What did oldschool directory link buildling look like? SEO Blast from the Past

For those of you who missed the early days of search engine optimization and tons of manual link building.  Here is a guide I wrote years ago aimed at helping you build some quality directory links.  Note most these tactics are outdated unless used in combination with more modern techniques like social media marketing, but enjoy it none-the-less.  FYI, It’s not updated so be wary of using it as is. 

Types of Directories:

There are many different way to divide this up, but the easiest is to think of directories in two different types of directories that come in two different flavors,

The two basic types of directories are general and niche.  They appear in automated and human edited flavors.

Preparation:

To get the most out of directory submission careful preparation and attention to detail is required. 

Create the following: 

1. List of keywords separated by spaces
2. List of keywords separated by commas
3. Break both lists up into 250 character chunks.  Make sure TOP keyword phrase appears in every single chunk
4. Take the chunks you have and create additional ones with variation in the word orders and filler words thrown in (location, special words, and misspellings) Do not repeat the same words throughout all versions.  Create a least 10 different chunks and remember one with spaces and one with comas.
5. Now create 10 different titles with variation word order.  Put top keyword phrase in all titles, but vary the order including throwing in filler words in-between the top keyword phrase.  For example if your top phrase is “Las Vegas Tickets” some of your titles should have “Las Vegas Show Tickets”
6. Create 10 different descriptions using full real sentences.  If you want to list keywords use sentences like “We provides blank blank blank services to blank blank blank. 
   1. Do not put any keyword lists in here without working them into a sentence. 
   2. Do not use the same keyword order that appears in title or keyword list.
7. Make a list of 3-5 regional specific keywords phrases and 3-5 topic category keywords.
   1. Regional specific refers to the actual geographic location, an example of 5 good keywords for a business located in
      Los Angeles would be:

                                                              i.      Las Angeles                                                           ii.     
California                                                         iii.     

Orange
County                                                         iv.     
United States

1.  
   1. Topic Specific refers to the industry or general category a website might fall under.  For example a sample list for a web designer would include

                                                              i.      Web Designers                                                           ii.      Web Design                                                         iii.      Web Development                                                         iv.      Internet Services                                                            v.      Freelance Designers

1. Install an auto form filler.  An example of a good one is roboform (http://www.roboform.com/)
   1. Create a new identity on the auto form filler with the clients company name, a real persons from your company’s name, address, phone number, etc… Use an e-mail address that works because most of these directories will require confirmation and a lot of them charge some type of fee.
2. Setup Google preferences to display 100 results, reorder toolbars to make good use of screen real estate, if possible use a dual monitor setup.

Setup Reciprocal Links Page:

1. Setup a page that links from the main page of client site or within 2 clicks of main page.  An ideal place for this in the footer of document.  Do not name this page anything that has to do with links.
   1. Add 3 text paragraphs (real text, not spam content), a header tag, and a blank numbered list  (<ol></ol>) – see included example.
   2. *future note:  When ordered list gets to 40 you’ll add another page and repeat this process

Initial General Directory Submission (Gain 50 Links):

As mentioned previously, these links will mostly be from automated general directories.  Although they will claim to be human edited, without a pay for editorial revenue model, the editor will only check to see the site exists and is on the topic, so our sales filled titles and descriptions are excellent.  The top 5 free directories, although overworked and slow, still actually review your website and require objective language, so they will be skipped at this step. 

1. Go to http://www.seocompany.ca/directory/free-web-directories.html if that URL stops working find another updated list of free web directories (note: for now skip the top 5 free directories that should include DMOZ and JoeAnt)
2. Open each site in a new window/tab and submit a free listing to each one using different keywords, titles and descriptions through the different listings.  Note that some require keywords to be separated with comas and others insist on spaces.  USE DIFFERENT RELEVANT CATEGORIES FOR EACH DIRECTORY – DON’T ALWAYS PICK THE SAME CATEGORY.
   1. Use the auto form filler to fill out information, you should only be cutting and pasting titles, descriptions, and keywords. 
   2. DO NOT TYPE the information or this will take forever.
   3. The idea at this stage is quantity, if you run into problems just skip that directory and continue on, these are free directories so most of the links have only a small value, but the total sum of this work will be extremely valuable.
   4. If listing requires reciprocal link place it on linking page described above, upload, and then submit.  Remember, in this stage time is key, so go as fast as you possibly can.  The goal here is quantity, if you run into a problem or error, skip and go on.  Some of the directories will requires you to setup an account, have your auto form filler fill in all the details submit, check e-mail login, and submit link.

                                                              i.      Sites requiring a reciprocal link use a bot to check to make sure it’s there.  The bots don’t/can’t usually understand tags inside the link, so on the reciprocal links page add rel=”no” to the anchor tag of any required reciprocal links so they look like this <a href=”theirlinkhere.html” rel=”no”>link text goes here</a>  Your effectively taking their page rank and relevance while rendering your link to them worthless in Google rel=”no” tells google to ignore the relevance of that link and not to pass pagerank to it 

Paid Directory and Premium Free Directory Submission (Gain 15 trusted, high quality links):

As mentioned previously, these links will mostly be from human edited general directories.  The website will actually be reviewed by a professional and most of them require objective language. 

1. Set aside a budget for directory link buying. And then go to this list: http://www.seocompany.ca/directory/web-directories.html If this list is no longer available locate updated paid directory List, also add the top five free directories to the list (dmoz, joeant etc)
2. Sort List by Alexa Rank or if the above list is unavailable use Page Rank or whatever you can to see directory popularity without spending too much time., Determine how many links you can buy with your budget (buy at least 10 links)  Make a list,
3. Copy and past the 10 titles, descriptions and keywords you created above into a new document.
   1. CHANGE THEM TO BE OBJECTIVE – take out all sales and pitch language.  Change every single one.  Everything has to be objective, you can still use keywords, but nothing saying “we’re the best” etc etc
4. Visit directory, and pick different categories, vary the objective titles, descriptions and keywords for each paid directory.  Spend some time on this step, actually glance over their guidelines. Pay the fee and submit.

Local or Regional Niche Directories (40 region specific links):

1. Take your list of 3-5 regional keywords
2. Go to Google and search for “ regional keyword board category submit url” and/or(depending on how much time this takes you) “ regional keyword broad category add url”  Note:  broad category is usually “business” or “services” so for a web designer in los Angeles you would search for:  Los Angeles Business submit URL  Los Angeles Services Add URL, California business submit url, California business add url. Go through each of your regional keywords this way.
3. Go through results
4. Submit URL to appropriate places.  Use objective or sales descriptions where appropriate, also you can mix and match between the two by using an objective title with a sales filled description.
5. About 50 % of these sites will require reciprocal links, if checked by a bot add rel=”no” to tag to link like above, if the site is very legitimate and powerful, it may be better not to do that.  It’s important to very everything so you don’t want an entire page of rel=”no” tagged links.

Topic Specific Niche Directories (40 topic specific links):

Repeat steps for local niche directories, but use topic keyword list.  Search for “topic add url”  “topic submit url” 

Useful links and resources: 

http://www.seocompany.ca/directory/top-web-directories.htmlhttp://www.seocompany.ca/directory/web-directory-lists.htmlhttp://www.seocompany.ca/directory/free-web-directories.html 

Important Notes: 

The general consensus among SEOs is that’s it’s better to build links gradually, so if a website is brand new, do not initially get this many links pointing toward it.  Better to just do a few steps in here and have the linking look more natural.