Want to know the secret to great search engine listings? Ignore Google.
No, I’m not crazy.
Have you ever seen a horse plodding down the road wearing blinders? A lot of people see the road to good search engine listings the same way. With blinders on. They can’t see anything but Google. Google is number one. They obsess on Google. They desperately want to get a good listing in Google.
That is crazy. True Google-Vision requires removing the blinders.
If you do a Google search for “Google Marketshare” you’ll find some interesting numbers.
- comScore Networks says Google has 36.9% of the search market.
- eMedia says 45.85%.
- Search View agrees with eMedia.
Do you know what that means? It means that if you’re obsessed with Google, you’re not seeing over half the searchers on the Internet. That’s pretty crazy, too.
The top four search engines are Google, Yahoo, MSN and AOL. Ignore Google. Ignore Yahoo, too. Trust me on this.
MSN loves content and they prefer a relatively flat hierarchy to your site. For example;
BAD:
www.your-domain.com/folder/folder/folder/folder/page.html
GOOD:
www.your-domain.com/folder/page.html
www.your-domain.com/page.html
Each slash (/) represents another level in your file hierarchy. Less is more.
Make sure you have great content on your site. Submit to MSN. Then submit to AllTheWeb.com. Once you’ve done those two, submit some articles to article directories. Yes, just like this one.
When you’ve done all the above, submit just your main page to dMoz.org. Read their policies very, very carefully first. You do not want to make the submission wrong and get rejected. dMoz feeds AOL search, and you know how many members AOL has… They’re like the McDonalds of ISPs.
Then, keep an eye on your website stats program. Odds are, one day you’ll log in and see a little visitor named Googlebot. It works almost every time.
See, Google doesn’t like websites that exaggerate their importance, stuff pages with keywords or cheat their algorithm to attempt to get to the top. Even on their website, they state that they examine the entire web when calculating results.
Looking at the web as a whole, instead of focusing on Google is true Google-Vision. It’s how Google looks at the web, and it’s how you need to look at the web, too.
When you stop obsessing on Google, and start working on providing good content to the rest of the Internet, Google will find you. In my experience, Yahoo won’t be too far behind.
LindaCaroll.com clients have been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, People Magazine & more. You can get great results, too. Start with the free email course, at Google-This.com or enjoy the discounts for Ezine Article readers
This article may be reprinted in full as long as you include a live credit link to LindaCaroll.com or Google-This.com.
Written by SEO Tipster on July 25th, 2006 with no comments.
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Why, you ask? Mainly, because search engines want to provide their users with good content. How do they find it? By surfing the web for it. However, search engines don’t view websites with human eyes, instead they use “spiders” (also known as crawlers, or robots), a “spider” is an automated program used to browse the web in a methodical manner.
These spiders rely on actual words to provide the search engine with information about the topic and related content of a website, and its relationship with other related topics or websites. They love text copy, so give it to them! (This is why flash and image based websites don’t work!) The more content you have the more text the ’spider’ can find and the more valuable your site will be to search engines. (The more valuable your site is ultimately means you will have higher rankings) Plus good content makes your visitors happy too!
If a website only contains images, there is nothing for the spider to read and it won’t stay on your site very long, and your site will not likely be indexed. Some images can be read by some spiders if you use proper naming and the alt text feature. (Name your images something related to the topic of your site and use the alt text to describe the image and try to use your keywords within the alt text. But be careful not to “stuff” too many keywords in there … this is seen as search engine spamming) Optimizing images should be used in addition to optimizing text, not replacing it!
So if this copy-writing stuff is so important to search engine marketing, then why do so many website owners and designers neglect this area? The simple answer is that good copy-writing is time-consuming and difficult. However, it is an essential part of your search engine optimization strategy. If you take the time to do it right (or even pay someone else to do it for you) your efforts will pay off in the long run.
All this is too confusing? It often is, which is why most people don’t bother with it; don’t panic, there are many website designers, such as Plush Designs (http://www.PlushDesigns.net), that also offer content writing and search engine optimization (SEO) services at affordable rates.
Read the rest of this extensive article on our website; http://www.PlushDesigns.net/article.htm
? Plush Designs - 2005 All Rights Reserved
Written by SEO Tipster on July 24th, 2006 with no comments.
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It is by now a proven fact that content is the most important element for getting better pagerank and, consequently, more traffic.
Furthermore, the best ranking websites have content that is better written than most other sites.
A common mistake is to think that Google spiders just consider keywords and layout in order to establish pagerank.
If you look at the top ranking pages for the most searched for keywords, you will see that the quality of the content has been essential for getting them better pagerank, not to mention the enormous amount of traffic that Google sends them as a consequence.
Let’s look at some of the key areas that we have to keep in mind when producing content:
1. Updates
If you don’t update your content frequently, your visitors won’t have a reason to come back, and Google will not consider your site for better pagerank. You may get a good initial pagerank, but if Google doesn’t see that the site is updated frequently, pagerank will surely fall as a consequence. The best frequency is once a week, when possible.
2. Grammar and spelling
Sites that are well ranked in Google have little or no spelling and grammar errors. Before uploading content, make sure to check for spelling and grammar mistakes. Microsoft Word’s spell-check may even be more than enough for this task.
3. Paragraph layout
Not only on websites, but in any type of message that implies text, lengthy paragraphs are difficult to read and readers loose focus on the content. Google is also aware of this fact and prioritizes short 1 to 4 sentence paragraphs.
The same applies to sentence length. Keep sentences brief and to the point with only relevant information. If there is an extensive idea that must be included, you can break it up into two or more sentences.
4. Keywords
On well ranked sites, references are made throughout a page to keywords and variations of the keywords. Always keep content relevant to the keywords that are referenced to your site.
5. Lists
Whenever presenting lists of items, it is better to show them bulleted or numbered and not in paragraph format. This is visually much better for your visitors and Google will also give it better pagerank. For example, see the difference with the text from this section in both formats:
Example 1 ? Paragraph format:
When creating content, keep in mind updates, grammar and spelling, paragraph layout, keywords, and lists.
Example 2 ? Numbered
When creating content, keep in mind:
1. Updates
2. Grammar and spelling
3. Paragraph layout
4. Keywords
5. Lists.
Some final thoughts:
? Always make sure that you have quality content on your site.
? If you write your own content, try to have an editor or a professional writer look at it before uploading, until you gradually develop your own writing skills.
? Make sure you update your content frequently.
? Distribute some of your content freely to other websites. This will generate more links to your site and improve your pagerank as well.
? If you don’t have writing skills and aren’t willing to pay a professional writer to continuously create content for you, you can opt to acquire content databases that will provide you with extensive content that you can update regularly.
Once you have your site up and running, focus on content from then on. The design and layout of your site may be a one time only process, but content needs to be taken care of and nurtured to generate traffic and keep those visitors coming back for more.
John Tulus is Marketing Director at Web Marketing Experts, developer of internet marketing solutions to help companies increase sales and profitability online. If you would like to learn more about Internet Marketing, visit Our Website at Web Marketing Experts and Web Contents or email John at johntulus@gmail.com
Written by SEO Tipster on July 24th, 2006 with no comments.
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SEO, not again!, you may groan. The webmaster world is inundated by articles and “how to’s” with regard to SEO (Search Engine Optimization). If you are a rookie webmaster, chances are, like me, you may have embarked on a merry-go-round on the SEO circuit, depending on which article and opinion you were first exposed to.
The role of search engines in getting free target traffic to your site is not debatable. How to get noticed in the search engines has spawned a whole industry, and gurus in tow. As should be expected, they have taken a very simple and straight forward issue and made it convoluted, a field of study at the fringes of rocket science.
What are the search engines looking for? This has become a course with a Masters degree awarded for algorithm chasing. But the answer is very simple. They are looking for unique valuable content to deliver to info hungry surfers.
Let me ask you a question. When you visit Google or Yahoo and type in a phrase in the search box, what are you looking for? I suspect you are looking for a site that does justice to that search phrase. You need information, you go to Google, you get it, you are happy. Chances are, next time you need to look for information on another subject, you will return to Google or whoever.
Just imagine for a moment, and it has happened to me time after time. You type in a search phrase, and you visit the first site that shows up in the result pages. You click on the link, and what do you find? Garbage. You return to the results page and click on link number two?unrelated content. Link number three, no content. You get frustrated, and go to page two etc. If you eventually come up with nothing useful, you head for the search engine next door. The search continues. The search engine that gives you what you want has won your loyalty, and of course, next time you go search?that’s right! You go back there. If they deliver yet again, boy! You may jolly well make that your default search engine.
The search engines know this fact. They want people to come to them.
Why?,
So that they can show them adverts. If traffic drops, so does advert revenues.
How do they increase traffic?
By serving searchers relevant content, so that you come back for more, again and again, and hopefully click on the adverts.
How do they serve relevant content?
By making sure that sites with the most relevant content to the search phrase show up tops in the result pages
How do they do that?
By developing very complex algorithms and criteria (both on-page and off-page) that weed out low content and keyword stuffed pages, so that the real deal gets to show up tops.
What are those algorithms?
Nobody knows. Some claim they do, and keep second guessing Google and co. The fact is, Google will always be a step ahead. They change the algorithms at will, and each time they do (as they did recently), the SEO world goes into a tail spin. Gurus whip out their crystal balls and try to figure out what the new secret formula is. They try to play catch up.
Fact is, Google has a battery of egg heads both from the industry and academia whose job is to develop these ultra secret algorithms. The system is wired up in such a way that each team member only knows a bit of the whole picture. Very few have the whole picture, and it is very doubtful if they will divulge it for all the gold in Fort Knox.
Chasing after Google algorithms is like chasing after the wind. It is a waste of energy, time and resources. In the unlikely event that you catch up, they leave you behind yet again, a few months later. The chase continues?
I believe it is time to step back and take a deep breathe. These guys are simply looking for unique valuable content. Why don’t we simply give it to them, and sleep well at night, instead of dreaming of algorithms?
If you have chosen a niche that is in line with your passion as your site theme, then what are you waiting for? Churn out good valuable content, and the engines will love you for that. You will get your creative juices running, keep the engines happy, and visitors satisfied. Everyone wins.
You will shoot to the top overnight. You may experience the loneliness of a long distance runner. For some months, it may seem like nothing is happening. Simply get your title and meta tags in order. Write with your audience in mind, and keep reminding yourself who your audience is. Definitely not Google! Google will not read your stuff; neither will they deliver your most wanted response (MWR). Visitors do.
Keep adding those lovely unique content, focusing on one keyword per page. Over-deliver. Get listed in good directories for valuable one-way links. Exchange a few links with very good sites that your audience will love. Keep adding those content. Your good content alone will cause other webmasters looking for good content to link to you, without necessarily asking for a link back. Such one way links from good sites are a strong endorsement for your site, and the search engines are noticing. Link to sites that inspire trust in your visitors. If you link to junk sites, they will begin to question your judgment. That will erode the trust they have for you, and that my affect your MWR.
Stay focused. Before long, you will begin to see results. As heavily SEO-ed sites begin to pant and drop off the radar due to algorithm changes, you are just warming up for the show!
Running after search engine algorithms takes you totally off course, and instead of adding content, you are forever tweaking the few pages you have. You tweak it to death, till it makes no sense to a human reader. If you manage to score high at the engines, the five seconds visitor you manage to garner click away, wondering what it is you are trying to say. Trying to beat the engines is mission impossible. Why dissipate your precious energy when you can channel it in building your business
Keep it simple. Run in your lane. Fuel your passion. Let it show on your site. The most potent form of advertisement is word of mouth, by a satisfied visitor. They will return. They will tell folks. Before long, you have built a brand, and have become a recognized guru in your niche. By this time, you are on first name basis with your bank manager.
Usiere Uko is the webmaster of the Financial Freedom Inspiration website and editor of the monthly Financial Freedom Inspiration Newsletter, a free ezine to inspire you to exit the rat race and fulfill your God given dreams. To subscribe or visit the site, please click on the URL below. http://www.financial-freedom-inspiration.com
Written by SEO Tipster on July 2nd, 2006 with no comments.
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MSN finally unleashed its new search technology to the world on Monday. The official announcement coming from Bill Gates introduced the New MSN Search engine, ending with a personal invitation to visit www.msn.com and ??type in your question.??
Here at WebAdvantage.net, we consider ourselves to be veteran internet searchers, often able to easily find the information we’re after. Considering we spend all day every day online, we should be. Even so, we rarely venture to type search queries in the form of questions on search engines, except for the handful of times we visit AskJeeves.
The thought of being invited to type in a question at MSN’s new search engine intrigued us. We decided to follow the trail of links to learn more about what they were offering. We were, at first, impressed with the pages singing the praises of the new “more precise, more powerful” MSN Search service. We were impressed, that is, until around page five of the “learn more” series of MSN’s site pages. That’s when we started to get tired of clicking “next.”
Turns out there were ten pages devoted to learning more about what MSN Search offers (which perhaps could have been explained less painfully). But at WebAdvantage.net, we’re dedicated online marketing professionals, so we hung in there.
We were informed that MSN’s search results would now be drawn from their encyclopedia, MSN Encarta, enabling it to function effectively as a reference tool for finding things like definitions, conversions, geographic capitals and historical events. And that it could also now perform news and image searches and would draw music related results from its own MSN Music, placing artist information and sample song clips at the top of any music related search results.
MSN was also offering search functions for your own desktop or Outlook email (if you’re so inclined to download those). Throughout the “learn more” pages, they gave search examples. The first search examples given were in the form of questions; questions with specific answers like “Who is LeBron James?” and “What is the mass of Jupiter?”
MSN Search, they said, would give you more control over your searches, with filters to refine and a “near me” button to instantly localize results. Sounded good and well, but we were still more intrigued with that initial invitation to “visit and type in your question.”
So we tried it. We visited http://search.msn.com and decided to use one of their examples, typing in the question, “What is the mass of Jupiter?” To our shock and pleasure, there it was–an answer, right at the top and separated from the actual web results. It said, “Answer: Jupiter: mass: 318 Earth Masses.”
Inquisitive and competitive by nature, we wondered what would happen if we typed in the very same question at Google. So we asked Google, “What is the mass of Jupiter?” Amazingly enough, Google spat out an answer right at the top of their results page as well. But Google’s answer was, “mass of Jupiter = 8987 ? 10 to the 27th power kilograms.” Now, we’re Internet marketing experts, not rocket scientists, but it appeared that Google actually provided the more precise answer.
Good humored sports that we are, we went promptly back to MSN Search to give it another try. Since their first result at least taught us that Jupiter’s mass is 318 times that of the Earth’s mass, we typed in the next logical question, “What is the mass of the Earth?,” thinking that we could then arrive at our own conclusion by multiplying that answer by 318 to arrive at the answer Google had already provided.
Unfortunately, MSN’s answer to “What is the mass of the Earth?” was “Answer: World: mass: 1 Earth masses”
You’d think that the folks over at MSN would have tested their examples on MSN Search as well as testing the same queries on other major competitors before selecting them for the final cut. Well, maybe not.
We then spent the better part of the afternoon periodically asking MSN Search and Google questions to see how they’d fare. If you’re ever bored, try asking them, “How hot is the sun?”, “How many eggs are in a bakers dozen?” or “How far is it from New York to Utah?”
Here’s what we learned from our afternoon of follies.
1. If you’re looking for encyclopedia-type answers to questions like “What is a marsupial?” ask MSN Search (or visit encyclopedia.com or Britannica.com)
2. If you??re looking for a black and white photo of daisies, use MSN Search because the image search is nicely arranged and you can filter results by size as well as by color or black and white.
3. If you??re looking for results ??near me,?? stick with Google??s automatically localized results by including the city and state in your query.
4. If you??re looking for the most precise answer, perhaps you should stick with Google (at least for now).
Lisa Melvin is the Search Engine Optimization Copywriter at WebAdvantage.net, the Traffic Optimization Company, Maximizing the visibility of their clients?? sites, driving targeted traffic and increasing sales with their Search Engine Optimization, Media Buying and Online Marketing Services.
Written by SEO Tipster on July 2nd, 2006 with no comments.
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