To become an Open Directory Project Editor

When you do not manage to get your site listed in the Open Directory, the only solution is to become the editor of the category to which you want to submit your site.

First, go to desired category of the Open Directory and to a lower level (regional) category which does contain a - "become an editor" - link at the top of the screen. Fill the form with your experience and interest in the subject, also mention no business affiliation of the category.

The Open Directory now asks you for 2 or 3 sites which you would have added to the category had you been an editor of the category. The best way to do this is open a browser window and do a Yahoo search to find few related sites. Enter the URL, Title and Description of the first site, do the same for all the three sites and click on the Submit button.

Normaly within 2 weeks, you will get an email saying that you have been accepted as an editor. Log in as an editor and read the Directory Guidelines. Now you can edit the details of your category sites according to the Directory Guidelines.

Check for unreviewed sites in your category, and add the sites which are applicable for the category and delete the remaining sites which are not applicable. Title and the Description that have been used are appropriate for the Open Directory. If they are not, edit them so that they meet the Open Directory guidelines. After some active editing in the present category, apply for the editor of the category which is applicable for your site.

If you feel that a particular site that is listed in the category does not belong to the category, post a message in the Editor Forum and ask the other editors of the Open Directory as to whether the site belongs to the category. If they say that the site does not belong to the category, delete it.

When you apply to become an editor of the desired category, the Open Directory will evaluate the quality of your editing in the category which you already edit, and will see whether your editing meets all the guidelines.

Once you have gone through all the sites in the desired category, scroll down to the bottom of the category and click on the "edit" link. When you are asked to explain why you want to apply to the category, mention the number of unreviewed sites which are present in the category. Also, mention the fact that the Title and the Description for some of the sites are inappropriate for the Open Directory. Give few examples of such sites. If that category does not already have an editor, mention that fact too.

Once you have become an editor of your site's category, submit it with right Title and Description obeying the Directory guidelines. Review it and add it to the category. Don't give the site any special importance, as it draws attention of higher level editors.