Internet weblogs, better known as blogs, are fast becoming a very important category of Internet websites. As more and more companies add a blog component to their existing website, or as a cross linked stand alone site, blogs become part of the web mainstream.
As part of that Internet mainstream, blogs are now finding entry into most of the popular Internet directories. The Open Directory Project, better known as DMOZ, has a special category for weblogs. Topic specific blogs are found under traditional website categories as well. The Yahoo! Directory has also proven to be very receptive to adding blogs to its listings. Because blogs are mainly non-profit sites, bloggers are able to use Yahoo’s free submission option.
Other smaller Internet directories, including JoeAnt, Skaffe, Zeal/Looksmart, GoGuides, and Gimpsy also have blogs in their regular category listings. Blogs are readily accepted into the major Internet directories alongside traditional websites.
The blog advantage doesn’t stop there. Blogs have an entire array of blog-only free Internet directories available for inclusion. In fact, as incoming links, the various blog directories alone can propel a blog very high in the search engine results pages (SERPs). As an added bonus, the many free all-blog directories provide a strong injection of Google PageRank, into every blog in the listings.
The various blog directories have specific requirements for inclusion. As with all directory submissions, it is very important to follow the submission guidelines very carefully. Blogs are admitted to the most important major Internet directories, including DMOZ and the Yahoo! Directory. As alternative websites, blogs have special requirements for inclusion in the major directories.
Submitting your business blog to the various mainstream and blog specific Internet directories will pay dividends for your business. You want to be sure your blog is included in the directory listings.
Blog Specific Internet Directories
One of the benefits that blogs enjoy is the number of free, strong PageRank directories that are exclusively for blog directories. If it’s not a blog, it isn’t included in the blog directory listings.
By submitting your blog to the many blog directories, it is not unusual to be listed in them within a week or less. Inclusion in the directories, provides almost immediate indexing by Google, and by the other major search engines.
The solid PageRanks offered by the blog directories help to seed the blog with a PageRank of 4 or 5, almost from the beginning of the blog. Note that the internal category pages of most blog directories carry a PR4, PR5, or even a PR6. The added PageRank boost and the one-way incoming link provided (usually one way) give the blog a leg up in the search engine results pages (SERPs) for the blog’s most important keywords. Along with the search engine benefits, blog directories provide a surprisingly steady flow of new visitor traffic.
Let’s take a closer look at the many free blog-specific directories and their value for your blog.
Blog Search Engine http://www.blogsearchengine.com
Blogwise http://www.blogwise.com
Eatonweb portal http://www.portal.eatonweb.com
Blog Universe http://www.bloguniverse.com
Popdex http://www.popdex.com
Blogarama http://www.blogarama.com
Blogdex http://www.blogdex.com
Blo.gs http://www.blo.gs/
Globe of Blogs http://www.globeofblogs.com
Blizg http://www.blizg.com
Online Marketing Links http://www.onlinemarketinglinks.com
There are many more blog-only directories as well. You get the picture. There is no shortage of great directories to list your new business blog.
There are three important requirements for most blog directories.
One is having a good short description of your blog content. It shouldn’t exceed 150 characters. Any longer and it may get cut – or even ignored. Description input boxes for most blog directory submissions are small. Some are capped at 150 characters. In any case, a short concise description is better than a long one.
Blog directories rarely change your choice of description. That lets you utilize a few more keywords than the mainstream directories would allow. Don’t go overboard with the keywords or your blog might be rejected as spam.
A second requirement is a good list of keywords that you expect people to enter into the search box. A list of about ten to twelve search terms is ideal. Any more and you are either redundant, or keyword spamming.
Blog directories are usually hand edited. Most blog directory editors take great pride in the quality of the blogs included in their various categories. Spamming the directories will only get your blog excluded, as with any other reputable directory. Most do not accept automated submissions either. Hand submission is required.
A third, and often surprising requirement of a few blog directories, is meta tags. Most search engines and directories now ignore meta tags to some degree, or even entirely. Some blog directories, however, still place importance on them. Be sure to have some keywords included in your blog meta tags, as they will be needed for your blog submissions.
All directories require your blog title, URL, and an active email address.
Some directories will request additional indexing information, including your name and geographical location. Often the added information will place your blog in additional sub-categories, providing an extra listing for your blog.
They may also require a link back to the directory itself. Give them the link. It often results in some preferential category listing, promotion, or placement. That superior placement means more traffic for your blog. Note that not all blog directories require a reciprocal link.
Make certain that you apply to be included in the proper blog category. Most directories will move your blog, to their choice of category, if they don’t believe your selection is appropriate. The last thing you want, for your business blog, is to be grouped in a category with some teenagers’ personal diaries. Be sure to check over the categories very carefully, and you will have no problems.
You can find many other blogs to share reciprocal links right there in your blog category. They share your interest, and are not likely competitors either. Remember that bloggers are very generous linkers compared to many traditional webmasters.
Inclusion in a blog directory is surprisingly fast as well. It is not uncommon to be listed in your category within a few days to a week. Virtually every blog directory that considers your blog worthy of inclusion in its pages will have your blog indexed in less than a month. That is much quicker than some of the mainstream directories, most notably DMOZ.
Blogs are eligible for inclusion in most of the major mainstream Internet directories, including The Open Directory Project (DMOZ) http://www.dmoz.org and the Yahoo! Directory http://dir.yahoo.com/.
DMOZ has become very friendly to blogs and has opened up an entirely new blog category http://www.dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/On_the_Web/Weblogs/
Within that main blogging category are numerous sub-categories, covering most of the major classes of blogs. There are also a number of blogs, covering specific topic areas, included in the main DMOZ listings.
Blogs are well received by the volunteer editors of DMOZ because of the constantly updated content contained within the weblog. DMOZ tends to favor websites that are content driven, and that is one of the hallmarks of blogs.
By acknowledging the growing influence of blogs, in all areas of the Internet, the DMOZ directory is including an expanding classification of websites. The number of blogs included in the DMOZ listings will only continue to grow over time as more and more blogs are included in the index.
As with any website submission to the DMOZ directory, it is essential that you follow the guidelines for submission very carefully. They are not merely a suggestion. They are an absolute requirement.
As with DMOZ, the Yahoo! Directory includes a major section exclusively for blogs: http://dir.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/World_Wide_Web/Weblogs
Within the overall blogging section of the directory are numerous sub-categories for the many blog subject areas.
Because blogs tend to be informational, and not overtly commercial, most blogs are admitted to the Yahoo! Directory under the free inclusion system. Submission of blogs to the directory, through the Suggest A Site link, often leads to inclusion in just a matter of a few weeks. A well-written objective blog description is likely to be used almost unchanged as well.
The many other mainstream Internet directories are also very blog friendly. JoeAnt, Skaffe, Zeal/Looksmart, GoGuides, and Gimpsy all welcome blogs to their listings. Many of these secondary directories place blogs directly into the main topic categories and not into a separate blog section.
As with all directory submissions, be certain to follow the recommended guidelines very carefully. A properly completed submission is far more likely to be accepted than one filled with errors, keyword stuffing, and hype.
Submitting your business-related blog for inclusion in the various exclusively blog and mainstream Internet directories is a good idea.
The addition of Google PageRank from the various blog directories provides a solid jump start to a blog’s early PageRank. After a few months in the search engine indexes, your blog will find a boost in the SERPs as a result of the added incoming links.
Blog directories provide a steady stream of visitors to your blog, creating a potential customer and client base for the future.
As with all Internet directories, make certain that you follow all of the recommended submission guidelines. While most blog directories will include your blog, it is still important for you to make certain you submit to the proper category.
Blogs are also eligible for inclusion in the mainstream Internet directories, including DMOZ and Yahoo! Directory. Blogs are welcomed in the secondary Internet directories as well.
If you currently maintain a business blog, or are considering one for the future, be certain to submit it to the various Internet directories. The benefits will help your blog tremendously.
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