How effective is a DMOZ Directory Listing for SEO purposes?
One of the most significant keys to creating a successful search engine optimisation campaign is finding a way to ensure that Google trusts your website.
There are a number of ways to try and achieve this goal but one of the most highly respected methods is ensuring that your website is listed on the DMOZ Directory.
Whilst not packing quite the same punch that it used to previously, DMOZ is still the most respected online directory available and it is well worth your time to try and obtain a listing.
What actually is the DMOZ Directory?
The DMOZ Directory has been constructed and maintained by a huge number of volunteer editors based throughout the world and is widely recognised to be the largest and most comprehensive human-edited directory on the Web.
Originally founded in the spirit of the Open Source movement, DMOZ remains as the only major directory that is 100% free.
Why is DMOZ so effective for SEO Purposes?
Google is well aware that DMOZ is a directory on which it is very hard to get listed. Because of this level of scrutiny to which every website is subjected before being granted a listing on DMOZ, Google is widely understood to
reward those websites with better rankings.
This is in no small part down to the fact that every site which is submitted to DMOZ is reviewed by a human reviewer. By removing the financial aspect of directory listings i.e. making no charge and replacing it with a human review process, the filter process is geared towards quality and accuracy.
How can I submit my Website to DMOZ?
There are a relatively small number of steps that need to be followed to submit your website for listing.
The first and most important step is to ensure that your website is not already listed on DMOZ. This can be easily done by using the search option which is located at the top of the DMOZ homepage.
DMOZ is very strict with this and attempted submission to the wrong category will generally result in your website being denied a listing. This first step is absolutely critical in ensuring that you break your search options down as far as possible to ensure that the most accurate listing can be achieved. If you are a chiropractor based in the UK, an example of this could be:
- Regional
- Europe
- UK
- Health
- Complementary & Alternative
- Chiropractic
When you are confident that you are on the right category page, then all you need to do is click the link “suggest URL” which can be found in the top right-hand corner of the page, and fill out the form.
Once you arrive at the submission page, you will have the opportunity to enter all of the relevant information needed to submit your website.
The submission guidelines, which are clearly illustrated on the page, are stringent and must be followed if your website is to have a chance of being accepted.
Will this guarantee that my website gets listed?
Unfortunately there is no single thing that can be done to ensure that your website will be listed. A combination of many factors can certainly help to improve its chances though.
By following basic web practices such as submitting your site to the correct category, ensuring that your website has original and quality content, checking your website for broken links and spelling errors along making sure that your contact information is available on the website will all combine to help improve your chances of being listed.
Looking at DMOZ to see similar websites which have been accepted can prove to offer some valuable information. What are they doing that you are not? Is there anything that you could change on your website? Anything that you think may help, make the change and then resubmit your website again.
There is no limit to the number of times that you can submit your site for listing on DMOZ and therefore if necessary, you can submit your site as many times as you like when trying to get in. However, it is important that you keep in mind that when you submit your site, it goes to the bottom of the pile for review.
One step which may be able to boost the chances of a successful listing submission is applying to become a DMOZ editor yourself. Applying is easy, getting accepted unfortunately is a little bit harder but still eminently achievable. The first step is to find the category that best describes your website. At the bottom of that category, you will see a link that says “Volunteer to edit this category”, once you have done this, follow the outlined steps and complete your application. The application is free and if successful can certainly help to give your website submissions a boost.
