Submitting your Site to Search Engines and Directories
The question is often asked: Do I have to submit my site to engines/directories for the search engines to find me? The answer is, yes and no. Some engines will find and list your site on their own, some require you to register, and others offer a combination of both. Further, some registration procedures are free and some require that you pay to be listed.
In short, there are two kinds of search engines out there.
- Crawler-based search engines, like Google, are those that use automated, computer generated indexing systems. These engines use software to “crawl” your website, index relevant content and keywords, and follow links. The software will look for patterns or repetition in your content in order to determine the website’s purpose. These engines do not require you to do anything other than upload your “optimized” website to the Internet and wait for them to find it. Since it may take a few months for the engines to crawl your site naturally, however, they also offer you the opportunity to submit your URL (website address) in the hope of being ranked more quickly. Failing that, you can always purchase paid placement in some engines such as Google and Overture.
- Human-powered directories, like Yahoo’s Directory, are those that use humans to index website listings. These engines are actually called directories and require you to submit your URL and wait for the directory editors to assess and index your site based on perceived relevancy. Sometimes this procedure is free, and sometimes you have to pay a fee for the privilege of being reviewed.
Here is a list of the most popular search engines and directories you’ll want to consider:
Google – www.google.ca or www.google.comYahoo – www.yahoo.ca or www.yahoo.com
MSN – www.msn.com
Teoma – www.teoma.com
Overture – www.overture.com
Open Directory – http://dmoz.org/
AltaVista – www.altavista.com
Inktomi – www.inktomi.com
