Directory submission is still a vital part of an overall link building strategy for Search Engine Optimization. I spoke about this in my post Is Link Building with Directories Dead? and in that post I also list a few “must submit to directories.”

With some testing I found out that directory links are helpful and all though those links have gotten a bad rap from some lately, I still submit to them. While some are looking for “perfect links” I just build links of all kinds, so just do some linkbuilding everyday from all sources:

Time Division Formula for Link Building:
40% – Article Marketing
25% – Social Bookmark Links/Forum Sig links/Blog comment links
25% – Reciprocal Link Exchange/Blogroll (related sites only, not links pages – home page or contextual links)
10% – Directories

Some Directory Submission Guidelines:

1. Some of the directories require a reciprocal link, you can be choosy here and opt out of those, it’s up to you, I usually go for the non-reciprocal required sites.

2. Go for the higher PR directories first.

3. Don’t do “bid” for links on any directory, not worth getting caught for buying links as they blatantly advertise it and there are plenty of free ones.

Two Free Directory Submission Softwares for Link Building

I have reviewed several free directory submission softwares and here are the two best ones. Easy, accurate and save loads of time.

**These are NOT completely automatic software, they only open the directory submission pages in the software window and save loads of time so you don’t have to visit each directory one by one, so you don’t have to worry about blind submission, you have total control and can explore the directories one by one and decide if it is one you want to submit to.

Make sure to diversify your anchor text and descriptions so your link building does not come off spammy and these softwares allow for different anchors and descriptions that automatically rotate.

G-Lock – Fast Directory Submitter – Unlimited websites, 150 directories submissions per site with free account, upgrade to paid for more submissions. Very easy submit!

Sliq Directory Submitter – Sort directories by Page Rank, very easy submit, 2000 directories in the database.

If you really do not have the time to deal with submitting, I also use Directory Submission Service that submits for me to directories and social sites and is very affordable.