06.13.01

EDITOR'S NOTE:
Last week's SearchNewz discussed the Open Directory Project and provided some advice on how to get listed with ODP. If you'd like to read it, click here.

This week we'll dig a bit deeper and reveal some more ODP optimization techniques.

I hope that you enjoy this issue.

Best Wishes,
Stephanie Mitchell and The SearchNewz Team

• Beware of Dynamic Pages

The ODP frowns upon dynamic content, discouraging submissions that have a query string in the URL. The ODP prefers to index root pages of the site, which tend not to include query strings. Tolles indicates that technically the ODP has the ability to index some types of dynamic pages; however, whether they are indexed is based on the discretion of the editor.

• Combating Spam at ODP

One of the key advantages of a human-edited search directory such as the ODP is that a spam page that might typically be indexed by one of the major spider-based search engines does not make it past a human editor. Chris also divulged that in recent months the ODP has taken strides to ensure a spam-free directory. The improvements in their review technique now make it much easier than in the past for the ODP to execute bulk rejections of bogus sites. By equipping the editors with power tools, the ODP is confident that their technology and manpower can handle the brutal task of filtering spam.

• Who Reviews Your ODP Submissions?

It is valuable for the search engine optimizer (or, for that matter, anyone submitting a website) to get a sense of who will be reviewing his or her website submission. Understanding who is going to be on the other end of the submission can greatly impact what and how you might submit. In the interview, Chris disclosed some interesting information about the ODP editors. This is what I learned: Currently, the ODP has 33,000 editors. There is no set number of editors per category; editors seem to flow where needed. There are generally no more than two editors per category and each editor is typically assigned to ten categories or less. Tolles went on to tell me that there are no set criteria for selecting the ODP editors; however, he affirms that "the lowest common denominator is your ability to project intelligence and thought in your application to become an editor." Once accepted, the ODP editors fall into a hierarchy, allowing those with a large number of quality reviews the opportunity to advance.

The ODP aggressively monitors to ensure that the editors' work demonstrates not only accuracy, but also morality.

Tolles recognizes the concerns of submitters who are fearful that their rankings are being deliberately demoted in the interests of a competitor running the category. While there is regular supervision to prevent such activity, Tolles mentioned that a submitter should feel free to visit the ODP forums or send e-mail and plead their case if they feel an injustice has been done.