DMOZ DIRECTORY

DMOZ (from directory.mozilla.org, its original domain name) is a multilingual open-content directory of World Wide Weblinks. The site and community who maintain it are also known as the Open Directory Project (ODP). It is owned byAOL but constructed and maintained by a community of volunteer editors.

DMOZ uses a hierarchical ontology scheme for organizing site listings. Listings on a similar topic are grouped into categories which can then include smaller categories.

The Open Directory Project, also called the ODP or DMOZ, is probably the single most important internet directory. Its listings are used by Google, and by many other search engines and directories large and small, all over the internet. If you want to achieve top rankings in the search engines, you simply must be included in the DMOZ Directory.

Google considers the Open Directory Project to be so important, that inclusion in their influential Google Directory depends on it. Inclusion in DMOZ is almost a requirement for high rankings in the Google search results as well.

What is So Special About the Open Directory Project (DMOZ), Anyway?

DMOZ is an entirely volunteer edited directory, where every site is examined by an editor for suitability. To get a listing in DMOZ, is to have several legs up, in the race to the top of the search results. While there are a number of other important directories that are volunteer run, including JoeAnt, Gimpsy, GoGuides, and Zeal, Google places special emphasis on DMOZ.

You simply must get your site included in the Open Directory Project.
To begin your inclusion quest, go to the DMOZ web site, found at

The purpose of the ODP is to list and categorize sites, not to rank or promote them. Although ODP offers a search feature, it differs from conventional search engines that build massive lists of Web sites by automatically searching pages. Each entry is carefully reviewed before inclusion in the directory. 

WARNING 

• Do not use promotional words and descriptions when filling in the website submission. If you do, it will take longer for your submission to be reviewed and there is a higher chance of getting your submission denied.
• There are over two million unreviewed website submissions at the current time - only submit your website once! If you repeatedly submit the website, there will be a greater delay for the category editors to review the website submission and a less chance of getting your website indexed.
• Never submit a website that goes against the DMOZ guidelines - pornographic and warez websites are not allowed!