For over the years i have seen many web directories come and go. I have always used submitting my websites to web directories to effectively market and promote my websites. The main advantages of submitting your sites to directories are backlinks, fast google indexing, and good pagerank (PR).  PR was used by many people as a measure to inbound links and link popularity for many websites nowdays, but many directory owners would argue that PR is almost dead as it has no influence on website traffic.

There are lots of many free and paid directories nowdays, but  before submitting your website to directory, one must make sure that the directory is spam free and human edited web directory. If the directory is not human edited, and allows automatic approval, it becomes a ‘link farm’. The key factors to evaluate a directory are  total google indexed and cached pages, backlinks, Age of directory and to some extend PR.  Most high quality and well established directories nowdays charge a fee  for review and inclusion and submitting ‘free’ is a taboo with most directories.

I have compiled and listed below the best high quality directories (free/paid) and it is very recommended to submit your sites to these directories below….

1. Yahoo Directory

http://dir.yahoo.com

• Pagerank: 8
• Domain Age:  since 1995
• Google Indexed: 1.8 million | Yahoo Indexed: 2 million | Bing Indexed: 103k
• Google Backlinks: 480 | Yahoo Backlinks: 160,000
• Alexa Rank: 4
• Inclusion Fee: $299/year

2. DMOZ

http://www.dmoz.org

• Pagerank: 8
• Domain Age: Since 1999
• Google Indexed: 1.9 million | Yahoo Indexed: 1.16 million| Bing Indexed: 1.2 million
•  Google Backlinks: 4.4 million | Yahoo Backlinks: 7.9 million
• Alexa Rank: 574
• Inclusion Fee: free to submit

3. Business.com

http://www.business.com

•    Pagerank:  7
•    Domain Age: since 1998
•    Google Indexed:  74000 | Yahoo Indexed: 82900 |  Bing Indexed: 44,400
•     Google Backlinks:  400 | Yahoo Backlinks: 3000
•    Alexa Rank: 5,839
•    Inclusion Fee:  $299 (Business directory Inclusion)

4. Best of the Web Directory (BOTW)

http://www.botw.org

•    Pagerank:  7
•    Domain Age: Since 1994
•    Google Indexed: 3.5 million | Yahoo Indexed: 907,000 |  Bing Indexed:  650,000
•     Google Backlinks: 557 | Yahoo Backlinks: 146,000
•    Alexa Rank: 5,158
•    Inclusion Fee:  149.95 annually (or) One time fee of $299

5. Joeant

http://www.joeant.com

•    Pagerank:  6
•    Domain Age: since 2000
•    Google Indexed:  144,000 | Yahoo Indexed: 131,460  |  Bing Indexed: 81,400
•     Google Backlinks: 131 | Yahoo Backlinks: 411
•    Alexa Rank: 12,374
•    Inclusion Fee: $39.99

6. GoGuides.org

http://www.goguides.org

•    Pagerank:  5
•    Domain Age: since 2001
•    Google Indexed: 18,800 | Yahoo Indexed: 54,700 |  Bing Indexed: 25,200
•     Google Backlinks: 93 | Yahoo Backlinks: 150
•    Alexa Rank: 29,145
•    Inclusion Fee: $39.99 (or) $69.95

7. Hot vs Not Directory

http://www.hotvsnot.com/

•    Pagerank: 6
•    Domain Age: 2004
•    Google Indexed:   24,400 | Yahoo Indexed: 1577   |  Bing Indexed: 7290
•     Google Backlinks: 1120 | Yahoo Backlinks: 196
•    Alexa Rank: 19972
•    Inclusion Fee: not known.

8. Gimpsy.com

http://www.gimpsy.com

•    Pagerank: 5
•    Domain Age: since 2001
•    Google Indexed: 13100 | Yahoo Indexed: 164 |  Bing Indexed: 7990
•     Google Backlinks: 125 | Yahoo Backlinks: 164
•    Alexa Rank: 36,531
•    Inclusion Fee: $49

9. Skaffe.com

http://www.skaffe.com

•    Pagerank:  4
•    Domain Age: since 2003
•    Google Indexed: 2140 | Yahoo Indexed: 21,370 |  Bing Indexed: 727
•     Google Backlinks: 88 | Yahoo Backlinks: 80
•    Alexa Rank: 56,257
•    Inclusion Fee: $44.99 (or) Free

10. Incrawler

http://www.incrawler.com

•    Pagerank: 5
•    Domain Age: since 2003
•    Google Indexed: 42,700  | Yahoo Indexed:  23,285 |  Bing Indexed: 2850
•     Google Backlinks: 159 | Yahoo Backlinks: 42
•    Alexa Rank: 93,754
•    Inclusion Fee: $49.95 (onetime)

11. Ezilon

http://www.ezilon.com/

•    Pagerank: 6
•    Domain Age: since 2002
•    Google Indexed:  335,000 | Yahoo Indexed: 297,000 |  Bing Indexed: 38,600
•     Google Backlinks: 203 | Yahoo Backlinks: 499
•    Alexa Rank: 4,317
•    Inclusion Fee: $69 yearly (or) $199 one time fee.

12. Alive Directory

http://www.alivedirectory.com

•    Pagerank: 5
•    Domain Age: 2005
•    Google Indexed: 4650 | Yahoo Indexed: 20  |  Bing Indexed: 109
•     Google Backlinks:  551 | Yahoo Backlinks: 36
•    Alexa Rank: 64,564
•    Inclusion Fee:$74.95 per year (or) $224 one time

13. Linkopedia

http://www.linkopedia.com/

•    Pagerank: 4
•    Domain Age: since 1998
•    Google Indexed: 3270 | Yahoo Indexed: 3,188  |  Bing Indexed: 1280
•     Google Backlinks:  46 | Yahoo Backlinks: 38
•    Alexa Rank: 177,877
•    Inclusion Fee: $9.95 one time

14. DirJournal

http://www.dirjournal.com/

•    Pagerank: 4
•    Domain Age: 2007
•    Google Indexed:  58600 | Yahoo Indexed: 43255 |  Bing Indexed: 6950
•     Google Backlinks: 496 | Yahoo Backlinks: 205
•    Alexa Rank: 144,155
•    Inclusion Fee: $59.95 yearly (or) $159.95

15. Elib Shopping Directory

http://www.elib.org

•    Pagerank: 5
•    Domain Age: since 2003
•    Google Indexed: 21,800  | Yahoo Indexed: 23,913  |  Bing Indexed: 10,800
•     Google Backlinks: 236 | Yahoo Backlinks: 118
•    Alexa Rank: 39,699
•    Inclusion Fee: € 9

16. V7N Directory

http://directory.v7n.com

•    Pagerank:5
•    Domain Age: since 2004
•    Google Indexed: 6890 | Yahoo Indexed:  10,191|  Bing Indexed: 431
•     Google Backlinks: 44 | Yahoo Backlinks: 1090
•    Alexa Rank: 2,569
•    Inclusion Fee: $49.95

17. Web World Index Directory

http://www.webworldindex.com/

•    Pagerank:
•    Domain Age: 2001
•    Google Indexed: 137,000 | Yahoo Indexed:  134,000|  Bing Indexed: 4190
•     Google Backlinks:  107 | Yahoo Backlinks: 116
•    Alexa Rank: 12,166
•    Inclusion Fee: $25

18. Directory World

http://www.directoryworld.net

•    Pagerank: 5
•    Domain Age: since 2004
•    Google Indexed: 12400 | Yahoo Indexed: 18945  |  Bing Indexed: 1400
•     Google Backlinks:  361 | Yahoo Backlinks: 96
•    Alexa Rank: 39,145
•    Inclusion Fee: $29.95 (or) free with reciprocal link.

19. Human Ranked Directory Project

http://www.hrwebdir.org

•    Pagerank: 4
•    Domain Age: since 2006
•    Google Indexed: 4650  | Yahoo Indexed: 4667  |  Bing Indexed: 943
•     Google Backlinks: 52 | Yahoo Backlinks: 34
•    Alexa Rank: 157,589
•    Inclusion Fee: $9.95 (or) Free for non-commercial.

20. Aviva Directory

http://www.avivadirectory.com

•    Pagerank:  5
•    Domain Age:  2005
•    Google Indexed: 8590  | Yahoo Indexed:  8660  |  Bing Indexed: 5218
•     Google Backlinks: 456  | Yahoo Backlinks: 94
•    Alexa Rank: 30,104
•    Inclusion Fee: $49.95 per year / $149.95 one time

21. Massive Links

http://www.massivelinks.com

•    Pagerank: 4
•    Domain Age: 2003
•    Google Indexed:  34000 | Yahoo Indexed: 26400  |  Bing Indexed:  5343
•     Google Backlinks: 38  | Yahoo Backlinks:  33
•    Alexa Rank: 36127
•    Inclusion Fee: $39.99

22. AbiLogic Business Directory

http://www.abilogic.com

•    Pagerank: 5
•    Domain Age: 2003
•    Google Indexed:  134,000 | Yahoo Indexed: 49,401  |  Bing Indexed: 8540
•     Google Backlinks: 102  | Yahoo Backlinks: 55
•    Alexa Rank: 28,408
•    Inclusion Fee: $32/yr

23. CannyLink Internet Directory

http://www.cannylink.com

•    Pagerank: 4
•    Domain Age: since 1997
•    Google Indexed: 2760  | Yahoo Indexed: 2060   |  Bing Indexed:
•     Google Backlinks:  77 | Yahoo Backlinks: 27
•    Alexa Rank: 92,896
•    Inclusion Fee: $19.95

24. Jayde Directory & Search Engine

http://www.jayde.com

•    Pagerank: 3
•    Domain Age: since 1996
•    Google Indexed: 129,000  | Yahoo Indexed:   |  Bing Indexed: 9830
•     Google Backlinks: 525 | Yahoo Backlinks: 814
•    Alexa Rank: 4,248
•    Inclusion Fee:  Free

25. Wow Directory

http://www.wowdirectory.com

•    Pagerank: 4
•    Domain Age: since 2003
•    Google Indexed: 1.1 million  | Yahoo Indexed: 18,579   |  Bing Indexed: 1350
•     Google Backlinks: 48 | Yahoo Backlinks: 46
•    Alexa Rank: 63,364
•    Inclusion Fee: $43

Unfortunately, most people are in hurry to submitting to lots of directories and dont spend enough time to write titles and descriptions. From my 7 year experience as a directory editor i have reviewed lot many submissions and even SEO and search engine companies make this mistake.

Quite contrary to what you think, writing a title and descriptions isnt difficult at all.  Here are some of the useful tips on how to write good titles and descriptions.

Titles

Titles make sense! How well is your title attracting others?. Does it look appealing? Does it tells instantly whats your site is all about? Neverthless it has become very important and inevitable for most directory editors and SEOs to give so much importance on writing titles. Remember excellent eye catching titles will make your site popular in a short period of time !

• Titles must be unique and should not be redundant.
• Keep it short and consise and maximum 3-4 meaningful keywords. Keywords chosen should be meaningful, and relevent to the website URL.
• Titles should be easily recognisable, meaningful and appealing.
• Do not write is CAPS.
• Start capitalising with each word in the title. Leave words less than 3 chars in smaller case.
• If you have good domain name, write the capitalized domain in your title. Titles need not be keyword only.
• Do not use articles (a,an,the) or or punctuations symbols(,).
• Dont write short acronyms in title. Expand them.
• If your website is a corporate website, write your company name in title.
• If your website is of particular country, say UK or Australia, mention it in title. For example, “Flower Gifts UK”

Examples:

“UK Company Formation”,

“Arctic Wild Life Photography”,

“Bleuhost Linux Hosting” (or) “VPS Hosting Reviews”

San Diego Criminal Attorneys (or) Law office of John Parker

“EuropeBanks.Info” (or) “BestMensClothing.com”

“Simon Logistics LLC” (or) “Simon Movers Inc.”

“Accounting Career Guide” (or) “Online MBA Programs”

“Chicago Apartment Search” (or) “NYC Apartment Rentals”

“Car Insurance UK” (or) “Best Auto Insurance Quotes”

“Atlanta Web Design” (or) “Chicago SEO Firm” (or) “SEO Company Toronto”

“NY Cosmetic Laser Surgeon” (or) Dr. John Rosembaum (write the doctor name in title)

“Denver Real Estate Agents” (or) “Luxury Idaho Homes”

“Hungary Travel Guide” (or) “UK Shopping Guide”

These are the best tips i have seen and for more variety of titles, please see this website .

Descriptions

Imagine you have a wonderful page with lots of content and quality information available for end users, but you dont know to describe your site in short good context words.  I have seen in many submissions, people write descriptions just like a story and it way too lengthy, just like an article.  This is because people blindly write descriptions  without even reading the website for which they are writing descriptions for. The key here is go the intended website read, look for some nice phrases and compile it to write your description.

Here are the tips you have to follow while writing a description to your site.

• Keep it short and descriptions should not be more than 2 lines never too lengthy.
• Do not use sales or promotion or personal tones.
• Dont use superlatives (safest,best..)
• Dont use (I,we,our,my) personal pronouns.
• Dont use the replica of titles.
• Start with articles like (A,An,The)
• Do not write is CAPS. Only capitalise the first letter.

Examples

I have seen many people have starting trouble when writing description. Start words in writing description…

Providing services in…
Offering services ….
Offers……

Travel Guide on…
Advice and useful tips on…
Specializing in…

Get free quotes….
Assisting clients in ….
Best ratings and reviews on…

Providers of…
Leading real estate company….in the UK
Compare various…
Assisting clients…
Shopping portal for…
Website offering..

Shop online for…
One stop shop for…

Resource Guide on…
Online guide for …
Tutorials on…

Find and compare…
Offers a variety…
Search for apartment rentals…

Directory of business law firms…

Learn about…
Equipment for…
Manufacturer of…
Resources and tips on…

Useful articles on…
Discussion forum on…
Links to..
Blog on…

Buyers and sellers of…
Free tutorials on..

Chicago personal injury law firm representing clients in…
Criminal law firm ….based in Miami, Florida

I hope some of the examples above will help you a lot to write quality titles and descriptions.