Google directory updates question

How often does Google update their directory?

[JustTrying]

Hello,
I've noticed that the Google directory does not update as soon as the ODP directory changes. I'm hoping that somebody here could tell me roughly what the relationship is between the two directories, (and assuming that Google gets its' directory information straight from the ODP), how often does Google update their directory with updated editor changes from the ODP?

[agerhart]

Welcome to WmW JustTrying,

Google will usually update their directory listings when they update their database, which is at least once a month. Google has just updated the database, and I just read in another post that they have now updated the directory.
Stick around, we are always the first ones to know of the update! ;)

[JustTrying]

Hello agerhart, and thank you for the warm welcome. Been lurking around here for some time now, and am consistently amazed and impressed with the amount of great SEO related knowledge available here.

Also, thank you for answering my question. I'll be on the lookout for the changes in the Google directory. Thanks again!

[europeforvisitors]

>>Google has just updated the database, and I just read in another post that they have now updated the directory.<<

My category hasn't been updated. I wonder what Google's lead time is? It must take some time to assign pagerank to each month's imported ODP data.

[JustTrying]

I've also noticed that my sites have been updated, yet the categories those sites are in haven't been updated yet. The categories are still at least weeks old. Any ideas?

[europeforvisitors]

The Google directory is now updated for my category (as of Sunday afternoon CST).

[JustTrying]

Fifteen days since I first posted this question Google still hasn't updated their directory to reflect ODP.

The sites within both the Google Directory category and the ODP category I'm watching are as individual sites spidered almost every day by Google; however, the category I'm watching in the Google directory is still using an older version of the source ODP category.

Anybody have experience with this?

[brownsmurf]

Google like all the users of ODP data update via the RDF dump. The dump is created approximately once a week (some weeks they don't update it due to back-end adjustments, etc).

Google and AOL are usually the quickest to download the dump, generally speaking they update once every 1 or 2 months. Others never update the information ever, choosing to manipulate it in their own way like xoron.com, while others are just plain lazy and have updated once in 2 years.

[Brett_Tabke]

Thanks brownsmurf. That's what we've tracked over the last year. Usually 45-60days behind the ODP with occasional months shorter than that. In nov( erm dec?), they were almost in lock step with the ODP, but last summer it took several months to catch up.

I've always wondered if it has anything to do with the depth of category changes? When Google has been slow in updating the ODP, I've noticed some major cat moves/nukes/changes in the rdf dumps.

[Ove]

rdf dumps?? What is that?

/Ove

[brownsmurf]

RDF Dump Information [dmoz.org]

[JustTrying]

Thanks brownsmurf! It's really nice to have some idea of when to expect the Google Directory updates.

I still wonder though, why would Google take so long to update, considering that ODP updates the dump every week, and Google is fairly well-known for doing there updates ASAP.

[brownsmurf]

This is just conjecture. But I think they do it at the intervals that they do because of the sheer size of the dump, which takes the ODP several days each week to produce.

Additionally ODP categories always contract and expand due to reorganizations and there are many times when a reorganization is in the works. As Brett_Tabke pointed out above, they may possible wait until certain key reorganizations are completed.

Thirdly, summer months are always times when editing goes slowly due to the fact that editors are often on vacations, want to be outside or have no or limited access to computers (due to Universities being out), so I imagine Google knows this to be the case and may reduce the number of uploads during those months.

However, as mentioned this is just conjecture as I have no inside knowledge into Google, and have very limited technical knowledge in regards to ODP.

[JustTrying]

Thanks again brownsmurf! Sounds like quite good and reasonable conjecture; whether or not it's true is something we may never know...

[JustTrying]

One month later...nothing yet:)