Step Wise SEO

It may be helpful to know whether your competitors have taken the time to create directory listings.

Finding a directory listing, whether paid or unpaid, is an indication of how well your competitors are covering all their SEO bases.

Start by searching Yahoo!’s directory:

• Open your web browser and go to http://dir.yahoo.com. This page allows you to exclude search results other than Yahoo! Directory listings.

• Moving one by one through your Big Five competitors list, search for each competitor’s name.

• Since this is such a specific search, there will probably be very few listings. Look for one belonging to your competitor.

• If you don’t find your competitor’s listing, search for a product or service that they offer.

If this search turns up no listings, broaden your search to a general term related to what they offer.

If you still don’t find your competitor, you can feel comfortable that they probably don’t have a directory listing.

You can do the same with the Open Directory or niche directories that you think are appropriate for your own site.

Whether the directory listing is fee based or free is actually not important here. What’s important is knowing whether a competitor is aggressive and savvy enough to find a directory and get their site listed.