What is Directory Submission?
Directory submission is an act of adding website URLs into web directories. Its aim is to build backlinks and feed the growth of the business.
As an off-page SEO technique, it is highly beneficial for increasing the visibility of your businesses.
Like in all of the techniques used in the growth, the efficacy of directory submission can change based on the type and the process of your directory submission.
Therefore, let’s move on to the types of directory submission websites now!
The 9 Types of Directory Submission Websites
In addition to the importance of the directory submission process, there are nine types of directory submission websites. These are as follows:
- 1- Free Directory Submission: It is a cost-free type of directory submission. Also, it takes a little for approval.
- 2- Paid Directory Submission: It is the paid type of directory submission. There are yearly and lifelong plans, and you will be getting paid backlinks from different websites.
- 4- Manual Directory Submission: This type of directory submission is highly time-consuming, but it is done to be recognized by different search engines.
- 5- Automatic Directory Submission: Directory submission can be made with an automated process; it will not take much time because the tools will send the URL.
- 6- Dofollow Directory Submission: It is an option to rank higher on the SERPs, along with getting a high amount of traffic to your website.
- 7- Nofollow Directory Submission: Though it is not as effective as the dofollow directory submission, links should be given by considering the website.
- 8- Regional/ Local Directory Submission: It is done for your website to rank locally higher on the regional level so that it will support local SEO listing.
- 9- Niche Directory Submission: This type is mostly devoted to a niche category of directories. Topics like RSS feeds, scripts and software, web firms, SEO firms, and other online specialties are submitted.
The 16 Free Web Directories from Different Categories
1. Capterra - Tool Directory
Capterra is a popular online software directory. The user share reviews and comments on their experience with the related products and services, so the visitors wondering about the product can get acknowledged.
Capterra has software and service categories that are highly diverse, which gives visitors a vast amount of information.
Also, it has a simple user interface for both the software owner and the visitors. As the tool directory, Capterra compares the product with its competitors and highlights the pros and cons of a product or service.
So, if you have a product or service to add to Capterra, you can easily get recognized and start collecting reviews.
P.S.: Capterra is a subsidiary of Gartner Inc., and you can make directory submissions to Capterra’s popular mirror sites, GetApp, and Software Advice if you like.
2. Local - Merchant Directory
Local or Local. com is the directory of events and what is happening in your city.
You should determine the event to find and the place to join. Then, you will get the information respectively.
Local has a straightforward design in order not to confuse the visitors probably, but it has a direct working style.
Additionally, the platform regularly publishes various articles prepared for visitors about events, tips, and more.
Local has established partnerships with various businesses and organizations, providing a valuable opportunity for your own business to gain greater exposure and recognition.
3. Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB) - Book Directory
Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB) is an online directory for accessing books and all the things related to books.
It helps researchers, librarians, and publishers at the same time because they all can find what they are looking for in one place.
DOAB shares all the information and the rights of the books that are displayed, so there is no problem in reaching them.
The book directory also has supporters and sponsors, which include various colleges, faculties, and universities.
You can share your work if you are a publisher with their advanced system or support them.
4. Popupbuilder.io - Popup Builder Directory
Popupbuilder.io is a popup builder directory where you can find the best popup builder for your business.
Examining Popupbuilder.io’s website, it has many categories and sub-categories related to:
- the features,
- the pricings,
- the integrations,
- the alternatives
- and the most common help documentation of different popup builders.
Additionally, it is possible to compare and contrast the popup builders with the resources they provide.
And with the review pages, where they gather user comments and reviews on each popup builder, reveal the objective perception of popup builders.
5. FindLaw - Legal Directory
FindLaw is a free source of legal information and a place where you can find lawyers.
FindLaw presents the legal information about the law services and decisions that courts and law have made.
The directory immediately detects your location, and you need to specify your location if needed. If not, you should not determine your legal issue.
FindLaw provides the contact information at the end of the page if you cannot find the service you are looking for.
It is worth mentioning that FindLaw is one of the most comprehensive web directory samples in this article.
6. Merchant Circle - Merchant Directory
Merchant Circle is both a web directory and social network that is used by local business owners.
As a common way, you need to decide what and where you are going to search for.
Merchant Circle has a familiar design with other useful directories but with a distinct detail, which is the part where the top categories are shared on the website’s homepage.
Besides, the platform has valued partnerships that you can use for visibility. Or, you can claim your listing.
7. Women Who Draw - Art Directory
Women Who Draw is an open directory where female illustrators meet and share their unique works.
Exceptionally, the website of Women Who Draw is more interesting when compared to other web directories.
This directory helps women share their pieces with their links to their own websites while increasing familiarity.
On the other hand, it is possible to see the categories on the left side as the menu of the website, race/ethnicity, location, orientation, religion, and featured.
It is possible to join WWD and support the female illustrators of Women Who Draw at the same time.
8. Top Design Firms - Agency Directory
Top Design Firms is a web directory that helps people find an agency for design, marketing, or development.
You can get started by exploring the company directories, or you can also search by locations.
In addition to this, you can find the motive you want with the badges that inform visitors about the client review, 200.000+ companies, and fact-checked data.
Plus, the web directory Top Design Firms also has a blog, like Local.com. It gives inspiration about the specific topics that the directory is interested in.
9. Digital Marketing Hints - Digital Marketing Directory
Digital Marketing Hints is where you can find different types of items from various categories.
When you click the search bar, it leads you to the advanced search of the categories. Also, you can specialize the category, city, and price.
If you considering publishing your ad, it is for free and all you need to do is to fill in the related blanks for your advertisement.
The only disadvantage we can mention is the website’s interface with lots of ads. :)
10. Wall Classified - Trade Directory
Wall Classified is another web directory that you can buy and sell. In other words, it is kind of a “classified ads site”.
Siimilar to Digital Marketing Hints, Wall Classified has a simple user interface and it is more of a clear directory to find the target.
You can browse based on the cities and countries, or simply do it by clicking the search bar to specify.
Posting ads, spotting the items and finding the right object are what Wall Classified can provide for you.
11. The Pets and Animals - Pets Directory
The Pets and Animals is the web directory used as a reference for the pets.
Since it is highly comprehensive to deal with, the Pets and Animals presents the utmost benefit to the enthusiasts.
When you are searching, you need to determine your point or let the Pets and Animals guide you with categories, features, and counties.
Additionally, you can reach the digital magazine or directly lead to the advertising process if you would like to advertise your related service.
12. The Food Directory - Food Directory
The Food Directory is a directory collecting information about food, restaurants, and events.
The Food Directory is one of the most exclusive and chic web directories that we choose to show you.
With its easy-to-navigate interface and appealing design, the platform provides a seamless user experience.
Also, it is possible to search for the venues, events, and jobs with the search bar.
Moreover, you can join the community or move forward to the specifically curated collections.
13. Foursquare - Location / Maps Directory
Foursquare is the platform where you can find places and movements with a location-based technology.
Foursquare is like a literal place directory and you can find find a business, list your business, or deal with the location platform part.
Each category leads you to another part to specify and divides the title as the Foursquare for Business, the Foursquare City Guide, and the Foursquare’s location platform.
You can discover the locations, events, jobs, or more while being easily recognized by other people with Foursquare for Business.
The directory both works as a platform where it creates an opportunity for people to know and be known.
In order to emphasize, Foursquare is one of the most popular web directories of this list, so you need to pay attention its influence and importance.
14. Yelp - Local Business Directory
Yelp is the web directory for local businesses, like restaurants, dentists, bars, beauty salons, doctors and more.
Yelp is another popular platform of this list with its website and the business part.
The website of Yelp is to-the-point for the businesses and writing reviews. There is a part where you can find the restaurants, home services, auto services and more for the categories.
Also, since the above-the-fold part is interactive, it gives you the idea that you are possible to reach the right thing that you aim to find.
Yelp does not avoid posting the recent activities of their users as the social proof.
Then, the page gets back to the needs of the visitors with the categories that addresses the exact needs.
When searching for the details, there are filters for price, location, features, and the distance. This eases the process of the experience of user as well.
15. Blogarama - Blog Directory
Blogarama is known as the rooted blog directory of the Internet because it reaches the extensive catalog of blogs.
Though Blogarama has a vast amount of knowledge about blog listings, it has an old-fashioned design.
The visitors are able search for the blogs, it is also possible to find the related category or find a random blog posts to be interested in.
If you have a specific topic to search for, you can just enter the keyword and find the related result.
The biggest advantage of Blogarama is the redirection of links of the blog posts to the original website.
16. G2 - Software Directory
G2 is the platform where user reviews are collected about the business software and services.
G2 addresses the question where visitors can be led to know with a search bar immediately.
Then, the software categories are ordered with the most popular ones if the visitors could find them helpful.
The homepage offers you to make a review with a call to action and claim your G2 profile if there is any.
Scrolling down the page, G2 Track is introduced to the visitors and it is possible to find the all categories.
The Frequently Asked Questions
From all the reviews and information we provide, you must have comprehend the importance and the impact of the free web directories.
However, we have summoned the most important and leading questions in the frequently asked questions section.
What are the Benefits of Directory Submissions in SEO?
By submitting their websites to relevant directories, owners can increase the likelihood of receiving high-quality backlinks, which are a crucial factor in search engine rankings.
Additionally, directory submissions can help visitors find a website more easily, particularly if it is in a niche industry or has not yet established a strong online presence.
Furthermore, search engines can more easily index a website that is listed in a directory, which can improve its online visibility.
However, it is important to choose directories that are reputable and relevant to the website's industry or niche, as low-quality directories may hurt search engine rankings.
What Should I Do for Directory Submissions?
- You should choose indexed and popular web directories to include your website link.
- You need to decide based on the directory’s domain authority and page authority.
- You need to specify the category you will add your website URL.
- You need to prepare what is needed based on the directory structure.
- You need to vary the details about your website when it comes to submitting your website to different directories.
- You need to check the links and their quality, and the importance of the website can change accordingly.
- You need to choose your web directory type because, for example, you can be overcharged while making paid directory submission, or you can fail because of tools you used with automated directory submission
What Shouldn’t I Do for Directory Submissions?
- Nofollow links could affect your website performance badly, so nofollow directory submission is not mostly preferred.
- Incomplete or “under construction” web directories can harm your website since they have broken links and images.
- You shouldn’t enter the same URL more than once because it will not create a positive effect. For instance, adding both https://example.com and https://example.com/index.html is not the best thing you can do.
- You shouldn’t include your website to mirror sites because, despite different URLs, they have similar content.
- You shouldn’t choose a web directory if its own content is not satisfying or trustworthy.
Are All Free Web Directories Safe to Submit Website to?
No, they are not actually. You need to research the directory before submitting your website to ensure that it is a reputable and trustworthy directory.
It is the best when you look for directories with a high domain authority and good reputation in the industry. This will be more useful for you to add importance and familiarity to your brand.
How Often Should I Update My Website's Information in a Free Web Directory?
It is important to keep your website's information up-to-date in free web directories. This includes updating your website's URL, description, and other relevant information.
It is recommended to update your information at least once a year or whenever there are significant changes to your website's content.
Therefore, you will be able to introduce your product or service to your customers more accurately.
Next to Read
If you want to take a look at other articles that may catch your attention.
