Is a DMOZ Listing Still Worth Its Weight In SEO?

Three to five years ago a DMOZ listing was classed as the cream of the crop for SEO Specialists, as this directory is used by Google as well as other search engines. Being listed in DMOZ was a tactic and strategy to help a site’s search engine rankings, but getting listed was not a simple task.

Depending on where in the directory you wanted to get listed, depended on the time it would take for an admin to review your listing and publish your site. A lot of webmasters and SEO specialists could wait for as much as two years.

The application for a listing was also a lengthy and delicate process as the form needed to be filled out exactly as the DMOZ team stated, any errors would result in a rejection email.

DMOZ today

Of course, this was over 3 years ago now, so what impact does a DMOZ listing have on search engine rankings today?

The answer is that over 80% of people have seen no change in their rankings after getting a listing in DMOZ that has been indexed in Google. 15% however, still think that DMOZ is important and can or has helped their site improve in the search engine results.

What we do know is that Google have changed the way their algorithm works over the past year or two, and we have seen the introduction of the likes of Panda and Penguin updates which have caused dramatic effects on the SERPS.

What this means is that certain SEO methods that worked well three years ago, won’t perform as effectively today. In some instances, SEO practices that worked successfully in the past could now even be deemed to have a negative impact on your site in the present world.

Have you noticed any big changes by getting listed in DMOZ?