Submission to Directories
In the past, I have written about the importance of including your website/blog in directories to improve your Page Rank ranking and increase search engine results. Submitting your website to directories is important because directories usually have high PR themselves, and being linked from such sites will boost your overall website ranking.
Personally, I also believe that including your website in directories might be a lot more efficient than manually exchanging links with other websites, as from experience I can say that many people do not respond at all to link exchange requests. They do not respond for many reasons, including lack of willingness to exchange links with anybody at the moment, or they might simply not like something about your website. On the other hand, directories are overall more professional, as they are always ready to link to other sites. Additionally, they usually they have very specific requirements when it comes to the inclusion of your website. Even if you have a lot of link exchanges you are still going to benefit from listing your site with directories.
It is important to understand that the importance and prestige of directories differs a lot, so make sure that you focus on adding your website to the more important ones. If you put a little bit of effort into being listed, I am sure it will pay off later. Of course, submitting your website to lesser known directories might not be as beneficial.