Overview The following are examples of search engine, web directory and specialty directories and website listing services that I can assist you with getting your website into the mix to build new "funnels" of traffic to your website. However, please keep in mind this area is foundational and extremely important to your site yet getting you into these is just the start of the process as the next level of extreme importance to the success of your website is learning how to convert hits into identifiable call to action behaviors and sales which has much to do with your unique quality content and website marketing strategy.
Top 3 Search Engine Returns • Organic • • Google • • Bing • • Yahoo • Local Search Business Returns • • Google Places • • Bing Business Listing • • Yahoo Business Listing Alternate Web Directory / Search Engine Submissions • ASK • and about 40+ others
Specialty Directories • Ones you or I am aware of that fit your industry, services, products
Community Connections • BBB • Chamber of Commerce • Local Community Directories and Events
Trade or Industry Connections • Local, State and National Sites
A brief warning about ppc click type local directories ... Some of these products attempt to scam you into submitting your Business Name and primary keywords to them (some just do it without your consent) so they will come up on top of you in the top 3 organic search engine returns.
Some may also request or even require a front page link back from your website to their website with the listing which often is just going a level deeper to the scam, as that link back to them can attach (transmit) some of your home page / website link page rank to their website. In time as many others do the same that can build their site stronger than yours or any other typical local website, then they can return higher (above) your site, with your business name and keywords, in local organic searches.
These type of directory listings seldom really help you. Often they can hurt your site on several levels.
a) They can just plain confuse the person looking for you using your business name by not getting your real website returned to them.
b) Or, the directory you listed in returns a title bar and descripton in the search results as if they are you, then when your seeker enters that source they can not find you or see how get to your website and full service information.
c) In some cases the directory intentionally uses your listing to make a profit from a ppc click, banner ad or text suggestion they present to take your seeker to your competitors listing or website instead!
d) If you do not understand and follow the rel= "no follow" rules for paid links or their site is flagged as a "bad neighborhood" by Google the link back could have an adverse effect on your sites page ranki and SERP too.
As you can imagine none of the above make a good web business plan to build your future on.
Feel free to contact me and I will be happy to review the site for you and offer you my best advice and some real life search engine returns from that site with similar data.
I stay flexible and adaptive in search engine and directory submissions. This part of the industry changes rapidly. For example, many of the special algorithm changes Google rolls out to try and filter out the spammers and bad sites have the potential for unintentional collateral damage to good websites that get caught up in their filter.
Another example is their latest restructure of the local search return page that helps to monetize Google Places which looks to have drastically and maybe even forever effected how the top 10 free organic listings will appear on the return page. Many top 10 sites will now fall down below the fold and may never be seen by the average viewer.
The above types of changes in the search environment create the need and the opportunity to review and adjust our strategy on how to build existing and new traffic funnels. A good example of a new and upcoming one is the rising growth of Facebook and Twitter Social Media marketing which most likely will develop into a whole new way we can connect up with new business on the web in the very near future!
