Search Engine Optimization and Web Based Business Directories.

In the recent past I read a several SEO related Articles in magazines and online. The majority of them say that say you should join online directories to increase links for business. This is more of an SEO thing than a conversion thing. They then go on to state that you need to join specific niche directories that directly pertain to your business’ market niche. Directories that are relevant to your business can be difficult to locate, and many of those cost money to join. So SEO friendly web directories can be hard to find and to possibly afford. So how do you know what should you and your small should business do?


I have been reading a lot of very good articles on search engine optimization, with most being on the internet, these past few weeks. Many say that you need to find web business directories, and it goes on to tell you why should a small business such as yours should join them. Most of the articles I have been reading list many of the best known directories that you should join.


The purpose behind the writing of the articles to tell you that having your business listed on these web based directories is an brainer; you must be listed to improve your Google SEO results, if only by a little. The articles say that Google will assign your business website more importance to your site if you are listed on these directories, and the more relevant sites the better.


But when you are faced with deciding on what directories your company should be listed on, and the rising costs of joining these directories, needs to be taken into account, as a growing number of directories charge for the listing. It is very important to note that not all but many of these directories charge a fee to join them, and the amount of the fee can be several hundred dollars. The cost of joining the directories is often times the price of a person manually adding your site to these web based directories. Because so many of these websites are not fully automated, and that they therefore are approved on an individual basis, actually being done manually, by a human. But there is another reason prominent reason for the charge, other than that of making money of course, and but rather it is a way to prevent spammers from joining the sites. The barrier to entry is cost.


One very important aspect to consider when joining these web sites is that once you have joined there is no further use of the directory for you. What is meant by that is that once your company has joined the web directory there is absolutely no reason for you to ever return to the web directory. None.


But once you are listed on the site there really is not a way for your listing to be easily ‘found’ on these web based directories. They have not created a way for you to do so. I personally tried to search a few of the directories but it was too frustrating, just as the articles said they will be. There are hundreds of thousands if not millions of listings on each directory site. Why are they not searchable? There is this no reason to have these sites. Because there is no clear and easy way to search the directories for firms of interest to you, why have the site in the first place.


The articles state that the purpose of these directories is simply to earn the money they charge you to join them; in addition to the money they receive from the Google ads. Most large directories are there to make money solely from Google AdWords. They do not help the companies listed on their websites. The SEO articles go on to say that you will get a link due to your listing. That is the sole reason you joined the site. But that the directory makes the money while you get a diluted link. Said a different way, the web directories are not there to help you. This is why there are so many free directory listing sites. They will make their money based off of the Google AdWords which thrives on the heavy volumes of traffic generated.


One very point in the articles is that a major point being made by these SEO articles is that you should list your company site on those web directories that are related to your business. Take for example, The Directory of Excel Experts , which is there to provide services to the business members listed on the directory site. There are no ads on this site; it is not there for ad revenue as are 99.9% of all the other online web directories. The directory of excel experts directory system is actually searchable, meaning that a firm looking for a Microsoft Excel expert can go to this web directory and find one. If you are a pet store you should be listed on directories for pet related sites, not automobile repair shops.


The articles said that most of the online web directories have businesses joined with nonrelated directory links. Most are incredibly massive web directories with often millions of listings that are there for anyone to join. So when you join directories, think how will increase your ROI you receive for the fees associated with joining.
Joining web based business directories should add valuable Google links to your firm’s SEO campaign, related to your market niche. Joining them is no longer an option but rather a requirement these days, as much as it is another way to add link juice to your business’ SEO campaign. But joining the right ones can be a tricky challenge.