What I have learned so far...

[usbnuts]

After 2 months of optimizing my site for Google, I have learned this so far.

1. A DMOZ listing can push the site's PAGERANK considerably. My site's an example (before the recent reshuffle). Every page in the entire domain has got higher PAGERANK ever since the DMOZ listing is in place.

2. Yahoo listings don't make a lot of difference, IMO.

3. Link popularity is placed above anything else. A page with superb link popularity can easily excel a page with okay links and good keyword density. (Granted, you would need good content to get people to exchange link with you. This is true for content site.)

4. Google likes to play around with new tricks. So don't bet on your 'perfect' TITLE, keyword density page to rule forever. Link popularity is the KING in the world of Googl-ization.

5. Google does a good job spidering pages. You should optimize all pages whenever possible. Give a small theme to every page by increasing different keyword density. IMO, Google likes this.

[ihelpyou]

Yep. Seems like you have a pretty good handle of how to deal with "Googlization". :)

[newriver]

Well said, however I will disagree with you on the Yahoo listing. I truly believe a yahoo listing with the keyword in the title helps a lot.

[highman]

I have had success without a Yahoo! listing, and ranked above others with a Yahoo! listing, that said a listing in Yahoo! certainly carries massive wieght in the link pop stakes.
So if the keyword is very competitive then a Yahoo! listing will help

[ihelpyou]

Yep newriver, you hit right on it. "if the keyword is in the title". Very true, but since they use your business name, that is hard to do. Unlike LS where the title does not hold as much power as in Yahoo.

[JuniorHarris]

Very good observations usbnuts!~ Thanks for taking the time to share your experience, some great info there!~ ;)

[usbnuts]

I would like to add to my observation.

I don't know much about how Yahoo! listings affect PAGERANK of a page on Google. However, I found out that one of the categories (USB 2.0), http://dir.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Hardware/Components/Buses/USB___Universal_Serial_Bus/USB_2_0/, has a low PAGERANK (3 to 4).

At this PAGERANK, Yahoo listing doesn't help my site link popularity. I guess USB sites could help out by linking to this category to increase its PAGERANK first. Then, everyone will benefit.

[ihelpyou]

There is no doubt a Yahoo listing will help with PageRank. How much? No way of knowing. Google considers sooo many factors with this that any form of speculation is futile.

We do know that Yahoo and any major directory listing will help. Any qualty link leading to your site helps as well. But all depends on many things.