Many a webmaster has been through the DMOZ experience.

Unless you have friends on the inside, or happen to pick one of the rare categories in which the editor is doing their job, the experience pretty much goes like this:

• Carefully select category
• Submit relevant details
• Wait three years
• Ask politely why your listing hasn’t been approved yet
• Wait another three years
• Give up

However, I thought it would be a useful exercise to demonstrate the correct process of submitting a site to DMOZ, and seeing what, if anything, happens. For the record, Google recommends submitting your site to directories, such as DMOZ, as a valid way to get links.

Step One: Read DMOZ rules of submission to see if this site qualifies. The rules can be found here.

Reading through these rules, DMOZ say they are "highly selective" about sites they list.

Hmmm….I wonder if we are actually good enough to appear in DMOZ?

As I browse through some of the DMOZ categories to get a feeling for the the high standard required, I come across some pretty stiff competition. Sites such as:

"Flickor - Women from Sweden posing nude and having sex".

The target site doesn’t appear to contain women whos nationality could be clearly defined as Swedish, or any other nationality for that matter, as the site appears to contain nothing at all.

It’s a parked domain.

As I flicked through the listings, this seemed to be a fairly common occurance. Some of the active domains I did find were on topic, if a little stale and outdated.

Given we’ve recently been voted to the very top of industry bell-weather Sphinn, I think it’s fair to say that we have independently demonstrated we are useful, topical and relevant, as voted by our peers. Hopefully that should be a sufficient test of quality for DMOZ.

Also, the following rules must be observed:

• Do not submit mirror sites. Mirror sites are sites that contain identical content, but have altogether different URLs. - check
• Do not submit URLs that contain only the same or similar content as other sites you may have listed in the directory. Sites with overlapping and repetitive content are not helpful to users of the directory. Multiple submissions of the same or related sites may result in the exclusion and/or deletion of those and all affiliated sites. - check
• Do not disguise your submission and submit the same URL more than once - check
  Example: http://www.dmoz.org and http://www.dmoz.org/index.html
• Do not submit any site with an address that redirects to another address - check
• The Open Directory has a policy against the inclusion of sites with illegal content. Examples of illegal material include child pornography; libel; material that infringes any intellectual property right; and material that specifically advocates, solicits or abets illegal activity (such as fraud or violence) - check
• Do not submit sites "under construction." Wait until a site is complete before submitting it. Sites that are incomplete, contain "Under Construction" notices, or contain broken graphics or links aren’t good candidates for the directory - check
• Submit pornographic sites to the appropriate category under Adult. - check
• Submit non-English sites to the appropriate category under World - check
• Don’t submit sites consisting largely of affiliate links - check

Fair enough. Looks like we’ve passed the first hurdle.

Step Two: Make sure your site isn’t already listed.

I’m not already listed.

Step Three: Identify the single best category for your site.

Hmmm. I guess I would classify my site as link marketing. Let’s try link marketing.

Nope. No joy there.

Let’s try "internet marketing" instead.

Bingo!

Step Four: Ok, next I click on site description , just to be sure we would be a good fit for this category. The site description page proceeds to tell me what this category is "NOT!". That’s not particularly welcoming or helpful, but onwards.

The guidelines read:

"If you are a site designer, builder, promoter, submission service, even if the words marketing appear on your site or in your business name, this does not make you an Internet Marketer automatically"

It doesn’t? Why ever not? What words would I use - car mechanic?

Perhaps what they really mean is that the category doesn’t list internet marketing sites, even though the title would strongly suggest that is the case. DMOZ goes on to say:

"In other words, a well established company or consultant with verifiable expertise and contacts. Marketing does not happen, every inch is planned with contingencies for every plan. Many of these sites have case studies of current or past clientele"

And who could possibly argue.

I do actually have a fairly robust marketing track record, with real live clients, and took part in endless meetings in which terms like macrosegmentation, strategic window, decision matrix, and off-invoice allowance were thrown about wildly. Sometimes even after lunch. But I have no idea how I would prove that to DMOZ.

Perhaps DMOZ only want agencies in that category? You’d think they’d just label the category "Agencies", but you’ve got to expect this type of arbitrary nonsense when dealing with DMOZ. Needless to say, the category only features three internet marketing agency links, one of which leads to a spam page. In Dutch.

Perhaps I’m better suited to a sub-category. Ah-ha! Perhaps I’m a "Resource".

"You have a site offering substantial unique content (not just commercial offerings) related to Internet Marketing. Sites which are mostly affiliate links will not be listed. Please do not submit sites cloning "Make Your Site Sell" or other similar programs".

I guess that’s a good fit. I don’t know what substantial means, as they don’t define it. We’re certainly more substantial than a few of the existing listings, 4-11 Internet Marketing, for example.

I hit "Suggest URL". I’m almost feeling excited.

I enter my details, careful to ensure that I’m following the rules.

Here’s my description: "Provides news and information about link marketing techniques and strategies. Also features interviews with internet marketing experts".

I check the terms of use. Yes, AOL owns my first born child. Yes, I’m happy with the terms of use.

I click "Submit" .

I’m advised my submission has indeed been received, and that an editor will review it.

Wonderful!

Who is the editor? Turns out, there isn’t one. However, there is an editor for the category above, cmconsulting.

I find with DMOZ, it all comes down to the quality of the category editor. Some are on the ball, whilst others haven’t signed in for months. Many more appear to be arguing in the DMOZ staffroom.

We’ll see what happens. I’ll count the days ’til DMOZ.