Re: Search Engine Placement

by "Bryan Bateman" <batemanb(at)home.com>

 Date:  Fri, 15 Dec 2000 10:23:57 -0000
 To:  <dmcampbell(at)astpcola.com>,
<hwg-basics(at)hwg.org>
 References:  ast20
  todo: View Thread, Original
Funny how just two lines of text can generate thousands.  My post seems to
have touched a nerve with more than one individual on this list.

Here is my take on the situation.  Some Yahoo and others decided not to be
just POSE (Plain Old Search Engines).  They decided to become "portals"  or
"everything I want on the web is here, why go elsewhere" or "ohhhhh look at
all this traffic, how can I profit from it".  Should have been a great
business model.

Many things happened on the way:

They went public.  From that moment on VC's and other investors wanted to
see a profit.

They added IM and free email and free internet and a shopping site and
...............................  The infrastructure and personel to run
these things cost money.

They decided to let banner ads and other advertizing pay for all this
overhead.  That business model went sour as you all know.

What is left.  Charge for your services, right.  Not a problem, except when
it cost 5 times more to register a site with them than registering a domain.
Not, when it becomes apparent that they are more interested in creating
shopping malls and other portions of their business instead of the core
business of POSE.

This is their choice.  As the free enterprize system has show if consumers
do not think they are getting value for their dollar, they will go
elsewhere.

Time will tell.

Good Luck Yahoo!!!!!

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