The Dmoz Directory lists websites, but not any old website – only high value sites are accepted. A Dmoz listing is a stamp of approval that boosts Page Rank.  The Dmoz Directory is a web directory that is also known as the Open Directory Project (OPD). But what’s a Directory anyway?

            So what is a web directory?

A website directory is like a reference library, but instead of books, it contains listings of websites.  But not just any old websites – the Dmoz web directory is very selective in its choice of who it will include in its Dmoz data base.  Because of the DMOZ policy to include only the most informative websites with high value resources (i.e. what the DMOZ directory rates as websites with ‘high authority’), a directory listing in the Dmoz Open Source web directory is regarded as valuable online real estate, possibly the best web directory listing you can get.

No Bribes Allowed!…..

Another feature of the DMOZ web directory is that you cannot buy your way into it.  In fact some other web directories will only accept submissions that you buy from them, such as the Yahoo directory.

Charging a lot of money to get listed in a web directory certainly makes that web directory exclusive, but only in terms of the web site owner’s assets and money – not necessarily because the websites included in that directory have ‘authority’, and give reader value.  The DMOZ directory doesn’t care about your balance sheet or profit margin – it is only interested in being a high value Resource for its readers.

No Automated DMOZ Submissions Allowed!

Another fact that adds to Dmoz’s value as a web directory listing, is that Dmoz.org state on their websites that they will not accept automated submissions, or directory submissions submitted by commercial companies selling ‘directory submission services’.

So not only does your Dmoz directory submission only get accepted if the Dmoz Editors rate your website as ‘worthy of inclusion’, you have to submit your submission by hand (online), and can not outsource the writing and submission process to a commercial submission service.

All these factors together, make a Dmoz Open Directory listing very exclusive – and for all the ‘right’ reasons. This means that any successful DMOZ directory listing, gives you a slice of Internet Real Estate in the Top End of Town!

What Does DMOZ Stand For?

Dmoz is short for the directory’s original name. directory.mozilla. org. Dmoz is currently owned by Netscape.  Dmoz is the largest open source content website directory with over 4 million listed websites. A sister site of the DMOZ directory, is Wikipedia…..need I say more?  Dmoz is the biggest and the best.  So what do you get from having your directory submission accepted by Dmoz?

The Benefits of Getting a DMOZ Open Directory Listing

A Dmoz directory Open Directory Project listing is rated highly, but what are the benefits?  Most people would say that the biggest benefit of having your dmoz directory submission accepted is that a dmoz listing impresses Google. And if Google is impressed, Google will increase your Site Page Rank.

And if you increase your Google Page Rank, Google will give your website more of an advantage when Google ‘chooses’ which websites to show on Page 1 of it’s results, when someone types in a Google Search for information on a topic in your niche.

So, in other words, a successful Dmoz OPD listing gives you a higher Google Page Rank, which increases your chance of turning up on Page 1 of a Google Search Engine Results Page (SERP), and this increases the chance of people clicking on your website’s Google listing, arriving at your site, and increasing your web traffic.

And high volume traffic is what you need if you want to make money from your website. It’s quite simple really!

Why Does Everyone Complain About DMOZ Submissions?

If you do online searches about how to get your Dmoz directory submission accepted, you will quickly find a lot of people whinging and making a fuss about the DMOZ submission process.

Aside: ‘Whinging’ is Aussie for complaining – and someone who winges/whinges, is a winger – all pronounced with a soft ‘g’ like winjer, winjing)….But I digress….

I believe all this whinging is because many people don’t understand the Dmoz submission process, and/or want everything to be given to them easily and right now, thank you very much! Most things in life that are worth having are not like that.

Most complaints are about the length of time it can take for your submission to be accepted….or not.  There are several good reasons why a DMoz web directory submission takes time to be reviewed and assessed

        Reasons Why Dmoz Directory Submissions Take Time

1. The huge number of dmoz directory submissions that need to be reviewed

2. The submission assessments are done individually by human editors who are volunteers.

3. The acceptance criteria for successful DMoz directory submissions is based on the DMoz valuation of your website’s value as a Resource for readers.  Dmoz repeatedly states this on their website at dmoz.org.  If your website is a only a vehicle for selling products, or as an advertising space, you will not get accepted into the Dmoz directory project.

What Makes a Website A High Value Resource for Dmoz?

1. High Value Content: information that is useful to readers.

2. Originality: if you simply regurgitate information that is freely available everywhere online, your directory submission will probably not be accepted by the Dmoz website directory.

3. You have to be adding some value: above what every other website in your niche is providing.  And it’s hard to know exactly what your particular Dmoz editor might think is ‘high value’.

So all you can do is enter your best submission, and hope you will get a positive evaluation by a Dmoz editor.  Of course your blog or website must be providing the best information that you can for your readers – after that, you have to abide by the editor’s decision….. But wait!

Dmoz does allow you to ask for a further assessment if you disagree with your Dmoz editor’s decision.  For more details about the possible grounds for a request for a re-assessment, is available at the Dmoz.org website.

Take Home Message

• Make your website the best it can be.
• Write a good Dmoz submission
• Don’t hold your breath while waiting for success to come your way.

If your submission is unsuccessful, ask yourself why.  Then try to do something about it by improving your website’s content and/or structure, so it becomes a better Resource for your readers.

For a detailed ‘How To’ article covering how to make a great Dmoz Open Directory Project Submission, see my next article: ………coming soon

   …..Cue Motto!

 Plan Well. Start Small. Think BIG!