How we list and write

A listing is published when it has a real name, a resolved category, a place or online status, a way to act (website, phone, address or description) and a source. Imported listings carry their source and the date they were fetched. Owners prove control of the business's domain with an automated check (an email there, a DNS record or a file on the site) and then manage the listing themselves; nobody at OTW approves a claim by hand, and payment never establishes ownership. An owner's paid listing publishes itself when it meets the same rules. Organic order is by match, category fit, place fit and freshness; payment plays no part, and sponsored rows are labelled and kept apart. Articles are written by people from sources named on the page. Sponsored articles are commissioned, labelled, and their links to the sponsor are marked sponsored. We do not write claims we cannot source, and we remove listings on a credible closure or removal request.