There was a time when directory submission was considered the most important part of off page SEO. All most every webmaster who stepped into search engine optimization for his website at that time started it with directory submission. They tend to gain links from general web directories and some of them tried to put their links only in theme related directories but this concept was very rare among majority of webmasters. As the time went search engines became more intelligent about their ranking system and revised it according to the new criteria. It put a question mark on directory submission, whether it will be valid for gaining rankings.

This question has divided webmasters into two categories, one still favors it while others are of the view that role of directory submission is over now. Now where I stand? I was not into this race at the time when directories were being thrown out and new ideas like link baiting and social bookmarking was emerging.

After having this all in my pocket I have to decide whether this directory submission can still be useful or not. Well before I start I will have to pinch out those people from my discussion who think that directory submission can be useful for gaining Google page rank. First of all these people will have to remake their thinking about search engine optimization as Google page Rank is not a part of any SEO or SER. It’s only a Google product which has no role to play in Google rankings or in other major search engines like yahoo and msn (Live). So when it comes to search engine ranking be positive and think broader (don’t focus only on Google). Once I drop such people out of my topic, there remains only one category (who favor directory submission role). Why? Let me explain one thing. People who think directories have no role to play are those who are not gaining any page rank juice from directories. Absolutely true, directories are no more providing any page rank advantage. But I have said its not connected to search engine rankings so those people are true that ‘directory submission is over now’.

Lets check the other theory. One thing about which search engines cry very loudly, make websites for readers (people) not for search engines. Get natural backlinks which are always provided by other webmasters as a source of appreciation for your website. Still they do not say SER is a game which involves something other than these backlinks so backlinks are must thing for search engine rankings but only the good ones. Now a novice webmaster must ask, “What is a good backlink?” No one knows the exact answer to it else the search engines. Still some SEO gurus like Arun Wall has described some very near things to so called good backlinks criteria.

Leave this good or bad discussion aside and just pick the point. One thing is necessary for better search engine rankings and that is “backlinks”. Now those people who say directory submission is useless please tell me “is directory submission some thing different from backlink?” my point is very clear here. It’s a backlink and according to search engines like Google, yahoo and live they do count each and every backlink. Along with this of my view I must favor the theory of “good backlinks” and in terms f directory links a good backlink is one which is deep into exact category and most importantly the link that is gained from theme related directories rather than general directories.  So least but no the last I favor directory submission for backlinks.