Submit form down?

[Advisor]

Hi JoeAnt guys and gals...

Just trying to submit a site but the submit form seems to be down. Any word on when we can submit again?

Jill

[Phoenix]

Everything is changing. Right now, if you want to add a site yourself, you need to become an editor. But because I know the quality of the sites you've submitted before, if you want to PM me with the URL title and description, I'll add it.

MB

[ihelpyou]

Oh my. You must be kidding? Understanding that many seo's have many clients to submit constantly and are very busy and simply cannot be editors all over the internet. You all will lose out listing many sites, etc, just like zeal loses out by forcing people to become editors. There are only sooo many sites one person can be an editor with.

I have to say I am shocked by this.

[Advisor]

Hmmm...going the Zeal route, eh?

Well, in some ways that could be good. If we become editors will it be easier and quicker to get our sites listed?

Could you outline the process of becoming an editor here for us? Is it just a matter of applying?

I'll pm you that site. I thought I had submitted it previously, but looking at my records I must not have. I may need your help in determining a category. I can never seem to find one at JoeAnt that accurately reflects my sites! I think you guys need some additional subs. (I know...I'm sure it's on your list!)

Thanks, MB!

Jill

[Hbird64]

Yes, it is just a matter of applying and you and can start submitting. No quizzes, no example submission. You can also request for subtopics, and Phoenix will add them (maybe).

Doug, the advantage is the site will be listed immediately (if you work according the guidelines), and you don't need to be an "editors all over the internet", just at JoeAnt :D

Hugo

[Phoenix]

The number of submissions we were getting each day was unreal. This would have been a good thing if most of them were quality sites...or submitted to something close to the appropriate topic. It was discouraging for our editors to have to wade through all that and unfair to the Webmasters who had good submissions but had to wait for us to get to them.

We have added several new editors just this weekend. Many are adding quality sites, suggesting new subtopics, and becoming part of the JoeAnt community through their posts on the board and through our internal message system.

To become an editor, just fill out the application. You will receive an email with a link to log in. The submissions will go through faster than they did when we accepted them from Webmasters, but you will only have access to one topic in the beginning.

There is a link available to our editors to suggest subtopics. If the suggestion is good and isn't a duplication of another sub, then it should be approved fairly quickly.

As for time, I think you may find it's faster and easier this way. You will know what sites have been approved to be listed and have more control over the placement, rating, and description. (Within the guidelines, of course.) Also, if an entry needs to be edited, you will know what changes need to be made so that it can be listed.


MB

[Advisor]

Sounds a lot like how it used to be at the old GO directory. I was an editor there, and it was great! I remember spending an entire day submitting all my past clients sites when I first got in. I really liked that place from an SEO submitter point of view. As long as you were reasonable and knew how to craft good descriptions, you could get some decent listings.

Didn't JoeAnt form as fallout from the old GO directory?

Jill

[Hbird64]

Yes, the people who started JoeAnt are all very experienced ex Go guides. And we are trying to bring the old days back :p

Hugo

[Phoenix]

Jill, what was your old Go.com name? We just had a thread on the board at JoeAnt discussing the old days and who we were back then.

MB

[Advisor]

Well, I wasn't really active on the forums there or anything, so you probably wouldn't remember me. I think my user name would probably have been Webwhiz.

Jill

[Phoenix]

The forum was one of my favorite parts of Go. It really helped build a sense of community. Although there was that bad element there, like that mean hbird and weird a1vegas. (just kidding, guys.)

MB

[Advisor]

Just what I need...another forum!

J

[JoeAnt]

Our actual additions have gone up and should continue to grow. The editors that have registered over the weekend have been great. They've been asking questions, making requests, and submitting quality sites. Things around JA are going much smoother because of it. The other vonlunteer directories will thank us for this. Because the way our Anthills are set up, these new editors are getting a crash course on how to submit to a human edited directory. Not that all of them need it. They're now told almost instantly whether or not their site was approved. Why it wasn't. And what needs to be done to get it included. During the reviews, the editor is welcome to converse back and forth privately with the reviewer using our message system. This layout gives those interested a great way to look at the behind the scenes of a human edited directory and see exactly what is going thru the reviewers mind. That is, until they themselves become the reviewer. :)

Experienced editors will have it the easiest. Those familiar with DMOZ and the old Go.com should breeze thru this system.

SEO's don't have time to be editors everywhere. I agree 100%. But, imagine if their account allowed them to just add sites to JA without having it reviewed. If they prove to the system they no longer need to be reviewed, we give them 100% access and they're then on their own. Their submissions will never see another Anthill again. There are going to be pro's and con's to every setup. With both open Anthills and free webmaster submits, it would be very hard to keep up with both. Editor reviews will always be our first priority. That would mean the webmaster submits would continue to get pushed back further and further, making a lot of SEO's very unhappy. Now, they can expect an answer the same day or the next.

[ihelpyou]

Now that sounds like a good deal! :thumbs:

[Advisor]

It actually is a very good idea. I'm sitting here thinking that now that I'm an editor (I signed up!), I have to create really good Titles and Descriptions and can't try to pull the wool over some editor's eyes! Now you've put it all on my head...darn you! So much for sneaking keywords into the titles! :slywink:

Jill

[Glo]

Joe's new setup is sooooo much better now. We believe everyone except the spammers will benefit. The only problem I can see for SEO's is that they have many different kinds of sites to submit and only one topic they can submit to when they first join. But there are always solutions, especially since Joe is still young. I'm sure the staff would be willing to help out in adding sites to topics that a SEO might not have access to. Of course, the SEO will still have to do the work - meaning, write the description, title, and choose the correct topic.

Anyway, this is the time to join, when everything is new and fresh and wonderfully exciting. :)

[Glo]

BTW, Doug, should you decide to join our little community, I have about 30 sites just waiting to be added! :slywink:

[ihelpyou]

Since you will be giving seo's a little special treatment, I was wondering if you will be checking out their credentials first before letting them in? You know many seo's who are bigKing spammers. Will you have criteria to go by, or are you going to let anyone join and say they are a seo? How about 'submission' cos that claim seo status? How about ppc only cos that claim the same?

Before you know it, all your editors will be SEO's if you don't have stops in place. LOL

[Matt B]

Sounds good - I think I may look into it also.

I was hesitant about the new direction at first - you know the whole 'change is bad' thing. But I can see how a "newer directory" would get flooded.

[Advisor]

Doug, from what I understand from what they've said above, is that SEOs can apply, and their submissions will be reviewed at first (like everyone's), but then once they see that you know how to follow the rules, they will eventually be able to trust you and your submissions will no longer be reviewed.

Is this right, JoeAnt guys?

This might make a good little addition to this week's newsletter :slywink:

Jill

[Phoenix]

There are a few SEOs that we know enough about to offer an immeditate jump up in levels. Most others will need to start with one topic and add some sites to show they understand the guidelines and aren't going to be adding a bunch of affiliate sites or mirror sites. Once they add some quality sites, they can let us know they are SEOs and it's possible arrangements can be made to give them access to more topics.

Having people who are experienced at writing descriptions (versus just a list of keywords), can spot sites that cheat to get higher SE listings (we don't want cheaters either), and have knowledge covering a wide variety of topics, are the kind of editors we need. We also know that ethical SEOs are as picky in selecting what sites they will promote as we are in what sites we want listed. Having people like this working with us can only benefit us all.

MB

[Glo]

Doug, we can just as easily take privileges away, easier in fact. It takes very little effort to nuke an editor and with the threat of all their sites being removed because of abuse, should cause some to think hard about trying to cheat the system.

Nothing is perfect and we will have those unscrupulous types that will take the risk but we can see everything that's going on behind the scenes. Meaning, they will be caught and dealt with eventually.

Basically, what we are saying is that we are willing to work with those who have proven they can be trusted. Some will advance quicker than others but just because they get full access and privileges doesn't mean they are untouchable and can do anything they want without suffering the consequences.

We have a good staff that knows what to lookout for and we are actively involved with the editors, which was the biggest problem Go.com suffered. Their silence looked like a complete lack of regard for their editors and for the overall look of their directory. Without staff intervention, the guides/editors had no power to stop those who abused the system. We do not want to see history repeat itself on Joeant.

Most of all, we just want to have a good time while doing something worthwhile. We want our editors to enjoy being a part of our community and know they are valued. :)