DMoz.org, the Open Directory Project Submission Guidelines

DMoz, the Open Directory Project
Webmasters and bloggers know well about DMoz.org or Directory Mozilla or more popularly known as the Open Directory Project, the premier web directory. And it is completely free as well. Getting listed within DMoz means a lot for a website, as it is a list of sites which are the absolute best in the Internet. Getting a listing in this user-moderated directory is extremely difficult. Also, it means a holy grail in Search Engine Optimization. Google and other search engines value DMoz very high. Here are some guidelines to get quickly accepted by DMoz.


Imporatnce of the Open Directory directly from Google SEO specialist, Mr Matt Cutts, broadcast by the Google Channel.


1. Don’t Treat the Open Directory as Other Directories

This is the first tip and most important. Many submissions are rejected because the person submitting the site regards DMoz as any other directory and submits without proper care. Understand that DMoz is the largest and most important of all directories (paid or nonpaid) on the Web, and one of the most respected by all search engines. So, take a day to submit your site to DMoz, or even hire a professional to do the job. Learn quite a bit about DMoz before submitting. An approval by DMoz means a lot in terms of search traffic.

2. Search DMoz for Your Site

You need to verify if your site is not already there within DMoz. If it is there, you needn’t resubmit it.

3. Category Selection

Finding the right category for inclusion of your site is a tedious process. Virtually every category within DMoz has subcategories. You have to drill down to the most appropriate category that describes your site before submitting.

4. The Site Language

If you have a site written in any language other than English, then don’t submit it to the general categories. The appropriate category to submit the site is World, and then navigate to the appropriate internal category.

5. Don’t Submit New Sites

If your site has little or no content, there is no use submitting to DMoz; it will not be accepted. Prepare quite a bit of valuable content on your site—valuable to your readers (remember, it is a human that evaluates your site not a bot). Once you have a site well-designed, and rich in content, it may be a good candidate for inclusion. Sites with ‘under construction’ banner are going to be rejected as soon as submission.

6. Multiple Submissions? No, No!

You are entitled to submit a site only once. Don’t resubmit a site every week. It will negatively affect the site, as it may cause it be removed.

In case you need a change of topic or category, instead of resubmitting the entire site, give a submission update request, by clicking 'update URL' link.

7. Don’t Submit Internal Pages

Only submit the home page URL (http://www.website.com) of the site, and no internal pages (not http://www.website.com/index.html). If you continue to submit internal pages of the site, it will cause even the home page be removed from the directory.

8. Do Not Submit Spam Sites

DMoz doesn’t accept sites with any illegal content, copied content, search-engine-spamming content (with excessive keywords), illicit drugs, libel sites, etc.

9. Site Preparation

When you are about to submit your site to DMoz, it is best to doublecheck and prepare your site enough for inclusion. Check for broken links, links to any bad neighborhoods, excessive keywords, excessive advertisements (as far as blocking the primary content), etc.

While some advertisements can be OK, sites that look like made for money are easily rejected by editors.

10. Keep Good Relationship With DMoz Editors

If you know any DMoz editors, Splendid! You can enquire with an editor courteously as to the status of inclusion of your site. Follow up professionally to enquire the status. If the site gets deleted, the editor will be able to guide you how to reinclude the site. Keep short descriptions and most targeted keywords ready in order to get accepted fast.

Conclusion

Never underestimate the importance of DMoz. Having a link there almost equals the effect of having tens of thousands of high PR targeted links. Also, without giving great care, you cannot get included within the DMoz.