Is DMOZ still useful or should it be retired?

[dotinvesting]

I still think it's useful if you can get your listing approved. Unfortunately, as many have mentioned it is nearly impossible to do so in most categories unless you happen to know who the editor is.

As to the history part of it I've heard of some scams going on with editors charging to get listings approved.

[AirForce1]

Right, DMOZ is still a high quality backlink source but I do think getting more backlinks from more sources is more important for your sites.

[js112]

dmoz is still useful

[Mosaic]

Hi,

I don't think that DMoz should be retired. Its true that now directory submission is not so important but still DMoz has a great value. If you have a Dmoz backlink on your site, it worth a lot because it is the only directory which have human editors. So, i don't think that DMoz has lost its value.

[null101]

DMoZ is still very useful.. somebody listed in the right category can get hundreds of visits per day just from DMoZ alone.

[Cindy522]

Wow. I didnt know any of this about DMOZ. I just never gave any thought to the "who" is doing all the work, I supose.

I, myself, do not start out at DMOZ, or any other directory to find a site. (I do start at some places to find certain products or information). But, I do get some traffic from it, which indicates that apparently my site was looked at and included. Cool! Its a shopping site, but is very much a narrow niche. I am currently only aware of one other site with the same niche... though a very different product offering. Of course, plenty of sites sell what I sell... but not with the selection I offer. Other sites offer 4 choices + 100s of other items in the wider niche. I offer 100 choices in the much narrower niche.

My assumption had been that the traffic showing from DMOZ was coming from my directory listing coming up in search results. But, reading this, it does seem to me that there certainly ARE people who like the directory and go to it specifically to search for something. In fact, *I* am going to try doing it.

There are so many people setting up online stores to sell from a catalog of drop-shipped items.... and lots of clothing sellers selling items from particular brands -because those brands are easiest to get into w/low minimums, etc. So, to search from somewhere that is going to be very very limited in the # of results IS apealing to me.

[Hafsoh]

DMOZ is still a trusted site and very well thought of in the SEO community

[anonymously]

No you have to have found three sites that you think will fit in that category, you can use a site you are affiliated with, but it is in fact a very bad idea to use three of your own. The directory wants people who want to build categories not just list their own sites. Listing ones own sites is OK, so long as you treat them no differently than any other, in fact you are not allowed to cool your own site however good. But you don't want to give the impression that the only sites you know of for that category are your own.

PS I don't have a site at all, let alone three!!!