15 replies to this topic

[petersn]

Our site has just been listed in the Yahoo directory, but not where we wanted it to be.

We requested "Directory > Business and Economy > Shopping and Services > Food and Drink > Seafood" but were placed in "Directory > Business and Economy > Shopping and Services > Food and Drink > Seafood > Brand Names."
So we're not listed with the majority of our competition.

How big of a deal is this? Does it really matter? And if it's important to change, how can we go about doing it? I understand that Yahoo is very independent about this and pretty much does what they feel like. In other words we have no control. Is this true?

-Nancy

[Jill]

Hi Nancy,

IMO, it really doesn't matter what category you're in as long as it's accurate (which yours seems to be).

That said, you can reply to your Yahoo! Express listing email, and nicely explain to them why you believe your site fits more accurately in the other category. You can't simply tell them that your competition is there, as they won't care. They want your site in the most accurate category they can find. It may well be that it's in that one now and you won't get it changed.

Jill

[petersn]

Thanks for the input Jill!

It's accurate, in that we are a brand name. But if someone were actually shopping and looking for a list of seafood shopping sites, I am pretty sure they would not click on brand names for that purpose. I don't think they would go further than the list presented under seafood.

I guess the key question is, does anyone actually use this directory for shopping guidance?

-Nancy

[Jill]

It's really hard to say. I can't imagine people actually drilling into categories these days when they can do a search in the search box, but that's just me. It would be interesting to know from Yahoo themselves if people are browsing through categories to find stuff. Or at least what percentage of their users do that.

J

[Scottie]

Nice to see you Nancy! Where was that pic taken? Looks beautiful!

[petersn]

Was taken at our lake camp in Maine on one of those rare gorgeous summer days. I was actually standing on the dock with my husband and daughter but cropped what you see for this purpose.

[skiguide]

hi nancy...

i've run into this before with some clients.

well, the only real way to tell if it going to negatively affect you is to wait a few days until the database updates the new listing and see how you turn up in search.

I don't think being up a level with your competition is necessarily going to help you all that much - the most you can expect in either category is to come up in the top 20 for "Gorton's seafood", "fresh seafood", "live maine lobsters", and "king crab legs" because those are the key phrases in your new title + description.

but the main SEAFOOD category is a PR5, and 'brand names" is a PR4 - so that could factor in, and you might consider appealing to get into the top level seafood cat.

However, what I find most interesting is that Yahoo actually put your new listing into the same category as a listing that ALREADY existed for your company under just gortons.com (i understand one is for fresh, other for retail) - but what they would/should normally do in that case, is create the BOLDED link to your own subcategory under "Brand Names" with a (2) to indicate two sites for the company.

I definitely think that you could craft a good appeal letter to the express listing approval email that suggests your newly listed site is ALSO appropriate in the category above brand names, since it does offer similar fresh seafood products to those already listed there, and that the main Gortons.com site is to promote the brand name, so that is the most appropriate category for that listing, but it's not necessary to have them both listed in the same brand name category since the two sites serve different purposes.

And while you're at that, i'd include an update request to the original listing that focuses on promoting that site, retail ops, branding, etc.

[Scottie]

Wow- very detailed advice Elisabeth!

[Jill]

Wow- very detailed advice Elisabeth!

I told you she was no slouch!



Jill

[petersn]

Thanks everyone for excellent advice, as always. This is a GREAT forum.

FYI, I did send off a very polite reply to Yahoo, suggesting that they reconsider the placement of our site. We'll see what happens.

Nancy

[petersn]

Just thought people would be interested to know the final outcome on this issue.

As suggested here, I wrote a polite appeal requesting that we be moved to the more appropriate location. That was Wednesday. It was approved today and should appear in 2 to 4 days.

Thanks for the help! Job well done!

-Nancy

[Scottie]

Congrats Nancy! Good work.

[Jill]

WTG, Nancy!



Jill

[revsorg]

When I submit sites to Yahoo I am doing it almost entirely to benefit my site's Google PageRank. I therefore look for Yahoo categories with high PR and with few outbound links.

It seems that of the two pages you might appear on in Seafood the Brand Names page has fewer outbound links which is good, but has a lower PageRank which is bad. Under these circumstances I personally wouldn't have been worried about which page my site was listed on.

I can understand your anxiety though, when you pay that much to be listed even the smallest thing is enough to rile you.

[skiguide]

see, Jill, isn't Yahoo great?