How to Write a Press Release that can bring in Links

As discussed in the previous post, Press Release submission can be an effective means of getting links back to your site. As a marketer, you should the basics of a PR so as to reach out to your target audiences. Press Releases can be of many types – news release, event release, product release, etc. However, most of them usually contain the same kind of features.

Some of the common elements of a PR are as follows:
Headline – A brief summary of the news item. It is meant to grab the readers' attention straightaway.

Dateline – Mentions the release date and name of the city where the news has originated.

Introduction – Based on the journalistic principle of five Ws and one H, the intro paragraph should answer the basic questions that readers might want to ask.

Body – Complete information on the news or event, including background and statistical data. It should comprise as many details as possible.

Boilerplate – This is the 'About Us' section, wherein you can give background info about the organisation or company releasing the news.

Close – It is just to indicate that the release is about to end. To be put before the media contact information, the close can be indicated by using universally-accepted signs like '###' or 'text ends', etc.

Media Contact Info – This will be the contact address, phone numbers or email ids of the person or organisation submitting the PR. This will help media persons in getting in touch with you if need be.

When you write a PR for your website, make sure incorporate the aforementioned elements. By doing so, you will be able to appeal your potential visitors. Also, the site wherein you submit the PR will give a link to your site, thus strengthening your link building campaign.

Press Release Submission can help in Link Building

Having discussed directory submission in great detail, I would now like to talk about Press Release submission, another useful means of building links for your website. In lay terms, a Press Release, also known as News Release, is a written form of communication meant to announce something newsy through the news media.

In the world of search engine optimisation too, Press Releases (PR) can be of great help when it comes to relay of news. This news should ideally be related to your product/service, or business at large. For example, if your company has launched a new website, you can write a PR on the same and spread the word around.

The process is simple. Write a PR, and submit it to various online PR directories that actually accept such write-ups. By doing so, you not only relay info, but also get a link back to your site. This will strengthen your link building campaign as targeted traffic from these sites will be directed to your web pages.

More about Press Releases in the next post...

How to Choose a Directory for Submission?

Having presented a list of popular directories, I would now like to talk about choosing the best directory for your site's submission services. Do not think too much about their PageRanks when taking your decision. Rally around these important selection factors instead:

1. Find out if the directory is indexed by the topmost search engines. If it has not been cached by search engines for a long period of time, there is definitely no point in submitting your links on it.
2. Established, popular directories can bring in traffic and also the kind of back links that'll actually foster your site's optimisation process.
3. When you submit your site into categories, make sure that the directory in question offers a unique category structure that helps in better organisation of info. This will help you in locating relevant information in quick time.
4. If a directory uses the 'rel=no follow' attribute for your link, search engines will actually never follow that link to your site. Therefore, such a directory will be of absolutely no help in your optimisation campaign. Even redirects are usually not considered for back links by search engines.
5. Always check the outbound links on the directory's pages. This will give you a good insight into how helpful such a submission would be for your site.
   

Tally these relevant points with the directories chosen by you, and you will have a clearer picture of what will or will not work for your web business.

Free Website Directory List Part - II

Find more directories to increase your backlink.

http://www.dir.ajnin.com/
http://www.directory143.com/
http://directory.rankorama.de/
http://www.directorybin.com/
http://www.directorystorm.com/
http://directoryzeal.com/
http://www.directoryws.com/
http://www.dirsubmission.net/
http://www.egold-directory.com/
http://www.elitesitesdirectory.com/
http://search.ezilon.com/
http://www.f7w.net/
http://www.fastdir.info/
http://www.findwhatwhere.info/
http://www.freewebsitedirectory.com/
http://www.freekicktemple.com/directory/
http://www.freshtv.com/
http://www.catalog.fubix.com/
http://www.global-markings.com/
http://directory.gtsee.com/
http://www.go2directory.info/
http://www.greatwebdirectory.com/
http://www.hao221.com/
http://www.blong.info/
http://www.indexwebdirectory.com/
http://www.indexu.net/
http://www.information4u.net/
http://directory.inmeres.com/
http://www.inwebdirectory.com/
http://www.iwebinfo.com/
http://www.klik-klik.com/directory/
http://www.knil-link.com/
http://letsgetwealthyonline.com/
http://www.linedirectory.com/
http://www.linkcube.info/
http://links.w529.com/
http://www.linksweb.info/
http://www.linkwebdir.info/
http://www.londovor.com/
http://www.propr.info/
http://www.activedir.info/
http://dir.mymaldives.com/
http://www.matrixsolutnz.net/
http://miko67.com/business-directory/
http://www.mmorpgcrypt.com/links.asp
http://onebestlink.com/directory/
http://www.piseries.com/
http://www.earth-directory.info/
http://www.pr3plus.com/
http://www.programmingresources.net
http://www.properdirectory.com/
http://www.quickdirectory.biz/
http://www.registerlink.info/
http://www.riotnews.com/
http://www.seodirectorys.com/v2/
http://www.searchwiz.org/
http://webdir.addsite-submitfree.com/
http://www.sitelinked.com/
http://www.siteseek.net/
http://www.skypemedia.com/
http://www.submission4u.com/
http://www.suggestlink.co.in/
http://www.swick-a-licken.com/
http://www.indexunlimited.com/
http://www.yoofindit.com/
http://www.directoryworm.com/
http://www.bookwallet.org/
http://www.pegasusdirectory.com/
http://www.webmasters-cavern.com/dir/
http://www.ukwebmasterworld.com/directory/
http://www.httpbase.com/
http://www.addnewlink.net/
http://www.freelinkdir.com/
http://www.sitesdirectory.info/
http://www.links-directory.org/
http://www.freewd.org/
http://www.clarib.com/
http://www.directoryslick.com/
http://www.iyidizin.com/
http://www.profitbaron.com/directory/
http://www.freeurllink.com/
http://www.gwde.com/
http://www.clixa.com/
http://almadirectory.com/
http://www.zepteo.com/
http://postdir.com/
http://www.freee-web.com/
http://www.pdadirectory.eu/
http://www.2mq.org/
http://www.gatordirectory.com/
http://www.assets.cc/
http://www.pdadirectory.eu/
http://www.prolistings.net/
http://www.directory.owntruth.com/
http://www.final-fantasy.us/
http://www.tcpls.net/
http://www.pukt.com/
http://www.mygreencorner.com/
http://www.lii.org/
http://searchsight.com/

Free Website Directory List Part - I

Free Website Directory List Part - I

If you have a new website or wish to promote your existing site to get one-way links, the following free directories which help you in building links and increase your link popularity -

Free Website Directory (100)

http://www.linknom.com/
http://www.textlinkdirectory.com/
http://www.r-fd.com/
http://directory.seo-poland.com/
http://www.slackalice.com/
http://www.gulqro.com/
http://www.savelook.com
http://www.zabalook.com
http://directory.lonelyway.com/
http://www.ourlifexp.com/directory/
http://www.1stw.com/
http://www.typodrome.com/
http://www.grafoff.com/
http://taterlinks.com
http://www.off-life.com/
http://www.stuffdaily.com/directory/
http://www.alistdirectory.com/
http://www.findtoplinks.com/
http://www.qos-team.com/
http://www.seocourt.com/
http://www.urlsubmitdirectory.com/
http://www.unlistedhomeopportunities.com/
http://www.pbsdirectory.01dir.com/
http://www.mm99.info/websitedirectory/
http://www.atinat.com/
http://www.resources.eu.com/
http://goodtimesdirectory.com/
http://www.weblinkindex.com/
http://www.spiderwebsdirectory.com/
http://www.tbwd.org/
http://www.getlistedrightnow.com/
http://www.link-directory.us/
http://www.ffdir.info/
http://www.mytopdirectory.info/
http://www.didugetthe.info/
http://directory.trybestsoft.com/
http://investingonweb.com/
http://www.directoryseofriendly.com/
http://www.nameproz.com/
http://www.humaneditedseofriendlywebdirectory.com/
http://dir.avissoftware.com/
http://www.businessmarketingagency.com/
http://www.vmoptions.com/
http://www.waikey.com/
http://www.nowseen.net/
http://www.madhavweb.com/
http://www.blfree.com
http://www.directorysuperb.com/
http://www.hellasdirectory.com/
http://www.abgwd.com/
http://www.link1directory.com/
http://www.seowebdirectory.com/
http://www.linkstreet.info/
http://www.another-directory.com/
http://www.belistednow.com/
http://www.jewana.com/
http://www.i-directories.org/
http://www.linkpedia.net/
http://www.vividwebindex.com/
http://www.rmsiu.com/
http://www.submitfree.org/
http://www.webglobaldirectory.com/
http://www.1abc.org/
http://directorweb.csarmy.com/
http://www.nwkk.com/
http://www.dir365.org/
http://www.directorylair.com/
http://www.submit-url.org/
http://www.ub51.com/
http://www.nudirectory.com/
http://www.articleszones.com/directory/
http://www.lowsterslinks.com/
http://www.webdezinz.com/
http://www.forumbase.org/Non-Forums_Related_Sites/
http://directory.seoexecutive.com/
http://www.upyg.com/
http://dequel.com/
http://www.go4websites.com/
http://www.12bmedia.com/directory/
http://www.a-free-directory.info/
http://www.a1dir.com/
http://www.addsitelink.com/
http://www.add2us.com/
http://www.agilelist.com/
http://www.allthelinks.net/
http://www.allthelist.com/
http://www.awedir.com/
http://www.the-web-directory.co.uk/
http://blogs.b2binternetmarketingagency.com/dir/
http://www.best-sites.co.uk/
http://www.bhdirectory.info/
http://www.blogsip.com/webdirectory/
http://www.brandsearch.org/
http://www.businesspowerusa.com/
http://www.bzzu.com/
http://www.cleverlinks.net/
http://www.commercedir.com/
http://www.crazylinks.org/
http://www.cyborginfo.com/
http://www.desilinkdirectory.com/

Find out about other popular directories in the next post.

Why Directory Submissions?

In my last blog, I had talked about the importance of directory submissions, and the way of going about it. Before delving further into this topic, I would first like to discuss the advantages of this optimisation service. Why should a website be submitted into directories in the first place?

When we talk of new sites, this service can be extremely beneficial in getting one-way links for web pages that have zero PageRank. You can easily promote your site on search engines by simply submitting your pages in relevant categories of online directories.

More than anything else, you do not have to spend a single penny on this kind of promotion. Stay away from paid directory submissions and you can save a lot of time and resources, and get free promotion as a bargain. Not just that, you can also add up to your back links counter, which is a major determinant of your success with search engines.

Apart from pleasing search engines, these submissions can get you high-value traffic as per relevant categorisation. At the end of the day, your job is to make way for conversions so that you get desired sales figures.

Make Way for Directory Submissions

Directory submission is, invariably, one of the most effective means of link building. Just place your URL in an online directory, and get a link back to your site. Not just a link, you also have the chance of driving targeted traffic to your website, thus bettering the prospects of your business. For new websites, this is actually the best way of establishing a link building campaign to generate traffic and also boost the optimisation process.

How to choose a directory for submission?
Conduct a search on directories for the keyword(s) that best describes your site. Enlist the first hundred or more directories on the basis of your requirements. It is imperative for you to find out if the directories chosen by you are banned or penalised on search engines. Because, submitting links on such directories will be nothing but a waste of time and resources at your end. One-way links from them will be of absolutely no use to your campaign.

Secondly, scrutinise the directory to find out if it is relevant to your business. Cater to as many free directories as possible, because search engines are becoming increasingly wary of link backs that are paid for. When you have listed down the directory names, try and find out few sites that also allow submission of internal web pages.

Then, decide on categories that best suit your site's requirements. Do not nest your pages too deep into a directory – they should not be more than two clicks away. Also, check the PageRank and outgoing links of such pages. Above all, if the page where you submit your URL is not cached, there is simply no point in getting a link back from it.

The subject of directory submission will be further touched upon in successive blogs.

Use Social Networking to your Advantage

The idea of a 'global village' seems increasingly plausible in the present scenario, wherein more than half of the world's population is hooked to one common source of information and entertainment – the World Wide Web. It is but natural for concepts like social networking to have a terrific impact on the lives of web users.

Even the field of search engine optimisation has not been left unaffected by this so-called phenomenon. Optimisers are increasingly using online social networks as sources for link building. The following are some of the simplest ways of going about this task:

1. Visit blogs that are relevant to your business, and leave comments on them. Try to contribute something substantial and sensible to it. It does not have to be in technical parlance – keep it straight and simple.
2. Participate in forums related to your industry at large. Add your URL to your posts thereon, so that your link can be tracked back to your website.
3. Submit your site's URL to other important social bookmarking websites and get your business promoted free of cost!
   

These easy tactics can help you get links back to your site, thus strengthening your site's prospects of getting crawled and indexed at a faster rate.

Are Search Engines Scrutinising your Links?

As optimisers, we often tend to underestimate search engines. We believe we can get away with all sorts of smart techniques without getting noticed. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Search engines have, in due course, devised algorithms that can easily track back your links to their source of origination.

Most SEOs practice article and directory submissions so as to get links back from various free and paid directories available online. Articles are ideally meant for web users' interests and benefits. You write on subjects related to your business so as to inform readers about your industry at large.

In the eyes of search engines, such means of link building are unacceptable. They can follow your link's anchor text and easily figure out if they are artificial. For them, links are original only if other websites willingly point towards your pages.

What does an optimiser do then? First of all, make sure that anchor text of all your links are as different as possible. By doing so, you'll be able to create an illusion of these links being original. Secondly, do not go begging for link backs from directories. Make your site so appealing that webmasters are lured to link to it. Let them consider you as a resourceful website that deserves to be linked to.

Try these simple tactics, and you can save your link building campaign from the intense scrutiny that search engines might subject it to.

Stay away from Mass Link Submissions

I guess all of us have come across online ads screaming, 'Get your links submitted to 500 websites in one go!' or, 'We will submit your links into free directories', etc. These services are quick and seemingly profitable – just fill up a form, get your site listed in numerous directories and generate link backs for your web pages.

Luring as they might be, such claims are just that... claims! Do not be fooled by the so-called effectiveness of such optimisation tactics. Search engines have become quite strict nowadays. They do not allow optimisers to manipulate their algorithms as per their whims and fancies.

Services like link building have also come under the scanner. Each and every incoming link of a web page is scrutinised before being taken under consideration for search engine indexing. Sites or free directories 'selling' links to bidders are being blacklisted left, right and centre. Links submitted thereon, therefore, go for a toss, standing absolutely no chance of being crawled by search engine spiders.

What does an optimiser do in such a situation? The best solution is to take one link at a time. It might be a taxing and time-consuming process, but, it is any day better than getting your site blacklisted on search engines. Also, vary the anchor text of your links as much as possible. Keeping one text for all your links will get search engines take close notice of your site's operations, and you definitely do not want to invite trouble!

You will be surprised to find that a number of websites that do not follow these tips have been doing well over a period of time. But then, there are exceptions in every domain. Long-term SEO success beckons those who stand by the rulebook and do not stray into negative zones to procure high rankings.

'Give and Take' Links to Boost your Website's Ranking

Extremely effective when it comes to boosting a website's link popularity, reciprocal linking works on the simple concept of 'give and take'. This not only helps in bettering traffic inflow, but also establishes your site as a one that everyone wants to be linked to.

The biggest challenge is to find a site that will be willing to reciprocate your link. Webmasters can scan the web for sites that are best related to their business and pick the ones that can be beneficial in their link building campaign. This relevance can be in terms of either content or links.

More than anything else, the site should have a target audience that is almost same as yours. If it fails to arouse your interest, in all likelihood, it'll be a flop with your visitors too. Be judicious enough to pick 'similar' sites that will not end up competing with you. Find out about web pages that have reciprocal links with your competitors' sites and then try and get them into an arrangement with you too.

When you decide to write an email for reciprocal linking, make sure that the site or web page in question does not have too many outbound links. This will affect your page's credibility as well the PageRank (if you use Google). These simple tips can be quite rewarding for search engine optimisers seeking high rankings through link exchange.

Bust Link Building Myths

Optimisation experts have confusing viewpoints about the process of link building. There are a number of myths that actually influence their style of working. It is therefore important to have clarity in this regard.

Listed below are a few of the most common myths that often hinder the process of search engine optimisation:

• Not all free directories are worthy of one-way linking. Apart from DMOZ (Open Directory Project), the others are actually not valuable enough. Search engines like Google use this directory because of its credentials and popularity amongst websites. You can also submit your site to certain free directories, but don't waste too much time on the 'incompetent' ones.
• As far as paid directories are concerned, Yahoo is one of the most effectual ones. For a reasonable amount, it can bring in substantial linking value for your website. Instead of spending too much money on them, you should rather undertake research and go for the orthodox link request process.
  
• A number of businesses consider link building as a simple process that can be carried on by in-house marketers. However, this is not the case. It is a complicated process that demands professionalism and an all-inclusive knowledge of the field of SEO. Therefore, it is best left t experts or service providers.
  

It is also wise to remember that link building is not the only or guaranteed means of high search engine rankings. It is just one of the many optimisation techniques that can bolster your prospects on SERPs. Therefore, you also need to put in a good amount of effort on the other on-page and off-page services

Link Exchange and its Types

The process of link building heavily depends on external websites and their interest in linking to you. Your campaign can be successful only if you cater to sites that are relevant to your business or industry at large.

When we talk of link exchange, we essentially discuss the following three types of it:

a) One-way link exchange - Web pages are submitted in article directories that, in turn, provide backlinks to your pages. Links can be picked up from free directories that are game for one-way linking.

b) Two-way link exchange – Two websites mutually agree to give a link to each other's web pages so as to divert traffic. These sites are usually related to the same product, business or industry. In fact, link exchange will be successful only if you link up with sites that get visitors that also comprise your potential customer base.

c) Three-way link exchange – Suppose you own two websites, wherein one is an established one, and the other is relatively new. You can get into link exchange with a third prominent website – in the process, your established site will link to this third-party site, and it will, in turn, link to your new site. Fairly newer web pages can gain links on prominent websites using this programme.

Most webmasters prefer getting into one-way link exchange, because it does not demand too much time or money. You can simply submit your pages online and get link back to your site. However, each website has its own optimisation requirements and you should choose the technique that best suits your business.