Dmoz?

[nadalinv]

I'm pretty new to all of this, and I'm wondering what exactly the big deal about DMOZ is. What advantages does being listed give you? Is it really as big of a deal as people make it out to be? Can someone explain it to me? Thanks!!

[Final Expense Leads]

Originally Posted by nadalinv

I'm pretty new to all of this, and I'm wondering what exactly the big deal about DMOZ is. What advantages does being listed give you? Is it really as big of a deal as people make it out to be?

DMOZ was a big deal in earlier days before search engines became so good. The Yahoo Directory was a big deal then too.

The reality now is that they are both high-ranking directories that provide credible, relevant links and some visibility for those listed therein. With Yahoo you pay $300 per year for the privilege. DMOZ is free but you may wait a long time to get in as it is volunteer-edited and a bit picky about the sites it lists.

DMOZ has an additional benefit; they provide a weekly update of the entire directory. This has been the basis of the Google Directory and countless hundreds of other directories of lesser repute. This "feed" of DMOZ websites is useful, perhaps valuable, to directory builders as a source of websites that have been examined, considered, and edited to their appropriate categories. At a minimum the sites listed in DMOZ are functioning, useful, usually offer unique resources, and are accurately described.

The DMOZ feed could be responsible for a listed website being seeded in several other directories, or even several hundred.

I would say that having your site listed in DMOZ does say something positive about you, your web skills, and your marketing message. It also says something about your ability to follow instructions (in submitting your site)

Not being listed in DMOZ doesn't necessarily mean anything at all.

[martty]

Originally Posted by nadalinv

I'm pretty new to all of this, and I'm wondering what exactly the big deal about DMOZ is. What advantages does being listed give you? Is it really as big of a deal as people make it out to be? Can someone explain it to me? Thanks!!

Its no big deal. Its just a good link to have - nothing more. You can still do well without it.

[kgun]

Originally Posted by nadalinv

Can someone explain it to me? Thanks!!

dmoz, some facts and fictions

Originally Posted by Final Expense Leads

At a minimum the sites listed in DMOZ are functioning, useful, usually offer unique resources, and are accurately described.

Most of them yes.

[nadalinv]

Thanks everyone.

I had read that other thread ("facts and fiction"), but since it's a few years old, I wasn't sure if that information was still accurate (it seems like everything changes so fast!).

[kgun]

I think that thread is fairly accurate:

Message: Submit to the right category using an accurate description of your site and forget.

[jabo]

well, it just takes a few minutes anyways to be submitting to that directory so whether or not there is a good benefit from it, its ok..

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by Final Expense Leads

With Yahoo you pay $300 per year for the privilege. DMOZ is free but you may wait a long time to get in as it is volunteer-edited and a bit picky about the sites it lists.

Yahoo too is free, if you've the patient to wait to be indexed. The fee buys, not a listing, but an expedited review, with no guarantee of inclusion.

[sofomor]

Just one quality "back link" that Google endorses

[Orion]

DMOZ at one point was the only way to submit your site to google (I think that still applies, as a direct submission anyway).

I really don't know if it's still as valuable as it once way however I'm sure that it can't hurt and pretty sure that it still drives a fair number of engines out there...

So ya go ahead and take the few minutes to submit... Can't hurt anyway!

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by Orion

DMOZ at one point was the only way to submit your site to google (I think that still applies, as a direct submission anyway).

Is not submitting a site map to Google a "direct" submission?

And, is not acquiring a DMOZ listing an "indirect" submission?

[Orion]

Originally Posted by deepsand

Is not submitting a site map to Google a "direct" submission?

And, is not acquiring a DMOZ listing an "indirect" submission?

Submitting a sitemap to Google is the 'new' way to submit.. prior to google sitemaps the only way to actually submit a site to google was via DMOZ... Without the DMOZ submission your site would eventually be crawled via links on other sites but it could take up to 6months (normal was about 6 to 12 weeks though)...

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by Orion

Submitting a sitemap to Google is the 'new' way to submit.. prior to google sitemaps the only way to actually submit a site to google was via DMOZ... Without the DMOZ submission your site would eventually be crawled via links on other sites but it could take up to 6months (normal was about 6 to 12 weeks though)...

But, is it the submission to DMOZ, or the acquisition of a listing there that triggers a crawl?

BTW, SEs do not passively wait for IBLs to evidence the existence of a new domain. In particular, as a Registrar, Google can very quickly learn of such by actively monitoring registration data.

[Orion]

Originally Posted by deepsand

But, is it the submission to DMOZ, or the acquisition of a listing there that triggers a crawl?

To my knowledge when and if you're application for listing in DMOZ is reviewed and approved and the site listed it is then added to Google's search results and crawled. I don't know if the crawl is triggered to include the site or if the site is added to Google's SERPs prior to the initial crawl. Best guess is that years ago it was just added to the SERPs then crawled but now and for a few years now the addition of the listing in DMOZ simply triggers a crawl.

BTW, SEs do not passively wait for IBLs to evidence the existence of a new domain. In particular, as a Registrar, Google can very quickly learn of such by actively monitoring registration data.

They used to have to .. but yes now they are learning of new sites through many many sources...

There was a day when it would be weeks or months between crawls, but upgrades in technology over the last 5 years have enabled Google (and others) to be able to crawl sites with greater regularity and index new sites within hours.

In today's Internet I find waiting for registration data, site can take a week or two to end up in the SERPs; Submit sitemap, a few hours; Couple of good IBLs same or sooner (had one site we uploaded, submitted video to youtube... googled and the site was there... total about 1 hour from upload! Blew me away! I don't think that's the norm though.

Heck, we used to get paid just to get a site listed on a search engine, forget ranking well! LOL

[MeanSEO]

I have had some really great sites with hundred and hundreds of pages of unique content with perfect code, great descriptions, no spam submitted to the right categories following the rules to a "t" and nothing.

Drives me nuts as I see it is a real SEO help even though the listing itself draws very little traffic.

[Final Expense Leads]

Originally Posted by suesheboy

I have had some really great sites with hundred and hundreds of pages of unique content with perfect code, great descriptions, no spam submitted to the right categories following the rules to a "t" and nothing.

Drives me nuts as I see it is a real SEO help even though the listing itself draws very little traffic.

@suesheboy

I sympathize with how you must feel.

It may help to you to look at the thing from a different Point Of View. Consider the following ideas:

DMOZ listings are not for the benefit of Webmasters;

placement in the Directory is for the benefit of those seeking information;

the (debatable) SEO benefits are an unintended consequence of a listing in DMOZ and don't enter in to an editor's decision;

no one of us has a real or implied right to be listed in the Open Directory.

Seen from this point of view an individual site submission could appear very differently to a DMOZ editor than to a webmaster with commercial or ego-driven motivations - like me .

Remember - it is not about you. It isn't even necessarily about your website. It is almost all about the needs of others.


BTW, the opinions I've expressed here are just my own and not ODP's. I formed my POV on DMOZ from reading their published information and lurking on their blog - Your Mileage May Vary.