Dmoz Directory Is Closed: How to Improve Your Site Listings in 2026

For years, getting your site into the Dmoz directory was one of the most valuable free SEO wins. Dmoz, also called the Open Directory Project (ODP), was a huge web directory edited by volunteers, and its listings were used by Google and many other sites. We wrote this guide in 2014 when Dmoz added a way to report wrong listings. But Dmoz closed in 2017. Here’s what happened, how its listings worked, and how to get your site listed in directories that still matter in 2026.

Quick answer: You can no longer improve or report a Dmoz directory listing, because AOL shut down Dmoz (dmoz.org) on 17 March 2017. Its former volunteer editors continue the project as Curlie, where you can suggest a site or an update. Today, focus on Google Business Profile, Bing Places, trusted industry directories and Google Search Console instead.

What was the Dmoz directory?

Dmoz was a human-edited web directory, organised into thousands of categories. Volunteer editors reviewed every site before listing it, so a Dmoz listing was seen as a sign of quality. Its data also powered other directories and, for a time, the Google Directory. Getting listed was free, but it could take months or years, because editors were overwhelmed with submissions.

How reporting wrong Dmoz listings worked

In 2014, Dmoz added alert icons to every listing on the public directory, on the far right of each URL:

Clicking an icon opened a form where you could report that a site was down, showed errors, had been hacked, was gone, or shouldn’t be listed at all:

You could also report that your own site was in the wrong category, or that its title and description needed updating:

Reports didn’t change listings instantly, but they flagged the problem to the category editor among hundreds of unreviewed sites, improving the chance of a review.

Why Dmoz closed

Search engines got far better at finding and ranking sites on their own, and fewer people browsed directories. Google had already dropped the Google Directory in 2011 and stopped using Dmoz descriptions in search results. AOL, which owned Dmoz, closed it in March 2017.

Curlie: the Dmoz successor

Former Dmoz editors kept the directory alive as Curlie, using a copy of the Dmoz data. Like Dmoz, it’s free and edited by volunteers. You can browse to the most relevant category and use its link to suggest a site, or ask an editor to update an existing listing. It’s still slow, and Curlie has far less influence than Dmoz once had, so think of it as a nice extra rather than an SEO priority.

How to improve your site listings in 2026

These listings matter much more today:

• Google Search Console: submit your sitemap and check how Google sees your pages. Make sure your site name shows correctly with WebSite schema for your site name.
• Google Business Profile and Bing Places: essential for any local business, and they show directly in search and maps.
• Bing Webmaster Tools: also feeds search results in other engines that use Bing’s index.
• Trusted niche directories: industry associations, chambers of commerce and well-known review sites in your field. Avoid paid “SEO directories” that list anyone; they add no value and can look spammy.

See our list of free Google SEO tools to manage these.

Frequently asked questions

Is Dmoz still active?

No. Dmoz closed on 17 March 2017. Its content lives on in Curlie and in archived copies of dmoz.org.

Does a Curlie listing help SEO?

A little at most. It’s a relevant, human-reviewed link, but search engines don’t treat directories as special any more. Great content and genuine links from relevant sites matter far more.

Are web directories still useful?

Only high-quality, relevant ones, such as local business listings, industry bodies and well-known review sites. Mass directory submission is outdated and can hurt your site.