An internet directory where the data is collected into the database relating to the websites after thorough review such as the Yahoo, DMOZ, Joe Ant and such other directories. The review is conducted not by the machine but by human beings and the websites are listed in order of preference to their relevance and quality. In result it becomes extremely difficult for the spammers to get into the list. Directory link building is an important aspect of the website optimization.

While directories work like the search engines there are certain major differences between the two. Directories often give priorities to the categories of your website and therefore they are as essential as the keywords and anchor text for them. Search Engine Optimisation does not depend on the category of your website. Directories also contain less number of URLs for selection of the relevant site. Some of the best pages may get overlooked in the process. However most of the top directories have build up partnerships with search engines to day and this is helping minimizing such affects. 

Directories are basically searching tools but unlike the search engines that are mostly automated, they use human editors. The normal procedure to get enlisted in a directory is to pay in advance the fees required so that the directory gets your website listed in the specific category assigned to you. Your Website Promotion project gets the impetus with such enrollment in the directory.