DMOZ tidy up - get better link text value.

One of our sites has gained a number of deep dmoz listings in a number of categories.

I went and visited all the other sites in our categories as part of a text link hunt and was suprised to see how many listed sites were dud links to sites which had moved or no longer existed.

A simple report to the powers that be saw all the dead links removed and therefore greater value realised for the links we have.

You may want to check your category and report any tidying up that needs doing.

As we all know that the number of links on the page determines the value you revieve from the link text.

 

I am not surprised, I had my site listed with dmoz, but my site was hijacked because my free hoster decided to finish the free service and to redirect my address, since I had done all the work I contacted the editor in dmoz in the category to let him/her know that the site was being redirected to a dummy place and to ask for the site to be removed from the listing.
I contacted the editor more than a month ago and the site is still being listed even thought is dummy. Dmoz needs to get its checking right it's just not good enough to chekc the site once and then to forget about it. And it is sham the fact that I have told them and they just ignored it.

 

A few years ago I was eager to get a website listed on dmoz. The content in the categories I was interested in looked stale and the editors were unresponsive. I figured the best way to get the placement I wanted was join.

Once inside I found a lively, collaborative group of folks that are deeply interested in having it be the best it can be, with (in some categories) a HUGE backlog and not enough editors to knock it down.

I consider dmoz to be the People's directory. You are a participant in dmoz. If your site is listed, you're a participant. If you do web design, you are a particpant. If you search the web, if you use the web, you are a participant. Writing to them about dead links is a great easy way to participate.

If more people chipped in a bit of their time as editors it would make a huge difference in the quality of the directory. And you get to make it the way you want it.

 

many people who try chipping in get cut off before they can join for a "better safe than sorry" conservative admission policy

 

Honestly, I don't find that reassuring and it's hardly a positive endorsement of ODP...

ditto

"Some people are more equal than others" - George Orwell, 1984 (paraphrased)

If you are a meta editor, or have the same opinions as one... if not, don't hold your breath.

 

I am an odp editor as well although I only have a couple of very small categories. I am in the odp irc channel nearly every day and the editors in there really do try their best to keep everything up to date and tidy.

As stated before, there really is a backlog and I think that is due to the fact that a lot of the editors did join to try to get their site listed and then never kept up with their category. They do monitor this as best they can and are constantly removing access.

You also must remember that most editors are volunteers. If you have ever managed volunteers you will know it is quite difficult to get them to work as hard or as often as you would like. It's also important to note that some of these people volunteer hours of their time nearly every day.

You wouldn't believe the spam they receive of people trying to get their site listed more than once or trying to get spam sites listed. Those submissions take up a huge chunk of their time and prevents them from getting to the legitimate sites.

Anyway, I just wanted to give another editor's perspective and encourage all of you to join and do at least a small category.

 

An don't forget if you know of a category that you have seen that has dead /404's/hijacked listings then post in http://resource-zone.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5453 Whether it be for you own good or the good of the directory we welcome any such reports as long as they are genuine.

We will try our best to deal with them ASAP.

 

So anyone checked their category and found dud links yet? I found 5 - which means a lot better value for my listings.

 

I stopped talking to the DMOZ editors when they stopped listening.

Actually, it took me a few months to figure it out. I'm a bit slow. So really, it is more accurate to say thatI stopped talking to the DMOZ editors several months after they stopped listening.

I switched from talking to DMOZ to talking to my Golden Retriever. Same net effect, less senseless barking.

 

LOL... at least with the Golden Retriever (1) she actually listens, and (2) she likes you to talk to her...

And she's less likely to bite your hand, too

 

LOL, asif...

 

I see that as the thread has (again) turned into a DMOZ bashing that you have decided not to say how useless the comments are like you do when they are defending DMOZ.

If anyone can delete my registration please feel free - this board is getting ridiculous. I would rather not waste my time here further.

 

Aw, thanks, leer. That would be great... and just think how much more time you'll have for editing over at the "Open" Directory Project, now

As for threads turning into "DMOZ bashing", have you noticed how that happens on pretty much every forum where the "directory" is discussed? That's a lot of people in several parts of the world who are all pretty much dismayed with how arrogant and closed-minded the "Open" Directory Project has become -- have you or anyone else at DMOZ ever asked yourselves why that is?

 

We submitted one of our clients www.soldoutornottickets.com to DMOZ today. This is a ticket broker website that sells sports, concert and theatre tickets. Most small ticket brokers purchase event tickets from one of several central agencies as it is not financially possible for them to stock all the tickets in advance that customers might want.

DMOZ rejected our client because "he and others get their tickets from a central agency and do not stock their own". This is the nature of the business! What's wrong with this picture?

I am going to resubmit and try to reason with the editor and will report my response (or lack thereof) to this forum.

Cordially,

 

http://dmoz.org/Shopping/Entertainment/Tickets/desc.html

Please do not submit affiliate and reseller sites. We will not accept sites that are resellers of other sites selling the same tickets (e.g. Eventinventory.com, Brokertix.com, Razorgator.com, TicketsNow.com, TicketsUS.com, etc.) Sites that exist solely to drive traffic to another site's central ordering system for the purpose of commission sales are considered mirror sites, and the ODP does not list these sites. Thanks for your cooperation.

I would save your time - it's not going to happen.

 

Even without that, Ms. T, DMOZ has already said no. Their efforts now will go into justifying that decision, not reconsidering your case.

As macdesign said, save your time (and sanity) -- submit to directories that actually give a damn and work on those and backlinks from other related sites.

 

I say the open directory is not so open anymore. 2-3 years back it was easy to get listed, the editors were nice... but now its a different story.

Does anyone other than site owners, SEO pros and spiders visit DMOZ? Do you get any traffic from the "open" directory? The search functionality is horrible.

It would be great if they close the "open" directory. At least it will save the time people spend trying to get listed!

 

If you want to search use Google - ODP is a directory not a search engine.

 

Hi Mac and Minstrel:
You are probably right - I guess it would be wasted effort that could be better put into a more productive area. It irks me that DMOZ has so much power by feeding other SEs.

Human editors have their quirks, cliques and prejudices and are able to make exceptions when they want to do so. As far as SEs are concerned, I think "Machines do it better."

Cordially,

 

Personally, I wish that DMOZ would be more stringent in what sites they let into each category because it really affects everyone else in that category. Going through the other links in the site, you'd think the editor was being paid. Some of the sites are seriously poor with broken links and marketing campaigns galore!