By now, some of you are thinking about how easy it would be to get your sites listed in LookSmart by becoming editors at Zeal. And yeah, that might work ...

But there’s a catch.

It is easy to join Zeal. Anyone can do it. But before you can start adding your own or anyone else’s sites to the directory, you have to pass a Member Quiz. Passing this 20 question quiz will allow you to add a site to the directory. That sounds easy enough, especially considering that it is not timed, that each question is based on the published guidelines, and that you can have these guidelines open in another window while you’re taking the quiz.

But alas, it’s not. It is not an easy quiz at all, at least not the version that I remember. To pass it you have to achieve a MQ of at least 90, and even with the guidelines open, it took me a few tries. Each time, it’s a different quiz, although some of the questions might look familiar.

In my defense, however, at that time one had to maintain a MQ of at least 90, which considered the averages of previous attempts. Since I winged it the first time, earning an atrocious score, it took awhile to bring my average up to 90 or above. In looking at the rules as I’m writing this, I can see that they have changed that. Now, only the current test score is considered.

Once you’ve passed that hurdle, you can add sites to the directory. Well, sort of. Each submission is reviewed and often edited by editors or more senior members before the listing is published to the LookSmart database.

If your edits are modified, don’t get angry. Learn from them. Most of the time, if not always, the editor will leave instructive comments for you. These can be very helpful in helping to point out things that might otherwise be something less than intuitive. If you don’t understand why your site description or title was changed, ask. But do so politely, respectfully, and with the clear intention of learning rather than debating the matter.

In order to adopt a category, and to be able to edit within that category without immediate supervision, you will have to become a Zealot.

To become a Zealot, you will have to pass the Zealot Quiz. As with the Member Quiz, this is a 20 question multiple-choice quiz, based on the Zeal guidelines. Topics include selecting sites, categorizing sites, and managing categories.

Once you have become a Zealot, you’re in. You can manage whatever categories you can afford, using points earned as your capital. Within categories that you have adopted, you can add sites, remove sites, and modify descriptions to your heart’s content.

Don’t think you are in your own little kingdom, though. The eyes of Zeal are upon you, and that’s a bad thing only if you’re there for the wrong reasons. I’ve never tried abusing my privileges, but I don’t think I’d be there long if I did.

The next step after becoming a Zealot is to become an Expert Zealot. I’m working on it but I haven’t reached that level yet.

In conclusion then, if you want to become an editor for Zeal in order to get your site listed in LookSmart for free, it would be cheaper in the long run to pay. It takes a lot of work to be a Zeal editor, and I don’t know if one ever gets to a point where they can simply relax and edit.

Besides, if your site is commercial in nature, you need to submit it to LookSmart anyhow, and if it’s non-commercial you can get it listed without becoming an editor. Simply submit your site and someone will review it, adding it if it’s appropriate.