To deeplink, or not to deeplink

that is the question

[Mike_Mackin]

At ODP it is apparent that one of the most confusing guidelines is the one about deeplinking. The guidelines themselves are somewhat ambiguous, which is due to the fact that there are different types of deeplinks, and the decision to add deeplinks involves many factors relevant to a category's scope and content. In order to understand deeplinks and determine when to list them, we need to look at the three types, name them, analyze why they exist and whether they serve our purpose, which is, if you recall, to be the most comprehensive and highest quality directory of the Web.

[dmoz.org...]

[paynt]

I've pondered this time and again.

Examples: about.com, lots of relevant content with 2899 pages presently listed. Universities, do you list just the main page or a page for each department in the relevant category? Pharmaceutical companies with each of the drugs they produce listed separately.

The list goes on. I’ve always approached it from the theory that I am first of all looking at the page itself in terms of what it has to contribute to the category I’m editing in and if it meets all the stipulations in the guidelines as to content and a functioning page, I usually list it. Sometimes it is a really tough call.

I’ve always appreciate Laisha’s continued diligence when the topic comes up in forums and I appreciate this article she’s written for the newsletter. It will be interesting to see how others feel about this.

[Bentler]

I appreciated this article too. It seems to me that "to be the most comprehensive and highest quality directory of the Web", the directory needs to make it easy for its users find high quality content that would otherwise be buried and hidden from view. It's a good directory that deeplinks to high quality, difficult to locate content relevant to its categories, IMO.

[Brett_Tabke]

Look at the byline of that article ;-) Nice work Laisha.

Older related thread: [webmasterworld.com...]

[skibum]

With the discretion given to editors, the question to deep link is different in virtually everywhere with the exception of Shopping, where its relatively clear cut. Biz is often pretty clear cut, but no as much as shopping. Well, it's always based on content, just that a page or site of things for sale, or a list of services if not judged to be sufficient content to warrant a deep link in most all cases.

One site that has the potential to become more and more perplexing is Amazon. Sure they are undoubtedly a shopping site, but, at least for this shoper, they are becoming more and more of a resource, kunda like a consumer reports type service.

Before buying virtually anything, I almost always check out the product on Amazon to see what people have to say about it. It doesn't really feel like I'm "in a store". The site is useful for much more than just ordering. If a sufficient number of reviews have been written, say 10+ it's possible to feel relatively certain that you are not being sold, but able to tap into "real" objective opinions that your local megastore electronics (or other category) salesperson is never going to give you. Amazon.com - shopping site or consumer resource? To deep link where an appropriate category exists of not?