By Karl Gartner

Introduction

What are web directories?
Web directories are very useful websites that are used to locate websites and web pages listed in predefined organised categories. 
For each of these predefined category areas directories provides a short descriptions and a set of hypertext links to all web pages that fall within that area of interest.

Inclusion in web directories is seldom perceived as more than a one-time entry event where you may be able to edit and maintain your listing details for your website if need be, most advanced directories offer this feature where you can edit and update your website details when required.

The essential point about web directories is that they are compiled and edited by human beings unlike search engines where they heavily rely upon complicated algorithms systems and automated robot spiders to gather the information, although some directories send out robot spiders to check things like, back links, dead links and to see if a web site is still live etc this is to keep the directory updated, optimised and well maintained by the directory owner.

A good example of a directory website that is human edited and also provides an excellent structured listing system is the ODP Open Directory Project DMOZ.

There are of course many other different types of web directories on the internet for example directories like,

A General Directory
General Directories having hundreds of organised categories and subcategories usually accept websites worldwide.

A Directory of Directories
Directory of Directories usually consists of huge complied listings of other directory websites.

A Regional Directory
Regional Directories usually only accept specific country regions only. For example NZ Webz Directory could be called a Regional Directory because they only accept websites from New Zealand and Australian.

A Niche Directory
A Niche Directory can be defined as directories that usually cover one or just several topics, examples like a directory for all banks or such as a directory of all SEO firms and so on. These directories are also commonly known as strategic web directories catering for specific markets and niches that are lacking within some industries.

Free Web Directories Vs Paid Web Directories
Getting listed in major web directories should be your first step to increase your search engine rankings and traffic from Google, Yahoo or MSN.
By submitting to quality directories builds link popularity and this is one of the main factors for major search engines to rank websites.

Being listed in good quality web directories is also good way to market your business online and it will further help your site to get indexed by search engines.
The higher the Page Rank of a web directory, the more weight it will put on the trustworthiness of your business.

The main advantage of free web directories is that, you don’t have to pay any fees to have your website listed it is however important that if you list your website in free web directories that they have a good reputation and a Page Rank no less than PR3, this also especially applies to paid directories. If you’re paying for your listing it is vitally important to make sure that the web directory you’re submitting your website to is of good quality and has a PR ranking no less than PR3.
 

Quality Web Directory
The quality of web directories should be very important to either the users or webmasters. Most good web directories should have a Page Rank between PR3 – PR6; the main thing to look out for is not to submit your website to low quality directories especially if the directory is poorly managed or if it has been banned by Google for breaching there (TOS) terms of service. By submitting your website to banned directories could lead to unwanted effects for your website, such as your web site getting banned or penalised itself in some way producing less or even no traffic at all. Less exposure for your website means fewer visitors to your website.
 

In fact direct traffic from quality web directories is highly relevant because people click your link under the appropriate category or sub-category usually because this is a category of interest and easily found in the directory.

Conclusion
Getting your site listed on web directories is one way to drive highly targeted traffic to your website.

So in conclusion for people just browsing a directory I would say the main purpose for web directories on a user’s perspective is that users can find websites very easily in well organised human edited categories of interests.

However on the other hand website owners would find another extremely good use for web directories such as to help promote and market there website by commonly known as link building; link building is one of the most important and integral part of any effective web marketing and search engine optimisation strategy. So by listing websites with good quality directories will raise the stakes for anyone’s website.

Author: NZWD