As the search engines are evolving each and every day, it's getting more difficult to get first page search engine rankings.
The search engines now, prefer sites that have a significant number of authoritative, one way DoFollow links highlighting them. Therefore, it's absolutely necessary that we consistently try to get other websites to link to us, WITHOUT a link pointing back.
Reciprocal linking is becoming almost meaningless. Submitting your website to website directories is a convenient means to receive, quality, 1 way DoFollow links referencing your websites. Many of the web directories have a high amount of page rank and have been online for several years.
Site age and page rank are two of the most critical variables in the qualification of a good link vs. a bad link. A large number of these directories have both a high Page Rank & age, giving these directories more authority and power in the eyes of the search engines programmers.
Not only that, but there are literally 1000s of website directories on the web that are free for you to submit your web property to! It is time consuming to find these directories and then manually fill out all of the required criteria to submit your website. However, it is an excellent way to help improve your search engine rankings.
There are some excellent website directory submission software packages on the market. My favorite is a product named Directory Submitter created by Brad Callen. Esentially you simply enter your website information into the program once, and then click on 1 of the 1600+ website directories in the database and it will automatically fill out all of the submission information for you. Click the submit button and then your site has been rapidly submitted to the website directory.
Not only does it save you time in researching all of these directories, BUT it saves you an inordinate amount of time filling out each and every website's submission criteria.