What is the fascination with DMOZ? It seems very hard to get on, yet I do not see the big hoo ha over it.
DMOZ feeds the Google directory. It is also believed (mistakenly in my opinion) that the numerous DMOZ clones also using the DMOZ feed provide additional PageRank value for any site that is listed. Were Google to drop the DMOZ feed, either by abandoning the Google Directory altogether or by using it's own listings, DMOZ would be merely another directory... and probably not even the best of its kind.
Also, each listing in DMOZ has been reviewed and approved by humans. You may NEVER get listed there regardless of the quality and amount of times you submit. I have submitted 100's of domains to them...I have 1 listing. After quite a few years of wasting my time submitting, I gave up .
It is generally agreed that a listing in the DMOZ directory helps you rank better in Google. It is also generally accepted that a quality link to your site is a good thing. Aged links are a better thing. It is also believed that aged links that are removed can be detrimental to your rankings in the SERPs. So if the above is true, is it feasible that once a site is removed from DMOZ the site’s rankings in Google will be affected? ~VegasMack
As does any other (relevant) link. Okay, although I think there is some ambiguity about what constitutes a "quality link" (beyond related content) and I think the issue of "aged links" being better as a general rule is debatable. No more than the loss of any other non-devalued/discounted backlink. No more than the loss of any other non-devalued/discounted backlink.
Thanks for clearing that up minstrel. My concern was that there was a possibility that having a listing in DMOZ removed could be more detrimental than never having a listing at all. Given the fact that a listing can be easily removed (and explained) that was a cause for concern. Thanks again, ~VegasMack
I think you will find that isn't the case. the volume of websites that sport "deeplinks" to dmoz http://www.dmoz.org/link.html as well as the consistency in link naming conventions drives OPD pages high in results in most topical areas. Be that as it may, if a particular page 'is' high in results your link on the page is highly 'invaluable'.
I'm not sure what you're saying there, fathom. I'm not talking about links to DMOZ but the value of outgoing links from DMOZ (and its clones). As I think you are well aware, the value of PR passed from any page to other pages is a function of the number of outgoing links on a page. Many, probably most DMOZ pages are in the vincinity of PR2 to PR6 and some contain a couple of hundred or more outgoing links - that means effectively the PR value of a link in DMOZ is quite limited for many categories. If you are talking about the DMOZ clones, I think the thrust of the last few Google updates has been to progressively devalue those (and certain types of other directories as well). If you meant something else, sorry - you lost me.
It does drive those phrases up in the serps for ODP, but those pages have less relevancy and therefore the owners page ranks higher than ODP if site is more relevant than Dmoz. Good case and example is one of my pages, it out ranks ODP for that phrase, but the agents page that has a Dmoz link out ranks mine.
k - ya 'most' clones are useless. However, in DMOZ itself [and yahoo, and any directory that uses proper ontology] the link 'out' isn't as important as all the links pointing to that page. In smallish directory most people attempt to gain a link from the highest topic category [highest PR] but PR isn't as value as link anchors. It is far more valuable to be "deep into a directory" that uses ontology since the naming conventions [link path or breadcrumb trail] runs across all pages of the category tree... like: Computers/Internet/Web_Design_and_Development/Promotion/Chats_and_Forums/ where DP is listed. to this specific page: weight and relevancy of: Computers / Internet / Web_Design_and_Development / Promotion / Chats_and_Forums "all these topics" is higher thus the impact is higher or: Computers Forums Internet Forums Web_Design_and_Development Forums Promotion Forums which DP is related. [and the loss greater if removed]
It's still one link. It has no more or less value than another backlink with similar PR and similar anchor text. That's what I was saying earlier: There is nothing magical about one link from DMOZ - indeed, in many cases, a link from someone else will do you more good because of the way DMOZ constructs anchor text, descriptions, and category titles.
adding... with similar promotions, similar site architecture, similar depth and breadth of topic, and so many more similars - but there isn't [or few to compare] and PR is optional.
There are no other similars. PR matters a bit. Anchor text matters a lot. I believe relevance matters a lot. Beyond that, a link is a link is a link. And I'm not talking about other directories. I'm talking about ANY other link from ANY other page. Are you suggesting there is something special about a DMOZ link?
my sister's site (www.thistledownnightgowns.com) gets more referrals from DMOZ than all other directories combined
You are likely looking at it IMHO too simiplistically. As I understand you are merely talking about the singular outgoing link to a website at whatever that value is. I'm saying "outgoing link for outgoing link" you'll never find another to compare it to - and this isn't a PageRank thing - but ontology thing. <edit typos>
Based on what? Anything at all, guys... spill your hunches and suspicions... all I ask is a little logic. Enlighten me... I just don't see it. The old argument used to be that DMOZ was better because of all the clone links. If that was ever true, it isn't any more. And it sure isn't PR - I agree with fathom there. So what? (and fathom - I really don't see ontology as being the basis for any argument that DMOZ is better) While even that's debatable, it wasn't the question. The question was: Is a link from DMOZ of sufficient importance than losing it will cause your search rankings to drop appreciably? If you like, rephrase it to this: IS a link from DMOZ better than a link from another site (directory or not) with equivalent PR and equivalent anchor text?