Directory Submission is a Waste of Time

Okay, another quick blog about SEO and ranking with Google. Why do people think that if they fire off their url with some anchor text and some keywords to 500 internet directories that it will make a blind bit of difference to their SERPS? Google wants RELEVANCE, it stakes it's reputation on it. Relevance comes from good content, good keywording, RELEVANT BACKLINKS (not ones to Latvian dancing clubs) or .edu links to sites talking about something completely different ... Relevance, Relevance, Relevance!!! You can generate tens of thousands of page views and it means nothing if they're not converting, or it's patently obvious that they were not created organically and have little or no interest in your site. But seriously folks internet directories are pretty pointless for SEO. If you can put a listing on there for free, how does that give your site relevance? It's not as if the directory searched you out because your website was so mind-blowingly fantastic! Google, Yahoo and Bing are well aware of this. And yet people keep falling into the same trap. There was a time when I did so myself. But think about it... if you're searching for something on Google you want to find it, not wade through mountains of garbage. Google wants you to find it too... because if you keep finding crap then eventually you'll stop coming to the shop. Directories are fine for, well, for being found in directories ... but if the whole world's looking at Google, who's looking in the directories? If someone says 'Hey, bung me $50 and I'll put you on 2500 directories' ... does it occur to you that maybe there are too many directories and not enough people to use them?

Take my advice folks, do your SEO properly, and if you're going to outsource it to an agency who say they'll list you in loads of directories ... ask them to wave that service and lower the price! The reason you pay money for good SEO is because it's bloody hard work ... don't let anyone tell you different.