How advantageous is it to have a site that is already listed with DMOZ?

I have a name I won on Tdnam, and it is listed with dmoz. I realize dmoz is going through some changes, but isn't it still good to have this listing already in place?

Thanks!

 

Probably not at all. Is this url currently in the proper category for what you plan on putting on this site?

 

I am surprised at your answer, but since it will be used for the exact purpose it had been intended and described I should be fine.

 

That's nonsense.

He's got a backlink from a DMOZ page. That link is worth the same as any other link from a PRx page to his home page (assuming that's where the DMOZ link points). And which category contains the DMOZ link won't matter to anyone but DMOZ.

 

I was vaguely under the impression that an on topic link was worthwhile but an unrelated link is not. That would mean the link has some value if it's in the correct category. If it's in the wrong category, I'd recommend the site owner request a move to the correct category so it will be on topic and also so that the DMOZ listing is accurate.

If I'm wrong, I apologize. I learned that bit of info here at DP, but I may have misunderstood?

 

In general, that's correct. However, I'm not sure how that rule applies to directories as opposed to individual websites and many DMOZ categories are so nondescript that it probably doesn't matter. Additionally, the value of a backlink from any page is reduced with each additional outgoing link on the originating page (in this case the DMOZ page) so as with any directory we're not talking about a huge boost to begin with.

 

I totally agree with you. A topical listing in a directory still means more than a listing on a page that has nothing to do with your subject, even with a directory. Also, I personally find that dmoz actually still brings me visitors (on my top 20 referrers list) and that is likely to work better when the page is in a category on the subject a person is looking for.

[and sarcasm duly noted ]

 

Maybe. But see above:

That in itself is unusual. Do a scan on threads about the topic of the value of DMOZ for referrals and you'll see that your site is in the minority. That in itself makes me wonder (1) what is unusual about your site and (2) how well (or poorly) you are doing in terms of referrals from search engines.

 

Well, I get most of my visitors from google - as in 90% or something. Then a lot from stumbleupon, wikipedia and myspace and then a few from other places as well, including dmoz.
I have a site that is content-based, other then perhaps the majority of sites people talk about here. The amount of visitors from DMOZ isn't much - just a couple a day. Enough to get in the stats. But the lower 20s are all about a few a day anyhow.

As for most dmoz categories being non-descript - they are certainly more focused then most other directories I've seen discussed here.

 

Either your site traffic isn't very high or some high traffic site (wikipedia?) links to that category.

I got 11 different deeplinks (hey it's a big site) in DMOZ and before someone runs of to check it out in 11 different categories naturally. Traffic I get from them is ridicules - grand total of 41 in entire month (I get bigger traffic from sig at DP) - and this is after I have added link to DMOZ categories on Wikipedia, before it was worse! And virtually all of these visits are related to single category, I almost never get a visit from other 10 category so getting link at DMOZ is pretty much pointless at lest from traffic point of view which means that DMOZ failed in its primary purpose to help the average surfer find what he needs.

Personally I would rather have DMOZ with PR0 but sending lot of quality traffic then current situation.

 

Traffic aside, Dmoz is still considered the best directory by many. They are as far as I know the only directory that is not after a profit in any way, and are page rank 9. They do help with indexing as well...

 

1. how many pages are PR9?

2. how many links are on the pages containing your link?

3. how much of that PR value is going to your site?

 

DMOZ is still a trusted link and a topical link.

As for traffic to my site, it's a bit more than 41 a day (think two extra zeros at the end, or something).

 

As already stated, getting that kind of traffic from DMOZ is unusual and would worry me personally. That aside, from a PR or promotional standpoint, please consider the questions I posted above to put the value of a DMOZ link into perspective:

 

it's a bit more than 41 a day (think two extra zeros at the end, or something)

Ok. Now we know that you are just making up stories.

 

I have heard many negative things said about Dmoz in this thread. But it is still the only directory that I know of that is not for profit and despite its best intentions and problems as of late, is considered the best directory of its kind. And though it is not proven as such, it does appear to help in Googles algorithm in determining page rank.

 

The operative portion of that post is "it is not proven". I await the evidence with bated breath...

 

I managed to get several sites in past few months on pretty high positions for several keywords (in Croatian language of course, not much competition but still) without too much linking. Biggest change come when new content started to be added on regular basis so though it is not proven as such I would dare to say Google algorithm prefers active websites over dead ones no matter how god (or bad) they are (or use to be).

If these sites ever get into DMOZ we shall se if it has any effect.

 

According to some last year DMOZ listings were actually damaging the marketing of some websites and some webmasters wanted their sites removed.

 

Yes. In part because of the either the choice of category, which is sometimes (often?) misleading, or the nondescript DMOZ "snippets" (descriptions), which gave rise to the new "NO ODP" meta tags:

<META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="NOODP">
<META NAME="msnbot" CONTENT="NOODP">
<META NAME="Slurp" CONTENT="NOODP">

Code (markup):