one wondering if Yahoo has even bothered to realize that what they are doing is akin to gambling. If you have a limited promotional budget and can afford to submit to either LookSmart or submit to Yahoo, bet on the sure thing and submit to LookSmart. Main
Entry: 1gam·ble According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, Online Version. Submission without guaranteed placement. Gambling? You decide. Directories like Yahoo and LookSmart are playing an ever increasing role in the promotional process. However, unlike the search engines, directories have an entirely different set of requirements for placement. One directory which should not be overlooked is dmoz.org. Originally started by Netscape, dmoz, otherwise known as the Open Directory Project (ODP) is currently providing the backend directory for many major websites, including Netscape, Lycos, and Hotbot. Currently the Open Directory Project and Yahoo are very close in size, and considering Yahoo's performance in weeding out dead links, the two systems may be even closer than anyone suspects. We believe the Open Directory Project is important. So important in fact, that we've supplied our own front end to the Open Directory Project database. If you decided you want to submit your site to the ODP (and we strongly suggest you do) , you can from within our OPD Portal. Your submission will go directly to the editors of ODP for review. THE NORTHERN WEBS ODP PORTAL (http://www.northernwebs.com/cgi-bin/odp/index.cgi) Getting Listed This is a common question we are often asked. "How do I get listed in directory xyz"? The answer to this isn't as cut and dried as it is with the search engines. Its important to understand that submitting your site to a directory means that SOMEONE will visit your site from that directory. Acceptance into the directory means you've managed to meet all of the criteria of the directory, and perhaps, impressed the reviewer with your effort. However, here is a general set of guidelines for getting your site listed.
It's key to understand that your effort is rewarded by inclusion into the directory. If you fail to be accepted, go back and review your site. Ask yourself "How can I improve the site?". Ask some friends or customers, and use the feedback to rework the site. If you've been rejected from a directory, take a week or two to rework the site, add additional information, more pages, or streamline the navigation if necessary. Content is king with the Search Engines and with the Directories. - Bob Minnick, President, Northern Webs Copyright © 2000, Northern Webs. Used with permission. |
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