Advice Appreciated

[jen]

Can anybody give me some advice or feedback? I have been turned down twice, now.

 

My most recent was for the category: http://www.dmoz.org/Regional/North_America/Mexico/States/Quintana_Roo/Localities/Playa_del_Carmen/Travel_and_Tourism/Lodging/Hotels/

 

The category contains 50 sites. The username I used was "Maia".

 

I was very careful to check the spelling and grammar in my application.

 

I did not write "promotional" descriptions. Mine were along the line of:

 

Hacienda Maria Bonita

40 rooms and one master suite, located one block off of 5th Avenue. Swimming pool and restaurant.

 

I mentioned that I submitted a Playa del Carmen Travel Guide to DMOZ several months ago. I let the editors know my website about Playa has nothing to do with my wanting to edit the category. I explained that my site contains a hotel booking engine but that I don't receive any compensation when people book directly from a hotel.

 

I just think the category could use some work. One hotel is described as being "one block from the beach." I know this area, and this particular hotel is two blocks from the beach. I wouldn't edit that information because I don't like the hotel. I'd edit it because the information is inaccurate.

 

That might seem petty, but it isn't to Joe Bahama trying to find a hotel as close to the beach as possible.

 

There are currently two misspellings in the descriptions of the hotels in the category I applied for: premesise and restaunts.

 

One hotel is listed twice. It is listed once under its .com URL with the title of the hotel's actual name. It is listed again under its .net URL, but with a completely different title.

 

I'm not trying to knock the directory by pointing those errors out. I'm just trying to demonstate that I have found a category that needs attention.

 

I have a feeling DMOZ isn't going to believe the reasons I want to edit this category are because: I have a lot of sites I can add to it. I want to edit the category because there are mistakes in the category. I want to edit the category because I know that area and I know where these places are. I don't think they are going to believe I'm not getting some kind of kickback off this, or something.

 

I don't think I'd even have the ability to add my own site, if I wanted to. My site isn't about a single hotel. It's a complete travel guide to the area. The category I submitted to is PR0 and is in a category above the one I applied to. I have no hidden agenda. How do I make that clear?

 

Should I just give up? Advice?

Thanks!

Jen

[jimnoble]

When your applications were declined, the email will have indicated the reasons - though probably generically rather than specifically.

 

I can only suggest that you carefully read the FAQs on this forum and try again. Tourist hotel categories are spam and scam magnets (hutcheson could probably find some choicer words) and aren't usually suitable for a a beginner. Why not begin with your home town or one of its subcategories of up to around 50 listings? Once you've found your feet, you'll be able to request more challenging categories.

[jen]

When your applications were declined, the email will have indicated the reasons - though probably generically rather than specifically.

 

Yes, I got the generic ones. No comments were added.

 

I can only suggest that you carefully read the FAQs on this forum and try again.

 

I have. I'm trying to pick a category I know about and have an interest in. I have other interests, but every category I look up seems like it would be too huge to tackle for a newbie.

 

Tourist hotel categories are spam and scam magnets (hutcheson could probably find some choicer words) and aren't usually suitable for a a beginner.

 

I understand. I thought starting with the "hotels" section would be a good start because it's a fairly small town. I know I'd have a lot to learn about editing here, but at least I know what belongs in the category. Hotels.

 

Why not begin with your home town or one of its subcategories of up to around 50 listings? Once you've found your feet, you'll be able to request more challenging categories.

 

I live in a rather large city. I just checked out the restaurants section, and I'd probably be overwhelmed with it. That would definitely be an area I'd have to work up to.

 

Thank you for your reply! It has given me some things to think over.

[lisahinely]

Jen, I just wanted to echo that hotels categories for any beach city are just sandy pits of spam. Really truly, it's not a pleasant area to edit.

 

It looks like someone has fixed the problems you pointed out in the Playa del Carmen category. If you notice any other misspellings or duplicated sites, you can report them in the "Abuse" forum here. (I know abuse sounds a whole lot worse than bad spelling, but that's just where we put the thread.) Or for misspellings, even use the "update listing" link in the directory category. You are definitely helping the quality of ODP by letting us know.

 

If you decide to apply again, be sure to follow the guidelines in writing your titles and descriptions. (Sometimes the current listings in the category aren't up to current standards, so you can't just follow their style.)

 

Thanks!

[jen]

(Sometimes the current listings in the category aren't up to current standards, so you can't just follow their style.)

 

Thank you! That was an issue I had been wondering about.

 

I will find a more suitable category.