Submit URL to the directories

There are many directories in existence, but some are more important than others. The most important search directory in existence is without doubt Yahoo. Having a listing in the Yahoo directory is essential for any web site wanting to maximise their visitor traffic. The reason being that Yahoo gets up to five times as many search requests as the next closest directory or search engine

The only problem with Yahoo is that if your site is a commercial one you have to pay for a listing. A bigger problem is that you're payment does not automatically mean you will be included in Yahoo, but merely means they will revue it and if it meets their preset requirements will include you in the directory and if not will reject your application with no refund!

The 3 most important steps to a good listing at Yahoo are:

Title of your site
Category you select
Keywords

There is no direct method to submit your site to Yahoo. If you want to submit your site to Yahoo, you have to locate the specific category that's appropriate for your site and click on the 'Suggest a Site' link at the bottom of that category. To do this, visit the homepage of Yahoo and then browse through the hierarchy of categories to find out the appropriate category for your site. If you try to click on 'Suggest a Site' from a top level category you'll be told that your suggestion is too broad

For complete instructions check out the Yahoo suggestion tips page

Indexing time: With free submission, several weeks to months

If Ask Jeeves fails to search out the correct match it draws on matches from other search engines. Getting listed in other engines such as AltaVista and the Open Directory will get you listed in Ask Jeeves. Paid service

Ask Jeeves - add URL

Get your wallet out to be listed here, or if your site is non commercial submit to the zeal directory below

Looksmart Add URL > http://listings.looksmart.com/

Free listings for non commercial sites and as part of the Looksmart search family supplies other search services including Lycos, InfoSpace, RoadRunner, CNET, Inktomi, and LookSmart.com

Zeal add URL > http://www.zeal.com/

Built by volunteer editors, this directory was launched in 1998. Open Directory does not use spiders. All information from the directory is available through an open license agreement. Lycos, AOL Search, Google, HotBot and more make use of Open Directory to some degree

It's essential to be listed in the Open Directory (DMOZ) as several major search engines, including Lycos and Hotbot are incorporating Open Directory listings into their search results and are displaying them, ahead of listings from their own database. Free submission service. It can take up to a month to get listed

DMOZ Add URL > http://dmoz.org/add.html

Add URL - CDNet

01WebDirectory - a general web directory that lists business and informative websites under various categories for the benefit of general internet user community.

I can't get a directory listing. What am I doing wrong?

Just keep trying, some directories don't even look at a portion of the submissions they receive because of manpower constraints so you have to keep submitting and hope they eventually will. Make sure you've picked an appropriate category, this is a popular reason for web sites not getting listed in some directories. If you haven't been listed after about 4 to 6 weeks, resubmit. If you're still not listed after another month, try e-mailing them to ask if there is a problem and explain the situation, including all of your site details in the e-mail

Summary

Take your time over your titles keywords and descriptions. It's very difficult to change these once you're listed in most directories
Make the page that you submit count. Make it fast loading, visually pleasing and not a 'splash' page
Get your own domain name, you may fail miserably otherwise
Make sure your site is complete and everything works
Select your category carefully, see where your competition is if you're unsure

pay per click search engines