DMOZ - Open Directory Project (ODP)
Related topics: DMOZ | Important web directories.
The Open Directory Project, also know as DMOZ (as its original domain names was directory.mozilla.org) is an open web directory that is maintained by volunteer editors. The directory is owned by Netscape (July 2006).
The ODP is considered by many to be the most important and influential web directory found on the internet. Just about every web site SEO campaign will start with submitting a link to the ODP.
ODP has a vast category structure, and is also multilingual. Many editors work on the project, reviewing new submissions, and also reviewing already accepted sites for continued quality purposes.
Search engine importance
The ODP has a large impact on search engine rankings. Most search engines, including Google, take a listing in the ODP to be significant, and this generally gives a boost to search engine results of the listed site.
Submission options
The ODP has always accepted free submissions, and does not charge for any submissions. Since Yahoo introduced the paid submission model many other directories have emulated this. However the ODP continues to be free. This has resulted in the ODP growing significantly in size when compared to other web directories. It is currently estimated that the ODP has more than 2 million un-reviewed submissions (July 2006). This has made it impossible to predict the time one can expect to wait for a submission to be accepted.
History
The ODP has a colourful past, being owned and managed by many different parties, including Mozilla, Netscape, AOL and Time-Warner. In April 2000 statistics suggest that the total number of links in the ODP surpassed that of the Yahoo directory.
ODP has inspired other directories, including Go.com and Zeal (Looksmart), both of which are now defunct.
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