Directory Submission Chart
Summary of submission guidelines and requirements for major directories.
Summary of submission guidelines and requirements for major directories.
The chart below summarizes key details about submitting to the major directories, which unlike search engines, use humans to categorize sites. Specific details about submitting to each of these can be found within the How Search Engines Work section. Information for a particular directory is as of the date shown in the “Updated” row. Be aware that directory requirements don’t tend to change often, so an older date doesn’t mean that the information is out of date. Instead, updates are done when information changes.
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Title Length: Shows the longest title you can submit as measured in characters, which includes spaces. If you use too many characters, the Add URL system will force you to shorten the title. In all cases, short titles that reflect your company name, web site name or page title are more likely to be accepted.
Description Length: Shows the longest description you can submit, first in words and then in characters, if applicable. You can’t exceed either number. If you use too many words, an editor may shorten your description or not process your submission. If you use too many characters, the Add URL system will force you to shorten the description. In all cases, descriptions should be short, to the point, and not full of marketing hype. Do not submit a description that is simply a series of keywords.
How Do I Submit?: Submission usually begins with finding the right category for your site. Once you’ve done this, you need to find where the Add URL link is located to make the submit form appear. This shows you how to find the form.
Required Info: All the directories require the “usual” information of a title, URL and description. Some also ask for additional information, as shown. Have this information ready in advance!
Optional Info: Shows optional information that may be requested.
Submission Fee: Some directories require you to pay a fee to submit or offer it as an option, in order to have your submission processed quickly. In either case, the fee typically only guarantees a yes or no answer within a short time about whether you will be listed, not whether you will rank well.
Maximum Categories: Shows the maximum number of categories you can submit to a single URL to, in most cases.
Turnaround Time (Paid): For directories that charge a submission fee, this shows how many business days it takes until you get an answer about being listed.
Turnaround Time (Free): If you do not pay a submission fee, this is how long it should take before your free submission appears in the directory. If your submission doesn’t appear in this time period, then you should resubmit.
Major Partners: Shows other search services and portals that may also make use of the directory’s information.
Updated: Shows when the information was last updated. Don’t panic if the date is old. Directory requirements don’t change that often.
Directory | Yahoo | Open Directory | LookSmart |
Title Length |
60 characters | 100 characters | 65 characters |
Description Length | 25 words / 200 characters |
25 – 30 words |
170 characters |
How Do I Submit? | “Suggest a Site” link at bottom of page |
“add URL” link at top of page |
“Get Listed” link on home page or “Submit a Site” link near top of categories |
Required Info |
Usual + Name, Email |
Usual | Usual |
Optional Info |
Location, Comments |
Tracking URL, relevancy keywords |
|
Maximum Categories |
1 per site | 1 per URL | 1 per URL |
Submission Fee? |
$299 per year for commercial categories; $600 per year for adult categories $299 optional one-time fee for non-commercial categories |
None | $29 + $15 per month min in per click charges for commercial sites; Use Zeal.com for non-commercial sites |
Turnaround Time (Paid) | 7 days | n/a | 5 days |
Turnaround Time (Free) | 2 weeks | 3 weeks | 1 week or less |
Major Partners |
None | AOL, Google, HotBot, Lycos, Netscape | AltaVista, MSN Search |
Updated | Feb. 20, 2002 | Feb. 20, 2002 | April 29, 2003 |