Directory Submission Software - Comparison Table & Mini Reviews 

What exactly is directory submission software? Quite simply, it's software that helps you submit your website to web directories (or link directories), simplifying much of the tedious research and typing that used to dominate manual submissions.

So, are they worth the money? To be honest--some are, some aren't. A good one will let you do in an hour what used to take days. A good one will come loaded with website directory listings and keep them updated regularly. A good one will let you set up multiple, rotating title and description text for each project, ensuring your link building looks natural. 

Alright. So, which ones are good? Glad you asked...

Company...	Go To...	Rating...	Price...	Quick Facts...
	Website		$118.95	Our "Top Pick" for a number of reasons: submit to both website and article directories, super fast Turbo mode, great video demos, and free to try. New: auto CAPTCHA and auto email confirmation... (read REVIEW)
	Website		$67.00	Does most everything you want in a directory submission program. But unlike our Top Pick, no article submission, no automatic CAPTCHA recognition utility, and no automatic email confirmation ... (read REVIEW)
	Website		$29.95	Easy-of-use and a satisfaction guarantee are highlights. On the downside, there are fewer directories and a lack of useful features--like zero ability to handle multiple website titles and descriptions... (read REVIEW)
	Website	AVOID	$34.50	Simple, intuitive package, low price and a 15-day free trial. What's not to like? Well, there are sad few directories, 4-year-old promises of future features, and tech support that appears dead in the water... (read REVIEW)
	Website	AVOID	$67.00	Has potential. But relatively few directories, and key features you would naturally expect at this price are promised in a “future update." We read that as zero reasons to buy this product now. An immature offering. Avoid for now.

... because we've been all over the Web comparing services and putting companies through their paces. Before we go any further, keep in mind that these are semi-automated directory submission programs we're talking about; fully automated is not possible due to one simple fact--the directories won't allow it. And any software manufacturer who tells you otherwise is being less than honest--not a good way to start a relationship.

Why Submit Your Website To A Web Directory?

We're all looking for the same thing: increased traffic flow to our websites. Whether your site is an income generator or an altruistic endeavour, eyeballs matter. And generating web traffic to your site is three things: 1) a science, 2) an art, and 3) not easy.

One thing that falls under the category of 1) science and 3) not easy, is the activity of submitting your site to so-called web directories, or link directories. These are sites that categorize and sub-categorize other website so that folks can manually find the information they're looking for. Think of them as yellow pages of the internet. Unlike pure search engines which link to web pages based on keywords, a web directory or link directory usually bases its categorization on whole websites rather than individual pages. In addition, a web directory often employ human editors who review each such website before inclusion is granted.

Web directories range from the well known, such as the Yahoo! Directory and the Open Directory Project (known as Dmoz), to the obscure--with thousands of directories in-between. Not so obscure is the near universal agreement of webmasters around the world that submission to (and acceptance by) web directories is a critical part of search engine optimization, or SEO. Here's why:

1. Traffic is generated "naturally" by folks seeking out information within a given directory, finding the listing of your website under their search category, and following the link to your website.
2. The mere acceptance of your site into a web directory generates a backlink to your site. These backlinks, cumulatively, have an influence on the way Google and the other search engines view your site; the more and better backlinks, the greater the improvement in your site's search engine rankings.  

So, we see that listings in web directories or link directories can be most helpful as part of your overall SEO program. But...

How Does Directory Submission Software Help?

A good directory submission software program can help by saving time, money, and hair-pulling aggravation. The typical web directory or link directory requires that you first

1. find them, then
2. locate the appropriate category in which your website fits, then
3. fill in some details on a submission form page (details like the title of your site, a description, relevant keywords or "tags," your name and email address, and often times a password).

Click "submit" and repeat the whole process with the next directory--only this time vary the title and description so as to ensure that your link building looks natural and so the search engines don't penalize you for too much 'duplicate content.' Do 10 or 20 directories in this manner, and you'll be ready for either a six pack... or psychiatric counseling.

There's A Better Way - Directory Submission Software

A good directory submission software program comes pre-loaded with directories, so there's no hunting for web directories or link directories one at a time. A good one will auto-fill the category (which you've supplied in your website profile set up), auto-fill the submission form (again, with data you've supplied in your website profile set up), and leave you with nothing to do but click once or twice to move to the next directory in the list. Suddenly, what used to take days now takes hours; what used to take hours now takes minutes.

But There's Good, And There's Bad

As we've implied throughout, there are the good directory submission software programs. And then again, there are the not so good programs. We've selected the most popular such programs; given each the road test. The result is a comparison table--and an in-depth review of each program.

We trust this information will prove useful. As website developers ourselves, we understand that you're on a learning curve. Honestly, we are too. Sometimes it seems like it's never ending. Anyway, we tip our hats to you; wish you the best. And we hope that our reviews will help contribute to wise investments in your internet enterprises.

--D. Alan Carter

P.S. Want to know which directory submission software program we use ourselves? Think "Top Pick."

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