I got a new idea and I thought this is the best place to propose it. Usually to update an entry in a directory, the link submitter has to login and do it. If his directory is submitted to hundreds of directories, then it is not feasible. I have a suggestion for a making it simple. We upload a file in our server, something like yourdomain.com/update-directory-content.php. Something of the following format or say we can use XML like syntax To edit the content all the site owner has to do is edit the file. The directories will automatically check the file for updates to the content. The biggest advantage is that, we can give different content for different directories, by making an list of description and meta keyword / description. Also we can specify what content is to be given to which directory by looking at the referer. Ofcourse, it is vulnerable to misuse. By using strip_tags, we can avoid it to a limit. But if a strong policy is made on misuse of the feature, then I think ppl will be more careful about it. Or else we can always make it a featured link only feature . What do you think about this?
I prefer to write our own descriptions rather than use the standard descriptions that's often repeated with each submission.
So you made your own description for all sites in your directories ? In that case the the above suggestion is not useful to you.
For a very large majority of the listings @ eWebPages, yes. There are a few of the original listings remaining that use the submitted description, but as time permits I'll likely rewrite them.
Sounds like a take-off from Google's verify file ... There are plenty of problems that this will introduce for directory owners. 1. First is of course the spam factor. I want to know what is being put up on my pages. Nothing beats a manual review prior to inclusion. 2. Is it directory owners responsibility to poll your site for changes? How often will that need to be done? What bandwidth will be required for thousands of listings? Will it impact response times during the update (might need two servers)? 3. How many would use it? My directories have user editable listings, but less than 0.1% (one tenth of 1%) ever use it. Your directory would now become an exception ... I have learned that submitters want to get in, get out, and never come back. It is almost like an addiction ... They NEED another directory to submit their sites (more links, more PR, more traffic) Figure out how to tap into that addictive behavior ... then you got a winner! BTW: Passwords are a pain ... but I keep every email where I have been reminded. I just wish more sites would send them out right from the start.
Users don't comeback because it is not possible for them to comeback and edit the content in each and every directory they have submitted to. Further more the changes are not accepted directly. They are first reviewed and then accepted. Of course, it means more work for the admin. But remember they provide fresh content.
You missed one small detail in my post .... I have been providing this capability on several of my sites for the past three years ... not a popular feature.
That was what I was actually referring to. Users do not use the edit feature since it is NOT possible for them to visit each and every directory (most of the directory submitters have their website submitted to more than 200 directories) and edit the content. Hence they go for submitting to new directories. Which is more easy and their is the extra advantage of getting a new back link. But if they have the facility to do it from their own site (without much difficulty), then I strongly believe they will use it.