What is the difference between search engines and directories?
Both search engines and directories are databases containing Internet (text) content. Search engines usually work by collecting data automatically. Directories, on the other hand, are edited manually by people.
Data collection for search engines is done by robots. The data is assessed according to specific algorithms and when a reqest is sent, results are returned according to that criteria. This content evaluation and the resulting ranking positions is handled differently by each search engine.
In directories, on the other hand, (human) editors collect the information and sort it into respective directories according to their criteria. Therefore, it is crucial to take great care when submitting an Internet site, for it to be accepted in the desired form.
The automatically compiled search engine databases are usually more up-to-date than manually compiled directories. Then again, the latter provide a more qualified pre-selection of information - you could say, they contain less "junk".
Which search engines are important?
The most important search engines are also the most popular, as they are used by so many people. In addition to the big names like Yahoo, Alta Vista or Excite, it may also be advisable to submit sites to specialist search engines that focus on certain topics.
Compared to the occasionally qoted figures of several thousand search engines world-wide, really only a few can be categorized as "important". Some are listed here, though by no means in their entirety; they only serve to provide an example: Important international search engines:
AllTheWeb, Alta Vista (USA), dmoz (Open Directory Project), Exite, Google, Go (ehemals Infoseek), GoTo, HotBot, Infoseek, Looksmart, Lycos, Northern Light, Snap, Voila, WebCrawler, Yahoo,Abacho, Acoon, Alta Vista (Deutschland), Crawler, Dino-Online, Excite (Deutschland), Fireball, Infoseek, Lycos, Lotse, Sharelook, Swisssearch, Web.de, Yahoo (Deutschland).
Do search engines sell ranking positions?
Not usually. Ranking in the match lists result from the evaluation process of the search engines and, of course, from the listed Internet pages themselves.
The search engine GoTo, however, is an exception to the rule, as the highest ranking positions are sold to the highest bidders. Alta Vista and MSN also experiment(ed) with exchanging top position for cash. As it is, not all keywords sell well, so these services mainly use "normal" search engine technology, which delivers matches to the "free" keywords and other suitable results.
Ranking auctions can have a positive effect on the relevance of matches if one considers that, on a long-term basis, companies would only "buy" keywords that are relevant for their products and services.
How do search engines evaluate Internet pages?
Each search engine has its own criteria-mix for evaluating Internet sites. Due to the often unsatisfactory quality of matches, the search engine operators are permanently working on improving their assessment systems. The exact evaluation keys are kept secret in order to impede misuse. It is therefore a very tricky task to optimize one's Internet site for search engines - and it's important to stay on the ball all the time so as not to lose touch.
Typical elements of the assessment-mix are, for instance, the number of words in the page contents that correspond to the keyword, as well as the keyword's freqency and location within the text. The number and location of links which point to a page, or the number of visits and length of stay may also be evaluated. On the whole, several of these factors are combined by a set of complex rules in order to attain the most relevant matches.
How long does it take for submitted sites to be listed within a search engine?
The waiting times between submission and listing are different according to search engine. Due to permanent changes and updates, listing times can even vary within one and the same search engine.
Whereas many search engines might list a page after 3 to 7 days, others may take months. Automatic search engines are usually quicker on the uptake than manually edited directories - as always, though, the exception proves the rule.
How can I improve listing?
Visibility is the first and foremost key to success in the Internet business.
According to an American study, experts assess the effectiveness of various marketing methods for websites as follows:
Website Marketing Methods
Effectiveness
Search engine ranking 66%
Email 54%
Print – brochures 42%
Print – catalogs 40%
Trade fairs 37%
Source: Active Media Research, LLC, 1999
We have been submitting our clients' Internet sites to search engines and directories since 1997. In order to be found, it is necessary to employ a professional approach and observe the basic rules. Our experience shows that success usually depends on the combination of three main factors:
* Optimal meta tags
To achieve high rankings in search engines, Internet sites also require a certain technical structure irrelevant of the (graphic) design features. This fact is often underestimated by web masters.
* Manual submission
Search engines regularly adapt their search criteria, some cease to exist, directories change their rules for admission. Thus search engines are constantly in a state of change. Automatic submitters can only partially adapt to these dynamic conditions.
* Manual verification
The only way to really find out whether a submission was successful, is to check it manually. It is the single method to judge the success or failure of this marketing activity. Many suppliers promise too much in this area,but deliver too little.
In the daily growing flood of information in the Internet, search engines play an ever-increasing role in providing relevant data to users. In fact, an estimated 80% of pages are currently accessed via matches found in search engines and directories.
Can I do all this by myself?
Basically, yes. Search engine submissions and the creation of doorway pages have no secret formula, nor do they require superhuman powers. What they do require, though, is time and patience to get familiarized with search engine features and the respective marketing methods. And you probably won't be spared the experience of learning from your mistakes.
As a rule, it's well worth leaving this job up to someone with the relevant experience.Find out more on our Ranking Service page.
Why are pages submitted repeatedly?
Every day, over 2 million new Internet sites are created (source: NEC Research). The search engines can hardly keep up with indexing all these pages. Therefore, just submitting a site to a search engine by no means guarantees that it will be listed.
Due to maintenance work at search engines, it can happen that previously listed sites are removed or move down in the ranking because of altered assessment algorithms.
In such cases, lasting success can only be achieved through repeated submissions and permanent website optimization.
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