Google and other search engines categorize websites according to their content and popularity. Popularity depends on the number and quality of the links to your pages. An important part of the referencing work therefore includes increasing the number of links to your website. This is known as Netlinking.
To create these links, you need to communicate with partner sites and register your website with directories (websites that group other websites that are classified by category). If a large number of quality websites point to yours, search engines will conclude that your website is attractive and it will naturally go up in the SERP rankings.
Avoid making these mistakes
Search engines and Google in particular are very intelligent. If one detects an activity that doesn’t seem normal (such as obtaining 800 links in one go to one’s website), it will mistrust and overlook your website (known as the Sandbox). It is therefore very important to register your websites with directories over time and not register too many in one go when you launch your website. You should ideally dedicate a few hours every month to this task, limit the number of directories you register your store with to 5-10 and check that the quality of these directories.
Another important point to consider is that you may be selected for automatic submission software.
This seems fantastic but you should note that this is highly unadvisable. Firstly, you risk too many links being created in one go as mentioned above, and secondly because the submissions can never be as accurate as they are when achieved manually. Each directly has its own classification and only an intelligent being can find the most suitable category for their website, something that software is incapable of!
How are websites submitted to directories?
In order to save time, you should prepare a document before submitting your website to directories. Use this document to draft several titles, several descriptions and lists of keywords. It is better to regularly vary the texts submitted to make that seem more natural for search engines. Once you have prepared your document, you will simply need to copy and paste them in the directory forms (you will see that they all look the same!).
List of directories
Search for directories of directories (yes, they exist!). Choose directories that create hard links (it is sometimes indicated). This means that search engines will be able to track the link to your website and this will have a real impact on your listing. You should also focus on specialist directories (that relate to your business, naturally) rather than on general directories. Finally, avoid directories that force you to include a logo on your home page, a specific code on your pages, or a mandatory return link. There are hundreds of thousands of directories on the internet, so head to the following!
Here is a list of specialist online store directories:
Here is a list of directories of directories to help your research:
You can also use Google to find other local or specific directories (type “London directory” or “sports directory”, for example).
💬 Feel free to contact your Business Coaches should you have any questions!