ODP editors determine the exact placement of each site listed in the directory
based on its content. You should pick one category where you'd like your
site to be listed. To expedite the review process, try to pick the specific
category that corresponds to the subject matter of your site. Submitting
to a category that is too broad, or only marginally related to your site's
content, will significantly delay your site from being reviewed and listed.
ODP categories are specialized enough so that in most cases a site doesn't
need to be listed in more than one place. If a site offers information
on a wide variety of topics, it will be placed in a broader category rather
than in may specialized subcategories. For example, if you have a site
selling tickets for concerts, football games, and amusement parks, the
site would not be placed in all three categories. It will most likely
be placed in a category for site selling tickets to entertainment events.
If your site is focused on a specific regional area, you may submit
your site to both a subject category, and a category in the Regional branch.
Can I be listed in the same category as my competitor?
The ODP prides itself on being a Web resource free of commercial
bias and self-interest. ODP editors list sites in the most appropriate
category solely based on content found on the site. Editors do not consider
a company's competitors when listing a site.
My competitor's site is listed, why isn't mine?
Each site is reviewed individually and objectively, on a case-by-case
basis. Only the content of the site is reviewed, and no consideration is
given to if or how a competitor's site is listed.
Why is my site only listed in the Regional branch?
A site is listed in a Regional
branch when it provides information about a specific region, and/or when
it is directly relevant to a population within a specific geographic area.
Where do non-English web sites get listed?
All sites containing non-English language content should be listed under
the respective language under World.
Check out the category description
and FAQ for the World category
for more information about this area of the Open Directory.
Where do Adult oriented sites get listed?
All sexually explicit sites are listed in the Adult category. Please do
not submit sexually explicit sites to categories outside the Adult branch.
The ODP has strict policies not to list these sites outside the Adult branch.
The Adult category has PICS tags to prevent child safe browsers from accessing
that part of the directory. The Adult category does not show up on the
main ODP page. See the official Adult Guidelines, as well as the Adult
FAQ for more information regarding ODP policy about adult content.
Does the ODP have a category sites targeted to Kids and Teens?
You may have noticed the colorful display for our Kids
and Teens category on the front page of DMOZ. Not only unique
in its design, Kids and
Teens is actually a semi-separate community within the Open Directory.
In an effort to ensure safe searching for our younger audience, the ODP
has developed an area of the directory with specific
guidelines targeted toward child safety on the Internet.
How do I suggest a new category?
We welcome all suggestions for new categories! You can send your request
to the editor of the parent category where you'd like the new category
created, or you can send your suggestion to ODP Staff. Due to the volume of requests and feedback, staff may not be
able to inform you of our decision.
Last update: 2004
