When a typical individual surfs the internet, he or she will more than likely use a search engine like Google or Yahoo!Search to proceed with the search for specific information. After a result is returned by the search engine, this typical individual is likely going to click the link at the top of the page or at least a link found on the first page. The awareness of this leads many web masters to hire search engine optimization professionals to increase their page rank. A higher page rank means more web traffic for a web site.

--- Page rank and search engine algorithms ---

A high page rank is attained if the search engine finds the web site relevant to the specific keyword query made by a web surfer, and search engines have certain criteria for ranking the millions of web sites in their indexes. To be on top of the results page or to have a high page rank therefore, a web site must fulfill the criteria set out by the search engines. Search engine optimization professionals make a study of the search engine's search algorithms and try to incorporate these algorithms into a web site's pages.

--- Link popularity as a criterion for search engine ranking ---

One important criterion that search engines use to rank the pages in their indexes is link popularity. The logic lies in the supposition that the more other relevant sites link back to a web site, the more significant its content would be to the individual initiating the query. Thus, the higher the link popularity of a web site is, the higher the web site's page rank deserves to be.

Link popularity is measured by the volume and quality of one-way links to a web site. A web site attains link popularity when it has many links from other web sites that are related to it. If a web master wishes to increase web site's link popularity, he or she should solicit one-way links from other web sites, and it is better if the web master solicits these links from web sites that are directly related to his or her web site content. Thus, a web master of a travel web site is well advised if he or she seeks one-way links from other travel web sites or other sites that offer travel information. Another means to increase link popularity would be one-way links from web directories.

--- Web directories ---

Web directories are usually industry specific. They are an organized collection of links to web sites that belong in the same field. There are web directories for adult dating sites, there are web directories for travel-related sites and so on and so forth. Web directories also usually have sub directories. The links are typically classified into specific fields within a comprehensive industry; and more often than not, there are sub-categories for states, cities, and/or zip codes.

Web directories are a popular means of obtaining one-way links, and links that come from web directories carry much weight in link popularity, and thus, page ranking.

--- Submitting to web directories ---

To maximize the impact of web directory listings to page rank, the web master must choose the web directory carefully. The bigger and the more reputable the web directory is, the higher is the impact of a listing on page rank. It is also important to ensure that the link is submitted under the most appropriate heading or category of the web directory. Search engines look at the company your link keeps, so the more relevant the links around you in the directory are, the higher your page rank becomes.