For years, the search engines have continued to introduce new factors into their algorithms to make their search results more relevant and to keep savvy search engine marketers from "cracking the system."
Weve seen many ranking factors come and go in importance. For example, years ago, META tags were the key to success, or so we thought. Stick in META tags that were loaded with your keyword phrases, and you were sure to achieve top rankings.
Then, we had keyword weight as a ranking factor. We struggled to determine the keyword weight of our competitors pages, then duplicate that weight in all of the various areas of our pages.
Along came link popularity, and with it, the massive link farms and link exchange programs. Web site owners joined as many as they could in an effort to boost the sheer number of incoming links pointing to their sites.
In the midst of these evolving ranking factors came changes to page components like the title tag. Put your keyword at the beginning of the tag for maximum ranking potential. Oops. Things have changed. Put your keyword as the 3rd and 4th words in the title tag. Wait - lets try the 2nd and 3rd words.
These are just a few of the ranking factors that have come into play over the last several years.
Can you see the potential for problems here
After all, including keywords in your META tags doesnt mean that the page is more relevant for those keywords. Just because you have 12,792 worthless links pointing to your site doesnt mean your site is relevant for your keyword phrase.
Now, were in the middle of another "link popularity" or "link reputation" surge. But the rules have changed. Now, we want sites that are related in content to our site, or authoritative, popular sites in our focus area.
Okay! Now were beginning to get on the right track! After all, if an important, authoritative site in a particular topic area links to your site, it must mean that your site is important and popular for that subject too. Or, if other sites in your subject area link to you, it must mean that your site is truly about that subject as well.
Equally important, or even more so, comes the "link reputation" factor. If enough popular sites in your topic area use your important keyword phrase when linking to you, its telling the search engines that your site is relevant for that keyword phrase. After all, the Web community has deemed to describe your site using that keyword phrase, which is a vote of confidence to the search engines.
Makes sense, except for one small problem. I can have a site thats devoted to wireless Internet connections, and you can have a site thats devoted to kitchen utilities. I can link to your site from mine and use the keyword phrase "kitchen utilities" in the link text. Some of the engines appear to use the link text as the determining factor when deciding link reputation, not the contents of the page pointing to the site. So, two sites that arent related in content whatsoever could potentially help boost the link reputation of each others sites. We may see the engines consider other factors in the near future, such as the contents of the title tag on the page containing the link, which will help solve this potential problem to some degree.
However, when looking at all of the factors listed here so far, do any of them truly prove that the page is relevant to a particular keyword phrase
With relevancy comes a much more stable, trustworthy search engine. When you search for a particular topic, youre assured of getting search results that contain pages with good, solid content related to that keyword phrase.
After all, most people venture onto the Internet looking for information. If we can provide that information in content-rich, valuable pages, weve done the search engines, the users, and ourselves a big favor.
With all of these various ranking factors, what is the one area that is sorely missing
How about a site ranking algorithm based on a combination of content relevancy and user popularity data
"Content" relevancy and "user popularity" arent as easy to manipulate as link popularity, link reputation, or even keyword placement, so the search engine results should certainly be more relevant. After all, anyone who is concerned about relevancy in search engine rankings should want the most relevant pages and sites to rise to the top of the rankings. If our pages arent the most relevant, we have some work to do!
Introducing an Innovative Search Engine Ranking Algorithm
I just learned of a new search engine that actually uses a combination of content relevancy and user popularity to determine rankings. Its called ExactSeek.com.
How does ExactSeek measure user popularity The engine has teamed up with Alexa, which offers a toolbar that measures activity on the Web. By measuring the surfing activity of millions of Alexa users, ExactSeek is able to determine the user popularity and relevancy of Web sites in its index. User popularity is a far more reliable indicator of where Web sites should rank and gives users some input on the search results they see.
Mel Strocen, CEO of Jayde Online, which is the parent company of ExactSeek, says,

"Alexa traffic data will be a strong factor in the ExactSeek ranking algorithm but not the dominant factor, that being page content. Essentially, weve opted to emphasize user popularity over link popularity."

In fact, in an effort to make the results even more relevant, ExactSeek.com will be in flux for the next week or two as they work to determine how much weight to give Alexa traffic data in ranking search results.
The beauty of ExactSeek.com is that the harder you work toward increasing traffic to your Web site by adding new, relevant content, paying for SEO, advertising in various publications, investing in a PPC campaign, etc., the better your rankings will be in ExactSeek.com.
Can User Popularity be Manipulated
I think a better question would be, what search engine results cant be manipulated The key is to consider relevancy and valuable content, which is something that ExactSeek.com has wisely chosen to focus on.
Its true that not everyone uses the Alexa toolbar. However, it does provide results based on an excellent sampling of users on the Web. Plus, user popularity will be more difficult to manipulate than other factors, because it is certainly more difficult to manipulate the surfing public than it is to manipulate the search engines.
Give ExactSeek.com a Try!
ExactSeek.com is innovative in more ways than the way it determines rankings. For example, you can check your sites rankings in the ExactSeek database from a link on the main page of the engine. How convenient!
In Conclusion . . .
As the search engine industry evolves, well begin to see more and more innovations geared toward arriving at relevant search results that arent as easily manipulated as some of the ranking methods in the past. One of those innovations is being put into place now at ExactSeek.com: user popularity combined with content relevancy.

About The Author

Robin Nobles is the Co-Director of Training of Search Engine Workshops with John Alexander. They teach 2-day beginner, 3-day advanced, and 5-day all-inclusive "hands on" search engine marketing workshops in locations across the globe. She also teaches online search engine marketing courses through http://www.onlinewebtraining.com, and she

For those of you with Web sites, you probably know what a "host" is. Its a company that provides a location, or address, on the Internet where your Web site resides.
In other words, just like a physical business needs an address, so does a Web site. You cant have a Web site and just "stick it up" on the Web. Unless you want to set up your own server, you have to go through a hosting company who gives you that address, including server space and bandwidth, that enables the search engines and visitors to find your site.
Lets look at some common problems we often have with hosting companies:

You can never find an actual person to talk to! They may have a 24-hour customer service line open, but you can never get through to a real person.
Hosting companies often think that the "lowest price" will always get the sale, but they fail to realize that what people really want is excellent customer service, servers that are up almost 100% of the time, and a variety of services that come with the hosting package.
Many hosting companies dont provide any other functionality other than Web site hosting. They dont provide a "control panel" full of goodies such as PGP secure e-mail, shopping carts, log analysis, database creation, etc.
Guess what Technical support people often dont make the best "customer support" people. They may be technical gurus, but their main interest lies in their high tech servers and other functionality, rather than solving the simple problems of their customers.

In other words, weak customer service is a major problem with the majority of hosting companies these days. Solution:
I recently had the pleasure of being introduced to Combustion Hosting Company, and to say I was impressed is a vast understatement.
Here are some things that struck me as unbelievable. When the phone rings, whoever answers the phone is required to stand up to answer it and talk. After all, the sheer act of standing up requires that theyre alert and are listening to your problems and concerns. And, you actually speak to a "real" person!
With Combustion, if you have a problem, they dont just "tell" you how to solve it, they solve it for you! Also, their services certainly arent limited to "hosting." They can set you up with an account to where you can access the Internet through local access numbers no matter where you travel.
Their prices are extremely reasonable -- much better than I had been paying previously. Plus, the "extras" Ive received by going with Combustion are amazing.
But the one thing that makes Combustion shine over most Web hosting companies is their devotion to providing good customer service, and this is an area in which they truly excel.
So, if youre in the market for a new Web site, or if you arent pleased with your current host, consider Combustion Hosting. It will be one of the smartest moves you could ever make for your Web site. http://www.combustionhosting.com/moreinfo
If you want further proof as to the benefits of using Combustion, read: this article.

About The Author

Robin Nobles is the Co-Director of Training of Search Engine Workshops with John Alexander. They teach 2-day beginner, 3-day advanced, and 5-day all-inclusive "hands on" search engine marketing workshops in locations across the globe. She also teaches online search engine marketing courses through http://www.onlinewebtraining.com, and she

Has your once well-organized marketing plan come to resemble the jumble of stuff in your closet not to mention the garage and the attic If you are like most people, each time you come across a new marketing idea you try to adopt it and add it to your existing approach.

Strategies and tactics tend to accumulate and linger even when they may not be working as well as youd like. Like the ill-fitting clothes that accumulate in your closet or the broken tools still in the garage, they are hard to get rid of, whether because of habit, emotional attachment or just plain not getting around to cleaning them out.

To improve your marketing, youll need to clean out some old ways of working. While I dont want to get anywhere near your closet, and in fact I could use some help with mine, I can show you how to clean up your marketing plan so youre ready to take advantage of the New Year to grow your business.

Cleaning Up Your Marketing Plan

Every morning my friend Michael Angier of SuccessNet.org sits down at his desk and asks himself the following three questions about his business.

1. Whats working

2. Whats not working

3. What can I improve

You may not want to review your marketing plan five times a week, but it is a good idea to do it at least once a year. So take out your pencil or fire up your computer and assess your marketing plan:

Your Marketing Plan

1. Is your plan working

2. Do you have a well defined marketing strategy that helps you achieve the three phases of marketing: Getting Attention, Positioning, and Selling

3. Do you need to write or rewrite your marketing plan

4. Do you need additional information or coaching to complete your marketing plan

5. What are you going to do to improve your marketing plan

Getting Attention

6. Does your marketing message prompt prospects to contact you

7. Do your ads, letters, and web site motivate prospects to contact you

8. What are your conversion rates

9. What steps can you take to improve them

Positioning

10. What are you doing to establish your credibility with prospects, to help them know and trust you

11. Is it working as well as youd like

12. What could you improve

13. Is the value of your products and services clear to your prospects or do they question you about merits and price

14. Want to learn how to ensure that your prospects understand the value of your products and services

Selling

15. How successful are you in selling, that is, in getting commitments for everything from appointments to orders

16. Whats your conversion rate of prospects contacted to clients and customers

17. Do initial s/ales generate repeat s/ales and referrals for years to come

18. Want to learn how to generate more s/ales from each client

Evaluating Your Marketing Plan

Use Michaels three questions to summarize your comments

about your marketing plan and your success in getting

attention, positioning and selling.

1. Whats working

2. Whats not

3. What do you want to improve

The hardest part about cleaning out your closet, attic, garage or your marketing is getting started. It may be time to straighten up or throw out some of your old marketing strategies and tactics and replace them with new more effective ones. Start 2005 with a well organized marketing plan, one that helps you Get Attention, Position your products and services and Sell and youll find your business growing in leaps and bounds in the coming year.

About The Author

2004 © In Mind Communications, LLC. All rights reserved.

The author, Charlie Cook, helps service professionals and small business owners attract more clients and be more successful. Sign up for the Fr

The fairy tale existance of Google is starting to experience shockwaves.

So, whats the source of these shockwaves Click fraud. As my readers know, Ive written several articles on the subject of click fraud, suggesting that since its the market leader, Google should take a more proactive approach with the problem of click fraud.

Until now, Google has been mostly quiet about the subject, issuing this single statement to the Securities and Exchange Commission:

"We are exposed to the risk of fraudulent clicks on our ads. We have regularly paid refunds related to fraudulent clicks and expect to do so in the future. If we are unable to stop this fraudulent activity, these refunds may increase. If we find new evidence of past fraudulent clicks, we may have to issue refunds retroactively of amounts previously paid to our Google Network members."

So, why isnt Google doing more about click fraud In one of my articles, I theorized that with the amount of money involved, its actually more cost effective for Google to issue an occasional refund to its advertisers, than to develop technology to eliminate click fraud.

That theory was echoed in a recent article, in which the author wrote:

"Googles primary defense against click fraud has been to refund advertisers their money if they complain and Google sees evidence that fraudulent clicks have occured. The problem with this is that the burden of proof is on the advertiser ... and Google knows that most advertisers will not take the time to argue. Therefore, Google has a financial incentive not to deal with click fraud on their own. It not only costs them to deal with the problem but if they do find a solution to stopping click fraud ... it will cost Google much more when they dont get paid for 20 percent or more of their clicks."

However, all of that may be about to change. At an investor conference last Wednesday, Google CFO George Reyes stated:

"I think something has to be done about this really, really quickly, because I think, potentially, it threatens our business model."

My question is this: What took Google so long to come to that realization Its not like click fraud just magically appeared yesterday. The media has been reporting on the problem for at least the last 3 years.

Smug in its ivory tower, did Google think the problem was just going to go away by itself Or was it waiting for Overture or one of the smaller pay-per-click companies to solve the problem, so it wouldnt have to deal with it

These are troubling questions, to say the least. Even more troubling is Googles passive approach to a serious problem, which in my opinion has been reprehensible.

It should be interesting to see what Googles next move is. Google CFO George Reyes statement notwithstanding, Ill believe Google is serious about eliminating click fraud, when I finally see it!

About The Author

Dean Phillips is an Internet marketing expert, writer, publisher and entrepreneur. Questions Comments Dean can be reached at mailto: dean@lets-make-money.net.

Visit his website at: http://www.lets-make-money.net

Britney Spears has recently caused controversy with suggestions that the ad campaign for her new fragrance range uses subliminal or hidden messages in its efforts to convince potential buyers. Advertisers have long been aware of the power of appealing to our subsoncious minds, so what methods exactly do they employ, and how widespread is the practise
Broadly speaking, there are three methods in common use - Product Endorsement, Product Placement, and Hidden Subliminal Imagery.
Why do advertisers use these methods
As consumers, we tend to make buying decisions based on emotion rather than logic. When see a product, we make up our minds very quickly about whether we want it or not, based purely on the way the product is presented to us. Any accompanying sales pitch is merely there to help us justify the purchase to our more logical selves. Advertisers know this of course, so they spend huge amounts of time and money marketing their products in ways that appeal to our emotions and subconscious mind.
So how do the three methods work
Taking each in turn:
Product Endorsement
This is possibly the most up-front and honest method. Quite simply, a product is endorsed by a well known figure

Winning the traffic exchange game can be done. I was just starting out online and had no money so I was looking for a free way to drive traffic to my site. That is when I first found traffic exchanges. I found the concept to be great and signed up for everyone I found and started clicking and clicking and clicking. After countless hours, a blistered clicking finger and a lot of frustration I found the secret to the game.

Traffic Is What They Want

The members clicking for hits at the traffic exchanges are looking for the same thing you are. Traffic to there site. Most are not interested in finding a new opportunity or looking to go shopping they just want traffic. So how do you get their business The most effective way is by using a lead capture page.

Lead Capture Page

A lead capture page is a simple site that stands out to the surfer. The object is to not sell your product or information but to create curiosity. At the bottom of the page you will need a form so people can request more information from you. By nature we are curious people so people will sign up.

The people that are surfing for hits have 30 seconds on average to review your site it is hard to sell a product in 30 seconds but it is pretty easy to peak someone

Last issue, I talked about increasing your Brand Love-- meaning to increase the affection that prospects and customers feel toward your business.

Why

Because increasing "affection" will build relationships. Those relationships, if made strong enough by increased Brand Love, build a bridge for prospects to become customers. To some, that bridge might be made of rope, swaying in the breeze, complete with wooden planks. To others, it will be a mighty stone structure. It all depends on how well you connect with each prospect.

It also means putting more cement on the bond with the customers you already have. Locking customers in, tighter and tighter with every brand experience is a critical aspect to profitability and growth. The reason here is twofold: It costs less to maintain current customers than to gain new ones, and the best advertising is word of mouth. Sounds like a clich

Use tip sheets to encourage clients and prospects to sign up for your e-mail

Newsletter. Permission Marketing, a marketing concept popularized by Seth Godin, is based on obtaining your client

Managing your identity can seem hopeless at times. Here is a primer to assist you in creating great graphics that work.

Flexible vs. Static

If the company is new is it best to make sure that your brand is

With the web today you "sorta haveta" have a rank in the major search engines if you want to be seen. I mean with 250,000,000, yes 250 million searches a day on Google