Long-tail ranking - links to home page vs. inner page

[gouri]

For long-tail keywords, some of the sites that I am working on there are inner pages that come up in the SERP. Do you think it is better to use these keywords as anchor text to link to the inner page that is coming up in the SERP or is it better to link to the homepage for these sites?

[tedster]

Inner pages, especially when those inner pages are already ranking.

[gouri]

I just wanted to say that I mean to link to the pages from other sites.

[tedster]

Yes, that's the way I understood you. However, be careful and don't do this too much. Otherwise it becomes obvious that you control the links from those other domains, and then they get ignored.

[gouri]

Hi Ted,

So I think what this means is don't put my sites on too many web directories using the long-tail phrase as the title that actually links to the inner pages of the sites? Can you recommend how many web directories might be alright? Also, article directories (can put the long-tail keywords as anchor text in the articles)?

[tedster]

I'd say that 12 to 15 of the best general directories (as a total for the entire site) is about all that will really be effective. Some related niche directories in addition to that would be OK. Besides, most directories will only link to the Home page, right?

[gouri]

Yes, most directories will only link to the home page. You're right on about that.