Question about asking for an updated description

Feel free to submit an update request. If the reviewing editor agrees, they'll move your site. If they don't, they'll leave the site where it is.

As editors, we deal with thousands of sites, and I always assume that a business owner knows more about his business than I do, and I lean heavily on how he describes it on his website, , so if you think another category is honestly a better fit, I see no problem with you making an update request.

But, after that, you'll have to respect the editors decision, .

And in an update trying to move a site, resist all temptations to try to "sneak in" something else. If I see an update request "Please move to xyz because of abc" and the description is now including additional keywords, my usual reaction is "Trying to be clever, eh?", and I might be very preoccupied about the move.

(Same goes for: Company name has changed, URL has changed, Postal address has changed, ...)

crowbar said:

As editors, we deal with thousands of sites, and I always assume that a business owner knows more about his business than I do, and I lean heavily on how he describes it on his website, , so if you think another category is honestly a better fit, I see no problem with you making an update request.

But, after that, you'll have to respect the editors decision, .

Click to expand...

Okay thanks guys.Yes, I do understand that it's up to the editors , and as I said, when I applied to the directory almost 5 years ago (whew!) I was just in the Blankets and Bedding category.When it got broken down, I got shifted into Nursery.But since then my site has grown/changed and I don't feel that perhaps that's where I should be anymore
And no, I'm not trying to sneak in ... my current description edited by an editor states I offer personalization, that is one of my main attractions to my site is that option for my items
Thanks again for the feedback everyone, I'll submit an update request and hope I don't ruffle any feathers .

EDIT-I submitted the request, thank you to all the moderators/editors for the feedback, explanations and help .Since I know this is a man-made and run directory, I appreciate the help in explaining how it works, especially to a fairly clueless person on these things, rofl

Well I guess I shot myself in the foot by asking to be edited. An editor was kind enough to move my site to the Personalized category but completely removed all references to 'blankets' within my description .My description is now 'Featuring handmade designs' which makes no sense to me -designs of what?
I am bothered by this since again, within this category there are clearly references to blankets, baby blankets, etc -so why was that word totally taken our of my site's description?
My site has been edited down from 'baby security blankets' to 'blankets' to now 'designs'... please, is there nothing I can do about this ?

Whatever happened at dmoz.org won't have had anything to do with the discussion here.

Over at dmoz.org, you make suggestions. Editors look at the suggestions. It's not a negotiation process.

hutcheson said:

Whatever happened at dmoz.org won't have had anything to do with the discussion here.

Over at dmoz.org, you make suggestions. Editors look at the suggestions. It's not a negotiation process.

Click to expand...

I realize that... but I'm trying to understand why an editor would take the word that describes my site 'blankets' completely out of the description.'Designs' makes no sense to me - in fact, seems even more confusing since it could mean I do handmade embroidery designs, which I don't.I had understood that editors look at a site and figure out what describes it best.How would omitting that my site is devoted 99% to blankets be describing it best?

In many cases the categoryname (or any part of the categorypath) is not repeated in the site descriptions. Maybe this is the reason.

Our descriptions are usually read within the context of the category path name - ../Blankets_and_Bedding/Personalized in this case. Additionally putting the blanket word in the description doesn't enhance the information.

If you're concerned that other information sources might use our description out of context, you might like to investigate the NOODP tag.

jimnoble said:

Our descriptions are usually read within the context of the category path name - ../Blankets_and_Bedding/Personalized in this case. Additionally putting the blanket word in the description doesn't enhance the information.

If you're concerned that other information sources might use our description out of context, you might like to investigate the NOODP tag.

Click to expand...

No, that's not my concern, my concern is that it doesn't make sense.Using 'designs' within the category of personalized says to me, at least, that I offer personalized designs, as in embroidery designs.I don't.I only offer standard lettering for my personalizations.
And as for not using the 'blankets' because it's within the category path,then why allow it 22 out of 25 listings?Yes, I know, updates get looked at first so that's what drew the attention to mine.
But honestly, if you're going to describe a site that sells blankets almost exclusively (I have one toy), why take that word out?
I'm sorry, I realize this isn't really your concern/area but I'm upset that the focus of my description - blankets- was taken out.It seems a little... odd... in comparison to the rest of the sites allowed that one word within that subcategory, and frankly within almost the entire Blankets and Bedding section.In fact, that was the only change made in the shift, to change that one word to one that is not relative to my site's content.

Thank you again for replying, I'm upset and I admit it.I don't see the rhyme or reason for that ommission/change.And obviously if I ask for it to be fixed, I'm probably going to get denied, correct?

We're really straying beyond forum policies here by getting so into discussing the specifics around a particular site. Feel free to submit another update request but there's really no point in continuing to talk about this site or category here.