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For webmasters, e-marketers and e-merchants...

Google, which recently went public after celebrating its 6-year anniversary, is setting the standards in search engine ranking criteria. As optimizers, our task is to understand how sites are ranked in search results. For link campaigns for example, we often look to Google results and expect other search engines like Yahoo - and the soon to be introduced, MSN search - to catch up. Linking is an extremely important factor in search results. While Google currently leads the pack in the sophistication of their technology, it is probably only a matter of time before other search engines begin to catch up.

For more information, see our in-depth article on link campaigns entitled Linking is Queen. We've also collected and read through many articles related to search engine marketing that were published since the last issue and placed the best ones in a section below for you to read. Enjoy!

- Jason Campbell

Search Engine Navigator

Linking is Queen If content is king, then linking is the queen that shares his throne. We have all heard about adding content to your site to give the search engines fodder to consume. But the secret to luring the search engines is the links to your site. Today's search engines look very carefully and critically at who is linking to you, and what it is that they are saying about you. A link from a leader in your industry carries a lot of weight and means that your site is important. Two links from industry leaders means your site is even more important. 100 links from random websites, from industries you are not even related with, means almost nothing. Thus, getting links is only the start; the important thing is getting good links from quality websites. Why do links matter? Since the arrival of Google and their PageRank, search engines have put a lot of weight on links to a site. There used to be simple ways to get good rankings: Meta tags, titles, keyword density, etc… Today, things have become more complex, with search engines now using a very complicated algorithm that involves: links to your site, what is written in those links, who is linking to the site that links to yours, what are the keyphrases used in those links, what is the quality of the site that is linking to yours, how many other links does that site have, how many links out (and to what sites) does your site have, and other such criteria. To use a rather appetizing analogy, these new criteria are added to the stew that is your site, along with the quality and quantity of the content. Left to simmer on the worldwide web, this stew is then eaten up by the search engines depending on how well your site matches the aforementioned criteria. Put differently, the king and queen must join together to turn your site into a number one result. How do we get links? It all starts with content. No one will link to you unless you offer quality information about a particular subject. If you are in real estate, you must offer information about the area you sell. If someone wants to buy in your area, first s/he will want to learn about it, so you will need to have good resources about that area. The next step is to find new sites that would benefit from your site's information; new sites whose clients would potentially buy your real estate. For example, one of our clients (www.monlac.com) sells real estate in the Laurentians area of Quebec. Their site has content on activities in Quebec and the nearby Laurentian mountains. Thus, we will be soliciting links from websites such as the nearby water parks and ski hills, nearby towns, lake and boating associations, and local construction websites to name just a few. To these websites, not only will linking to www.monlac.com make their customers happier, but it is in their best interest that the site sells real estate since it brings in more business for them. How do you solicit links? To solicit sites you have to use a lot of elbow grease. Send out personalized emails to these sites. Don't send out mass emails or spam. Be friendly, and point out the benefits of linking to your site. If you are lucky, maybe 1 in 3 emails will get a response. It is frustrating and discouraging, but keep your spirits up. Many times a site is perfect but they don't ever update it, so your site won't get the link in because nothing ever changes on the solicited site. Don't waste too much time on sites that haven't been updated in years. It is also important to follow up. Until you get a flat out denial, keep saying "Hi", and keep it personal. Keep track of who you have contacted and what you have written or said because you have to make it seem like they are the only person you are contacting. As soon as they get a sniff that you are sending out a mass email, or that you are using the exact same approach with other sites, you will probably lose their respect - and their business! Do not forget to submit to the directories such as the Open Directory Project (www.dmoz.org), because getting listed here counts for a lot in all the big search engines. Take your time and choose the right category to submit to. Also, read about how they want their descriptions and titles written, and write them that way. These are the keys to getting into the directories. Soliciting links is a very time-consuming (and frustrating) venture, but it is essential to getting good rankings in the search engines. It takes a lot of patience and a lot of time. Getting your first link is like getting your first sale. It is just as hard - and just as satisfying. Good luck, Shawn Campbell is the co-founder and Chief Search Engine Optimizer at Red Carpet Web Promotion, Inc. www.redcarpetweb.com

Statistics This month we measure the most popular search sites in the United States, as based on audience reach for June 2004. Audience reach is the percentage of US home and work internet users estimated to have searched on each site at least once during the month. Only "search specific" traffic is counted toward the figures below. Because a web surfer may visit more than one service, the combined totals exceed 100 percent. Statistics are by Nielsen//NetRatings June 2004 Top 5 Search Destinations Google 41.6% Yahoo 31.5% MSN 27.4% AOL 13.6% Ask Jeeves 7.0%

Stay on Top Each month we review articles from leading industry magazines and newsletters. The following articles are the most interesting out of all the articles that were reviewed in the last two months. Click on the links below to read the full articles. Search Can Provide Brand Lift, Study Finds (need a password) http://searchenginewatch.com/_subscribers/articles/print.php/35601_3388891 SearchEngineWatch – August 1, 2004 - For search engines and search engine marketers, a holy grail has been figuring out how to attract the big money spent on branding into search. Now a new study gives both parties ammunition to say search can build branding. - To read the press release (no password needed) http://www.iab.net/news/pr_2004_7_15.asp The Future of Search http://searchenginewatch.com/searchday/article.php/3384481 SearchEngineWatch – July 22, 2004 - Representatives from the world's biggest search engine companies sat down with Danny Sullivan and several hundred of his closest friends to talk about the future of search and information retrieval. The imperative to avoid giving away deep company secrets meant that audience members had to listen extra closely and read between the lines at times. Making Your eBay Store Search-Savvy, Part Two http://ecommerce.internet.com/how/customers/article/0,,10363_3385011,00.html ecommerce-guide.com - July 22, 2004 - My goal was to get our eBay store listings picked up and listed in some of the shopping search engines to draw more potential customers to our little orchid store on eBay. And to do it for free -- as a struggling small business, any ad campaign much over two figures is just out of the question. My results? A mixed success. I tried Froogle, BizRate, Shopping.com and Yahoo! Shopping… Creating Compelling Search Engine Ads and Landing Pages http://searchenginewatch.com/searchday/article.php/3396681 SearchEngineWatch – Aug 18, 2004 - Search engine advertising presents many challenges. First, advertisers need to purchase the most relevant keyword phrases. Second, ads must be written to compel consumers to click on the ads. Third, the ads and the keyword buys need to generate clicks from qualified buyers. Advertisers don't want their search engine advertising campaigns to generate unqualified traffic, costing them money and offering no hope of conversion. Additionally, ads must comply with the search engines' editorial standards -- a lot of work for what appears to be a simple ad campaign. Search Engines and Competitive Research http://searchenginewatch.com/searchday/article.php/3395601 SearchEngineWatch – August 17, 2004 - Search engines offer a plethora of information about your own site and your competitors' sites, ranging from advertising, SEO, to publicity campaigns. Understanding how to search and diligently monitoring search results often provides valuable information about the players in your industry. Online Public Relations: A Proactive, Innovative Approach to Communication http://www.highrankings.com/issue109.htm#guest High Rankings Advisor Issue No. 109 - August 18, 2004 - A good online PR campaign can help you increase your Web presence, improve your rankings and enhance your company's image -- especially when combined with proven SEO techniques. This might be a new concept for some of you, but I know it works. Seven Gifts Your Search Engine Marketing Company Will Love http://www.isedb.com/news/article/973 ISEDB.com - August 11, 2004 - The best gifts offer as much pleasure to the giver as to the receiver. If your business puts these seven elements in place as part of your search engine optimization project, you'll reap the rewards of a struggle-free campaign that produces the results you hoped for. And in the SEO world, that's the greatest gift of all! Beyond the Buy Button in E-Commerce http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20040706.html useit.com - July 6, 2004 - The best way for ecommerce sites to increase subsequent orders is to treat customers well after they place their initial order. Search for Tomorrow http://pf.fastcompany.com/magazine/85/open_search.html Fast company Issue 85- August 2004 - Beginner article on paid results, with a look to the future. Discusses behaviour (serving ads based on people’s profiles) and geography (serving local ads). “Meet the future of advertising.”

Letters to the Editor Send your questions and comments for our next issue to news@redcarpetweb.com. Be as specific or general as you want -- other subscribers are probably wondering the same things you are. You should also let us know of any promotions, sales or new products on your website.

Next Issue - New feature article - More on how Search Engines work - Stay on top: Articles from industry newsletters and magazines - And more... To subscribe to the Promotion Press, go to the subscribe page and fill in your email address. To unsubscribe from the Promotion Press, go to our unsubscribe page and fill in the address you subscribed with. This Newsletter is produced and published by Red Carpet Web Promotion, Inc. © 2000-2004