Promoting
Web Sites
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| Registering
with Yahoo! |
| Why can't I seem to get
listed? |
| Yahoo is the biggest directory on the internet.
Almost half the searches done on the internet are done through
Yahoo. Like all directories, their goal is to provide highly
relevant search results for their users. They maintain quality
in their search results by manually screening each submission
to strict standards. Sites that are not well designed or do
not offer useful content are usually not listed. The following
list outlines common reasons for rejection. All directories
have similar criteria. |
- The site was submitted to the wrong category.
- The site has broken links or graphics.
- There is no new information or content (e.g., it is merely
a set of links).
- It is difficult to understand what the site represents
or what it offers.
- The site is no more than a business card listing (e.g.,
it contains nothing but a few sentences, an address, and
a phone number).
- The site offers content readily available from other sources
(no unique content).
- The site uses applets or other features that slow functionality
and ease of use.
- The site looks amateurish.
- The site is unfinished.
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| There is no secret to getting listed by Yahoo.
If you have a well-designed site that is easy to navigate, that
provides useful and timely information to its users, and that
does not suffer from poor design problems or technical errors,
you can probably get listed. If you have any questions, visit
Yahoo's site.
All of the requirements are there. |
| Paying
to be Listed in Directories |
| Some directories have begun to charge for reviewing
your site. For $299, Yahoo will review your site within seven
days. Without this fee, having your site reviewed can take months.
LookSmart charges $299 to review your site, and they no longer
have a free submission option. LookSmart provides the database
for several other search engines, so getting listed there is
important. |
| In both cases, the $299 fee is for review only.
It does not guarantee ranking. It does not even guarantee that
your site will be listed. Your site is listed and ranked on
its own merits. Both Yahoo and LookSmart have specific criteria
for websites, and if you don't meet it, you don't get in. Maintaining
high standards is how they keep their search results relevant
for their users. |
| Is it worth the $299? Almost certainly. Getting
into Yahoo now instead of six months from now gives you half
a year of visibility. Getting into LookSmart gets you into a
database searched by several other search engines. |
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Somehow it seems unfair. Most of us think of the internet
as free, and we resent having to pay for online services.
But look at it realistically. You are getting a website to
sell your products and services. Yahoo and LookSmart are businesses
too. Pay the money. It's worth it.
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