DMOZ and Google - Effects of being Listed

[richmc]

Since the latest RDF dump I've been watching the growth of sites that have used the dump by searching for the link text of my ODP listing. Nice to see slow growth in the number of links to the site I've just got listed!

When Google updates at the end of this month I'm assuming it will recognise these links to my site, and therefore the importance of the page will increase.

Will the similarity of the DMOZ-fed pages that are now on the web linking to my site give the links less weight or will these count exactly the same as any other backlink, therefore boosting PageRank?

Also, what is the effect when Google updates its Directory from DMOZ? Has anyone seen any good traffic through the Google Directory (I don't think I've EVER seen a referring URL from the directory accross the sites I monitor).

Is it therefore "just one more link"?

Lotta questions there eh? I guess if anyone can tell me what benefits they got from a DMOZ/Google Directory listing back when it was working properly last that would be cool.

Any input is appreciated muchly :)

[Mohamed_E]

Many of the DMOZ clones (but not all of them) have low or zero page rank as they do not supply original content. I suggest that you use the Google Toolbar to check on the PR of the pages that link to you (or wait for the update, but that would be less fun!).

[rfgdxm1]

I just checked on this. All the ODP clones I found were grey or white toolbar. Only exception is the Google directory.

[The Contractor]

Search Google by some editor name and you will find quite a few sites that have PR using ODP data.

[Laisha]

Or go to the ODP category [dmoz.org].

*Note: I went in to check some randomly. I found 4 with 7+ PR and 16 which no longer use DMOZ data. Go figure!

[rfgdxm1]

Yep. Doesn't work for my editor name, but did for some very prominent editors. A few mirrors do indeed seem to have slipped by Google.

[steveb]

"Also, what is the effect when Google updates its Directory from DMOZ? Has anyone seen any good traffic through the Google Directory (I don't think I've EVER seen a referring URL from the directory accross the sites I monitor)."

The Google Directory essentially doubles your DMOZ PR (meaning if one is PR6 then so is the other usually). This is VERY important to some sites. Right now some sites removed from DMOZ are enjoying artificially high PR because the Google Directory still lists them, and some sites in DMOZ aren't getting the benefit of the GD link.

The GD provides some amount of traffic greater than zero but its not much.