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In your mad rush to get your website to the top, you may have tried everything: keywords, swapping links with other websites, promoting yourself through blogs or social networking sites, or maybe even paying other websites to link to yours. In all that running around, you may have forgot one thing, and that is getting listed on directories.

Getting listed in directories isn’t as easy as having your website appear on Google (even if it does end up on the seventh page of search results). Directories are human edited, meaning that to get listed on these directories you are going to have to submit your site for review. Directory editors won’t accept every site they receive, meaning that there is the chance yours will be rejected. There are things you can do to minimize your chances of rejection, which are explained below.

The first thing you should do is learn about each individual directory. Each directory is different, from the way they categorize pages to the how long they allow your site description to be. Main categories are generally the same (News, Health, Shopping, etc.), but subcategories can vary widely between the different web directories. When you submit your directory, you should make sure it is in the most accurate category possible, which will not only increase your chances of getting a site listed, but will also increase the chances of someone clicking on the link that leads to your site. Keep in mind that there are directories out there that focus exclusively on a single topic, and if your site fits within that topic it can be well worth your time to submit for listing there.

Different directories also have different policies regarding how long your site’s description can be. Some only allow a small, 40 or so word description while others are fine with you having a 200 or more word description with which to describe your site and convince people to click. Preparing descriptions of varying length in advance can save you time later when you are submitting your site to several directories at a time.

The content of the site itself is also important, and the more unique and helpful it is the more likely a directory reviewer will accept your site into the listing. How unique your site is can be very important on some of the larger directories out there, as a site that is just like a dozen other sites already on the list will have less chance of being accepted.

Getting listed in some of the bigger directories will also get you listed in smaller ones. This is particularly true of the Open Directory Project, which serves as the basis of several other directories, meaning that if you can get your site linked there, your site will be automatically added to several others over the following two or three months.

Finally, you should know that several directories out there require payment for you to be listed, with some charging an annual fee while others operate on a pay-per-click basis.

Make use of link directories in your website marketing. Submit your site now to Best Web Directory and Top Link Directory web guides. It is free to submit.