Authority directories are online resources that offer authoritative lists of websites. These directories allow site owners to submit their websites so they can be viewed by more people. Since Internet users tend to search for websites according to type or content, authority directories enable them to easily find sites they are interested in. Through the years, authority directories have been used by website owners to gain more traffic, but many people are still unaware of how these directories can affect their Google ranking.

Authority directories are often perceived as an outmoded method of promotion. They are often thought of as ineffective for building links or improving search engine ranking. While these concerns are rational, they are not entirely accurate. When properly used to your advantage, authority directories can increase visitors to your site as well as improve its ranking.

Do Authority Directories Make the Grade?

There are many authority directories on the web and each one is different. Before submitting your site for listing, it’s important to evaluate a directory and determine how it can benefit you. With some research, you can find the most advantageous one for you.

Many authority directories accept submissions without requiring any payment. These are quite straightforward and hassle-free, but they might ultimately prove useless because they accept a huge volume of submissions, and your site can easily remain unnoticed by the public.

Some directories require payment for submission. Several provide the added benefit of guaranteed listing, regardless of content. It must be noted that requiring payment for listing is a practice that Google disapproves of. It is similar to link buying, which violates the terms defined by Google.

Certain authority directories charge fees to simply cover a manual evaluation. Each site in these listings are personally reviewed and meticulously selected by human personnel. These directories feature only websites of the highest quality and are the most trusted and frequented by readers.

Which Authority Directories are “IT”?

Human-reviewed authority directories are recommended to people who are serious about promoting their site. This is because sites featured in human-reviewed directories are automatically regarded to have the most relevant content. When a site is featured in such a listing, it has been pre-approved by discerning readers as a quality website.

This significantly affects Google rankings. Google is partial to human-evaluated content and would prefer all sites to be assessed by humans. Google’s team of reviewers cannot possibly scrutinise the immense volume of websites currently in existence, so they allow independent bodies to assess web content. In accordance with their vision for the Internet, Google approves of human-reviewed authority directories and tends to give higher rankings to websites that have been individually evaluated for legitimacy and quality.

Well-Known Authority Directories vs. the Best of the Web

The directory most familiar to website creators and internet users is DMOZ. It’s Google-approved and is considered reliable despite the reputation for being poorly-maintained. Experts no longer recommend it since it does nothing to improve a site’s ranking.

Yahoo Directory is also a popular choice. Though it’s considerably more expensive than other directories, it’s quite authoritative. The main disadvantage is your site will be listed with a multitude of others and will likely remain unseen.

Among the many authority directories online, “Best of the Web” is unparalleled. Trusted for nearly 20 years, it features top-quality content and offers the most worthwhile listings. It gives up obvious advantages:

1. Efficient, Quick Review of Submissions

Each submission is evaluated within two working days. If it has reasonably good contenture, there is an excellent chance it will be included in their listing. This provides better service than DMOZ, which never reports on the status of your submission.

2. Reasonable Price

“Best of the Web” is not free. Considering its other advantages, it’s a sensible amount and would definitely be a good investment.

3. Human-Reviewed Links

Authoritative backlinks can influence your search engine rankings. Google algorithms favour human-reviewed links since these attest to the quality of your site.

4. Well-organised Categorisation

“Best of the Web’s” organised system makes it easy for Internet users to find websites by category, so your site will likely be discovered by people who are interested in it.

5. Openness to Affiliate Marketing Sites

Most authority directories tend to reject affiliate marketing websites, but this isn’t an issue with “Best of the Web”. Pages with affiliate links are accommodated, as long as they have good content that can be of interest to anyone.

It would definitely be beneficial to submit your website to “Best of the Web”. Many experienced site owners and internet users highly recommend it, regarding it as the best of all authority directories.