Online website directories provide several benefits, the most important of which is linking. While this article refers to attorneys, it applies to any industry.
A FindLaw whitepaper, “Visibility, Design, and Content: Three Steps to Successful Online Marketing,” stated, “In the expanding online market for legal services, the most successful law firms focus on three essential areas ( and related): generate visibility through search engines and directories, use a distinctive site design to differentiate the firm and offer persuasive content that attracts prospects and deepens relationships with clients… Links from other firms Lawyers, online directories and legal sites like FindLaw also support an effective link building campaign.”
When considering paying for a listing review in an online directory, most people only think about the potential for traffic and whether the cost of the listing review is really worth it. However, this is not the only consideration.
Obviously, when an online directory appears in the top search results of a search engine, people can find your website listed. One result is that your listing will provide some branding as people view it. Another result is that some of these people will click on your listing, land on your website, and possibly do business with you.
The often overlooked and most important benefit, as noted by FindLaw, is that when links point to your website from many niche directories, such as a legal directory pointing a link to a law firm website, your ” web popularity” increases and the position of your law firm’s website in search engine results will move up.
If you really want your law firm website to appear in the top search results, listing your law firm in as many legal directories as possible is a must. Again, this applies to any business. Just search for niche directories for your industry.
Whatever business you are in, getting listed in some of the top ranked general directories is also beneficial. Of course, once a directory is well ranked, there is usually a fee to review their listing.
The website directory should give you a true “live” link without a “do not follow” tag. The “no-follow” tag prevents passing any page rank, sometimes called “link juice” to your website. There are several ways to use a “do not follow” tag and it is not easy for the average attorney to tell if it is being used. Look for specialized directories that do not use a “do not follow” label, such as LawFirms911.com for law firms. If the website directory you’re considering doesn’t state whether they use a “do not follow” tag, simply email them and ask. If the directory provides a follow link and is a well-maintained niche directory, go ahead and pay to have your listing reviewed.
Why should you pay to have your ad reviewed? A well-maintained website directory will manually review each website listing to ensure that the listing belongs in the directory and is placed in the most appropriate category.
Search engines will ignore a website directory full of spam website lists, just like your list. Directories are raided daily with spam submissions and websites that are unrelated to the niche directory’s topic. To make sure that a list of websites submitted is in fact a law firm and not a website that sells drugs or a website about cars, I have to look at the website that is submitted. Many times, it doesn’t take long. However, spam websites are often cunningly disguised and it is only after investigation that I find out that it is a useless website.
If people searching the Internet are going to use a directory and if search engines are going to value your link in a directory, the listings need to rank properly. Many listings are submitted to the wrong categories, usually because the submitter didn’t take the time to find the most appropriate category or because the submitter wanted the listing in a higher, more general category.
To make sure that a list of submitted websites is in fact a law firm and submitted to the most appropriate category, I have to look at the website being submitted.
I don’t want to just remove your listing. Instead, your ad will be placed in the appropriate category. It takes time to re-categorize submitted listings. For anyone, time is expensive. Since I am a lawyer, maintaining my directories is even more expensive.
If your listing moves to a more specific category, don’t worry. Being categorized more closely with similar websites is beneficial. Also, being at the top or one of the few links in the category may be better than being at the bottom of a category with hundreds of listings.
As you can see, it takes a long time to go through all the submitted website listings. It also takes time and money to maintain the directory’s infrastructure, including its software, search engine optimization, and other aspects.
It is necessary to charge a small fee to review your website if a website directory owner is going to maintain the directory properly. It is a small price to pay to ensure that the directory benefits your website and does not harm it.
Websites that were previously submitted should be periodically reviewed to ensure that the submitted website has not been lost by the owner who did not renew the domain name and was subsequently picked up by a “spammer”, resulting in unlisted spam. intentional in the directory. This happens too often. The standard time period for review is annual. Some directories charge an annual renewal fee for this service.
I have been adding more directories and am currently at the point where I will have to hire someone. If my directories are to remain permanent, they must be run like any profitable business with overhead.