Most of you know the importance of submitting your blog or website to “web directories.” These are essentially large collections of websites that offer fantastic linking value at little to no cost to the buyer. I’ve outlined some of the best free directories to submit to, as well as why you should go ahead and submit, in my “Top Five Ways to Boost Traffic To Your Blog” article, and the lesson holds true.

Despite the value of these independent directories, most experienced webmasters know that there are two directories that are miles above the rest, DMOZ and Yahoo. Just getting your website into one of these directories can increase your Google Pagerank, Search Engine Result Placement (SERP), and overall traffic. The only problem here is that getting listed in DMOZ typically takes a few years (or never happens altogether) and Yahoo charges $299 for a guaranteed listing.

What if I told you that you could get a guaranteed listing in Yahoo!’s Web Directory for FREE? Impossible? I think not. And with all of the people offering third-party “guaranteed” submissions for $50+, you have to wonder how they are doing it without paying $299 every year.

This Method is Worth Thousands
There are many people out there doing exactly what I am about to explain for “guaranteed” listing in Yahoo’s main directory for $50-$100 an entry, so it’s not hard to imagine why this method could easily be worth $1000s to some. Luckily for you, you have The Net Fool here to bail you out and teach you this all-important loophole that can get you that prized Yahoo! listing for free.

Why am I Telling You!?
If I have this valuable information, why am I willing to give it away for free? Well quite honestly, I’m tired of seeing countless people offer their services in exchange for cash payments for these directory listings. First of all, it’s really not “guaranteed” at all; it literally can’t be for anything less than $299. Also, this has the same stench that any “guaranteed” DMOZ listing does when people sucker you into buying one of those. This secret is starting to get some publicity, so it’s high time you know about it until more people hear and it no longer works.

How To Get Your FREE Guaranteed Yahoo! Directory Listing
When you browse over to Yahoo!’s main directory, you will notice that you really don’t have an option to escape without paying. There is the standard $299 listing charge, or a non-profit option which you shouldn’t be using. This is what I call, a dead end.

However, what many people fail to realize is that Yahoo! has many regional-specific directories as well. By regional, I’m of course talking about the likes of Yahoo! Canada, Yahoo! UK & Ireland, Yahoo! Asia, etc. Now if you browse by, let’s say, Yahoo! Canada’s directory, you will see quite a different story. There is still the seven day guaranteed listing available for $299, but now you will see a standard free option that includes no mention of non-profit status requirements. Because of this, any comercial website can be submitted to a regional directory free of charge!

Knowing that you can get a free listing for a commercial website at a regional Yahoo! destination, go ahead and do that. Is it really that simple? Yes! You can do this in a minute by browsing the directory to an appropriate categorty and selecting “suggest a site” to add your website or blog.

Why Does This Method Work?
Because of Yahoo!’s directory structure, it isn’t odd to see a listing from the main directory appear in a regional destination as well. Well it just so happens that the reverse is true as well! Directory submission editors have the power to bump listings across directories, based on where they are most suited to appear. What this means for you is that your website can easily be bumped from the random directory that you submit it to, over to Yahoo!’s main directory, completely free of charge. This process actually happens quite often!

The loophole exists in the fact that each regional manager has the power to transfer your web directory listing into the main directory, which holds most of the linking value. By submitting to a regional directory, you can score that prime-time feature without spending a dollar.

What The Net Fool Recommends
I know that in this example, I used Yahoo! Canada as an example. However, I think it is true that the smaller the directory you submit to is, the more likely the editors will notice your listing, approve it, and transfer it to the main directory. There are many regional directories, so go ahead and submit to one of the following: Yahoo! Canada, Yahoo! Asia, Yahoo! UK & Ireland, Yahoo! Singapore.

A Word To The Wise
This method is highly subject to abuse, so as much as I don’t like sharing this information in public, I want you to know not to go around telling everyone this method because it will become extinct. The problem in my mind is that the recent onslaught of people accepting payment to do this entirely free submission process has grown out of control, and it is entirely unfair to the public. This method was first described to me by “Snowbird” from Virtual Media Options, so pay him a visit if you appreciated this.

I hope that you all enjoyed this loophole tutorial. I am hoping that a lot of you are able to get your websites listed in the main Yahoo! web directory using this method. We don’t all have $299 to spare! Although it might be worth it in the long run, having a nice exploit to get a free guaranteed Yahoo directory listing is worth it’s weight in gold.

Stay Bullish On The Net!
-The Net Fool

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