This course focuses on Web directories and search engines, but subject pages and Link pages can help you find information and should be considered as part of your searching resources.
A
subject page is a topical collection of information, references, and links to other Web sites. Subject pages are also known as
- collection pages,
- compendium pages, and
- index pages.
Typically, these pages are maintained by individuals with a great passion and commitment for their specific subject matter; some are maintained by organizations. Because they focus on a single topic, they generally do not have the detail or hierarchical organization that you would find in a directory.
However, subject pages put a significant amount of information in a single spot.
For example, if you are looking for information on JavaScript, but you are uncertain of what keywords to use in your query,
a subject page like JavaScript is a great place to start.
This is an example of a Web site that might turn up in a search; you can bookmark it (or add it to your Favorites) and go back to it over and over again for information.
Take a moment to view this site and note that it can provide information on a variety of related topics.
The best example I know of what I call a Link page is RefDesk.
This site consists of nothing but links to a great number and variety of other sites, grouped into categories.
There are dictionaries, encyclopedias, conversion calculators, online editions of newspapers and magazines, and hundreds of different Search Engines (over 200 at last count).
Take a moment to scroll down the main page of this Web site. If you do not want to bookmark the site itself and scroll around to the link you want every time, you can point to the particular links you are most interested in and bookmark them (or add them to Favorites) individually.
Pages of links. Having links leading to and away from your site is an essential way to ensure that crawlers find you. However, having pages of links seems suspicious to a search crawler, and it may classify your site as a spam site. Instead of having pages that are all links, break links up with descriptions and text. If that is not possible, block the link pages from being indexed by crawlers.
Register your website with the major directories and second-tier general directories.
Try to register with about 6-12 of the better general directories if you are targeting Google.
If you are targeting the other engines first and can wait on Google, you may want to register with about twenty to fifty general directories.
Register with at least a couple local or niche-specific directories.
Niche-specific directories are findable via search engines and some are listed at http://www.isedb.com, but you should check to ensure they provide static links before spending money registering your sites, although directories that rank well may deliver quality traffic even if they do not provide direct links. Search for things like
< my keywords> + <add URL>
to find other niche directories.
Often times I do not mind spending hundreds of dollars getting links from different sites (or directories) across many different IP ranges. Many of the second-tier directories charge a one-time fee for listing, and some of them allow you to add your websites free if you become an editor. In my directory of directories, I have 50-100 general directories listed in the general directory categories. Most top ranking sites in mildly competitive fields do not have text links from fifty different sites pointing to them, so if you can afford it, doing this offers a huge advantage to you for your Yahoo! and MSN rankings, but you need to choose directories carefully when considering how TrustRank may effect Google. If you are in more competitive fields and rent some powerful links, these listings in various directories can help stabilize your rankings when search engine algorithms shift.
Some directories I highly recommend are Yahoo!, DMOZ, Business.com, JoeAnt, Best of the Web, and Gimpsy.