Folks everywhere are confused about the differences between directories and search engines, in part because of the way in which we use them and their apparent similarities. This simple premise makes a world of difference. Listings may be submitted to the directory for possible inclusion, or chosen by the indexer. Whether or not your site is included in the database is a function of how relevant it is to the subject matter of the directory, its scope, coverage, and accuracy, in additional to other selection criteria such as audience. They traverse the web site content and its links in a variety of different ways and collect the results into a database.
Webmasters can also submit their sites for possible inclusion into the database.
So frequently it is only a matter of time before your new site gets indexed by one of the major search engines. Because of their hierarchical arrangement, most directories are browsable, that is, you can click on a subject of interest to see pertinent links and subcategories on your topic. In Lesson One, we looked at many of the reasons this happens. In practical terms, however, when folks are discussing web directories, they are usually referring to sites attempting to organize a very large amount of information, or sites that specialize in a limited subject area. Also, most of the major search engines now also have directory listings as a service.