| Getting listed in a reputed business | | | | called a serious review. That means only a |
| directory, under a highly relevant | | | | limited number of websites would be reviewed |
| classification, is one of the best options | | | | and listed in human edited directories. |
| for your business. A little history is needed | | | | |
| to understand the real significance of | | | | The solution found by Yahoo Directory, the |
| business directory listings. So we start with | | | | most reputed of the directories, is to charge |
| a brief history. | | | | a hefty fee US Dollars 300 for reviewing your |
| | | | site. Paying this fee does not mean your site |
| History of Business Publicity | | | | would be accepted for listing. If it is, you |
| | | | have to pay the fee annually to continue the |
| Businesses need publicity. In the offline | | | | listing. |
| world, they managed to get publicity through | | | | |
| print ads (in the press or distributed as | | | | This meant that many good sites that cannot |
| flyers), radio broadcasts and television | | | | afford to pay the fee couldn't hope to get |
| spots. This kind of publicity was not | | | | into the directory. Yahoo offers a free |
| targeted. It reached all kinds of persons, | | | | listing to "non-commercial" sites. However, |
| whether they were interested in your offer or | | | | classifying a site as commercial or otherwise |
| not. | | | | is not always easy. |
| | | | |
| There were, of course, targeted publicity | | | | Other directories too have adopted the |
| options in trade publications etc. However, | | | | practice of charging fees. However, if all |
| these tended to be unaffordable for small | | | | fee-paying applicants are included, poor |
| businesses. | | | | quality sites created in a hurry could soon |
| | | | dominate a directory. |
| As more and more buyers got online, a new | | | | |
| media for publicity was created. The online | | | | Reputed sites try to guard against this |
| media offers several options for the | | | | possibility in different ways. |
| publicity seeker. This media too had the | | | | |
| untargeted banner ads option - with the | | | | Niche Directories Improve Targeting |
| banner appearing on general portals | | | | |
| frequented by readers with varying interests. | | | | Narrower groups use niche directories like a |
| | | | business directory. Antique buyers, for |
| The online media, however, offered several | | | | example, could find best results under the |
| targeted publicity options. Search engines | | | | Antiques section of a business directory. |
| were one of the first of these. In search | | | | Business directories often restrict their |
| engines, readers land on pages relevant to | | | | listings to businesses in a specified region, |
| what they are searching for. Though this was | | | | making it even easier to find sellers near |
| the theory, in practice, search engine | | | | you. Many directories provide a search |
| marketers used many kinds of tricks to make | | | | facility to narrow down the list of |
| even irrelevant pages show up for unrelated | | | | businesses displayed. |
| search queries. | | | | |
| | | | Listing Your Business in a Business Directory |
| Directories Improved Targeting | | | | |
| | | | Select a good directory that has already |
| Directories are human edited. Editors review | | | | earned a reputation for quality, and good |
| your website, and ensure that it is described | | | | Google Page Rank and Alexa rating. A listing |
| correctly and listed under a correct | | | | in such a directory has the additional value |
| category. This meant that a reader searching | | | | of improving your site's link popularity. |
| through a directory is more likely to find | | | | Search engines consider a listing in a |
| what the person is looking for. Human editing | | | | human-reviewed, quality conscious directory |
| also meant that junk sites were filtered out. | | | | as indicative of the value of your site. |
| | | | |
| You could thus expect a better experience | | | | You might have to pay for review of your site |
| with directories, compared to search engines. | | | | and inclusion in the directory. |
| | | | |
| A Serious Problem With Directories | | | | A newer site that shows a promise of quality |
| | | | (look at the sites listed in the directory to |
| There is a catch, however. Humans cannot hope | | | | assess the directory's quality), and offer |
| to compete with search engine robots in their | | | | free listings, is another good option. |
| speed. While robots can handle millions of | | | | However, it could be quite some while before |
| pages, humans can probably read a hundred or | | | | you begin to see any results from the |
| so pages with sufficient attention to be | | | | listing. |