Submit Your Site to Search Engines

Submitting your site to the various search engines and directories is not difficult, but does take a bit of time. We've put together the very basics of what you need to do here. For more specific information, head on over to our resources on Site Submission. Here's what to do:

1. Pick the search engine or directory that you're interested in, and find out their guidelines for submission.

2. Are there any rules or regulations that affect your site content? If so, adjust accordingly.

3. If there are limitations that you need to adhere to, find out what they are and stick to them. These could be a limited number of categories, or a limited number of times you can submit your site in a 24-hour period.

4. Find out how much money, if any, they are charging. This is when you'll have to decide if you want to pay-for-inclusion, or submit it for free (this will depend on the needs of your site).

5. Locate the most appropriate category for your site, and see what other people are doing. You might get some ideas for better design or content.

6. Write a brief (200 words or less) description of your site. Be as precise as possible. Don't use "sales" language; instead, use keywords and phrases that appear throughout your site and present your site in such a way that users will want to visit it.

7. After submitting your site, check back about once a week to make sure it's there. It can take a while for your site to initially show up, so be patient.

Find out what the search engines and directories want from you, and follow those rules to the letter.

Use your spell checker before submitting anything. It really does make a difference. Make your description as precise, compelling, and keyword-rich as possible. However, don't go overboard and just throw a bunch of your keywords in there.