This is the continuation to my previous post. After you have submitted your website manually to the search engines, all you have to do is keep on waiting for them to arrive and crawl your website. But we as humans are really impatient, there is much more that we can do rather than just waiting.

You can start working on your incoming links, now that does not mean that you go an start looking for every free directory on this planet and submit your website to them. Try to rationalize, think logically and act smartly. One thing that you need to find out is that where your potential customers hang out on the web, like is it social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, Ning, etc... or if it is a business oriented website than is it Business Communities, Press Releases. If your business is in the IT industry than according to me one thing that really works is Usenet groups, a lot of activities happens on really popular groups, it is really worth checking them out.

I do not say that the directories do not work, they do a great job but only a handful of them. Say if your business serves only the local community than obviously it makes sense to be listed in the Yellow Pages and these days the "Local" services provided by the search engines. There is a reason because your users might do a search or browse the local directory to look for services. Say if you run a Restaurant than what create community, get yourself in the local directory, implement tell a friend, get reviews and much more things and see your business roll. The point I am trying to cite over here is that you do not have to be listed on every existing free and paid directory to get links. The objective is not to get links but it is to get good quality incoming links which can only happen with consistent efforts. So best of luck look for your visitors hang out area and target it the maximum.