Over the past several months, theDirectory Project
has boomed in importance. In fact, some people feel that the ODP rivals in
importance to the All-Important Yahoo!, which is a pretty awesome thought.
Why is the ODP so important? Because it provides directory
results to Lycos, HotBot, Netscape, AOL Search, Google Directory, and the list
goes on and on. For a complete list of portal sites that use the ODP data
follow this link:
http://dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/WWW/Searching_the_Web
/Directories/Directory_Project/Sites_Using_ODP_Data/
Simply put, submitting to the ODP means that even if you can't
get your pages indexed by Lycos, HotBot, or AOL Search, you'll still have a
presence in those engines, thanks to the ODP.
So, what is the ODP? TheDirectory Project, formerly known
as NewHoo, produces a comprehensive directory of websites by relying on a team
of thousands of volunteer editors.
As an editor in several rather busy categories myself, let's
discuss some do's and don'ts regarding submitting to the ODP.
Top Ten Suggestions for Getting Your Site in the ODP
- Submit in the proper subcategory! Spend some time cruising
the ODP and choose the best subcategory for your site. If your site is in a
language other than English, you'll need to submit to the World category.
- Create a businesslike and professional title and description.
Be honest and sincere. Use your important keywords in your title and
description.
- Complete the submission form accurately and completely. You
wouldn't believe how many people complete the form and put the URL in the
title's spot or don't enter a description at all. Make sure that the URL is
listed correctly.
- Submit your main URL in the best subcategory. If you have an
interior page that stands on its own and has a lot of relevant information, you
can try submitting it into a second subcategory.
- List a "last updated on <date>" note on your site, but
only if it's been updated very recently.
- Make your site the best it can be! Do all graphics load? Are
there any broken links?
- Make sure that your site is easy to read with good color
choices and an adequate sized font. Here's what one editor had to say:
"A black background and deep red font might look good
in theory, but just try to read it and see how you feel."
- If you have special requests, contact the editor of that
category by clicking on the editor's name at the bottom of the category page.
For example, let's say that you want your site to be listed in a third
category, and you have a legitimate reason for wanting it. Contact the editor
and explain your situation.
- When writing to an editor, BE NICE! Do you honestly think an
editor will go out of his/her way to fulfill a special request if you send a
nasty note? No!
- When writing to an editor, state your request simply and
quickly. Editors don't have time to read through a mountain of information.
Then, list your URL, the title of the site, a description, and the category
(the complete path where you want the site listed). Don't make editors guess or
have to figure out the category themselves. And, don't "demand" that your site
be listed as cool!
Top Ten Things to Avoid
- Don't submit in upper-level categories, such as Sports:
Basketball. Instead, submit to the proper and exact subcategory, such as
Sports: Basketball: Officiating and Rules: Basketball Hand Signals.
- Don't just list keyword after keyword in the title or
description. And, don't use an abundance of marketing hype in your title or
description. Be professional!
- Don't create a description that goes on and on and on. A few
sentences are fine, but don't make it any longer than that.
- Don't put your title and description in ALL CAPS.
- Don't submit your site until it's ready for traffic and has
recently been updated. Don't have a lot of broken links on your pages or
graphics that don't load. Sites with a huge "under construction" sign on the
first page and little else aren't ready for traffic. Neither is a site that has
a "last updated on <date>" that is months ago.
- Don't submit pages of your site to every single category that
you can possibly think of that halfway pertains to your site. Few editors will
allow a page or site to be listed in more than two categories. Keep in mind
that the editors write notes to other editors about certain sites. The last
thing you want is for a bunch of editors to make comments such as, "too many
submissions," "repeat submissions," or even worse, "spamming the index."
- Don't submit your site every single day (or every other day)
until it's accepted. If your site isn't indexed in three weeks, then submit it
again, taking time to submit it properly.
- If your site is only one page, work on it some more. Build
original content! Create some interior pages before you submit. Some editors
won't accept a site if it consists of only one page.
- The ODP has really gotten strict about affiliate URLs, and
those submissions are generally rejected immediately.
- Be careful about using technology such as flash, shockwave,
etc., that requires the editor to download an addon in order to view the site.
Many editors will reject those sites.
Keep in mind that ODP editors are "volunteers" who aren't paid,
and they're very busy people with a multitude of submissions that pass over
their desk. Make your submission easy to accept and you'll get in. Make it
difficult for the editor and you're out.
In conclusion, if you have a top-notch site and have taken time
to submit properly, you'll be able to land a spot in the All-Important ODP.
Good luck!
This article was written by Robin Nobles, Director of Training
at the Academy of Web
SpecialistsTM. Over the past few years,
she has trained over 1000 people in her online and onsite courses in search
engine positioning strategies and has written three books that can be ordered
through Amazon. Visit the Academy's training Website to learn more about their
online courses: http://www.onlinewebtraining.com.
This article first published by Planet Ocean in their
Search Engine News Update Newsletter (http://www.searchenginehelp.com/acws).
