My Two Year Dmoz Journey

So it has been almost 2 years now since I first submitted my site to Dmoz.org.

Specifically, I submitted my site to the Dating International section in early 2006 when my site first launched. I wasn't expecting an immediate inclusion, nor any inclusion at all for that matter - it was a young site, but a quality and worthwhile one - certainly not a 1 page wonder.

After 6 months and no inclusion, I went back to my site to see if it needed improving to a certain standard. I did that, and in the process it improved and gained almost 20,000 new members.

So I submited again.

After another 6 months, I asked for help and was told to re-submit again as Dmoz had server problems and had lost alot of submission. Okay - done.

Speed through another 12 months - I now have over 70,000 members to my site, 3 million pages views a month and it is a quality, informative community site for thousands of users each day that my members recommend to others.

So, I beg the question - why is it so hard to get it listed on Dmoz?

Well, it could be you think it's rubbish. Ahuh.

Or it could be that the editor of my requested category is deluged in a mountain high list of submissions that required more than 2 years to get through. Well, if that's the case, I really do think it is appropriate to take the "Suggest URL" link off that section until that editor gets on top of things. Stop wasting the valuable time of us webmasters.

So I might visit here in another 6 months to see if things have changed and it is my lucky day. Fingers crossed.

cheers,
Glen

Or it could be that the editor of my requested category is deluged in a mountain high list of submissions that required more than 2 years to get through. Well, if that's the case, I really do think it is appropriate to take the "Suggest URL" link off that section until that editor gets on top of things.

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The pool of suggestions in any given category isn't something that editors have to get "on top of".

Stop wasting the valuable time of us webmasters.

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Hmm, suggesting your site takes no more than a couple of minutes, is free, and is voluntary. If you feel that it is a waste of your time, then perhaps you shouldn't continue to do it.

So, I beg the question - why is it so hard to get it listed on Dmoz?

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I would expect that the number of editors who want to edit in dating categories is very small. That unfortunately happens in many categories.

See ya'll again in 2 years, I suppose.

Please consider how many dating sites have requested a link exchange with you, and how few of them are real (or distinct sites).

I think you already know the answer as to why, as motsa stated above, few editors venture into the dating site categories.

I know where you're coming from - I get link requests from time to time in the dating industry - but as I also maintain a dating directory within my site, I see it as my responsiblity to maintain it.

*shrug* so if you think there is little interest from anyone maintaining DMOZ's dating category, I don't think it's fair on the webmasters to appear to seek requests for new submissions to it by placing a URL Suggestion link on all of it's pages. That's like putting a job vacancy in the local newspaper, having people write in and apply, and then tell them we don't have the time to look at your application because we really have no interest or no time.

Maybe going forward, DMOZ should look into "dead, unmaintained or low editorial interest" areas from an editorial perspective and remove URL Suggestion links from the public pages until an editor displays more interest in that category and is able to review those suggestions.

All that said and done, I still have a 2 year old widely popular community site sitting here that would *love* a mention on Dmoz. If only someone in that category would look at it. I have a feeling that's not going to happen anytime soon, based on your above feedback, so I think I'll just write off Dmoz in my case (I have been a big supporter of Rich's project since it first started) and see how much Yahoo! charges these days

So, my 2 year journey ends here. Farewell friends, and Rich.

cheers,
Glen

glenster said:

*shrug* so if you think there is little interest from anyone maintaining DMOZ's dating category, I don't think it's fair on the webmasters to appear to seek requests for new submissions to it by placing a URL Suggestion link on all of it's pages.

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Just because no one seems to be interested now, doesn't mean that no one will ever be interested. There is nothing wrong with accepting suggestions to a low interest category, the suggestions never expire.

glenster said:

That's like putting a job vacancy in the local newspaper, having people write in and apply, and then tell them we don't have the time to look at your application because we really have no interest or no time.

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Actually no, its more like putting out a comment box and allowing visitors to leave suggestions and then waiting until someone has time to read through and evaluate all the suggestions that have been left before opening the box back up.

glenster said:

All that said and done, I still have a 2 year old widely popular community site sitting here that would *love* a mention on Dmoz. If only someone in that category would look at it. I have a feeling that's not going to happen anytime soon, based on your above feedback, so I think I'll just write off Dmoz in my case (I have been a big supporter of Rich's project since it first started) and see how much Yahoo! charges these days

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Actually it stopped being just "Rich's Project" along time ago. The best thing anyone can do is make their suggestion and move on with more important things than waiting on a listing that may or may not be forthcoming.

Actually no, its more like putting out a comment box and allowing visitors to leave suggestions and waiting until someone has time to read through and evaluate all the suggestions that have been left.

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Nicely said, shadow, .

Oops I edited it slightly for clarification crowbar, at the same time you were posting.

Well, we are editors, .