Re: Search Sites - Recipe

Here is what I have used effectively some time now:

Recipe for Search Engine Listings:

Add 1 Web Position Gold...
Read thoroughly the reports on positioning to know what needs to be added 
to the mix next, where you need more ingredients, where less - use this 
tool as a guide - not the holy grail.  I do not use this program for their 
doorway page creator - just the reporting features.  With the Gold version 
you also get updates/upgrades when available and allows you to track 
unlimited URLs.  Great customer support too.

Add 1 paid subscription of http://www.searchenginewatch.com/...
The paid version of the newsletter mentions the latest scoop each 
month.  All of the
information noted in this thread about database sharing and rules and 
guidelines
have been discussed in this newsletter and member only access area.  Worth 
every penny!

Add 1 ounce of prevention...
We all know that having the basics in place for Search Engines really does 
cover most of the bases.  So make sure that before you launch your site 
that you have the criteria in place to insure some relevant listings.  I 
have found the above mentioned newsletter more of an asset in this regard 
than WPG's analysis which can be contradictory and confusing at times.

Add 2 ounces of caution...
Do not believe everything you read on Search Engines and directories unless 
it comes from folks who are credible and reliable with information on this 
topic.  Scams abound touting positioning and listings.

Add a pinch of pre-sell...
For those tracking and assisting clients with their listings, from the 
initial pre-sell you need to tell them up front the reality of Search 
Engines and how they work - or in some cases do not work.  Knock that top 
10 listings for $XX Spam we have all seen right out of their heads, the 
sooner the better!  Dependent on a clients market, how competitive it is 
and how many other sites in that industry are online makes attaining decent 
listings more difficult just due to the numbers of sites scrambling for 
position.  Technology companies, Realtors, "web designers" - all need a 
proactive aggressive approach to be found amongst the noise due to the 
amount of sites within these industries.

Add a quote in closing....
"The only thing consistent about Search Engines is change."  As I advise 
clients, all we can do is implement what we know works today and be 
prepared to change that tomorrow if necessary.

Finally, mix all of the above together and you will have a recipe for 
decent listings.  However, don't be too surprised if in fact you are 
surprised by listings that none of the above can explain or compensate 
for.  ;-)

Search Engine listings are what I call a "science fair project" to 
attain.  Never a dull moment, always perplexing but critical to getting 
found in the mess of millions of sites currently online and being 
registered daily.

Also....LookSmart now is a pay only model or no listing, Excite has 
followed suit but still offers a free listing service that basically 
doesn't guarantee a listing in any reasonable amount of time.  Yahoo!'s 
Business Express service does get you in within a week (that is if you have 
a decent valuable site) and is worth the bucks to get that 
exposure.  Inktomi one of the database providers to many SEs is also 
planning a pay for model by the end of this year.  So, the days of 
expecting listings just because one has a site are gone.

None of these pay models guarantees you a listing, just a yeah or nay 
within a specified time-frame (editorial licence) .  Expect more of the 
same in the future - the bar has been raised as search sites realize that 
serving up quality sites is to their benefit.  They are no longer going to 
make an effort to just list sites because they have a dot com and someone 
submitted their site.  Link popularity, content value, visuals and 
editorial license will have a big impact on how or even "if" sites get 
listed at all.

HTH!
/j

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