SEO Linking: 200 New, Good Directories
Joel Walsh
Summary: Are article directories the new SEO link directories?
As 1990s-era link directories fade into relative irrelevance,
article directories offer new opportunities for one-way inbound
links. There are currently about 200 of these directories, none
of which charges a fee.
Article Directories: The New Web Link Directories?
We are witnessing a new explosion in web directories that are
actually worth the investment in time to submit to them. No,
not link directories--their time has passed for good. The new
directories are article directories.
What Are Article Directories?
Article directories are sites such as http://isnare.com and
http://goarticles.com, which aggregate large numbers of
articles into massive, categorized databases. Most of them act
as clearinghouses for reprint content, encouraging visitors to
add the content to their own sites. The articles are screened
for basic indicators of quality and relevance before being
posted.
The articles each have an author's resource box, an "about the
author" paragraph at the end of the article. The directories
allow authors to include a link, and often, multiple links, in
the resource box.
I personally know of about 200 such directories that will
accept articles on any topic--with a live link and without
charging a fee. There are at least as many specialized
directories that limit themselves to business-only articles,
women's issues, technology, etc. All you need is a single good
page of well-written content--and if your site doesn't have
that already, you probably should give up your web ambitions
right now.
Article Directories' Linking Advantages
* Anchor text. About two-thirds of the article directories
allow for the author to select the anchor text of the link in
the author's resource box. This is the primary value of the
links from the article directories. The article directory pages
usually have PR 0; some have PR 1-3. Fortunately, anchor text is
often a deciding factor in ranking for non-competitive search
strings that make up as much as half or more of all web
searches. These links may also help a site that already has
competitive PageRank but is getting beaten in the SERPs for
want of anchor text relevance.
* Relevant links. The links are at least as relevant as links
from link directories. The page on which the link is located is
categorized within the site according to topics such as
automotive, technology, decorating, or sports. Since most of
the directories use the article title as the webpage title, you
can even assure that the title of the webpage with your link has
your target keyword.
* Traffic. Click-throughs on the links in the author's resource
boxes bring traffic, particularly in the early days after the
article is submitted.
* Reprints. Clearinghouse websites that offer articles for
reprint pack the double advantage of a link on their site and a
link on any site whose webmaster chooses to reprint the article.
In reality, few articles get reprinted since the competition for
reprints is fierce. Moreover, fewer than a dozen of the 200-odd
article directories actually get many reprints. The market is
dominated, as most web markets are, by the best established
sites.
* Mindshare. A click-through from a traditional link is just
another visitor. But someone who has read a page of content
from your site and clicked through the author's resource box
link is generally a highly qualified visitor who has been
partly sold on the value of your offering. Meanwhile, even
readers who do not click-through have been exposed to your
message. You can help shape the market, building awareness of
your product or service.
In short, article directories offer just about everything the
web link directories used to, and more.
About The Author: Joel Walsh owns UpMarket Content, helping you
get one-way inbound links and web traffic with syndication and
development of website content:
http://www.UpMarketContent.com
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