I will show you how to build a free web directory in a few and easy to follow steps. Using these tips will not only save you a huge amount of time, but it will also reveal to you new ways to build a good quality site loved by net-surfers and search engines as well.

1). Purchase a domain name and a hosting plan. You can buy a domain name for as low as 2.50$. Choose your domain name carefully, according to what kind of key words do you target. For example, if you want to build a directory for garden lovers, you can call it ‘My Green Corner' or ‘Green Garden Directory'. If you want to build a general directory, you may want to use some top popular searched words on net. As for hosting, you can choose between free or paid hosts, each of them has advantages and disadvantages. Use the Google search tool to find out about everything. For example, just type on Google ‘free hosting plan', and you will get almost 100 million results. Similarly, you can type ‘top most searched words', and so on.

2). Choose a directory script. I personally recommend phplinkdirectory script (known as phpld). You can choose the free version 2, or you can pay a small fee for purchasing the later version 3. Installation is very easy and does not require major coding skills, and the support forum is excellent. Basically you just have to upload the script to your server and follow some simple installation steps.

3). Choose a template and customize it. There are many templates available for phpld v2 and v3, and with some minor Photoshop skills, you can tune your web directory to look exactly how you want it to look. There are also available some extra mods for phpld script, you just have to read their support forum. You don't need to know how to modify the script's source, most of them are simple ‘cut and paste' jobs. Find and install all the mods that you like, this will give to your directory a fresh look.

4). Add extra features like some web seo services and related tools from iweb, for example, a forum like phpBB or a blog like wordpress. All of them are free scripts just waiting for you to install and customize. Syndicate at least your blog, with your directory (you can use the RSS feeds from your blog or from anywhere else, and syndicate them to your website by adding a script like rss2html to it's code). This will add content and utility points to your directory (see an example at My Green Corner).

5). Advertise your new web directory on forums, blogs, on everything that you can. Write articles. Build a newspaper and let people to come and subscribe for it. Start a link-exchange campaign. Make friends, do some reciprocal linking, but stay away from link farms. Submit your directory to other directories. Search engines like directories, because most of them are human-edited, and they will crawl your page, whenever they have the chance. Get into as many directories top as you can (e.g. Directory top). If you have some money to invest in it, buy some links on top pages of other directories with higher PR, or apply for Google ad-words, so that people can hear about your new creation. Try to blend into the system.

6). Last, but not least, enjoy your work, enjoy this experience.