How To Be Listed in ODP Categories

ODP or the Open Directory Project is highly organized into top level categories. Each of these categories is divided into several sub-categories. You may have noticed that not all categories are shown in ODP like Dmoz.org. Why? The other one not visible in Dmoz is the adult category. This particular category can only be visited through its URL. This is to avoid the minors from visiting these sites.

Submitting Sites to ODP

In submitting your site to open directory project, it is necessary to choose the most suitable category; otherwise, your site won’t get the attention it needs. There are two basic reasons why you need to submit according to the category your site belongs to:

• For a better chance to be listed. If you list your site on a category which it does not belong to, ODP editors will mostly likely reject the listing.


• Your site will lose relevant keywords from its category name. Having your site listed on the most appropriate category increases the chance of higher site visibility.

Finding the Right ODP Category

What is the most appropriate category for your site? Find this out by making a simple test or research. You can visit dmoz.org and try keying basic keywords or phrases. The search result will give you more sub categories. All you have to do is remove all the subcategories that are not closely related to your site’s topic or theme.

If you are still on the shadow of confusion, try checking if the category you are choosing has a description page and FAQ. If they happen to have one, you will have the idea there as to what the editor considers the best site for that category. This is a great way to make sure that you are submitting your site to the most suitable category. Aside from that, you are guaranteeing yourself that the site will be listed on the directory.

After deciding which category your site should fall into, the next thing you should do is add your site’s URL. Usually, the “Add URL” form can be found on the top right corner of each page or category. One particular thing to remember in adding the URL is to always include the http:// part and the TLD. Check your spelling too. Some sites are rejected because of little mistakes like “spelling”.

ODP is one of the most excellent ways to get higher visibility and traffic to your site. Start thinking of the best category for your site now…so you can add your URL soon!

ODP listing is a relatively useful way to gain more site traffic and higher site visibility. However, there are more than just ODP listing, please see our Web Marketing Services or apply for a free Website Analysis.