Getting listed with dmoz

[FineWoodenToys]

Just wondering if anyone can clue me in. I've been trying to get my e-commerce site listed on dmoz.org (under toys-wooden) for the last two years. Being afraid to pester them, I've only submitted maybe 4 times in that period - but still nothing. I'm VERY careful to follow their guidelines during submission. I get lots of compliments on my site - it's attractive, well-functioning with a PR4 and top ten search results for many keyword phrases (making good sales as well). I'm starting to wonder if they have unwritten guidelines for acceptance that they're not telling anyone. Someone mentioned to me once that it usually takes two years to get listed with dmoz - so I wonder, do they reject sites that are less than 2 years old? I'd appreciate advice from anyone who's managed to get listed.

[WDA]

I am in the same boat. I dod not skimp on our site and our business has been great but I have not been able to get listed either. If anyone knows the secret to being listed please let us know. I am starting to think that if you do not get listed after your request the blow you off the rest of the time.

[stymiee]

Getting to DMOZ is very difficult. Not because they make it tough, but because they don't have enough editors. Once you submit all you can do about it is forget about it. Submitting more then once is bad and there aren't any other options. It's a big reason why they have a bad reputation.

[TipPro]

A few years ago I got my site into the DMOZ by becoming an editor myself. I was lucky enough that the section I was trying to get my site into did not have an editor. By the way, it took over a year for my editor application to be accepted.

[The Old Sarge]

TipPro, I am also an ODP editor. You still an active editor?

And to all you others out there that read this ...

NO! I will not help you get listed. I can offer advice and try to clarify things if you ask, but I WILL NOT pull any strings for anybody ... ever.

[The Old Sarge]

FineWoodenToys and WDA, either of your sites primarily drop shipping?

Stymiee, 99% of the time that "bad reputation" you speak of is the result of webmasters misunderstanding the reason DMOZ/ODP exists and how it functions. It is not there, and never was intended, to serve webmasters.

[FineWoodenToys]

Hello Old Sarge,

No, not primarily - I stock the vast majority of my inventory myself. I only just recently started to have some larger items drop-shipped by the manufacturers (not by distributors). Those I've used have turned out to be very fast and reliable. It's given me the opportunity to sell large items, like kids furniture, that I simply don't have room to stock.

[The Old Sarge]

Just wondering. Because ODP/DMOZ does not list drop shippers. No matter the quality of the site or the what products it carries. If you stock the vast majority of your product, that is not waht is keeping you from being listed. Is there an editor listed for the category you submitted to?

[Corey Bryant]

I remember applying to be an editor probably ten years ago or so. I had a few of my sites listed way back when and thought it very interesting. This was way back then.

I never understood the hype around them as much as there is today. The editor process was interestig - at least when I looked at it years ago and actually remember it (or hopefully do so). When applying you needed to have some type of expertise in the zone. Which is good but now I also remember seeing zones dedicated to particular companies, services, products, etc. So if John Doe was an expert in widgets and Doe had his site listed, what prevented him from not allowing his competitor sites listed? (I am sure there is a reason - some type of in-house policing, and since you brought it up Sarge....)

I fully agree with you Sarge, the bad rep is us not getting what we want. We like to complain until we get our way. And then when we don't - we come to the forums to complain (since we can usually get sympathy from others) and since most of us at one point or another has had an issue with them.

Fine Wooden Toys, just give them time. Does your zone have an editor? Maybe try to volunteer for that?

[FineWoodenToys]

Yes, there's always been an editor listed (shopping - toys and games - wooden).

I don't know anything about hype - only what I've discovered myself. Many of my major competitors are listed, and this seems to greatly increase the number of (Google-recognized) backlinks that they have. It appears that there are a wide variety of directories out there that just draw their listings from DMOZ, and do not take outside submissions. So by having a DMOZ listing, my competitors have been automatically listed in lots of other directories that I can't get my site into.

[TipPro]

I am no longer an active editor. I spent a lot of time editing my section but I did not keep up with it over the years.

My section did not have an editor and when I took over the responsibility there was a waiting list of hundreds of Web sites trying to join the section. This section was not a very competitive section so I could just imagine what the waiting list is like for the wooden toy section.

Do not sweat to much about getting your site listed in the DMOZ. Fill out the application and move on. If you are trying to earn back links try some PR or write some articles.

[stymiee]

Stymiee, 99% of the time that "bad reputation" you speak of is the result of webmasters misunderstanding the reason DMOZ/ODP exists and how it functions. It is not there, and never was intended, to serve webmasters.

I agree about not serving webmasters. But editor abuse, very lengthy review times, and rejection of the majority of editor applications has given Dmoz the reputation it deserves. Most see it as a joke and rightly so. Its glory days are over and only because of its SEO value does anyone care about it anymore.

[The Old Sarge]

That's just it, Stymiee. ODP?DMOZ was never intended as any sort of SEO tool or anything else. It's simply a directory built and maintanied for users, not webmasters.

Any use of ODP and/or it's data/listings by search engines, or anyone else, is their choice, not ODP's. Too many people try to make it, or wish it to be, something it is not and never was.

[stymiee]

I understand the purpose of Dmoz. Unfortunately it fails at what it is intended to do. People using it for SEO is the only reason it is even relevant. And it is barely relevant at that.

[WDA]

Sorry I am replying so far down the forum. No, we do not drop ship, we have to stock all of our products and order daily. I wish they would drop ship I would save a ton!!!