Search Engine Optimization Tips, SEO for Blogs, Search Tips

Directories are a compilation of web site resources by category and region. Here are secrets to getting listed in human compiled resources. They are very useful since internet users can find at one destination a comprehensive list of resources on a particular subject of interest to them.

Human edited directories like Dmoz, Yahoo and About, are more valued and respected than spider based directories. And search engines give importance to listings in human edited directories. The reason being that each site listed there has been validated by a human editor, who is knowledgeable about that category.

Dmoz is the largest human edited directory project ever undertaken on the net. With a 80,000 volunteer editor team, Dmoz constantly edits and improves the quality of listings in order to provide users quality resources and better experience. This oped directory project powers some of the directories for the world’s biggest search engines including Google, AOL and Netscape.

How to submit your site or blog to Dmoz?
If you submit a site or blog to authority resources like Dmoz without reading their guidelines, you won’t get the desired results.

Step 1
Go to the home page of dmoz.org and search to find whether your site or blog is already listed.

Step 2
Submitting to the correct category largely determines your success on getting listed. Search and find out the right category to list your main url. Click the “suggest url” link and submit. Take care to describe your site accurately. Do not write descriptions that sound like advertising or promotional copy. The secret to getting a positive review is writing a neutral description as their editors may do.
Example: A description for a retailer site selling scarves should be:

Traditional handmade scarves made of silk and cotton from the weavers of Kashmir. Matching hats also available. (and the description should not be an advertisement: fantastic cheap handmade cotton and silk scarves at prices that could stun you)

Category: Shopping: Clothing: Accessories or Business: Consumer Goods and Services: Clothing: Accessories: Ties and Scarves.

Before submitting your site or blog, you must complete the site, have atleast 100 posts, categorise, provide contact information etc. Your site must be complete with all contact information and any other information required by a user or buyer. Daily newsletters, RSS feeds cal also be mentioned.

How to submit your site or blog to About.com
A New York Times company, this directory draws 38 million visitors every month. A huge team of expert guides work on recommending newer and useful sites to readers. A directory that has gained the trust of users and major search engines like Google, Yahoo, MSN and AOL, About.com is a comprehensive directory where you should seek submission of your site.

Browse through About.com’s categories, select the appropriate category for listing and on the top left you’ll find the name of the guide. Hit that link and then email the guide seeking mention of your site.

I’ll talk about paid directories like Yahoo and Business.com in another post.

Building your blog’s reputation on a subject is key to success. Becoming a subject matter expert will fetch tons of traffic.

Search engines like Google, Yahoo, MSN and Ask love authority blogs and bloggers, because they have proven their subject matter expertise. They send a lot of traffic to such authority sites, since users would benefit from reading such useful and quality content.

Seo4google.org’s Example: So, if you’re a writer, how can you build authority around your site or blog on “how to write for the internet?” Here’s what I might suggest.

1. Write useful content on relevant topics:
a) How to research and choose subjects that users are searching for on the net
b) How to write headlines that’ll attract visitor attention
c) How to treat a theme for an article
d) How to break up a story into smaller parts
e) Tips to write a synopsis of an article
f) Differences between offline media and online media writing
g) How to write in an engaging manner
h) Styles of writing
i) How to submit stories to editors
j) How to write covering letters or emails to editors
k) Top online writer forums
l) Best online resources for writers
m) 5 mistakes most writers make
n) Common grammatical errors
o) How to sell your articles to online sites
2. Participate in writer/ journalist/ student communities
3. Write on high traffic and high ranking news sites
4. Be interviewed
5. Create useful pdfs, slides and share with wannabe writers/ authors
6. Speak at writer conventions
7. Publish guest posts in related sites

If you want to be known as an expert on a subject, you must write well researched, topical and quality content. Look for what readers on your subject want. What are the problems they generally encounter. Can you help them with insights into solutions.

Writing for other authoritative sources is critical to building authority
The fact that Health magazine publishes your story on “5 ways to fight obesity with vegetarian diet”, establishes your authority as a health expert on obesity, right? So you see, it’s very important to publish your articles on authority sites. I’d suggest that you identify sites and blogs that are respected in your domain, and keep trying your luck to get published there.

Post regularly on quality article sites
Another way is to look at good quality and high page ranked article sites where you can submit your articles regularly. www.ezinearticles.com, www.associatedcontent, http://www.scribd.com/ and the like. Build your expertise by posting high quality and fresh articles on such sites. These will also provide your backlinks that are important for growing your link juice or page rank.

Use forums like Yahoo Answers to build your reputation
Answering and providing help to relevant communities is a strategy to build your reputation. Join forums and community sites where there are many eager folks seeking answers. Offer them your guidance. If they love, they’ll comment, link, vote and visit your blog.

Write guest posts on blogs
Network with bloggers and email related bloggers offering to do a useful guest post. If you offer value to users, and are in a non competitive zone, chances are you’ll be invited to write. If you have expertise and they interview you, great.

Post comments on other sites
Few people realize that offering your insight and posting your comments on a hot topic is a good strategy to develop authority. When you read a relevant piece anywhere on the net, post a comment with valued inputs. Keep doing that with the intention of helping the community. Your signature in such posts will turn meaningful in the near future.

Thus building your reputation results in traffic, page rank and dollars on your blog.