"Circus Series" by Michael Himmerich VIP Photo Award, Best Series, Spring 2002 Copyrighted Material, All Rights Reserved

Building a great site is one thing, but does it make a noise if no sees it? Having the best website there is will do you no good if no one can find it! Therefore Internet Marketing, including Search Engine Optimization (SEO), is an integral part of the design process.

Search engines are a primary means of connecting consumers of products and information with related sites and information. There are only a few “search engines” that really matter, however. The Neilsen NetRatings from November 2005 show that almost 50% of all searches took place through the auspices of Google, while almost 25% were done through Yahoo and 11.5 through MSN. (For a detailed breakdown, see http://searchenginewatch.com/reports/article.php/2156451 .)

Google runs two different kinds of search results. On the left side of the page are the “unpaid listings” On the right there is a column for sponsored, pay-per-click (PPC) listings. Both are important because users follow leads from both. Some distrust sponsored ads and will only follow the unpaid listings; some do not make this distinction.

There are many variables which enter into Google's unpaid listings search algorhythm to determine placement of sites. There are on page criteria, such as keyword references in the text, title, or even URL. There are criteria such as length of domain registration, and freshness of page publication. But by far the most important variables are link popularity and keyword reputation.

Link popularity is simply how many other sites link back to any given site. Google's “page rank” value is based on link popularity. Page rank goes from 0 to 10 with 10 indicating the most link popularity. Keyword reputation refers to the keywords that are used in any given link. If a link gives a website address (URL) alone, for instance, it helps with link popularity, but does not give the Google machine a specific idea about what the site is about. If the same link references keywords, then Google will assume that the site is about the keywords listed, and the site will get a boost in those listings. (For instance, a link to this site could be listed as www.vividinternet.net , or as Custom Website Design. In the latter instance, Google will give a boost to the site for the search term(s) “custom website design.”)

Google's sponsored, pay-per-click (PPC) program is called “AdWords.” Subscribers list the maximum amount they are willing to pay when a user clicks on their ad, as well as the maximum daily amount they are willing to pay. It is a nice program with user-friendly interface and is a great way to get exposure for sites that don't have the resources to optimize for the unpaid listings. It is a great marketing tool because it maximizes effectiveness by targeting a precise market audience.

Google has instituted numerous updates to maintain its competitive position in terms of its ability to serve relevant results. In addition to keeping a jump ahead of the competition, these updates are also meant to counteract attempts by unscrupulous optimizers and spammers.

For instance, unscrupulous web designers at one point practiced such tactics as “keyword stuffing” in content and code, or used “invisible text” to try to improve placement. “Invisible text” refers to writing text on the page in the same color as the site's background. The idea is that the text would be visible to search engines, but not bothersome to viewers. Google now looks for tactics such as this, however, and will penalize a site for their use.

Another tactic used by optimizers was listing sites on “link farms,” sites created solely for the purpose of allowing people to get more in-bound links to their sites. Google has taken steps to minimize the value of these links, however, or even to penalize sites that rely on them. The latest Google update, code named “Jagger,” severely limits the effect of “reciprocal links.” For more information on the Jagger update, see the following articles:

• http://www.sitepronews.com/archives/2005/nov/9.html
• http://www.searchenginejournal.com/index.php?p=2563
• http://www.webpronews.com/expertarticles/expertarticles/wpn-62-20060112SEOTipsInaSeaofChange.html#marketing
• http://www.pandia.com/sew/112-on-the-google-jagger-algo-update-part-1.html

While Google is a “search engine,” Yahoo started primarily as a “directory.” Search engines allow users to enter search terms and will return query results from a database, while directories follow a “table of contents” format in organization. Oftentimes search engines are more automated in nature, with “spiders” that go out to “crawl” for listings, while directories require human submissions.

Yahoo currently lists its search engine results more prominently than its directory results. Its directory requires a $300 annual fee for commercial submission.

In direct contrast to Yahoo is the DMOZ directory. DMOZ stands for “directory Mozzilla,” and was formed by a consortium of Netscape, AOL, and some others in the early 1990s. Its intent was to create the largest human-edited free directory on the web. It is an important directory to gain placement in for its behind the scenes influence, but most Internet users have no direct knowledge of DMOZ.

There are numerous services that claim to optimize sites for top search engine rankings. Like anything else, however, there are really no easy shortcuts. Services offering submissions to numerous search engines can be dismissed immediately, given that there are only a few engines that matter anyway! In addition, every business or organization has a unique niche and marketing requirements. Hence, the only way to develop a solid optimization plan is to customize a program unique to each particular site.