In a Search Engine Optimization campaign the most time-consuming part is link-building and preparing the content containing the anchor text links to your pages. Despite the lip service given to this activity by run-of-the-mill optimizers, it makes sense that success over other sites will come with quality relevant content and a mammoth linking effort; this is necessary to reach the Top Five. The long hours and elbow grease of submitting to hundreds of differently-formatted directories pays off when you check the rankings.
The first element needed is self-discipline. Next, you need to be good with words and imaginative. Then there are recommended practices to follow when planting directory content (such as how much repetition is enough?) and this article will explain how to approach the setting up of your content for maximum punch.
Many businesses are specialized and so the keywords available may be limited in number. Other sites stick several hundred keywords into the metatag – a useless endeavor if there ever was one – and everything is done by guesswork. Since your content has to be built around your keywords they should be not only focused and relevant but well-researched. One system that works well is Web CEO and it is downloadable for free basic use with upgrades available.
One secret of planting content in directories is this: use a spreadsheet and set up cells with the domain name prefixed by http:// and again with just www (no trailing slashes). Below those cells enter your name, below that your e-mail address…these cells will be used for quick copy-and-pasting as will the titles, descriptions, keyword string, meta keyword tag, and meta description tag for those directories that take them. The URLs of your inner pages go below that for placing in directories that allow deep links.
The potency of the content involves mixing up different titles with descriptions. Directories have limits on characters so prepare eight different versions of the site title (maximum sixty characters) and about ten or twelve different versions of descriptions of all different lengths. As you go down the list of directories, rotate the titles and descriptions randomly, keeping to the character limits. Use about 12 – 14 keyword pairs, two and three words only separated by a comma and space. Then go to Vilesilencer and start down the list of free directories, I use 260 as the right number of submissions, it’s generally thought that relying on way too many directories alone will displease the big G and lose brownie points.
When you write a title it should be aimed at your closest category for approval. The two or three keywords in the title shouldn’t be repeated in the new ways to express the same idea. This will optimize for more numerous forms of search query phrases. If you have better written content in more places than your competitor sites, you will inevitably rise to the top because you will be the cream of the crop. The mixing of titles and descriptions becomes a crossword puzzle that elicits a reaction from the search engine spiders. Remember that they are looking for intelligent life.
The rotation of these titles and descriptions give search engines more choices of ordered content to retrieve; Web 2.0 leans toward complete sentences and logical relevance so clarity brings more traffic. When directories are done correctly the information turns up in the SERPs more often. The links are considered “votes” for your site and the directories are a good start; the next place to plant valuable links is in article directories where the detailed content can give greater authority to a site, and making it worthy of traffic.
