Has ODP been doing a little housecleaning?

I know, I know....submit it & forget, but I do check every couple of weeks or so to see if my site has yet made it into the directory.

One thing I have noticed is that in the category I have submitted my site to, http://www.dmoz.org/Shopping/Health/Beauty/Fragrances/, sites have only been removed, not added.

I thinks this is great if old sites do not exist anymore, etc. However, I do find it odd that it doesn't seem that any new sites (including mine) haven't been included.

Unfortunately, this category doesn't have an editor, so I am sure my site is pending along with the THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS of other shopping sites that have submitted.

What even bothers me a bit more is that my application for editor in this category was rejected for some reason (I got a 'form' type decline email, with no specifics).

I come across all kinds of interesting sites related to mine in searching for link partners, so this is kind of disappointing. I feel sorry for the other 'mom & pop' shops like mine that probably buried in with the other submissions.

Ok, enough about that.

Has anyone else been seeing a decline in the listings for their category? It has been a gradually decline...probably about 2-3 a week being delisted.

 

If there were no specifics mentioned, then one or more of the common reasons that were listed will apply. I checked the category and I can tell you that it is much too large for a beginner especially in the Shopping branch. Shopping is very hard for a beginner even if the category were much smaller. But you really need to check all the other reasons in the list to make sure that is the only one.

However, I did notice that you have a local address on the contact and shipping pages.

This is my suggestion if you are interested in being an editor for more than just adding your own site. Apply here: http://www.dmoz.org/Regional/North_America/United_States/Texas/Localities/M/Missouri_City/
to get some experience editing before applying for Shopping and even then you would need to start in one of the subcategories of the one you first applied. Small localities in Regional are very good training grounds. Usually, there are very few if any submissions waiting, and you will have access to links that would fit there that others would not. Most small town categories are best built by locals who find links in local newspapers, on delivery trucks, billboards at local football games, etc. This category is a perfect size for a beginner. And since you have a local presence your site would also be eligible there.

It's ok to use your own site on the application, but I would suggest that you do not. Find 3 eligible listings for the application, but make sure you disclose all your affiliations to other sites, then add your site here later. Once you have been accepted and you have proved yourself as an editor, you can apply for a small category in Shopping.

 

Actually, that is not the exact category I applied for. I applied for http://www.dmoz.org/Shopping/Health/Beauty/Fragrances/Perfume which currently only has 34 entries.

I did not use my own site as an example. Also, I did list my affiliation with my websites.

I might try the local route as you suggested. However, it's a small town, so I bet there aren't a whole lot of sites to review, if any!! Maybe I will apply to the county category.

 

I realized that it must have been one of the subcategories after I posted, since the top one doesn't invite volunteers. I just didn't see that until after I posted. However, as I said before Shopping is difficult for beginners. I edited for over 1 and 1/2 years and never felt competent to apply for Shopping. Shopping has guidelines that are specific to Shopping, and I never learned to determine an affiliate site from one that was not.

You can just about count on it. I started in my home town which had 38 listings when I applied. In all of my time editing not once did I receive a submission to that locality. That's part of what makes starting in your home town rewarding. I increased the number of listings there to about 60. That's not bad for a small town where almost no one has even heard of the ODP or even cared. You might find the County to be even harder to find sites for since sites listed in County must be relevant to the County as a whole. I still say the locality would be the best start.

 

Okay Dogbows! I submitted my application for the Missouri City category. Found a few sites for my application that probably need to be listed!!

We shall see if I get accepted this time around.

I guess since editors can add sites relevant to their category I should be able to get these listed. One is the website for my neighborhood which has a bit of information about our schools, organizations, history, and so on. I have relied on that site in the past, so guess which one I will add first!

 

To coin the editor's phrase who encouraged me to apply----"Regional Rocks!" Good Luck!

[Added] P.S. You have a pm, drh.

 

About 2 or so hours after submitting application:

Welcome to the Open Directory Project!

Your editor login has been approved and created.

Woohoo!

THANKS A BUNCH, DOGBOWS!!!

 

Congrats! No thanks necessary, you did it I didn't. It took me twice as long to get accepted. Just make sure you nominate me as Best Ex-Editor Ambassador next month in the Mozzie Awards.

 

Yippie! Welcome to DMOZ drhfinegifts!

 

Yep, the meta added the sites I used on the application so I am making a few changes (based on Dogbows hints) and adding them to ODP.

There are only 3 public submitted sites - one is good, the other 2 are, shall I say, crap?

But this is quite interesting and I feel kinda warm & fuzzy inside!

 

OMG! You're addicted already! Please let the editors that read this know that any hints I gave you other than what is in this thread were after you sent in the app not before. I knew you were gonna get accepted and to be honest the time frame of acceptance is not surprizing to me. You did your homework well! Anyone can become an editor if they go at it with the right frame of mind and apply the information provided them in the guidelines.

 

And maybe Most Congenial Retired Editor too? Glad you're posting here db - shame to waste those talents

 

Yep, that's true. He gave the hints after and actually, and was about the redundancy of adding in the city name in the description when it is pretty obvious since it is under that localities listing (duh!).

All I did was surf around and see how other sites were listed. Keep the descriptions concise & to the point. That's about it.

I have actually been doing that for quite some time for other directory listings, such as my Yahoo directory submission (accepted!) and other human-edited directories.

 

She !

Good luck!!

 

Welcome to the family drhfinegifts!

 

Welcome to the ODP, drh!

 

Welcome to DP skunky!

 

I have been lurking here for a long time, but decided to drop in and say "hello".

Thanks for the welcome, annie!

 

Thanks for the welcomes!

BTW, my editor name is drhayes.

I see that Dogbows frequents the Resource Zone (saw you logged on last night!)

 

drhfinegifts (aka drhayes) -I haven't seen you say hi on the new editor forums yet - what's taking so long?

Did you get that password issue fixed?