How to choose DMOZ category?

[gtodell]

I have not yet submitted my site to DMOZ but wish to do so soon.

There are several categories that are relevant to my site. Should I choose one with the least number of entries? I ask this as my site would be way down on the category list alphabetically!

Thanks in advance.

gtodell

[JamesR]

Go with the one that has the highest Google page rank or the one that is the least deep in the directory structure.

[NFFC]

If you want to get in quick go with *the* most relevant cat.

>way down on the category list alphabetically!

The "mistake" has aleady been made, forget about the alphabet.

[gtodell]

Many thanks for the suggesionds!

gtodell

[vmcknight]

Hi, I'm an ODP editor, and here's the straight dope:

Go for the most precise fit; the lower down in the tree, the better. Search for sites similar to yours, look carefully at the categories they're in, and read the category descriptions.

A higher-up category is NOT better, if your site belongs lower down. This only slows down your review by a lot because the site will a) sit a long time in unreviewed with hundreds of other mis-submitted sites, and b) have to be moved to the unreviewed of the correct category and wait some more.

[gtodell]

vmcknight,

Thakns very much for the help.

I actually found my site in DMOZ. And considering how long ago I submitted I am not surprised that it took me awhile to find it!

My site content is changing to include a lot of new products. Those new products will necessitate a new description for the site, one which should produce better search results. I will not, however, edit my DMOZ listing until the site changes are complete.

Thanks again,

Toby

[fathom]

Although vmcknight may have the skinny from the editors perspective, have had great success in speed for acception by:

locating the catagories with the least submissions and then following his advise.

[dauction]

vcmcknight,

I submitted a site a little over a month ago to it's correct catergory but never received an inclusion or denial.

I did notice the category did not have an editor so I emailed DMOZ general support(about a week agao) and asked if I should submit to a different category or will someone pick up the submissions to the category without an editor?

Still without a resonse..any suggestions on my next step?

Thanks...

[fathom]

dauction I recommend leaving it for another month.

As I suggested earily locate other categories that are appropriate for you web site (including pages other than your domain index or main page).

Give perference to categories that have "say" less than 10 listings and submit to them.

Go to bottom level categories and remember you must be appropriate - also if you have never read the submission guidelines, do so.

The less time an editor needs to spend on reviewing your site pages and re-writing the listing the greater chance you have at being accepted and quickly.

[hurlimann]

Forget DMOZ general support. Email the first editor you can find in a catergory above and ask them to add the site. Include the url you want added and the sub cat you submitted to.

[dauction]

You know I have always been afraid of submitting to different categories for fear it would be construed as spam.I'll give that a try..

I went to precisly the correct cat .I know they dont give much leeway for "retail" sites..usually under shopping/whatever

Thnaks for the help

[fathom]

try the site search using your domain name as well as primary keyword phrases...

paper (copy) list of cats that come up and go to them.

Do the sites listed there seem like competitors... YES! good cat to submit to.

NO! try something else.

[dauction]

hurlman..took your advise and emailed the closet "editor" and asked if he could either review my site for listing or pass it on to someone who could.

thanks

The thing is I was an editor a couple years ago for a medical cat but simply was overwhelmed with some other projects..and just let dmoz go to the side..dumb move.
While I couldnt just submit to other cats at least I could go to DMOZ board and chat with all the other editors until I found one that could review a site in a matter of a day instead of weeks..months ..

[bird]

While I couldnt just submit to other cats at least I could go to DMOZ board and chat with all the other editors until I found one that could review a site in a matter of a day instead of weeks..months ..

In all friendship, but I think it is better that you're not an editor anymore. This kind of behavour would pretty much garantee you a dishonorable dismissal sooner or later. ODP editors are not supposed to treat each others sites more favourably than those of the normal submitters waiting in the same queues. Some very well respected editors (next to many less respected ones) have been fired for similar reasons.

[Axacta]

>Go for the most precise fit;<

vmcknight, I wish all editors followed this rule. Last month I got an e-mail from the editor of the cat I had submitted to informing me that her cat did not suit my site. I wrote her back politely suggesting that she had my site mixed up with someone elses, because my site was such a perfect fit for this cat that I could use the cat description at the top of my home page as a site summary! I never got a reply or a lsiting.

[dauction]

Bird,
Unbeleivable..
I think you should revisit my post .. I said review not INCLUDE..

The editors alwasy traded information back and forth on their board...can someone cover a category and do a review for so and so because cat has no editor..all done in a professional manner..

I think it is naive to believe that members dont trade favors...not that locating a co-editor that can actually do a review for a CAT that has no editor is that big of a deal anyways..

but what ever

[buckworks]

Dauction, be prepared for rejection, because these days DMOZ is hostile to sites that contain "too many" affiliate links. Just a cautionary note from one who's had to promote without benefit of DMOZ ...

[dauction]

Acata...That will always be the problem with human intervention..it's always just an arbitrary decision.

No matter how "friendly" your response ..you knew she wasnt going to include you..

funny story shame it's at your sites expense.

[dauction]

Yes, I know Buck..in fact when I was there we were told dont include ANY sites with affiliate links..total nonsense..

I submitted it to the SHOPPING section..right where it belongs..

While it is a basic site ..it is clean and it is content that certain people are looking for ..I update every other day or so and I am fully aware it is a retail site and I did the approprite thing and submitted it to the approprite shopping cat.

Will that matter?..who knows ..it depends on the mood of the editor..(if we can ever locate one for that cat ! lol)

I realize the reality is DMOZ matters..I am also very aware it is an extremly poor model because everything is on whim of 50,000 editors and their differnt views.

[fathom]

Just a suggestion dauction, try adding a physical address to your site.

More specially, if you can, in conjunction with your copyright statement on every page.

A physical address will:

1. allow a regional listing.

2. add creditability to your site.

3. and from a search engine perspective, queries that are associated with your location will produce you higher in the SERP's.

Just using your domain name as a keyword in DMOZ makes you quite appropriate for 8 topical categories, and the regional would make 9.

A thought anyway.

[Axacta]

dauction, as a former insider you present a fairly depressing view of the state of DMOZ. Quite scary, considering the significant influence with SE's that the directory has. :(

[dauction]

Appreciate that Fathom..

You are correct..I keep meaning to that (add physical address)

Still on the lookout for someone that loves movies to write reviews for that page, sports talk on that page etc...I know the little things that it needs like that ..just a matter of doing a little everyday bringing it together..

I have always looked at from the searchs perspective..they want "product" they type in "product" and thats what I want to serve up to them..I have always considered the other stuff like reviews etc..as fluff..

But am learning that it just dosent fly like that anymore (in respect to placement in SE's directories)..(serve them the fluff even if they dont want it ! ;))

[fathom]

A review wouldn't be fluff, if done via a third party, one that has nothing to gain by providing such a review.

Even bad reviews are good. This shows character and the willingness to improve as well as integrity to move forward.

Your web site is your 24 and 7 saleman, and that saleman is only as good and succinct as you make it.

IMO fluff is the stuff that when you can say it is 5 words (you use 10!)

[dauction]

Axacta,

Just human nature..I scratch your back you scratch mine..to a degree thats fine and thats what a lot of business relationships are built on.
The it goes too far and you get worldcom situations..

and if you realy want a dose of depression consider for a moment that IMO the facts are pretty clear our Vice President and our President both have made millions on insider trades ..I'm meanit's right out in the open..the press has been reporting it..
They al scratched each others backs at the expensive of the everyday shareholder and in a larger sense taxpayer.

WE can preach morals all day long but the American way is based on money and power...morality has a hard time competing..

The DMOZ editors ..50,000 is simply crime ridden like any community..some simple back scratching ..like expediting a review for another editor I dont see a problem with.. ADDING that persons site without proper merit is a problem..And I have no doubts that in a community of that size..it happens all the time..

anyone want to repent today LOL

[Axacta]

dauction

Stick to what you know, and don't believe everything you hear in the press. ;)

[dauction]

Yeah I agree Fathom..

I was just saying from my perspective...my target market is people who know what they want..

They want "movie posters" then thats what I have always catered too..

If they wanted movie reviews then that person would have typed in "movie reviews" ..not my target..

so to me that would just be the fluff ..for who I am going after..

That said..

I do understand the added value and possible "stickyness" I could have on that page if I could..or had someone that could write excellent reviews..the type of person that can develop a following.

Thereby increasing traffic and product sales.

I was trying trying to serve the "fastfood" people .. they stop at macs cause they want a burger and fries and realy dont care to listen to the waitress rattle on ;) That's my market....

The problem for me is ...the SE's are making it considerably more difficult to market to that sector alone.you have to offer more or you want be included.

Right or wrong..thats just how it is..I am coming out of denial LOL

[dauction]

Well I do know our president sold 200,000 shares of HArkin about a month before the stock plummeted(very nice timing ..I wonder if anyone whispered in his ear ;)) and to top it off he didnt report the sale to the sec for 8 months..

It's a very simple form ..form 144 ..very common..and by law filed within 30 days..

And I do knowthe reason this law was instituted was so that the directors do notave an unfair advantageover the other shareholders..

and our VP..gee I really dont even want to go there considering his accounting background

But this is getting off topic ..so lets get back on topic ...

[fathom]

The review(s) would be of you, your company, your products, your track record.

This is precisely what DMOZ gives you.

A third party review from someone that has nothing to gain.

[dauction]

Ooops,Fathom I think I may have confused you..

The first "review" I was speaking of was simply trying to track down ANY DMOZ editor that could review my site for possible listing..

The other review I was speaking of was that one of my pages is selling movie posters..I was looking for someone (3rd party) that likes to write movie reviews ,I would give them space on that page , a photo of themselves and a link back to any other site they wanted in exchange.
The object of course is (my perspective) is a nice flow of repeat customers and that viral marketing ..if whoever is any good ..you might pass an email on to friend saying hey Bill have you ever read these guys movie reviews..his really pretty good etc..with a link back to my page..CONTENT..

I was simply not trying to break webmaster rules by discussing specifics of our sites..providing links and such....

My brain always has a couple lines of though going..problem is when I write ..seems I kind of blend all thoughts together..lol

My Dad use to sit at the super table and start a story about something that hapened at work that day...

15 minutes later he say something like "I wonder how long that will take" Use kids would all just look at each other shrugging our shoulders LOL..

Dad was just finishing up a story he had started 15 minutes ealier..hell he may be finishing up a story he was started earlier in the day! ;)

[dauction]

Hurlimann,

Your advise worked,
(trying a nearby editor) I received an email this morning from another editor I emailed last night that is the editor of a Cat with similiar products .says he dosent have permissions for the cat I want but that there should be a "greenbuster" that should be responsible though? ..

Greenbuster? Ok, thats a term I dont recal ;) .
I amassuming he means simply someone is souppose to be covering the cat even though there is no "official" editor for it..

At least making contact..