Free Link-Building Directories to Jumpstart Your Search Engine Ranking

Editor's Note: The contents of this articles are out of date. It remains live for posterity (hah, remember when people used link building directories?), but the advice is no longer current with Google's recommendations. If you'd like to stay up to date with the latest SEO trends, I recommend checking out this article.

Links are the top metric by which search engines determine who you are and what you are about, and ultimately how you are ranked in search results.  In other words, links are your website's life line. A great way to jumpstart your link-building efforts to get that online vote of trust is to submit your business to directories, which is a great way to get your small business website on the map.

Wondering how to get more inbound links to your website, and where to start?

Here’s a list of top link-building directories, which are all FREE resources to help you get started.

Local Directories:

Loopt.com
Localeze.com
Biglocal.com
Openlist.com
Outside.in
BOTW.org/top/Regional/United_States
Superpages.com

Search Engine Local Business Listings:

Yahoo.com, Google.com and Bing.com Local
Getlisted.org (to double check if you’ve been listed)

Blog Directories:

DoFollowBlogs.com
PlaceBlogger.com
Bloglines.com
Blogsearch.Google.com
Technorati.com
Blogged.com
BlogCatalog.com
Blogmarks.net
MyBlogLog.com
Zimbio.com

Review and Rating Directories:

Yelp.com
Rateitall.com
InsiderPages.com

Directories not only help you get more inbound links but also bring in more qualified traffic and generate leads. As you add your business to directories, be sure to use very specific categories including location, industry-specific niches and anything else that makes you unique. Whether you are locally focused or have branches throughout the country, you should be listed where people are looking for you. Inbound links pointing to your site from other trusted sources on the Web are like people raising their hand to Google and saying, "You should pay attention to this one!"

Photo Credit: Jurek Durczak