Re: Search Engine Placement - charging and not getting listed

> After reading the FAQ page for Yahoo (see link below), all I can see is
that
> they are making nebulous promises while requiring concrete payment for
what
> is nebulously promised.
>
> It seems to me the bottom line is that Yahoo! will happily take everyone's
> $199, then maybe or maybe not give them a listing. If they deny a listing,
> does the unfortunate applicant have to pay ANOTHER $199 for ANOTHER
attempt
> at receiving a listing? And if denied a second time, does this continue ad
> infinitum?

Although I have not personally paid yet to get listed on Yahoo or elsewhere,
I can see it coming for future websites.

The question about being charged is relatively moot.  If they charge you and
you do not get listed, I have the feeling they will work with you to some
extent.  If they don't, you call your CC company and tell them you were
charged for a product and Yahoo did not deliver.  The charge gets removed
from your bill because every CC company has that guarantee built-in.

No matter how nebulous Yahoo writes their offer up, when they start to have
charge-backs pile up and complaints they will risk losing their credit card
abilities... even if they are a behemouth of industry.

>From a legal standpoint, they would also be guilty of selling listings and
then not delivering them.  Sounds like a serious class-action lawsuit for
fraud.  I doubt they want that.

I suspect their wording is poor and what they really mean is that the
customer needs to build a website that fits their parameters - i.e. meet
certain minimum standards.  If you don't meet their standards you don't get
listed  * until *   you meet the standards.   I see no problem with that as
long as the standards are spelled out.... which they are.



> And maybe I am exhibiting ignorance here (perhaps naivete??), but don't
> search engines make money off of advertisers? How have they remained in
> business this long without charging what I feel are exorbitant fees for
> *possibly* providing a service?

In the early days of the 90's marketing was just a word and all we knew were
banner ad's and link circles and a few other ideas that have also gone to
the wayside.

They are not making enough money off advertisers because the knowledgable
webmasters went around telling their customers that banner ads and paying
for keyword placement was a waste of money.... when we could have been
getting rich taking "affiliate" money under the table. < GAG! >

It did not take much time for clickthrough rates and the difference between
a clickthrough with a sale and one without to become common knowledge among
professional webmasters.  Why pay for something that does not work?

Those that knew how to play the game were happy to build successful websites
by putting the extra work and charges into building and marketing the
website.  There were tricks to getting listed and the secrets at first were
kept to a few.  .

Searchenginewatch.com and a few similar websites let the cat out of the bag.
Few were willing to pay for banners or keywords and thh SE's & Directories
went back to the drawingboard because they are getting tired of sending
their employees pink slips and seeing their ratings on Wallstreet crash to
the floor.  They gotta make money somewhere or in manywheres.

Paul Wilson
webgooru(at)gte.net

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