Howto submit your site to DMOZ

How to submit to DMOZ

The Open Directory Project (ODP) is also known as DMOZ, and is one of the few directories that any reputable website should attempt to get listed in.  DMOZ isn’t a search engine, but other search engines hold the ODP data in high regard.  Google, Yahoo, and Lycos all use DMOZ as a third party rating, and being listed in the Open Directory will certainly help to boost search engine rankings.  DMOZ is touted as a community effort, staffed by volunteers.  The concept is that a large number of dedicated volunteer editors can better police the individual topics over which they hold power.  This article will look at how to get listed in DMOZ, and offer a few tips to improve your listing there.

The first step to getting listed in the DMOZ directory is to make sure that it is eligible.  Take a few minutes to search ODP over, and make certain that your site isn’t already listed.  If it is, do not request a second submission.  The Open Directory does not accept mirror sites, or sites that are redirected, nor do they allow sites which could be seen to encourage illegal activities.

Here’s a short list of things NOT to do:

No Mirror sites, or url redirection.  Going to your site should be the link destination.
No Multiple submissions.  If you have a listing, or one is pending, do not submit another.
No “disguised” urls (http://mydomain.com and http://www.mydomain.com)
No Illegal activities.  This includes support or encouragement of such activities.
No sites “under construction”.  Finish the site, and come back later.
No sites composed mainly of links to affiliate sites.

If you’ve made sure that the site is not already listed, and that it does not violate any of the above list, you’re ready to make a submission.  goto http://www.dmoz.org, and carefully choose the category which is best suited for your site.  There are many categories to choose from, so match as closely as possible; out-of-subject submissions will be rejected.  If a category does not give the option of “suggest url” or “Update url”, you are not able to add to that category.  Simply choose another, and try again.

Click the “suggest url” link.  Follow each step carefully.  A site description should be short, to the point, and be an accurate description of what one can expect to find in the site’s content.  Descriptions that appear to be promotional, are less likely to be accepted than descriptions which are informational.  You will have to be patient, it may takes weeks before an editor is able to review your entry.  Trying to “speed things up” by entering the url to the directory again will not help, and may have a negative impact.

Article written by SEOnotepad.com