What is Search Engine Submission (SEO)

Search engine submission used to be a common practice in the early days of the internet when search engines were not as sophisticated as they are today. However, with the evolution of search engine algorithms, the need for manual submission has diminished significantly.

Search engine submission refers to the process of submitting a website or webpage’s URL to search engines, with the intention of having them index and rank the site in their search results. This was done to ensure that the website would appear in search engine listings and be discoverable by users.

Here are some key points to consider regarding search engine submission and its relevance today:

1. Automatic Crawling: Modern search engines, like Google, Bing, and others, use automated web crawlers (also known as “spiders” or “bots”) to discover and index web pages on their own. They continuously crawl the web, following links from one page to another. This means that manually submitting your website’s URLs is usually unnecessary.
2. Sitemaps: While search engine submission is less relevant, submitting a sitemap to search engines can still be helpful. A sitemap is a file on your website that lists all the pages you want search engines to index. Search engines can use sitemaps to better understand the structure of your site and find pages that might be harder to discover through regular crawling.
3. Quality Content and SEO: Instead of focusing on manual search engine submission, it’s more important to create high-quality, relevant content that follows good SEO practices. This includes optimizing your website for search engines, using appropriate keywords, ensuring proper site structure, and building backlinks from reputable sources.
4. Local and Niche Directories: In some cases, submitting your website to local or niche directories can still have some value, especially if these directories are relevant to your business or industry. However, be cautious and focus on reputable directories, as low-quality directories can potentially harm your site’s SEO.
5. Google Search Console: Google Search Console (formerly known as Google Webmaster Tools) is a platform provided by Google that allows you to monitor and manage your website’s presence in Google’s search results. It also provides tools for submitting sitemaps and checking for indexing issues.

In conclusion, the practice of manual search engine submission has become less relevant due to advancements in search engine technology. Instead of relying on manual submission, focus on creating valuable content, optimizing your website for search engines, and using tools like sitemaps and Google Search Console to help search engines discover and index your content naturally.