ODP Spammer?

[digidogstudios]

Hi all....

 

I was just searching around for this company and i noticed that they are ib FIVE different sections of the ODP, which if i read correctly, is not allowed, once your site is added you cant add it to another section unless it gets changed or whatever.

 

anyway here is the link to prove it: http://search.dmoz.org/cgi-bin/search?search=ay4web&all=yes&cs=UTF-8&cat=Computers%2FSoftware%2FOperating_Systems%2FMicrosoft_Windows%2FWindows_NT%2FTraining_and_Certification

 

Not only are they in 5 categories, but 5 VERY DIFFERENT categories, probably as an attempt to help sell their clients products or whatever reason

 

anyway it just struck me as odd, are they supposed to be like this? Looks like they tried gaming the ODP.

 

...please...correct me if i am wrong here

[bobrat]

I only see 4 listings

 

http://www.ay4web.com/ is in two categrories - one is Regional - that is ok.

 

http://www.ay4web.com/magnetic_bracelets.htm is totally different content that happens to be on the same top level URL. I think there is enough differnece between web sites design and this product.

 

Same with http://www.ay4web.com/tutor.html

 

In fact they have a number of other URL's that could possibly be listed - but have no yet been - such as http://www.ay4web.com/nail-fungus.html - although it has the same phone number - the content may be considered sufficiently different.

[bobrat]

Cursed search - now shows five listings.

 

It would appear that the Magnetic Bracelets URL should not be listed since that content should have been made accesable from the Anti-Aging URL - since there is a Magnetic Therapy link there.

[digidogstudios]

right, that is my point, is what they are doing allowed? And am i wrong in doing this?

[spectregunner]

You are not allowed to submit what we call "deep links," the addition of same to the directory is a decision that is solely reservered to the editors.

 

Since you cannot see if those were submitted links or independent additions by editors, it is impossible for you to judge whether or not they did anything wrong.

In any event, we will research the listing and make the appropriate decisions. Thank you for pointing out a possible problem.

 

Any effort you make to emulate their apparent success would be counter productive. We will review all 4/5 of their links to ensure they are appropriate. It appears that perhaps one is no longer listable -- but it may have been listable at one time.

 

This is a good example of why we don't want webmasters submitting individual pages.

[digidogstudios]

I see, ok thank you for the information!

 

I am not trying to cause problems for these people i just find the listings to not make any sense

 

 

anyways thanks again

[Guest wrathchild]

It appears that when they offer webhosting they put the hosted site at http://www.ay4web.com/[sitename] and create a redirector URL http://www.[sitename].com/ to redirect there.

 

For example: http://www.aaskincare.com/ redirects to http://www.ay4web.com/anti-aging.html

 

Since, as a rule, the ODP wants to list the ending URL and not the redirect, the listings in ODP would be correct. This appears no differnt than geocities.com, freewebs.com, tripod.com, etc.

[digidogstudios]

IF i was wrong im sorry

 

however in any case i think it is pretty apparent that they are trying to game the odp, but ok

 

case closed then? thanks

[hutcheson]

There's nothing wrong with offering cheap web hosting to other businesses. "Gaming the ODP" would only enter in if those "other" businesses were all just one wizard in different wigs. Do you have some reason to believe that is really what's happening here?

[weblady]

None

[digidogstudios]

"she" claims to not be spamming, yet compare their google search results CACHED version of their home page to the actual page, they are cloaking

 

it appears i was mistaken about the dmoz listing, however there is proof that this company does cut the corners when it comes to trying to cheat google

[digidogstudios]

If it is not obvious that they are trying to game Google and the ODP, something is wrong here

 

"WebLady" - Whoever is in control of your website - you need to advise them that cloaking is extremely risky and can get you banned from google

[digidogstudios]

I see that she has taken down her post, further suggesting that the site is in fact, cheating