Question on submitting to directories

[PhilT]

Hi all,

I'm new here. This looks like a great forum for SEO, I hope to learn lots.

I already have a question (sorry!)


All directories (that I've come across) only accept the main URL page ie the .com page.

If say for example your main page was targeting the keyword 'potato peeler'- you would obviously try and use that keyword phrase in the link title.

But what if you had a sub page which you were trying to optimize for the keyword 'mash' - you obviously can't submit sub pages, but if you were to use the keyword 'mash' in your link title would the sub page benefit? Would it actually improve in rankings? Or not?

I'm guessing not because the link will be pointing to the main page, so over time if you were to submit the keyword 'mash' using the main URL, that URL would improve in rankings for that keyword.

Could someone clarify?

Thanks for any help!

[incrediblehelp]

Having multiple IBLs with varying text is a good thing fro the home page and the website overall. So yes, maybe not directly effect you inner pages, but in the long run if you home page gets lots of links with varying anchor text it is a very good thing.

[SemAdvance]

First you would need to determine if your building a business or hoping to catch a free ride on a search engine.

Directories that are free have almost no value in link building. Also most of these accept every junk spam site running so the search engines find little value.

Paid directories that reject sites are seen as having value since most spam sites are rejected.

In closing if you are selling products your best off with paid ads as most buyers know the organic SERPs won't get them to what they want to buy.

[crankydave]

There are directories that accept deep links. You can try doing a Google search for such things as deep link directory, directory for deep links, deep links etc. This will give you some idea of the directories that are available and that they are ranking. Also check and see the number of pages those directories have that are indexed. A decent number of pages in the index is some indication that it is being crawled and indexed.

As SemAdvance pointed out, the quality of the directory is also important. Do they accept anything or do the owners try and list quality sites and pages. Take a look at some of the links they have listed. If you're seeing a lot of junk you may want to consider looking elsewhere. This can be especially important for the free ones but not limited to just them. It's important to also take a look at the quality of the links on the ones that have a review fee as well.

Think of your internal pages as "information hubs". Links directly to them can get your potential customer right to the information they're looking to find without them having to click through from your homepage to find it.

Dave

[dann]

While what SemAdvance? told you is true no amount of inbound links is a bad thing.
If you are swapping links with a viagra site or the sort, nah bad unless you're into male enhancement.
If you find a free directory with a category that you fit go for it!
Submit to every directory that you can fit into!
There is not a thing wrong with that unless you submit to a crapload of spammy link pages, it will only help you not hurt you.
While I respect SemAdvance's advice it seems to imply don't bother, I have to disagree with this.
I put a wager on the tops in the serps for your targeted keywords have a plethora of directory links.
How would you suggest to get links SEM, hire you perhaps?
I thought this forum was for help not advertising, you sure knocked down one way of gaining links but you offer no alternative.
PhilT, if you need help PM me, I help for free.
Dann

[dann]

Originally Posted by SemAdvance

First you would need to determine if your building a business or hoping to catch a free ride on a search engine.

Directories that are free have almost no value in link building. Also most of these accept every junk spam site running so the search engines find little value.

Paid directories that reject sites are seen as having value since most spam sites are rejected.

In closing if you are selling products your best off with paid ads as most buyers know the organic SERPs won't get them to what they want to buy.

We offer the same products as many other do, we have yet to pay a penny for advertising.

Organic serps are the way to pull in consumers, if you have the product to sell.

I haven't clicked on an ad in years, and from polling around I found most people pay absolutely no attention to ads(why do you think Google and Yahoo! came up with their scoring system instead of an open auction for keywords that was the basis of adwords) these days.
Who know you may have a whole network of clickers or better yet a high tech bot clicker.

[PhilT]

Thanks for the help guys! and thanks Dann for you kind offer to help,

I guess I'll just keep submitting to article directories to build traffic to my deep links.

One more question: Does Google hate me? For my main site, I'm ranking well in msn (top 10) for a number of keyword phrases. But in Google I'm nowhere to be seen - not even in the top 100 for any keyword phrase. What's going on? Have I shot myself in the foot? Maybe I'm getting slapped for building links to quickly?

Thing is, I've been mixing it up - links from: article directories, directories, blogs, forums, social bookmarking, videos, press releases etc etc.

Any ideas? I know Google is one of the toughest to break into, but it makes no sense. I mean, I only just started a new blog (something unrelated) a few weeks ago, submitted to article directories and bamm I'm in the top 10 in Google for a particular keyword phrase. Although I'm nowhere to be seen in msn and Yahoo.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Phil