Being a DMOZ editor I come across all kinds of sites. I edit a couple of SEO categories and I’m surprised by how many companies just don’t get some of the basic SEO concepts. Until now I’ve just brushed it off as “those idiots, no way I’m listing them in MY category.”
The subject came to the forefront of my mind recently when I recommended my friend Mark Jackson to a company who is seeking to partner with an SEO firm for services. Unfortunately, my docket is full right now and my two staff members are still too green to be self-sufficient so I can’t take on the business. Anyway, Mark commented on how amazed he was that the web design company had their whole site in flash and their sitemap in flash inside an iFrame! Ha! Another great example of a problem that seems to saturate design firms. Good for us SEOs, bad for their customers. There are so many good resources about “SEO Best Practices” but none of them seem to be reading them. The only thing inside this design firm’s noscript tag is a link to download flash. Awesome. Sites like those make me look SO smart when it’s meeting time!
I’m also surprised by how many SEO firms have important pieces of their site in java, flash, or images. For example, there are many sites that have their main nav in one of those formats. Amazing. And these are people seeking links from my SEO Consultants categories?! Wow…
Is implementation of SEO practices a requirement for listing in DMOZ? No. Should I exclude SEO companies for their lack of implementation of SEO practices on their own site? No and I usually don’t unless it’s a pretty horrible mistake. Should I exclude them after visiting their client sites and noticing major omissions? Probably not because sometimes sites are limited by CMS and/or cranky clients. Any one factor will make me hesitate and examine their practices a little closer. If I find a pattern of stupidity then they’ll be denied a listing. I was selected to edit the SEO categories that I have based on my expertise and I’ll use it to filter out inept companies as best as I can.
