How long do you spend daily verifying submissions?

Hey,
How long do you spend daily verifying submissions?

My directory is taking up a lot of time now and the profit from it is very low.
It's taking more than three times more time than some of my sites that are making 10 times more profit.

I have had a coder working on my script and it will take about another month to complete the work and it will make it a lot easier and quicker to verify submissions.

I have been thinking of closing my site to new submissions until then, right now I am working close to a full day on submissions.

There are over 10,000 sites in the directory now (Although I need to do a recheck on sites but the new coding will help with this).

How long do you spend on your directory?
What do you do if you have a backlog?

 

I don't get too many submissions yet, so I don't spend much time reviewing.
I don't have a big backlog (usually less than 10 sites), but I think I'm going to improve the code, because right now it's not prepared to have a lot of sites waiting review.

 

John, I congratulate you on the obvious popularity of your directory.

I think that growth pains like this are inevitable, and you have to be aware of the cost/benefit ratio of what you are doing. Obviously paying someone to help you out would cut even further into the profit for the site, and leaving sites in the backlog would just frustrate the people that want to be listed. Going to an automated review process would just open it up to the spammers.

It's a dilemma, for sure.

 

My site isn't a directory site, but does have a link directory. So we have enough submissions that we don't have to go out and initiate trades, but few enough submissions that I can check them daily and the verification doesn't take too much time. But, what do you do when you get to the point where you have too many submissions as many of you have? There has got to be some type of solution....

 

Well, your standard answers are:

* Stop taking submissions (which essentially means your directory becomes obsolete quickly)
* Only take paid submissions, or, if you are doing that already, up the price
* Pay for someone to help you review sites (you need to make enough money to afford this)
* Start using a "volunteer editor" model (fraught with problems)
* Stop reviewing and automatically include (quality of the directory drops)

Each definitely has their pros and cons. I don't think there is an easy answer...

 

I would start charging or raise the price. Focus more on listing high quality websites.

If you do not mind me asking how much traffic does your site get?

 

That's my opinion of mine as well. The incoming spam (including comment spam) has really turned me off.

 

Spam is a real de-motivator, for sure.

 

We've got most of it fairly automated to weed out the crap. Bad listings, garbage listings, bots that do stupid things, etc.. For the most part we update about 2 or 3 times per hour, sometimes once every couple hours. Generally between 10AM and 12AM. Time wise, perhaps a few hours a day. Yeah, I agree, it is taking a lot of time, but in the end it will be worth it.

What is really taking time is our own directory script. Perhaps a few more weeks coding and it will be done!

As for the back log? I don't worry about it. That is why there are "Rush Lisings, Premium Listings and Super Premium Listings" in our directory. They take precidence over all else. I guarantee all paid inclusions will be listed in 24 hours!!! Free listings are 7-10 days, max, thought often times less as many here can attest to.

The key has really been the scripts/bots we have pre-qualifying sites to insure that a site that perhaps goes no where or has some other problem is rejected before we ever see it.

Good luck man. I'm in the same boat, near 16,000 listings now!

 

If you dont do it allready, you should add image verification to the submission process. This should stop most of the spammiest of spam you get.

 

We do. But some spam is always going to get through even that

 

I hate those image verfication things, esp when you type in the code and then it tells you you entered the wrong info grrrr.

I have x2 Directories, get my fair share of spam - but all pending reviews are listed clearly so I can delete them straight away without checking them and have an IP blocker also - so each review can be made in a couple of seconds...

 

It probably tells you that you have entered the wrong characters because everyone (MSN is the worst) seems to feel the need to make the images so damn cryptic an Egyptologist expert in hieroglyphics cannot even decipher them.

Take close look at the one in the KingBloom Directory and you will find it is completely readable!!!

 

I feel get the service of volunteers solve the problem. There are hundreds of link building service providers. Ask them to participate in verification with strict guidelines..... Just an idea. Have a kind of system for mutual benefited for both sides.

 

I spend maybe 2-3 (max) hours a day reviewing submissions and it goes like this:-

1. After getting up having a cuppa, check the new listings.

2. Quickly scan through for paid listings
if paid listings then
check paypal for payments
if no payment then
back to admin section and delete listings
else
accept payment and add listing
end if

3. Same as 2 but for link backs.

4. review the new unpaid listings and either accept or throw out.

I do this normally 3 times a day to ensure I don't have a back log, I'm also getting around 20-50 URL's and 100+ visitors a day but keeping on top means I never have 'to many' to go through in 1 sitting.