by: Joseph Pratt

Okay, you have your website and now you want more visitors. Don't think you're the only one, bub, but you can learn from the experience of others. Subscribing to web directories is one solution that the ICMediaDirect.com Consulting Division both recommends and executes for clients in order to increase traffic. Like any SEO task, its effort – and smart effort always works best.

1) Traffic. Close to 20% of all traffic comes from web directories. That's either quite a heap to tap into or a massive chunk to disregard. Simply put, the choice is up to you – there are fishes in the water, do you want to cast out your lines or not? If so, let's hit the web directories.

2) Get Linked. Search engines include link popularity in their rankings. Using web directories enmeshes your website into linkage, which increases visitors. This creates better rankings – hence more traffic to your web property.

3) Hyperlinked Keywords. Link popularity develops by incorporating keywords into the hyperlinks. Submissions to web directories should include relevant keywords. It makes your site easier to find and boosts the visibility of said links across the spectrum of search engines. More free traffic.

4) Keyword Optimization. It's doubly important to mention keyword research as it can help you in more ways than one, so choose carefully. The links created within web directories essentially act as recommendations to search engine algorithms and the search engine will attempt to match your hyperlink keywords with search phrases entered by users. So, by harmonizing your keywords to themes related to your website, you will boost visibility.

5) Diversify. Submit to different web directories and find them through search engines. The reason being is that they already have decent standing by virtue of you finding them from the search sites. Play around, get creative, and use key words in combination with topics relevant to your site to find the best web directories. Increase your visibility by hitching on to existing and working directories - if you found it, others will too.

6) Monkey see, monkey do. Mimic your hyperlinks to appear like those seen in Google Adwords. Whatever wordings helps make those ads rank well for Adwords will only help your viability through search, and in turn, web directory ranking. Success begets success.

7) Mind your web directory manners. Treating it like a doormat (by ignoring simple rules to follow, like don't use too much promotional nomenclature, no foul language, etc) is no good. Play by the rules, or don't play at all.

8) Web Directory 2.0. Oh yeah! Webmasters are privy to vastly improved web directories with uniform scripts and the functionality of web directories is beginning to improve drastically. A directory can do more with your listing, like displaying logos and basic contact info. The web directory itself has become more pleasing to the eye – and, I should add, for its own good!

Web directories are there for the taking. There is little harm in trying them and with some effort, big rewards may be reaped through increased traffic. What's more is that web directories (just like this advice column and ICMediaDirect.com's consulting services for clients) are free. You can't beat that.