Value of certain directory links

EcommerceSite

I am looking at the links to a competitors site and they have a ton of links from things like this http://www.directoryws.com/ Is it worth submitting to something like this? It has a 58 domain authority from Moz.

ChadBreezy

How Sites Obtain Authority

To obtain authority (long-term), you need to silo your website (google that term for a complete description) with keyword researched content. The best strategy is to build links (niche directories and communities) to those inner pages that have specific types of content that cannot be featured on the home page. That content should be very engaging with a strong click to action for the reader. They could opt-in further to your content, if ecommerce a discount on a product, etc.

How To Build Directory Links

The biggest deal to building manual links to directories is to be random! Post Penguin 2012, you want to avoid duplication and automated link building and exact anchor matches. If you do decided to do some exact anchor text, only do it a few times a month. Also you don't need a ton of the same type of links featuring exact anchor either. This year and in the future "semantic" will eventually determine what your site is about and hook your content up with the correct searches.

Tips For Link Building With Directories - What To Do

With that said, hand pic the top directories (some free, some paid, some premium, local, and niche related). Make your self a road-map for the first three months and configure a good mix of each with intent to submit up to 5 or 10 depending on your niche and try to use your brand name as the anchor. Also when you do your keyword research and decide on the top seed keyword (two keyword terms usually), come up with 100 (if you can) different variations (should also try to match your website's message or content, goes for the home page and all inner pages) variations of that "seeded" keyword. Use those anchors in rotation and you should be fine.

Extra Tips

*also try to start with premium directories first

*this strategy is long-term and if you add this with good content development and syndication services or software to help distribute the content; you'll get the links that will carry your website long-term.

Hopes this helps.

Backlinko

Two things:

1. While it's a a good idea to reverse engineer your competition, you don't always want to duplicate them. Has the site been ranking highly for a while? If not, you may not want to copy their links.

2. In my opinion there are literally 10-20 directories worth the time and effort. Remember: it's all about looking natural. And nothing looks LESS natural than getting 100s of directory links.

Here are some of my favorite directories:

Free:

DMOZ (good luck)

Paid:

Family Friendly Sites