I'd love to hear an answer to this one :)

I am a website owner and have been trying to submit my website to
google directory for 2 years. Patiently and regularly to a number of
categories. I just assumed that the moderators were lousy and did not
care. Maybe yes, or maybe no - does anybody know how to "ensure" or in
any  way make the site appear there?
I am talking about this directory: ://www.google.com/dirhp

I have a site: www.gmatclub.com - a free online community of MBA applicants. 

I want to submit to the following categories:
Reference > Education > Products and Services > Test Preparation > GMAT
and
Reference > Education > Colleges and Universities > Graduate Education
> Business Administration

Hi Gmatclub ~

The best way to be included in Google's directory is to make sure you
are included in the Open Project Directory, as that is where Google
draws its directory entries from. Google does not have a separate
place to register for its directory.

If you notice, at the bottom of Google's directory is a reference to
the Open Project Directory.

In fact, Google advises, the best way to be included in its search
engine index is to register with DMOZ, in "What else can I do to be
listed in Google",

     "You can submit your site to Netscape's Open Directory
      Project (DMOZ) by visiting www.dmoz.org. Once your
      site is included ... Google will often index your site
      within six to eight weeks."
   - ://www.google.com/webmasters/1.html


I checked the two categories you mentioned,
Reference > Education > Products and Services > Test Preparation > GMAT
   - http://dmoz.org/Reference/Education/Products_and_Services/Test_Preparation/GMAT/


and

Reference > Education > Colleges and Universities > Graduate Education
> Business Administration
   - http://dmoz.org/Reference/Education/Colleges_and_Universities/Graduate_Education/Business_Administration/


and your site isn't listed in either.


You will need to submit to DMOZ.org to be included in Google's directory.

Best of luck,

Serenata
Google Answers Researcher

---

Request for Answer Clarification by gmatclub-ga on 09 May 2004 23:34 PDT

Thank you for a quick reply,
Sorry, I feel a bit dumb, but I thought that DMOZ and Google's
directory were the same directory. Apparently, I have been submitting
to the DMOZ as there is no way to submit to Google. I can't get into
DMOZ Catalog, that's what I meant. Any suggestions for that? Who to
complain to? Bug? Annoy? Not to bug?

---

Clarification of Answer by serenata-ga on 10 May 2004 05:26 PDT

You asked about Google's directory, which uses the information from
DMOZ ... but not always identically to what is listed in DMOZ, so I
explained you had to start there.

As for actually getting INTO the DMOZ directory, that's another story.
For those categories with no editor, it depends on who, if anyone,
takes a look and processes the sites waiting for inclusion.

Sometimes it helps to back out to a level where you have an editor
listed and contacting them. Most of the anecdotal evidence I have ever
seen indicates that editors a abit remiss in answering inquiries or
offering other information about their particular categories.

There have even been suggestions that, because of a lack of editors
and the slowness in processing applications, DMOZ is less effective
than it used to be. While it is certainly an ambitious and worthy
project, it does seem to have problems for those who wish to be
included.

The best advice is back up one level til you do find an editor.

For instance, this one has no editor:

Reference > Education > Products and Services > Test Preparation > GMAT
   - http://dmoz.org/Reference/Education/Products_and_Services/Test_Preparation/GMAT/


but if you back out one level to:
Reference > Education > Products and Services > Test Preparation

There is an editor listed who may be able to help you.


The key word is "may", because ultimately it is their call - if and
when they get around to it. Repeated applications only annoy the
editors who do work on these.

Sorry this isn't the magic wand you were hoping for, but the truth is
there just isn't one - and most are pretty unhappy with how the Open
Directory Project is working - or not working, as the case may be.

Yours,

Serenata

Thank you. Very professional.

Thank you, Gmatclub, for the rating.

I've seen enough complaints that maybe something will be done to
restore confidence in DMOZ before it is relegated to a "once
effective, now useless" status.

Best wishes,

Serenata