Re: Local Search engines?

Barbara:

A "local" search engine using a service like FreeFind as it's base requires
almost no coding as they supply it all and provide a multi-page on-line
wizard to allow you to include all the URL's you would like. The search form
can then be inserted on any page you like, regardless of that page's URL. It
even sets up a site map automatically, saving you the bother.

However--this is the easy part in setting up a VIABLE search engine. The big
thing is letting people know it's there to use. Like Edward said, Yahoo
gives the impression they are the world's greatest search engine even though
they're one of the worst. Your local search engine service must of
necessity, be a gateway for the area. It must have many services, news
weather, shopping, etc and the whole darn town must know about it.

The thing that brought my magazine to a halt, (more or less), was the loss
of my partner in the venture, The guy that was to do the marketing. A very
large portion of the profit realized was to be used for ongoing advertising
to make sure that the magazine, "NewsRedding.Com", was as well known to
Redding residents as the hula hoop.

We intended to jump start our local advertising with trade-outs with three
radio stations, (one each adult music, rock noise and country) along with a
weekly shopper that is popular in the area. In addition, we intended to
borrow money for a modest number of ads in our local newspaper. Then invest
heavily with moneys obtained from fees and the sale of web sites, etc. on a
continuing basis.

Unfortunately, my "partner" insisted on doing his own web creation work in a
vain attempt to save money and had no time left for marketing. This rapidly
detrained to a point where he gave up and went to work for wages. As no
other young vigorous sales person jumped up to fill the void, I decided to
put the project on hold. It was just a bit much for a seventy year old man
on Social Security with a fresh cardiac artery stent implanted in his chest.
(Yeah--the same thing as our new V.P.)

But I still think the idea will work just fine, The code part is easy. The
main thing--as it always is--is advertising and marketing.

Best wishes
Ted Temer
Temercraft Designs Redding, CA
temer(at)c-zone.net
www.temercraft.com/
www.newsredding.com/



> I would love to see something like this happen...if I knew how to code
> it I might make one! There are a few in this area already, but they are
> basically a local listing of whoever they can get a few bucks out of.
> Usually, their business is something else, computer sales, or web design
> (hmm...), so they can offer these listings free or for a song. Good for
> businesses who's clientelle is local, or for local non-profits.
>
> However, the small business who is trying to make it in the national or
> even global marketplace has got to shell out an awful lot of money to
> get into any kind of decent search. Part of the problem, as someone
> mentioned, is that some SE's won't list you if you have no domain of
> your own, as some of my clients do not. They originally got low-cost
> hosting on a computer company's domain, and would now have to get their
> own domain if they want good listings. Maybe. One of them has his own
> domain, and complained for months that he wasn't getting listed.
>
> So the problem remains. But at least I have more information for the
> client (Thanks, Ted!) so I can help them market their own site, and not
> have to rely solely on SE's.
>
> Barbara Money
> The Essential Image
>
>

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