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