something's changing...

at yahoo - what is it?

[2_much]

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the long dissappearance, I was off on vacation and didn't get close enough to smell a computer (ok ok, only a couple of times:).

Something seems to have changed at Yahoo since I left.

In the last 2-3 weeks, I've had 8-9 sites dropped (still searching to find out if more have been dropped) and this week I had 2 sites rejected. That's more rejections than I've had in the last 8 months.

From what people have posted, it seems that they're:
- checking sites in netscape
- sites must have a java/javascript alternative
- load time must be fast

The rejection letters that I got simply said we didn't have unique content. These sites would've gotten in 2 weeks ago.

So something's up.

It seems they're raising the quality filter again (it's been almost nonexistent for a few months now).

Also, they've changed the way they deliver the results...dogboy indicated that kw x kw y = kw y kw x...
what else?

I wonder what's going on? Any similar experiences? Suggestions? Guesses?

[Rumbas]

I have had 1 domain rejected because of not-unique-enough. Some emails back and forth and the matter was solved. Not tip top but we got in.

As posted here [webmasterworld.com] lately I've had very satisfactory results with them. Seen some mentioning of unique enough thing, but couldn't find it.

Guess you have to be the Brand of Orginal Wooven Hand Made Nuuk Wool Towels to make in ;)

[Air]

Yeah, you're right on 2_much. I submitted a site and got the not unique enough answer within one day. I appealed of course, judging from the logs the editor spent a total of 6 seconds on the site, out of 20 some odd pages only one was looked at. Like you said, a few weeks ago that site would've been in no problem. Still waiting for the results of the appeal. Let's see $199/6 sec= ...

[Napoleon]

Not noticed any toughening of acceptance criteria.... or indeed had any sites thrown out of the directory, but:

One of my sites has dropped from top page to bottom for no apparent reason.

OK... conspiracy theory: The site is the same one that suffered the infamous +20 penalty in Google and has now been axed at Google (see specific thread).

No tricks or funny business on the site by the way.

Surely they couldn't be.... could they?

[Liane]

Prior to Yahoo going pay to submit, I submitted my site and it was rejected for "not having original content". The site was submitted three weeks ago (pay to play) and was accepted. O.K. ... it has a new look now, but 90% of the content is much the same as before.

I don't understand either. I suppose it depends on which editor looks at the site and if it is a Monday morning or a Friday afternoon!