Website Submission Question

[Kristin]

How difficult is it to submit your website (by yourself) to Google, Yahoo, etc.? Is it worth paying someone to do it for you ($50)? Does anyone have a recommendation of a Submission Co. that you've had a good experience with?

Thanks,
Kristin

[Robert_Charlton]

Originally Posted by Kristin

How difficult is it to submit your website (by yourself) to Google, Yahoo, etc.? Is it worth paying someone to do it for you ($50)?

For algorithmic SEO, if that's what you're asking about, it's pointless to submit your site to Google, Yahoo, or MSN. What you need to do instead is to get inbound links from sites that are already indexed on those search engines. If you do that, the engines will find you on their own. If the engines can't find you, you won't rank anyway, so it's pointless to submit.

Additionally, on Google in particular, but perhaps also on Yahoo, it may well take you many months to rank after you've gotten indexed. MSN rankings are much quicker to appear.

You ought to do some reading about getting good quality inbound links. In general, the best way to get good quality inbounds is to have excellent content, content of the quality you'd bookmark or link to yourself, and then to do your best to publicize your site so it will be discovered.

[Kristin]

I'm an extreme newbie and I'm not sure what algrithmic SEO is. My website designer told me she would submit my site to the top 100 search engines for a certain fee. Does that clarify what I'm asking? Could you explain why it would be pointless to do this?

Thanks,
Kristin

[seminhouse]

As long as your website has other websites pointing to you, there is no need to submit your website to the search engines - they'll find you on their own.

As for someone wanting to charge you for it -- you don't need it, don't pay it.

[David Wallace]

There are only four major search engines, one of which does not even have a submission form (Ask). All of them will find your site on their own. This is the preferred method. How do they do this? By finding your site via a link on a site that is already in their index. That can be from a directory, a paid link, a one way link, reciprocal link or even a link on your web designer's portfolio page (if applicable).

Submit your site to directories, both free and paid and the main engines will find you.

[vayapues]

Do not under any circumstances pay a submission company any fees to submit your site to directories. This is a scam, and should trigger red flags in your mind. You should look very closely at the other fees they are charging you, and ask yourself if they are legit.

Any reputable SEO would not be trying to sell you snake oil.

[Kristin]

Originally Posted by David Wallace

There are only four major search engines, one of which does not even have a submission form (Ask). All of them will find your site on their own. This is the preferred method. How do they do this? By finding your site via a link on a site that is already in their index. That can be from a directory, a paid link, a one way link, reciprocal link or even a link on your web designer's portfolio page (if applicable).

Submit your site to directories, both free and paid and the main engines will find you.

David,

Where do I go to submit my site to free directories?

Thanks,
Kristin

[vayapues]

http://www.google.com/addurl/
http://search.yahoo.com/info/submit.html

[vayapues]

However, your best bet is still to work on getting inbound links. If you can get people to link to you, your site will get included in the search engines on its own, very quickly.

[vayapues]

what industry are you in? There are a number of free directories that are industry specific.

thomasnet is a good one for many industries.
yellow page websites are good.

Many sites will trade links with you, putting a link to your site on their website, in exchange for a reciprocal link back to them.

We average in the neighborhood of 10-20 new links to our site each day (day job site) just by going out and asking people if they will link back to us.

[David Wallace]

Originally Posted by vayapues

Do not under any circumstances pay a fee to have your website listed in directories. This is a scam, and should trigger red flags in your mind. You should look very closely at the other fees they are charging you, and ask yourself if they are legit.

Any reputable SEO would not be trying to sell you snake oil.

And what is wrong with paid directories like GoGuides.org, Best of the Web, JoeAnt, Skaffe, WoW, Uncover the Net... shall I go on?

You think people that run directories should just add sites for free? They don't have bills to pay like the rest of us?

That is a pretty bold statement to say that paid directories are a scam. I personally know a handful of directory owners and they are simply providing a service like anyone else. I also use directories from time to time and even own a small niche directory in which I charge for inclusion. I am not trying to scam anyone but simply want monetary compensation for my time, which I seem to have less and less of these days.

[David Wallace]

Originally Posted by Kristin

Where do I go to submit my site to free directories?

Strongest Links has a pretty good list of directories - both paid and free. There are not many free directories left however. Many of the goods that do allow free submissions only accept them from their own editors. You would therefore have to apply as an editor or pay their inclusion fees.

[vayapues]

Hi David,

Not saying paid directories are a scam. I think they are excellent. I use several of them. They are a great way to drive traffic to your site. In fact, I actually run a paid directory for the shelving industry. (day job)

I was answering Kristin's question in relation to paying someone to submit your url to directories and search engines, which is a scam, since they will all let you submit your url for free. (the free ones anyway)

The (Submit your site to 4000 search engines for only $49.95) scam.

My apologies if my statement was unclear.

[Kristin]

Originally Posted by vayapues

what industry are you in? There are a number of free directories that are industry specific.

thomasnet is a good one for many industries.
yellow page websites are good.

Many sites will trade links with you, putting a link to your site on their website, in exchange for a reciprocal link back to them.

We average in the neighborhood of 10-20 new links to our site each day (day job site) just by going out and asking people if they will link back to us.

I manufacture a sports training aid that I invented. Do you know where I could find a free directory for sporting goods.

Thanks,
Kristin

[Kristin]

Originally Posted by vayapues

http://www.google.com/addurl/
http://search.yahoo.com/info/submit.html

So I can just go to these links that you gave me and submit my site? Is it a quick process?

Thanks,
Kristin

[Kristin]

Originally Posted by David Wallace

Strongest Links has a pretty good list of directories - both paid and free. There are not many free directories left however. Many of the goods that do allow free submissions only accept them from their own editors. You would therefore have to apply as an editor or pay their inclusion fees.

Since there are'nt many free directories left, would it be easier for me to submit my url to the search engines?

Thanks,
Kristin

[David Wallace]

Originally Posted by vayapues

Hi David,

Not saying paid directories are a scam. I think they are excellent. I use several of them. They are a great way to drive traffic to your site. In fact, I actually run a paid directory for the shelving industry. (day job)

I was answering Kristin's question in relation to paying someone to submit your url to directories and search engines, which is a scam, since they will all let you submit your url for free. (the free ones anyway)

The (Submit your site to 4000 search engines for only $49.95) scam.

My apologies if my statement was unclear.

Oh, gottcha.

You should probably edit your post to say something like "don't pay a submission company any fees to submit your site to directories" cause it kind of sounds like you are raggin' on the paid directories themselves.

As for paying companies that actually offer a directory submission service, I see nothing wrong with that especially if the site owner simply does not have time to go from directory to directory submitting their site. I'm not referring to the "submit your site to 1000 directories for $99.99" offers but rather genuine services that will write professional descriptions, select appropriate categories, submit and then follow up to ensure everything went well.

[vayapues]

Originally Posted by Kristin

I manufacture a sports training aid that I invented. Do you know where I could find a free directory for sporting goods.

Thanks,
Kristin

I can't give a personal guarantee for these, since I just found them doing a google search for 'free sporting goods directory'

http://www.freesearching.com/sportinggoods.htm
http://www.kygallery.com/list/retailstores/sports.htm
http://wholesaledir.com/category/Sporting%20Goods/1/1

Also, as David points out, paid directories are a very good way to go, so long as you monitor it closely and make sure that you are making the return on your investment.

[Kristin]

Originally Posted by vayapues

what industry are you in? There are a number of free directories that are industry specific.

thomasnet is a good one for many industries.
yellow page websites are good.

Many sites will trade links with you, putting a link to your site on their website, in exchange for a reciprocal link back to them.

We average in the neighborhood of 10-20 new links to our site each day (day job site) just by going out and asking people if they will link back to us.

So I should email people who are in the same industry as myself and ask if they would like to exchange links with me?

Thanks,
Kristin

[David Wallace]

Originally Posted by Kristin

Since there aren't many free directories left, would it be easier for me to submit my url to the search engines?

You can but as we have all been saying, that does not guarantee you are going to get in their index. Personally, I believe search engines completely ignore the free submission forms. I think they are there so people won't bug them to death asking how they can get their sites indexed.

Get links, whether paid, free, link bait, etc. and you'll get indexed by the engines. Even 1 good link will help engines to find your site.