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Should one try to be listed as many times as possible? Does it help? Is once enough?
Is it wrong to be listed in different categories? Do they frown on this? For example, we sell posters, but we sell aircraft posters, and lighthouse posters, and wildlife posters. I would like a listing in the lighthouse, wildlife and aircraft categories, etc.
Should you update your listing every so often? Why?
Should the entry be optimized for any given other search engine or index?
Is anyone reading this an editor? Are there additional polices communicated just to the editors that we should all be aware of?
What do you do if a editor is derelict in their duties?
Should we all become editors? Can this help our own listings somehow?
How long should it take to be listed, or updated? Is there any tricks to get listed faster?
Any other ideas?
Thanks,
Is once enough?
As a general rule, yes. Exceptions are possible, most often for businesses with a physical presence that gets listed in Regional/, but otherwise they are, well, exceptions. ;)
Is it wrong to be listed in different categories?
In your case, it would most likely be wrong. If your site is about selling posters, then it belongs into [dmoz.org...] (hmmm... why does this ring a bell just today?).
The categories about aircraft and lighthouses are for sites that inform about (or possibly sell) aircraft and lighthouses, not for sites about posters. Of course you could try to submit there anyway, but you'll only annoy an arbitrary number of editors by doing so.
Should you update your listing every so often? Why?
No. Once your site is listed correctly, it will remain that way without any further action from your side. The only situation where an update is appreciated is when the site has shifted its topical focus so much, as to make the placement or title/description incorrect. But if you submit updates like "we now sell sailboat posters as well", then you'll just annoy some overworked editor, without any tangible result.
Should the entry be optimized for any given other search engine or index?
That's a seperate question that has nothing to do with your ODP submission, so I'll pass for the moment.
Are there additional polices communicated just to the editors that we should all be aware of?
The general ODP Guidelines [dmoz.org] are the foundation for everything else. Some branches or categories also have more specific guidelines, submission charters, and FAQs. In your case, the Shopping FAQ [dmoz.org] has the relevant information. There are no "secret policies" to fool the submitters around.
What do you do if a editor is derelict in their duties?
Depends on what you mean by "derelict".
If you just think that an editor should work more and harder, think again. You will then find that this person is an unpaid volunteer putting in exactly as much time and effort as they can afford. Once you realize this, you'll stop calling them derelict, and instead thank them for what they do.
If you find that someone is abusing their editing privileges, then go to [resource-zone.com...] and send a private message to one of the meta editors. Do NOT publish the name of an allegedly abusive editor in any public forum, as you might as well be mistaken in your assumptions.
Should we all become editors?
- If you can write concise and informative descriptions in perfect english grammar and spelling (or another language of your choice),
- if you are able to determine correctly according to the guidelines which sites belong where,
- if you can arrange yourself and collaborate productively with other people in a largish organization,
- and if you don't plan to just promote your own sites,
then yes, by all means, please apply to become an editor!
Can this help our own listings somehow?
If you are accepted to a neglected category and properly work through all the unreviewed submissions there, which just happen to include yours, then yes.
In general, no.
How long should it take to be listed, or updated?
Unfortunately, that can take anything from minutes to several months, depending on the category. If you have been waiting for more than a month, then you can post at resource-zone, and someone will try to figure out what happened.
Is there any tricks to get listed faster?
Assuming your site qualifies for a listing at all (see this thread [webmasterworld.com] and the FAQ linked above for possible counterindications), then you can help the editors by submitting your site to exactly the right category, and with a picture perfect title and description according to the guidelines.
If you're thinking about sneaky tricks, then I strongly recommend to abandon the idea. Your submission can easily get marked as spam, which may make a listing difficult, even if it would normally qualify. Remember that any comment that an editor wants to make about your site will stick with the URL forever in the internal database.
Any other ideas?
That must be enough for the moment... ;)
