DMOZ updated on Google Directory effect

[usedphones1959]

About 5 weeks ago, My website, www.usedphonesforless.com was finally added to the DMOZ directory. Perhaps coincidentally, my PR rose shortly thereafter from 4 to 5. However, the site is not yet listed in Google's directory.

I am not very concerned about PR. However, I hope that when Google's directory catches up with DMOZ and I am listed there as well that my many search terms in Google will appear higher.

Is this likely?

Also, when is it likely that Google directory will catch up with the late October version of DMOZ?

[cbp]

Current Google Directeory is from DMOZ dump of about 8 weeks ago. For a whle this year Google was updateing Directory monthly. Its been updated about 6-7 times this year. It only updated 2x in 2003 - next time is anyone's guess.

CBP

[imported__sam_]

Although nobody except Google knows for sure, I would not expect that being listed in the Google directory has any direct impact on your ranking in the search results. That would, in my opinion, be very much against Google's ranking philosophy.

DMOZ gives you a valuable link for PR, as you have observed, but many search engines seem to filter out the many DMOZ-copies, when they evaluate link popularity. It would be in Google's spirit to do the same for their own directory.

I would also not expect many direct referrers from the Google directory. Few people seem to use it, especially since they removed links to the directory from the search results, and since they removed the link to the directory page from the Google start page.

best regards

Sam

[sfowler]

That may be the case with google.com, but our google.at still has the link to the directory, as do most ofthe other language versions.

[cbp]

but many search engines seem to filter out the many DMOZ-copies

And you base than statement on ....?

.... a few hundred of the clones show up in backlinks to most of my sites that have DMOZ listing. Given DMOZ only show a sample, that clearly show Google NOT filtering them (they may not count for much due to the low PR)

CBP

[DrTandem1]

Do any significant number of average searchers even use Google's directory?

[imported__sam_]

Originally Posted by cbp

And you base than statement on ....?

.... a few hundred of the clones show up in backlinks to most of my sites that have DMOZ listing. Given DMOZ only show a sample, that clearly show Google NOT filtering them (they may not count for much due to the low PR)

CBP

That statement is based on my experience. I see perhaps a dozen of DMOZ clones in the backlinks, not more, both in Google and in other search engines. I would be interested to see an example of a few hundrend backlinks based on a DMOZ listing.

best regards

Sam

[cbp]

I would be interested to see an example of a few hundrend backlinks based on a DMOZ listing.

I randoming drilled down in a category picked random at DMOZ and picked this site:
http://www.homeless.org.au/runaways.htm
Checked Google backlinks:
Google showed 31 in the random sample - 30 of them were from DMOZ clones

I then randomly when to:
http://www.creativegenius.org/
Google showed 38 in the random sample - 33 of them were from DMOZ clones

Just because a link does not show up as a backlink does not mean it filtered or does not count.

Sorry, I did not find one with 100, but it should not be hard if I keep looking (have better things to do with my time). Even if Google are showing such a high proportion in a RANDOM sample, then there is no filter.

Those who state DMOZ are filtering the DMOZ clones are basing that statement more on wishful thinking than facts. Perhaps you can show us and eg of a DMOZ clone that has been filtered?

CBP

[usedphones1959]

Thanks for the replies.

Can anyone share an opinion whether being listed in the Google Directory (which should eventually happen for my site since I have finally been listed in DMOZ) should put my website higher in Google's listings for my key words?

Is it also reasonable to expect higher ranking for these key words when the some of the other directories that clone DMOZ catch up and list my site?

[usedphones1959]

By the way, I do recognize that I am unlikely to get any customers from DMOZ, Google directory or any of the other directories that clone DMOZ.

[cbp]

Theoretically you will rank higher, but how much will depend on other factors. A link from DMOZ, or Google Directory is just another link -- no more or no less, so it will help you as much as getting any other link with similar PR and number of links on a page. It is probably a link from an authority site (ala Hilltop theory), so might be given more weight.

There are some who argue very stongly that Google does give extra weight to DMOZ links and those who argue just as strongly that they don't - in reality, we just do not know and the arguments both ways are based on nothing more than wishful thinking

CBP