Harnessing the Power of the Open Directory Project

If you haven’t heard about the Open Directory Project (ODP), also known as DMOZ, then consider this your wakeup call. If you have heard of it, but you’re not listed there, then you too can consider this your wakeup call.

Are you awake? Good. The ODP bills itself as “the largest, most comprehensive human-edited directory of the Web. It is constructed and maintained by a vast, global community of volunteer editors.”

The phrase “human-edited” is key here. Human edited means just that. There are no mysterious indexing algorithms at work; no inscrutable spiders running amuck through your pages; just good old-fashioned human editors who actually visit your web site and make a judgment about if it should be listed, where it should be listed and how it should be ranked. When you’re dealing with the ODP your main goal is to impress the editor with the site’s value, not stay one step ahead of ever-changing indexing schemes.

Now that’s both good and bad news. The good news is that you get a fair shake even if your SEO skills aren’t razor sharp. The bad news? Well, if your content stinks, your topics are irrelevant, or you can’t spell to save your life, you’ll be cast into the dungeons of the un-indexed.

Why is getting listed in the ODP so important?

The answer is simple. Even search engine software can be lazy and, as a result, many of them index the ODP to get additional listings into their own pages. Don’t think for a moment that only the little search engines which occupy the small nooks and crannies of cyberspace are the lazy ones. No sir. It’s common knowledge that even the likes of AOL, MSN, HotBot, and both the Yahoo and Google directories pull content from the ODP. What’s more, a link to your site from the grand daddy of all directories is also considered an important link for Link Popularity purposes. Finally, almost every new directory and search engine that is born every day
gets their start by grabbing links from the ODP. It’s just one of those places where you MUST be seen.

So, how do you get listed?

It’s easier than at most sites. There are very few rules but those that are there must not be ignored.

Rule #1: Check to see if your site is already listed. if it is then don’t list it again. See Rule #3 if you’re tempted to try anyway.

Rule #2: Submit your site to the correct category.

Categories are very important to the way that the ODP operates. If you choose the wrong one then it will end up in front of the wrong editor. That editor MIGHT flip it over to the right editor, if he or she is in a good mood, but it’s more likely that they’ll simply send it to /dev/null and consign you to the list of people who don’t know how to follow directions.

Rule #3: Don’t toy with the editor’s intelligence

Avoid posting mirror sites which exactly mimic other sites that are already indexed. You’ll get caught and banned.

Likewise, don’t try to create “doorway” pages that disguise already submitted URLs.

A variation of both of the above is: Don’t submit pages which simply redirect to other sites.

Don’t submit illegal content like child pornography. If you are submitting “legal” porn then make sure that you submit it to the correct Adult category!

Don’t submit “list of links” sites.

Don’t submit “Under Construction” or “Coming Soon” sites.

Got it? Good. Next step…

Once you’re sure that you’ve obeyed all of the rules, surf your way over to the category that you’ve chosen for your site and click on the “suggest URL” link. The form that comes up is pretty simple but be sure to fill it out correctly. Remember — the editors holds your link’s future in their hands!

The “Site Description” link is where you place a bonefide description of your site. It’s not the place to put sales material.

“The hottest e-book site on the web! Buy one get one FREE but only if you order by midnight tonight!!!” is not a valid site description. This is:

“We sell e-books, software and training materials for Internet users who want to start their own e-commerce business. We list over 100 titles and new ones are added regularly.”

Finally, don’t use automatic submission software to submit to the ODP. They have “ways” of knowing and, to quote the powers to be…

“Sites submitted automatically are flagged and deleted after the submission is accepted, without notification to you. Persistent automatic submission may force us to ban you from the DMOZ site, so we can provide resources to real human beings.”

They’re tough — those human editors but they’re fair as well. Don’t nag them after you submit your site. Be prepared to wait up to two weeks, or more, for an editor to review your site. Some categories are especially busy so it could take longer. Be aware that editors do not HAVE to list your site if they feel that it isn’t worthy of listing. If you’ve waited more than 30 days and you haven’t heard a thing then a polite inquiry might be in line.

Hopefully your tail is wagging over getting listed in the ODP. Click here http://dmoz.org/ and get started!