Problems at DMOZ, Implications for SEO. - December 21st, 2006
Those of you aware of the ODP (Open Directory Project) movement will know the importance of the DMOZ directory in relation to applying SEO to your site.
The DMOZ directory is the largest, human edited, directory on the web, and it’s results are used not only for it’s own directory, but for the Google Directory and many other directories.
It is often regarded that Google gives preference to sites that have a DMOZ listing.
On the outset this directory sounds fantastic, “Please get me in it” you may think. However, the directory has often been difficult to apply to, and inclusion has been at the discretion of “Human Editors”.
In addition, the directory submission system has been down since October due to a server crash!
In recent days, there has been a lot of discussions on SEO forums about the future of DMOZ, the quality of it’s results, and if it will ever come back online fully.
Yes Dmoz is human edited and free, but it is still open to corruption, as many of the DMOZ editors may be unfairly determining whether sites can be added or not.
The fact that Google gives a lot of weight to DMOZ is a cause for great debate, and concern. Many discussions at the minute favour Google creating their own directory, possibly a charged directory, like the one Yahoo! operates, also a highly reputable directory.
AOL Time Warner effectively own DMOZ following their acquisition of Netscape some years ago. However it seems they are reluctant to pour money into a system which seemingly creates no direct revenue for them, especially as AOL have had to make several financial cuts in other areas in recent years.
One thing is certain, whilst the future of DMOZ is still uncertain, it will continue to provoke fierce debate!
Check back to the Just Search Blog for any future updates about if, and when, DMOZ will be back online.
Mike Irving
SEO Programmer
