DMOZ tips

Hey everyone,

I'm interested in getting my site listed in DMOZ. Are there any tips or tricks that I should know about? Can a site be listed in more than one category?

Thanks
- Jeremy

 

My tip: find the most relevant category, with an editor and with just a few sites listed. Then forget it.

That way, I have 2 sites listed in less than a month.

 

Do they accept products that are only for a product?

 

I'm a DMOZ editor and not sure what you are asking, but if you are submitting to a shopping category, they want to see products that are different that what is already offered, or at unique content that would be of use to the end user.

They do not (as a general rule) accept affiliate sites that are not selling their own product. If you manufacture or carry a unique product, you chances of being accepted are greatly enhanced. They do not like to see sites that look like pages of advertising (adsense, etc).

I would submit to the most relevant category, but if there are more than one, choose a category that has an editor listed at the bottom. I disagree about finding a site with only a few listings. Many people have the idea that your chances of being accepted are much greater because a category only has a few listings. What they don't see are are a hundred or more submissions waiting to be reviewed. The cateogry I took over only had a few listings but had over a hundred waiting for review, some over 3 years old.

What you don't want to do is submit your site a second time - at least unless it has been a year, and even then I would try another category. Your site might be reviewed in a day, but it is likely to sit for a much longer time - even over three years. Submit, wait, and hope for the best. DMOZ is lacking in editors.

Also, compare you site to the best sites in the category rather than saying it is better than some of the sites already listed. DMOZ can be a first come, first listed process, so if someone else already has basically the same content, your chances of being accepted are far less. They don't want a bunch of sites offering basically the same thing.

DMOZ is worth the time it takes to submit a site, but the benefit of a listing is greatly over-rated imo. It used to be a lot better for SERPS because of all the DMOZ clones, but I believe google started devaluing or ignoring those clones with the last update. I have 10 dmoz listed sites (before I became an editor) and you couldn't tell which sites had a DMOZ listing and which ones didn't by looking at the SERPS. I do think a listing helps - just not nearly as much as some people think. I think that idea is spread by people who don't yet have a DMOZ listing and have heard the hype.

There is no way to know if your site has been rejected unless the editor emails you - which is very rare. I have sites pending and I don't have any idea of their status- or if they have been rejected. Like everyone else, I just have to wait and hope that one day they get listed. Good luck.

 

open a paypal account.

 

mjewel - What I mean by just having a product is: http://www.park-ridge.il.us/relaxo/ This is my site, not an affiliate link or anything. I just don't know if this is accepted into the directory.

 

Most editors only have access to their own category(s) so I would have no way of knowing what that editor is looking for. I take it that you didn't author the CD, but are selling it? It's a limited presentation, and I don't know if other listed sites also sell it, but if you had some educational advice or tips, I would think it could only increase your chances. A one page site offering two items that you don't author is probably going to have a much harder time being accepted than a site that had more similar products - but I don't have anything to do with making the call. A lot of it really depends of the particular editor that reviews your site.

 

It seems so hard to find a most revelent catagory with editor to submit for me

 

You misunderstand - please read http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?p=531887#post531887 post #7

Don't find a category with an editor, find the category your site belongs in

 

I was talking about picking an category with an editor ONLY if there are two categories that are as equally relevant. Don't submit you site to a category that isn't relevant (or even the best category) because it can sit for years before an editor looks at it, decides it belongs in another cateogry, and forwards it to that category where the process will start over again with the editor of the new category.

 

LOL! What next, accidentally make a "donation" to your favorite DMOZ editor?

 

It seems these days sites don't get into DMOZ without there being some "behind the scenes" action. There are stories abound of DMOZ editors taking payoffs for listings and all kinds of other shady stuff.

The best tip re: DMOZ? Your chances of getting in if you have a good site and are legit are next to nothing. Don't sweat it.

 

With a net growth of over 1000 sites each day your chance to get included oneday if you have a good site (in DMOZ terms have enough unique content) is still 100%.
Unluckely most sites suggested are not good at all. And a large part is just your and our daily spam.

 

Other product sites were listed in the category that I submitted to. I guess I just cross my fingers and hope for the best at this point.

 

If the category is/was wrong, it will be moved to the most appropriate one for review so no worries.

Might I suggest another course of action? I suggest comparing those other product sites already listed to yours and see what you offer or can add to your site that they don't have. It really isn't about what is already listed but more about what you can offer that they don't.



Hope that helps.