BlowSearch- Engine On a Mission
Wired News article,
BlowSearch Tackles Click Fraud,
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,67873,00.html, introduces the niche search engine, BlowSearch. On a mission to guarantee advertisers no click fraud, a problem it claims the larger search engines and directories have put their head in the sand over, the little engine draws results from a purported 27 others and deletes repetitive results.
La Voz De Tigger
It's a sad day when the voice of Tigger passes on.
Google Search Operators
Following up on my last post from yesterday on the new MSN search operators, I keep wondering who the heck will use these advanced querying tools, anyway? SEOs who want to track inbound links, among a host of other useful information, maybe some savvy researchers looking to drill deeper into some files in order to find associated data. Other than these users, who is alerting the general searching public that advanced search operators are ready and waiting for them to employ for more targeted search experiences?
Google has scads of information about ALL of their services and tools. For a quick tutorial into the use of Google's Advanced Search Operators,
http://www.google.com/help/operators.html
How Effective Are "New" Search Commands?
Danny Sullivan at Search Engine Watch,
http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/050622-082709 points to a blog that digs into MSN's desire to offer a neural network based search, but beyond this, enhanced search commands that allow one to specifically drill into anchor text, url keywords, file types and titles of webpages-- pointing up the importance of well-written/designed title tags-- among a few other search commands. I don't have time at this moment to go into them, but be assured I will.
Really my question is, besides those web users who really are intrigued with accessing information and those whose business it is to optimize for search results, is the average Joe really going to seek new search commands? I think most people don't know how to set themselves to a really effective search right now with the commands available.
Where Have All the Good Writers Gone?
Where have all the good writers gone?
I actually posted a rather self-serving rant yesterday-- subsequently deleted it, once its therapeutic effects wore off-- about the fact that I have a writer who is under contract for the compay I work for and copyedit for who seems to be completely devoid of any sensibility when it comes to researching and writing a travel article. Mind you, the stuff we are looking for is basic. But, it should be concise, interesting and decently written.
Now, I've learned a few things:
First, as chapped over this supposedly "freelance" writer's performance as I have been I intend to realize that everyone has weaknesses.
That's being gracious, though. I still do not think a true writer shoud be marketing themselves with poor abilities. But this is just it.....
Are there enough good writers out there to write content for all the websites that need to be populated with the stuff?
I propose, No.
And for the writers who "think they can" like Little Toot of childhood, are they under that delusion based on the poor example of others?
I recently ranted over this particular writer's shortcomings one evening and a friend responded with, "I want facts when I search for something online. I'm not expecting a really fantastic read, Jen." omigod.
Good point. I've thought this over and I agree.
Which really means we just don't care. And I've posted on this topic before, the lack of respect for seeking good writing and good writers. Unfortunately, perhaps the lack of this precious resource is the number one inspiration for any kind of search engine opitimization. When you don't have the real stuff that makes something sought after, like intriguing information, you resort to.....well, other things to drive traffic, but I still would argue a lack of conversion.
And this is precisely why there are so many SEO experts who subscribe to acquiring good content, first.
Google and RSS
I found an interesting essay quoted by the Shifted Librarian,
http://www.theshiftedlibrarian.com, this evening. She was pointing to an essay entitled
The Importance of RSS, http://particletree.com/features/the-importance-of-rss. Written by Kevin Hale, the essay goes into quite an expository theory on why he thinks RSS will ultimately present Google another opportunity to offer AdSense and, possibly even AdWords-- their major search projects. His theory being that RSS has effectively changed the way in which data-seekers peruse information--- most of us aggregate the information we need the most of. So, instead of clumsily scouring ill-targeted search queries, RSS aggregators have cut out this middleman-- Google-- in favor of direct information, clean, uncluttered, unadulterated, stripped down and wrapped in plain brown paper. Hale pretty much infers that RSS makes Google the jilted prom date.
Technorati Excitement
I have to report I just logged onto Technorati and searched for "search engines" and my blogsite listed second in their results. At first I was reading the site description and wondering, "hey, wait a minute, those are MY words..." until I got the big ah-ha. I do realize that Technorati ranks sites by most recently updated, though. Just a bigger argument for keeping content fresh.
IBM, the CIA and the Acquaint Search Project
James Fallow's article at the New York Times, "Enough Keyword Searches. Just Answer My Question," June 12, 2005, goes far, far beyond the scope of his search frustrations and instead ends up trolling the waters of a virtually hush, hush search project sponsored by the National Security Agency in cahoots with the CIA.
Fallow says the project is currently classified, but posits the theory that the project, called Acquaint, aims to design a search tool/algorithm that mimics neural learning (or so it sounds). The hopes for the combined efforts, including IBM's, are that a specific query can be entered into a search field and that new order algorithms will so accurately parse and swiftly traverse the world wide webstore of documents, but return a true, pristine and unmuddied match. While he claims the project's goals, as they currently stand, are focussed on only good, he does make mention of their potential for the Dark Side of search....
Beginning Chemistry
I really know very little about chemistry. I fainted in 9th grade chem class giving an oral report in front of the class. Yes--"most embarrassing moment" kind of stuff. However, where the "chemistry" comes in is my attempt to make an analogy to the basics of search engines and search optimization that yields a type of compound, something more advanced, a combination of basic elements and materials.
I set out, originally, to explore just such topics, in their basic form, and I am currently madly dug into learning all I can about link building and pay per click. But in the process, I realized I have forgotten my initial goal. I am overwhelmed with SEO "code words" that are cryptic to me because no one takes the time out from their white paper-style guide books and articles to make a brief little aside for the less educated.
Whelmed is more like it. Not over.
So for the whelmed-- like me-- a few insights into the secret code words of the SEO gurus. (I love that word- guru--).
Anchor Text-- this is a biggie in the realm of link relationships. Link building. Anchor text, for anyone who knows even basic HTML, are the words one sees on the webpage that lead, via hyperlink, to a destination site. The actual link information--where the site is located-- is loaded into the HTML script. The anchor text, when optimally optimized, utilizes important keywords that figure mightily into the destination website's link popularity. I'll leave it at that.
For instance-- my blogsite. The actual link is what you see in the Adress field of your browser. Not very descriptive, or helpful, if I were optimizing. But if someone were to link to me, it would be so grand if they could replace the boring technicals of the link, itself, and instead give me some anchor text in the hyperlink the likes of "search engine and web content basics."
Web Conversion-- I mean, what IS this? We see this phrase a lot and I would venture to suggest that most people really don't have the foggiest. Web conversion exists when you have actually managed to sell someone on your website. When they visit they not only hang out a bit, but they might sign up for your newsletter, email a comment or, even better, buy your product or service. It's a
good thing.
Click Through Ratio--
Wow. Huh? This one I decided to search for thusly: in Google's search field I typed-- click through ratio explained. I found a number of tidy sites that defined the phrase. Web marketing is huge business, so in the world of pay-per-click marketing click through ratio is an important metric. It denotes a percentage figure which is arrived at through a ratio of number of ad "impressions,"-- these are the actual little ads that exist online-- to actual number of clicks on such an impression. I believe I was reading a percentage of 1-2% is common for a click through ratio.
End of SEO secret code words for the day.
Who Is Optimizing
I had stated in my site description that my goal was to discover why everyone is "optimizing"-- for search engines, that is.
It is clear that search engine optimization, SEO, is hot. Hot, hot. So hot, in fact, that there is daily buzz about market bubbles and the ongoing sleuthing for the latest Google algorithm sidestep. When something is this trendy, money is being made, would you not think that every online webmaster is surely tracking down the nearest SEO company? (But then again, once you buy a red car, you see red cars everywhere. Were that many more red cars bought?)
Chris Winfield's article,
Many Private Businesses Not Reaping the Benefits of Search Engine Optimization,
http://www.dmnews.com/cgi-bin/artprevbot.cgi?article_id=33036, suggests some answers and goes on to support a trend toward more natural seo.
Cut Off At the Pass
I thought I'd research something brainy on Google's current search algorithms.... It's late, and I'm a bit foggy-headed.
This is hysterical.. the patented Google "PigeonRank,"
http://www.google.com/technology/pigeonrank.htmland I will sign off with that.
