The key to creating success is "time" and patience
Link lists and link directories is a lot of work and ongoing work because its not a make it and forget it kind of business. If you are determined and see this as a long-term site, the fact that you now have your site running is the first step. Here are some other things to help out:
- Participate in forums to get remembered
- Setup a forum signature for yourself
- Submit your link list to Webmaster Resources
- Focus on hard link trades with other related link sites
- Add your site to some popular toplists
- Make sure your site is optimized for search engines
- Consider some banner spots (when you have some spare $)
- Focus on search engine ranking methods (SEO)
- Establish some quality recip banners (I didn't get a chance to see if you had any as I am writing this)
- Write some tutorials on any subject that you are able to help others with
- Perhaps create some Gallery sites and submit them to others (make sure your own recip banner is in each mirror and site)
- Try some galleries
With Link sites, it takes time to really get going. Big traffic doesn't happen over night and in many cases could take up to a year to start to see some good numbers. As mentioned, the trick is to stick with it and always keep regular updates with your site and always look for ways of getting people to take notice of who you are. Its a part of marketing school that repetive visual efforts will eventually be seen.
Hope this helps...I am sure others will add their ideas and comments too