I wish we could submit an abstract with a URL

From reading these forums in the past, I know that uniqueness is a key to getting listed. I wish we could include a "why I think my site is unique" abstract with our URL submission---something to try to catch an editor's eye. I submitted my site http://www.knowledgedoor.com a year ago without a listing, and I wish I could have included an abstract like "Only site that can convert mathematical expressions directly to metric. Only site that can do dimensional analysis of unit expressions. Only site that can do base conversions of rational numbers, etc." I don't think this kind of info is probably what you want in the brief site description that goes into the listing, but it might help quickly decide about a site. I know that the site design should try to do this, but I hate to put too many "marketing slogans" on the home page. I think it would be helpful in areas with a lot of competing sites---I can imagine a busy editor saying "unit conversion, ugh, we've already got plenty of those". I'll be adding more content soon and I bet I'm not alone in wishing that I could include some bullets in my submission about why I think my new material is unique. I really think a feature like this would aid the editorial process; an editor could always just ignore the extra info if he or she wanted to.

I am not looking at your site -

A brief description would highlight the uniqueness - something like "Offers unit conversions including metric, dimensional analysis, and base conversions of rational numbers."

Using words like "the only site that" would potentially make an editors brain turn off - not noticing that there would be anything unique afterwards - that happens when we see promotional hype

Using words like "the only site that" would potentially make an editors brain turn off

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I echo that. Sort of, it actually turns my brain to a different frequency. You see it so often it would have the reverse effect to that intended. Such claims are usually beyond verification and credibility and indicate to me at least the reverse of what it claims. And I would feel duty bound to prove that it wasn't the only site that... And if I don't disprove the claims I feel I must be missing something so I'll leave it unreviewed for someone else to disprove the claims. On the other hand if someone helps me out by providing a totally compliant description boy would that catch my eye, so rare is it.

>> include some bullets in my submission about why I think my new material is unique <<

I don't know why you think that you have to justify why you think it is unique (either it is or it isn't), nor do I understand why you feel you have to try to convince the editors that it is unique.

"Unique" means that you are the only one with it - either you are or you aren't; so, present the site to us for review and if it really is unique then it will be added, if it isn't unique then it probably will not: and any amount of posturing about the content is irrelevant - we review the content that is found ON the site, not the commentary from the webmaster.

Your idea also suggests that the ODP editors are, perhaps, not smart or savvy enough to find the unique content on their own.

If this is a concern, then I would gently suggest that you have gone to great pains to hide your unique content which would make it unlistable on the theory that if your content is so well hidden that a professional surfer (ODP editor) cannot find it, then the average surfer cannot find it, thus rendering it unlistable.

Whew!

Spectregunner alludes, I think, to the real issue: a submittal is aimed at ODP editors -- and the whole point of the ODP is that NOTHING should be aimed at ODP editors.

If there is a problem with the site (and there often is), it cannot be alleviated by any possible explanation to the ODP editor. It is the user that has the problem: the ODP editor is only standing aside, trying to figure out what the user would see in the site.

So the solution, if you think your site is so poorly organized that a user can't see its uniqueness -- is definitely to work on the site. The site is its own abstract. The site is its own description. The site is its own best ambassador. With the best will in the world, with the greatest talent in the world, with the most receptive audience in the world, you cannot do better for the site than it can do for itself.

So: what is it that in fact you need to explain to the SURFER about the features of your site? And ... where on the site do you in fact explain that? We must have an answer to that question before we list a site. And there is only one place we will look for that answer.

And if that is not the best way, I have been unable to imagine a better one.