What methods do Editors Use?
- Thread starter Tracy123
- Start date
Absolutely. It happens quite frequently. If I see a local business's URL on their delivery truck or in the newspaper, I might go ahead and add it. If I'm trying to build up a specific topic, I'll go hunting wherever I can for sites to list there.
Tracy123 said:
Absolutely true. I use the same as Motsa. I am a real pain to my wife as I always carry a small note book to note down URL's that I see when I am out and about (pathetic eh?) I come home and look up the site and if it is listable I would not hesitate to do so. I also use local newspapers, business directories, yellow pages etc. etc. etc. Very little of my time is editing what you call applications basically because I don't get that many so I go out and hunt for good sites to list.
It's a lot of fun to follow links on other sites too. Chamber of Commerce sites are usually a gold mine, and even webmaster sites will have examples of their best work. It's very much like a scavenger hunt, one site leads to another to another and to another.
Many topics forums have member sites listed, which is real handy when you're trying to build up a Topics category. All of the sites listed are about that subject.
Sometimes the searches might yield fewer sites and take a little longer than reviewing suggested sites, but we know they're legitimate sites that have no ulterior motives and we don't have to waste our time investigating them to see if they have duplicate sites already listed.
Many topics forums have member sites listed, which is real handy when you're trying to build up a Topics category. All of the sites listed are about that subject.
Sometimes the searches might yield fewer sites and take a little longer than reviewing suggested sites, but we know they're legitimate sites that have no ulterior motives and we don't have to waste our time investigating them to see if they have duplicate sites already listed.
Right I have it
All I need to do is hire a large van, paint the words www.xxxxxx on the side, find out where you 3 live and then drive up and down outside your house all day...lol
All I need to do is hire a large van, paint the words www.xxxxxx on the side, find out where you 3 live and then drive up and down outside your house all day...lol
I can understand how frustrating it might be to try to get a site listed when you think it's imperative to do so, but, we really aren't set up to provide a service like that to site owners. We're off at the other end of the Directory trying to build something useful for information searchers, so that's where our focus is.
Despite that, I think all editors understand your views from the supply side and empathize with you, but when you have limited resources to work with, you have to stay focused on what your original intent was.
Telling a person, "Your site is there waiting, or your site is unacceptable." only raises more questions or invites debate over the Directories policies. It doesn't help you or us. Your site status will remain the same after the inquiry.
I can't even imagine trying to answer tens of thousands of inquiries,
.
jimnoble
DMOZ Meta
Providing the status wasn't the problem - it was the ensuing dialogues that so often were.
spectregunner
Member
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2003
- Messages
- 8,768
ODP: We're sorry, your site is not listable
WM: Yes it is.
ODP: It has no original content.
WM: Yes it does, I personally wrote all three million pages.
ODP: It has no original content. It is an exact duplicate of Wikipedia
WM: You are a crook and a competitor, I am going to sue.
WM: furthermore, you are ugly.
WM: And, your mother dresses you funny.
I made a point when starting my website that I would not copy anyones ideas or content. I have been true to this. I add unique content to the site say every 3 days, this by way of business articles. I guess the fact my site is well placed in the search engines shows my policy has been a good one. Added to the unique content I also offer free services, something I see as key to the future development of the web
I wouldn't mind someone having a look and saying nope, I guess the fact my site will not be seen for years is the hard bit.
Well guys guess we talked this one out, thanks very much for the advice. Regardless what is thrown at you, rest assured you do a great job.
T
I wouldn't mind someone having a look and saying nope, I guess the fact my site will not be seen for years is the hard bit.
Well guys guess we talked this one out, thanks very much for the advice. Regardless what is thrown at you, rest assured you do a great job.
T
Carbonlord
Member
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2007
- Messages
- 72
spectregunner said:
Is wikpedia supposed to be good or something? I went there for the first time, yesterday and I got this NASTY NASTY virus, right after. I had to look up SERP, too. Still confused on the Alexa thing and did Tracy have 380,000 pages in Alexa?
crowbar said:If it's in the correct category, then I look at the content on the site from the perspective of a web surfer, and if it has the "unique content" that would be of benefit to a web surfer, I'll write a proper, ODP compliant Title and Description for it, and list it. If it doesn't, I'll delete it. Very simple.
QUOTE]
This explains why it is difficult to get an ecommerce site listed in your directory. I guess if someone sells products that are sold by someone else, the content is not unique. It does make me wonder how some ecommerce sites are there though.
Shopping type sites are listable, but not always.
http://dmoz.org/Shopping/desc.html and http://dmoz.org/Shopping/faq.html explain most of the details.
In the Regional branch a site that sells online, but also has a walk in store can be listed in it's place of business (Locality) irrespective of it's online sales.
http://dmoz.org/Shopping/desc.html and http://dmoz.org/Shopping/faq.html explain most of the details.
In the Regional branch a site that sells online, but also has a walk in store can be listed in it's place of business (Locality) irrespective of it's online sales.
spectregunner
Member
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- Jan 23, 2003
- Messages
- 8,768
Usually not a true statement.
Sure, if you set up a website and are drop shipping the same cr*p that 900 sites are selling, then don't hold your breath.
Still, we have probably listed more than 1000 Ford dealers, and they are all selling the same basic cars. They differentiate themselves by having content on their service, their sales department, their hours of operation, their current inventory (something that is absolutely unique), they probably have pictures of the owner sitting/standing/kneeling astride/behind/nearby the dog/elephant/bull/python that they have as an advertising mascot.
What do YOU bring to the party. How do YOU make the sales/warranty/return/shipping process memorable for the customer? What is your corporate/personal business philosophy? Those are all things that have the potential of significantly increasing the unique content on your site.
The Old Sarge
Member
spectregunner said:
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of such drop ship sites that ARE listed. They dummy up their About Us pages to make it appear they have a physical store and a corporate entity when they don't, they claim warranty services when they actually refer everything back to the manufacturer, they post the exact same images as all the other drop ship sites (one of the main reasons ODP gives for NOT listing them), etc., etc.
In the meantime, there are sites that DO honor warranty and return claims themselves, DO have legal and legitimate corporate entities, and DO NOT host cookie cutter web pages but rather sites with good, informative content. They cannot get listed, however, simply because they drop ship.
ODP seems to put "drop shipping" in a bag marked, "Refuse. DO NOT list!" when the goal is to list only quality sites that offer some benefit to people surfing the web.
Is not a site that offers quality products, backs up those products, exposes itself to legal relief by registering with the proper authorities, etc., etc., a benefit to an online shopper? A shopper that cares not at all that the product he is buying will be drop shipped.
spectregunner
Member
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- 8,768
Which is why I went on to discuss quality content.
The Old Sarge
Member
spectregunner said:
Quality content or no ... an honest drop shipper will still not be listed as long as the reviewing editor knows it's a drop ship site and follows ODP guidelines.