The topic of search engine promotion strikes fear in the hearts of many Webmasters new and old alike. Visions of algorithms and tired fingers on the keyboard cause many Webmasters to resort to easier methods of increasing their bottom line, like simply building more and more sites.
Unfortunately, tutorials and articles on search engines are often full of abstract comments and short on hard facts and tips. This article is different; in it you will learn the simple rules to get your sites listed in DMOZ/ODP (http://dmoz.org) as well as the pitfalls to avoid. So throw on your search engine hard hat and get ready to open up the traffic pipes to your site.
First, it's important to understand what DMOZ/ODP is and how it can benefit your site. DMOZ is a human-edited directory of sites, both adult and non-adult. Volunteers serve as editors for specific categories in the hierarchy of the directory.
Before we look at how you physically submit to be listed in DMOZ, let's examine some simple rules that all sites must follow in order to be listed. As you read these rules, keep the paraphrased mission statement of DMOZ in mind: provide value to the surfer. This means you can't scam, spam, or bloat the system with crappy sites.
DOs
Titles: The title you submit to DMOZ must match the title on the main page of the site. You can't embellish or change anything. It's not required, but it would probably also help to have that title on every page of the site so that the reviewer won't get confused and think they've left your site. Also, you must capitalize the first letter of each word in the title.
Descriptions: The description you supply can be changed by the category editors. This description will be used in the search results of other engines, so while it is important that it's enticing, it's important that it be accurate, because it's better to be listed with a mediocre description than not listed at all.
Your description must be short, accurate and not full of hype. "Best porn on the Web," for example, will not work.
The description must not include any words that are in the title, the DMOZ directory name, or the words "boys" or "girls."
If your site is an Adult Check or an Adult Check Gold site, the description must end in the following: [Adult Check] or [Adult Check Gold] respectively.
Example: Sexy housewives sunbathing [Adult Check Gold]
The description must start with a capital letter and must end with a full stop.
The description can't have any spelling mistakes. Run it through a spell checker before submitting. Take the extra step to avoid being declined.
Categories: Your site must be submitted to the most fitting category. According to some ODP editors, a lot of Webmasters get lazy and just submit to any old category. This sort of thing upsets the editors because it creates a lot more work for them. Do your part and find the category that fits your site the best.
URL: It must work! Test it yourself and make sure you typed it correctly. A DNS error or a 404 is a sure fire way to get rejected. If your site is at the root of the domain, it should end with a trailing forward slash, such as http://www.mydomain.com/.
Passwords: If your site is protected by some kind of password, you need to supply the password when you submit your site. The category editors are often non-Webmaster volunteers and they don't necessarily have a password to review sites. Make it easy on the editor!
Enter Links: Don't make the editor search for the enter link on your site. They are reviewing your site through the eyes of a surfer and will not list you if your site is a bear to navigate.
DON'Ts
As with any traffic source, there are certain things you must avoid. These are proven areas that can get your sites rejected and even your domains banned.
Hotlinking: The pictures on your site should reside on the same domain as your site. Having pics linked to another domain (even if you own both) can make it appear that you're hotlinking and you'll get declined.
Doorway Pages: Don't make your sites into doorway or hallway pages when submitting to ODP. Remember, ODP is all about the consumers and the directory is compiled by humans.
Multiple Submissions: You'll get banned for multiple submissions of identical (or very similar) sites and content. Submitting the same site to more than one category will often also result in a ban. Give ODP unique and good sites and you'll get listed.
TGP: ODP doesn't accept single page (TGP style) sites.
Pop-Ups: Too many pop-ups can get your site rejected. This one is more up to the discretion of the editor. Some say more than two pop-ups will get you rejected. You might want to stick to one or even none until you figure out ODP.
Consumer Value: Another item that's up to the editor is whether or not your site provides value to the surfer. Too much advertising could cause them to feel it's not a good value.
Nuts and Bolts
Now that you know the rules, let's focus on the mechanics of getting listed in DMOZ. This is a manual process, so put away your search engine submission software and open up a browser window instead.
Go to http://dmoz.org and perform a search for keywords that represent your site. You can't get into the adult directories from dmoz.org without searching. Find a category that fits your site exactly. If your category is broken down into a number of pages by letter (i.e. A - Z) be sure to submit to the page for your site's title. Submitting to the main category will often result in nobody reviewing your site. Here's a link to the main category for adult sites: http://dmoz.org/Adult/Image_Galleries/.
Once you've found the appropriate directory, click on "add URL" in the upper right of the page.
Now you'll find yourself at a submission form. Follow the directions and submit your site. Review the rules above as well as the rules on the page as you submit your sites.
Getting listed in DMOZ is really that easy. Don't let other Webmasters dissuade you from spending a few minutes a day getting all of your sites listed in this amazing and free directory.
I'll leave you with three final points:
Review the other sites in the category you are submitting to before you submit. This will give you an idea of what the editor is looking for. If you find dead links, do your part and report them to the category editors (listed at the bottom of the page).
Be patient. Getting listed can take some time; remember that many editors are volunteers. You can voice your opinion and look for additional guidance on the ODP public forums, www.resource-zone.com/ubbthreads.php, and www.resource-zone.com/guidelines.php.
Keep good records of your submission dates and follow up on your submissions if they are not listed within a month.
Good luck!
Brad Estes is the Director of Business Development for Cybernet Ventures, the parent company of the Adult Check system (www.adultcheck.com). He can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].
