Promoting a website is a multifaceted process. In optimizing an online resource, a webmaster or SEO specialist employs various methods to advance the site to the top of search engine results.
Registration in web directories is considered a fundamental method for site promotion. There are numerous directories available online, which complicates the process, as there are countless directories but only one website.
Should you add your site to every available directory? If not, which directory should you prioritize? These questions often trouble novice web specialists.
It’s important to aim for registration in as many directories as possible, while also paying attention to thematic resources—directories that operate in the same niche as the web project being added.
Among the numerous directories, two stand out as particularly influential for any website owner: the Open Directory Project (DMOZ) and the Yandex.Catalog. Let’s discuss these further. Currently, DMOZ is considered the most esteemed web directory (interestingly, this site was somehow mysteriously approved by it).
DMOZ, a U.S.-based resource owned by the media company AOL, is a free, open directory of links. Thanks to the work of thousands of volunteer editors, the portal operates daily, manually verifying the suitability of virtual applicants and integrating them into the directory’s structure. DMOZ’s interface supports many languages (including Russian), which is a key distinguishing feature. The project, which began in 1989, received its current name after being acquired by Netscape for forty million dollars.
Regarding the Yandex.Catalog, the situation is more challenging for webmasters. Yandex’s policies extend to all its projects, making it nearly impossible to get listed for free unless you create an exceptionally cool and useful site for the entire world (and even then, the chances only increase slightly). It is easier to get listed on a paid basis, which explains why the Yandex.Catalog is filled with low-quality sites. It seems ironic that a resource so concerned with the “purity” of the internet is rife with junk. In my opinion, it’s just a money-making machine.
In summary, website owners listed in both the Yandex.Catalog and DMOZ can proudly consider themselves lucky and exceptionally skilled in web mastering.