Are Website Directory Submissions Good or Bad?

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Ever since Google began to penalize sites for thin content and shady link profiles after some strict updates (Panda and Penguin), some webmasters have sworn off of link building with web directories. They have done this out of confusion about what is bad and what is good.



What is a Directory Submission and When is it a Bad Idea?



Directory submission is a process where you submit links pointing to your website on website directories under categories according to the industry. This can be done manually or by using automated software, however, automated software cannot guarantee that submissions are done in the right categories, nor can it determine a quality link directory. The same goes for cheap SEO services that offer submissions in bulk but have no clue which directories are worth linking to. Thus, not identifying quality directories and not completing website submissions manually can lead to a bad link profile.



Are Directory Submissions Still a Valid SEO Practice?



If done the right way any link building process can be worth the time and effort spent on it. Directory submissions are no exception to this rule and it is evident that some directory links, such as Yahoo or DMOZ, still do carry SEO importance. These links matter because they either cannot be easily obtained or because there is a high volume of traffic going through these sites. Directory links are still counted as valid, if obtained from quality directories.