Paid or Free Directory Inclusion - Are There Any Free Directories?
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If after surveying your company’s budget and deciding that a paid inclusion listing is just not right for you, you have some free alternatives. If you have already applied to the Open Directory Project (DMOZ), and you are looking for some other choices, there are a few available that are not only free, but provide good referral traffic as well. One such free directory is the JoeAnt Directory.
JoeAnt Directory
You'll want to get your website listed in JoeAnt for a number of reasons.
Every directory that lists you is a valuable incoming link. Each link into your website adds to its Google PageRank. That's the way Google measures the importance and authority of your site. Google believes the more links the better, as they are votes for your site; the higher the incoming PageRank, the better it is for you. Those are sites that are weighted as more important. Directories fall under that category of important links.
The JoeAnt Directory also provides a good steady rate of referral traffic. That should make you sit up and take notice!
For bloggers, JoeAnt features a “Blog of the Month” section. For regular websites, there is a highlighted “Sites of the Month” area, featuring two websites for the entire month. They are prominently placed on the JoeAnt home page. That could be you!
How to Get Listed in the JoeAnt Directory The first step, to a free directory listing, is to become a volunteer editor of a category. In effect, by becoming an editor, you are working off your entry fee.
At the JoeAnt site, look for and click on the link that asks you to become an editor. Some information will then be requested from you. Your information is private and password protected, so only you can access your personal editing area (called an "ant hill").
You will then be asked to choose a primary topic. As a new editor, you'll only be permitted to have one topic area. The best idea is to select the category where your site will be listed. All topic applications are approved, so you don't have to fear rejection of your choice!
Once approved, you can enter your site for listing. Search through the sub-categories, in your chosen topic area, for the right one for your site. Write a brief and objective description of your website. Don't bother filling the description with sales talk and flowery wording. The senior editors, who approve your first submissions, will only send it back to you for revision.
On the other hand, the senior editors are more than happy to provide advice for your site submissions. There is also an Editors Forum where you can post questions. Other more experienced editors will help to steer you in the right direction.
Let’s say, by way of an example, you decide to become an editor in the Real Estate category. You are free to add other sites under the Real Estate category. There is no limit to the number of other sites you add. They must be sites not already listed, be placed in the proper category, and have their descriptions written in the appropriate manner.
As you add entries to your topic area, you build up editor points. Once a certain level is reached, you are permitted to add another category to your ant hill. For example, as a Real Estate editor who has reached the required points level, you can add the Travel category (or any other of your choosing) to your ant hill.
As your point total increases, you'll receive additional privileges as well. The JoeAnt Directory also runs a number of contests and competitions to encourage more editor participation and site submissions.
Next: Which Directory is Right For Me? >>
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