| |
| |
|
SEO Information |
|
|
|
Getting Listed in the ODP, Google Directory
First of all, the Google directory is really just the open directory project (ODP: url here) with a few adjustments. While listings on DMOZ.org are arranged within their category according to simple alphabetic order, listings in the Google Directory are based upon PageRank [link]. Thus, sites with higher PageRanks will show up higher on the list of sites under any given category. You can see the PageRank of a site pictorially by looking at the little green bar off to the left of each listing. The other major difference is that the Google Directory updates its listings only once every few months. Therefore, a website that is accepted into the ODP today may have to wait 3 months or more before it is listed in the Google Directory. If you go to DMOZ.org, you can see all the latest listings because each category page is updated immediately after a new site is added. Now, on to the real topic at hand: getting listed. Obviously, in order to get listed in the Google Directory you must get listed on DMOZ first. As many webmasters can attest, this can be much more difficult than you might think. Simply submitting your site under the appropriate category, however, may indeed do the trick. The ODP editors are technically supposed to consider your site for inclusion into the directory within a few weeks of submission. In reality, however, many ODP editors (now keep in mind, they are all volunteers), don't even log into their accounts that often. And when they do, they may simply not feel like reviewing all the newly submitted sites. If they do review all the new sites, they may very well decide to turn yours down for one reason or another. Assuming you've built a high quality, non-spam website, however, they really don't have much of a reason to turn it down - unless, of course, it was submitted to the wrong category. The main point here is that you can't really depend upon the submission process. It may work for you, and it may not. If you've tried it, and it hasn't resulted in your website being listed, you may want to try an alternative approach. It's no secret that just about anyone can become an ODP editor. Yet, most people who take the time to apply get turned down. Going through the process is worth it, however, since editors get to add whichever sites they wish to the categories they preside over. Simply becoming an editor in order to submit your website is usually highly frowned upon, and if you proceed to neglect your category, it really isn't fair to ODP. However, if you are willing to do the job of editing a category in exchange for adding your website (provided, of course, that you have a website worthy of adding to the ODP), then one can think of it as a business deal: you get your site listed, and they get another free editor to help maintain the directory. Okay, so you want to help out the ODP, and you just happen to have a good website you want to get listed. Good, then you are ready to apply for an editing position. When applying to become an editor for the ODP, we highly recommend that you apply for a very small category - preferably a category with 15 or fewer sites, and no subcategories. Now here's the thing: you do not have to apply for the category you want your website listed in - in fact, you don't even have to apply for a category that is of the same topic as your website. For instance, if you have a website that sells flowers, you could submit an application to some obscure social science category. Then again, you may be able to find an obscure category that is somewhat related to your website topic - in this case, for instance, a small category under botany. The point is it doesn't really matter what your initial category is. Once you've put in a few days time fixing up that category, you can then apply to become editor of a larger category - perhaps even the category you want to your website listed under. Even if another person edits your target category, you can still get your site listed. You can submit your website to one of your own categories, then send the site over to your target category. Sites sent from one category to another by editors are usually looked at sooner than ones submitted by the general public. You can also apply to be Greenbuster of your target category, which is a position below full editor. This allows you to suggest websites to a category and edit websites submitted by others. One important thing you cannot do as Greenbuster is directly add websites to the public DMOZ category. This isn't usually a big obstacle, however, since editors regularly look at - and accept - sites suggested by Greenbusters. Just a few more suggestions and you're ready to go. When applying to become an editor of any category (even if you are already an editor), don't forget to provide three website suggestions instead of just two. Also, be honest about your website affiliations, and your interest in the category. Even if your main goal is to get your website listed, you can still apply for a category that interests you. If you are willing to give some of your time to ODP, the reward can be a healthy increase in PageRank and status for your website. Bradley James is the Chief Editor at Google Advisor. The website provides free information for webmasters relating to the Google search engine, PageRank issues, AdWords and AdSense strategies, and more.
MORE RESOURCES:
SEO - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Ultimate Free Google Ranking Tool The first months my website was online, I was constantly checking the search engines to see if my site was listed under the keywords that I was targeting. And always with the same negative results. All about SEO or SFO? First let's start with definitions:SEO: Search Engine Optimization, SFO: Search Friendly Optimization.These two things are what most webmasters have trouble balancing. Website Promotion: 10 Search Engine Optimization Blunders to Avoid If you want to develop a successful search engine optimization (SEO) strategy, go out of your way to avoid blunders that limit rankings.Here are 10 to keep in mind:1. Do You Submit Your Website To All The Search Engines? There is really only one search engine to worry about submitting too and that is Google and you should only submit one page your main once and maybe a sitemap a week later but never more than once a week. If you have a link coming to your new site from a site that is currently listed in Google then Google will find you quicker. Search Engine Visibility - The Mantra of Corporate Profitability The corporate fundamentals are par excellence! The product is unsurpassable and the website is a web designer's dream in creativity and design - but there is a vacuum - of potential online customers! - The website lacks the basic ingredient of success - Search Engine Visibility! - which is what search engine optimization is all about.Increasing the search engine visibility is vital to any online business. Goofy Mistakes that Hurt Your Search Engine Rankings One thing is for sure, you don't want to spend hours, perhaps days, months, or years on a website to have some stupid little mistake get your site dropped or never even listed in the search engines. There are a lot of rules that search engines have created to block out what they call spammers, so don't kid yourself by telling yourself you are not an evil spammer. When to NOT Hire a SEO and Why When you get an e-mail from SEO Company with content similar to this:"We submit your site on X00.000 search engines and directories?"Stay far away from companies which offer you to submit your site on thousands of directories and search engines. How to Develop a Successful ROI for Your Website Are You Really Measuring for Return on Investment (ROI) with Search Engine Optimization?Puzzling studies and reports suggest that businesses are missing out when it comes to ROI, including a whole host of metrics that should confirm or shape search engine marketing strategies.You can't accomplish much if you're not even implementing SEO the right way. 8 ways to build a really bad web site for Search Engines Some web sites receive hundreds or thousands of unique visitors a day, whilst others only get a handful or none. The reason is often because the web designers or Webmaster has built the site in one 'really bad way' or other. Keywords, Choose Them Wisely By now you have likely heard that keywords and keyword phrases, are extremely important in having search engines display your website. So how do you choose them? Guess? Ask a friend? Check successful competitors sites? There is a better way!First let's digress. Google PageRank Explained 1. What is PageRank? Here is what Google says:" PageRank relies on the uniquely democratic nature of the web by using its vast link structure as an indicator of an individual page's value. Shopping Carts and SEO Shopping and the Web. They go together like Mr. Not Ranking High Enough on Search Engines? Here's Some Help! Search engines are frugal things. (Froogle, too, haha! Sorry, lame joke) They take many, many things into consideration when ranking your pages. Fresh Content Improves Search Engine Optimization Many search engine optimization companies will sell you a search engine optimization package that addresses many of the major aspects of search engine optimization. These aspects include, but are not limited to, use of file names, alt tags, h1 tags, keyphrase density, meta tag optimization, link analysis and the like. Part I : Getting Free Hits Using These Simple Tips & Tricks Search Engine OptimizationSearch engines still remain the #1 tool to generate free targeted traffic to any website, so make sure that your site is indexed in every major search engine. Do a through check of all the meta tags and make sure you are not missing any one. Search Engine Optimization Tips For 2005 - Part Three Welcome to part three of our series of articles on search engine optimization. In the third and final part of our series of articles on search engine optimization we cover the topic of links, the types of links and what makes them so important. Five FAQ About Google PageRank Five FAQ about Google PageRank1. What is PageRank and why should I care about it?PageRank is a formula that assigns a value to every page in the Google index. Offpage Optimization: Does Article Marketing Cut the Mustard? For those who haven't heard: article marketing is the new offpage optimization strategy that works like magic and won't cost you a dime. What's the strategy? You create an arsenal of short, well-written keyword articles aimed at your target customer and include your URL at the bottom. Do You Have a Bad SEO Company, or Are You Just a Bad Client? I admit it, our SEO services are pretty bad.Speaking of bad, the Beatles couldn't sing a tune, John Grisham has never written a decent novel, Dell makes crappy computer's, TiVo's and iPods suck, the Lord of the Rings movies lacked imagination and video killed the radio star. When Google PR Tool Bar is Down! Where is the need to worry? Who needs a PR Tool Bar Anyway!Everywhere its the same topic. Its getting stale and beginning to stink already.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
