8. What percentage of links submitted get rejected?

If you look at all of our submission processes, our rejection rate is close to 40%. There’s a lot of garbage out there, and it doesn’t have a place in BOTW. For webmasters who submit through the commercial queue, if their site gets rejected we do offer an appeal process. Additionally, if after the appeal the site is still not BOTW material, we do offer webmasters the opportunity to present us with a different site for review. But it is a non-refundable review fee, and site owners need to remember that they are paying for a review, and not a listing.

12. What do you look for in a quality directory?

More than anything, I would examine the quality of the sites listed. Is the directory listing any site that pays or are they only listing sites that contain relevant information for the category? Is the focus of the directory on the user experience, or is it simply a listing service for webmasters? Are they adding sites on their own to create a resource of relevant information, or are they relying on paid submissions for their build?

Additionally, I’d consider the taxonomy, and navigability of the directory. Are the sites being listed in a relevant and intuitive manner, or are they being placed in categories in a haphazard way? Age of the directory is another thing I’d consider. A history of providing a quality resource would go a long way in my decision.