With so many changes taking place to the way Google is working, it has become increasingly difficult for search engine optimizers to figure out which links to consider, and which ones to not pursue, in fact link building is becoming an increasingly tedious and time consuming task, so much so that even search engine optimisers have started turning to third party firms to carry out their link building. Today there is just one option that is still safe and secure when it comes to link building, that is using directories. Directories are usually human edited and are categorised based on either the type of website, or the content the website is related to.



It has become essential for search engine optimizers to know which directories to register with and which ones to ignore, even directories have their hierarchy based on their importance and their importance with Google, there are so many directories online today, that even Google has been forced to keep checks on which websites are actually genuine directory submission sites, and which ones are just a way of selling high page rank links. In fact the same applies for search engine optimizers, they have to keep a tab of which directories they can trust, and work with; and which ones are no longer in the good graces of Google. There is a simple thumb rule when it comes to directory submissions, search engine optimizers prefer going with human edited directory services, not only do the directory editors have the best category in mind, it also means the directory service means business as they have invested in an editorial staff.

Before a webmaster submits a site with any directory submission service, the webmaster must keep the following things in mind:

a) Check the credibility of the web directory, and makes sure that it has been around for a couple of years or so, newer directories can have high page ranks, and can offer good links to search engine optimizers, but without verifying how credible the directory is, it would be rather pointless spending money on the directory submission, and later realising that the site has been blacklisted by Google, or Yahoo.

b)Make sure that the page rank of the category being targeting is high and not the page rank of the entire web site; this is a common error search engine optimizers make, they assume that since a directory's home page has high page rank it will automatically mean that entire site will have a high page rank this is not always true.

List of top directories on the internet

DMOZ

No search engine optimization exercise can be truly complete without submitting a website with DMOZ. DMOZ search results are used by Google and a lot of other famous search engines. A website can never be truly popular or successful without submitting with DMOZ. As it stands DMOZ is the largest human edited directory submission site on the internet, there are thousands of people who are registered as 'editors' on the site and devote their time to helping improve, and maintain the high standards that DMOZ is now synonymous with. A word of advice before submitting with DMOZ webmasters should make sure they read the submission guidelines thoroughly. The current waiting time for submission (if approved) is 3-4 months.