How to submit your business' website to search engines

Your website can be as search engine optimised as it's possible to be, but if you haven't submitted it to search engines, the chances of people happening across it will be slim and you'll find it difficult to increase your traffic. This guide will show you how to submit your domain name to search engines and explain the process your site will go through before it comes up in search results.

• Why you need to submit your site
• How to submit your site
• When your site will start to appear

Why you need to submit your site

Although there's a good chance your site will eventually be found automatically, submitting it to search engines will guarantee it is found and will speed up the process. Search engine algorithms are shrouded in mystery - but with 70-80% of web traffic coming from search engines, not submitting your domain name isn't really worth the risk.

• Most search engines crawl or 'spider' the internet automatically, but submitting your domain name speeds up the process
• Search engine algorithms are shrouded in speculation
• Not submitting your domain isn't worth the risk

How to submit your site

There are three main search engines you need to submit your domain to - Google, Yahoo and MSN, all of which are free. Click the links to be taken to their submission pages. Most other search engines either aren't taking new submissions or are covered by one of the main three. SEO experts generally agree with the top 11 search engines accounting for 90% of web traffic, there's no need to pay to submit your domain to anything else.

• Submit your URL to Google, Yahoo and MSN by clicking the links
• Most search engine submissions are covered by the main three
• There shouldn't be any need to pay to submit your site

When will my site be ranked?

It's recommended you submit your domain as soon as you have registered it. Some SEO experts believe Google 'sandboxes' or withholds new sites to determine whether they are credible, rather than just spam. Because of this, it may be as long as two months before your site is indexed - so make sure you submit your domain early.

• Submit your domain as soon as you have registered it
• Some experts believe Google 'sandboxes' sites to determine whether they are credible
• Indexing may take as long as two months

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