« December 2003 | Main | February 2004 »
January 30, 2004
Microsoft 'Get the facts' marketing campaign.
Microsoft just got out on the offence today with a set of adverts that will try and prove to the world that using Microsoft server software is much better than using Linux. The multi-million dollar campaign will run over the next few months throught the media world.
Posted by Basileios at 05:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 29, 2004
On a bad web marketing plan
Taken from a recent post by Frank Patrick but originaly from Publius Syrus (ca. 42 BCE):
"It is a bad plan that admits of no modifications."
This is the best definition of a bad web marketing plan that I have heard in a long time...
Posted by Basileios at 07:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 28, 2004
Overture splits the bids
Overture clients have now the ability to have different bids for their contextual advertising promotions. This is a great addition to the Overture PPC product and we certainly wish Google could follow short.
Posted by Basileios at 01:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 23, 2004
Google launches Orkut
Google is full of surprises. Today we have the launch of the community/social website Orkut. Orkut is named after the Google employee Orkut Buyukkokten that created this indpendent service in 'company time'.
Ready to join? Well there is a catch... Its by invitation only, and since theere are just six degrees of separation between all of us, it wont be long before you 're asked to join. Groucho said it right 'I would never join a club that would take me as a member'.
Posted by Basileios at 12:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 22, 2004
Search Engine Copywriting
Search engine copywriting is a phrase that I am sure you will be hearing a lot in the very near future. There is not really an exact definition and explanation of the search engine copywriting process but it basically is the most organic way that someone can optimize his/her pages for search engines with the appropriate manipulation of the content of the website.
Copywriting and search engine positioning optimization are really two ideas that have been considered as too far apart. Traditionally optimizing the copy of your website means that you are trying to attract your visitors with the fine use of your language and eventually turn them into customers, while search engine positioning optimization mainly has to do with the way that crawlers see your website (and includes things as using keywords in multiple locations, repeating keywords etc. which are definitely not compatible with copywriting). Search engine copywriting is really a fine art that takes the median way between the two and is a method through which both your visitors and the search engines are treated in the same way.
But does it work? The answer is a definite yes. This integral approach is, unfortunately, not the easiest or simplest technique but it brings the excellent and long lasting results. However, not every self-defined search engine optimizer can do it, since it is a special skill that takes quite a bit of knowledge and experience to put into action.
If you have never heard the phrase before, then remember. You read it here first
Posted by Basileios at 10:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 21, 2004
Yahoo! drops Google
It is really not news these days after all the rumors going around about it. Yahoo! simply verified what everybody was expecting over the past year, after the acquirement of Inktomi by Yahoo!
Competition is good, and this strong competitor in the Google monopoly will definitely be good for the internet as a whole. Naturally, the developments imply a lot more work for search engine optimizers and companies, but it also means much better services both for advertisers, business peopla and internet users.
I am sure that Google will not take things as they come. I am sure that in view of the IPO of Google they will pull out an ace soon just to turn the negative tide. Once again interesting times ahead.
Posted by Basileios at 09:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 20, 2004
The optimal number of words per page.
One of the things that I am often asked about search engine positioning is the ideal number of words that each web page should have. Although in the past there were recipes that had word ranges that were different for each of the major search engines and one was desperately trying to find overlaps in those ranges in order to achieve the best possible results, things and the overall philosophy of this has changed for both search engines and of course search engine optimizers.
The most appropriate answer to this question is write as much as your visitors will be able to read. Trust your copywriting instincts and provide your visitors with all the information they need without being too brief or too long. In other words the first step in your search engine positioning attempts should be to forget about search engine positioning. It sounds paradoxical, but it is certainly a way forward.
http://www.rugles.comOne of the things that I am often asked about search engine positioning is the ideal number of words that each web page should have. Although in the past there were recipes that had word ranges that were different for each of the major search engines and one was desperately trying to find overlaps in those ranges in order to achieve the best possible results, things and the overall philosophy of this has changed for both search engines and of course search engine optimizers.
The most appropriate answer to this question is write as much as your visitors will be able to read. Trust your copywriting instincts and provide your visitors with all the information they need without being too brief or too long. In other words the first step in your search engine positioning attempts should be to forget about search engine positioning. It sounds paradoxical, but it is certainly a way forward.
One of the things that I am often asked about search engine positioning is the ideal number of words that each web page should have. Although in the past there were recipes that had word ranges that were different for each of the major search engines and one was desperately trying to find overlaps in those ranges in order to achieve the best possible results, things and the overall philosophy of this has changed for both search engines and of course search engine optimizers.
The most appropriate answer to this question is write as much as your visitors will be able to read. Trust your copywriting instincts and provide your visitors with all the information they need without being too brief or too long. In other words the first step in your search engine positioning attempts should be to forget about search engine positioning. It sounds paradoxical, but it is certainly a way forward.
Posted by Basileios at 10:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 17, 2004
... and in the blue corner...
Conspiracy theorists may say that all of a sudden the dark powers of the internet are now against Google. It was less than six months ago when there was no (or little) blemish in Google's reputation. All of a sudden and right at the time when the IPO news for Google are hitting the markets some global attacks are being launched against the worlds ex(?)-favorite search engine. From one side the attacks from all (poor) advertsisers that were victims to the algorithm change just before Christmas ('A fairwell to good search engine positioning'). On the other hand the attacks due to the dodgy pharmacies that sell vicodin and other drugs through adwords ('The teachings of Pnin and Page').
And to top up the list MSN has started experimenting with Inktomi results in its search engine results pages, thus raising the Inktomi stakes, and making Inktomi a serious oponent in the search engine championship fight. Needless to say we are expecting serious changes in yahoo! that again will bring Inktomi higher up in the list and definitely break the present Google monopoly.
2004 promises to be a very interesting year in the search engine world. Remember the chinese curse? 'May you live in interesting times'. It is unfortunately a situation in which web businesses are going to have to watch out for those changing interesting times.
Posted by Basileios at 09:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 13, 2004
Stemming and Search Engine Positioning
Stemming is a word that is mentioned frequently over the past month or so in search engine positioning and web marketing circles. Stemming in search engine terms describes the technology that strips words, that have been entered by users of the search engine, from their grammar-specific suffixes and uses just the word stems for searching the search engine database. This, for example, implies that plural searches are treated the same was as singular searches (so searching for blue widgets would give you the same or very similar results as searching for blue widget).
Rumor has it that Google is already experimenting with stemming in both search engine results and in pay-per-click Adwords/Adsense. Stemming is definitely a technology that will soon become very important in the results of the search engine ranking pages. Do not find yourself unprepared for this. Your website copy should be ready, your pay-per-click campaigns should be ready and so should you!
Posted by Basileios at 01:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 12, 2004
Creating the right META tags.
One of the issues that you find often mentioned in various Search Engine Positioning textbooks is the importance of placing the correct META tags in your webpages. Although it is true that META tags play an important role in some search engines (like altavista) this is actually a matter a bit overrated and carried over from the times when META tags were responsible for the ranking in many search engines.
The two most important META tags for search engine positioning purposes are the keyword and description tags which should never be omitted from any page that wants to rank well in all the available search engines. let me talk to you a bit about the keyword META tags:
The correct syntax of the keyword META is the following:
< META name=keyword content=keyword1, keyword2, keyword3, keyword4 >
Keep in mind that in order for this tag to be used in the most optimal way by search engine crawlers you will need to:
Place the tag in the head section of your HTML page
Place just a few keywords (6 maximum) or you will dilute their importance
Separate the keywords by commas
Use different keywords for your different pages
Do not repeat keywords in your list or it may be considered spam
The order in which you place the keywords should be reflecting how important they are to you.
The description META has the following syntax:
< META name=description content=description text... >
Similarly, you will need to keep in mind the following:
Place the tag right after your keyword META tag.
Your description should neither be too large or too small.
Your description is one of the most important texts you will write in your site as it may be the road that will lead (or turn away) people from it.
Write keyword-rich text but do not overdo it.
The location of the keywords in the description is important.
Write for your visitors and not for the crawlers.
The last is one of the most general and important rules in search engine positioning optimization. It is important to understand that the most important visitors in your website are the human visitors and definitely not the crawlers!
Posted by Basileios at 12:22 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 10, 2004
Web Marketing Careers
Rugles.com is always seeking ambitious professionals that wish to join us in one of the most challenging working environments. Visit our careers page for more information.
Posted by Basileios at 10:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 08, 2004
Content targeted web marketing
It is less than six months since Google has launched the Adsense program for including Google Adwords in independent content websites. For the past couple of months advertisers have noticed a remarkable increase in the impressions and clicks from those content sites, of course with the equivalent large (exponential) increase in marketing expenditure.
Marketers that have been around long enough have been warning their customers on this increase in marketing expenses through the pay-per-click programs that are actually bringing much smaller returns on investment.
Overture's similar content match program will soon (within January) be offering the opportunity of total separation of the search engine and content keywords, which means that one will have the opportunity of selecting different keywords with different bid prices for search engine and content sites. This certainly is a much fairer approach, as most advertisers are in a rather grumpy mood at the moment in the way that Adsense has blown up their businesses (especially after the Florida algorithm change).
Google has played their part of the game remarkably well. They are now leaders not only in the search engine world, but in the remarkably competitive world of advertising. However, this has turned Google into a monopoly in those two fields and that is certainly not doing the market any good. We have been living for the past three or more years with the impression that Google is a fair company and we certainly applaud the news of its competitor Overture taking this competitive advantage in the way they treat content sites. We eagerly await for Google to follow the tracks of Overture.
Posted by Basileios at 12:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 07, 2004
'Our Voice'
Rugles.com is a company made of real people and this weblog is our voice. The purpose of these communications to you is to transmit a real voice and opinion on web marketing and search engine positioning issues that will demonstrate exactly what our feelings and beliefs are without having to invade your life and email inbox.
A second purpose of the weblog is to bring you information and news on Search engine positioning optimization and web marketing that you may find useful (and helpful)for your online business. We strongly believe that knowledge and information should be free to all and should not be kept secret or subject to subscriptions. Experience should be billable but knowledge shouldnt.
Posted by Basileios at 10:39 AM | TrackBack
January 05, 2004
Internet Business and New Year Resolutions
A new year traditionally comes with new hopes and new expectations for everyone. Online businesses have come through highs and lows over 2003 and many of them already have realized how essential it is to plan for a better and prosperous new year.
The Google algorithm change (a.k.a. Florida change) has demonstrated how difficult planning is in the fast world of internet marketing. The nonlinearities, numerous degrees of freedom and fast pace of events that span the online business environs require special skills of risk aversion for securing business presence and investments. The years in which the Internet was considered a fat cow ready for all to milk and enjoy the dividends have passed and unfortunately it doesnt look as if they will be coming back.
Unfortunately, the fat cow years have injected the market with a huge number of clueless entrepreneurs that setup online businesses hoping to take part in this money celebration. Some of us business consultants know and understand that markets embed in the way they work, crashes that destroy the weak institutions in favor of the strong. The survival of the fittest is not a simple figure of speech or a clich. It is a rule of life and we have to be prepared for it.
Markets are what scientists call complex systems. The awe that surrounds complex and self organized critical systems has to do with the fact that no known laws exist that can predict their evolution. The systems obey the same laws as stock prices, earthquakes, land erosion, and mass extinctions (notice how most of the systems are known to us through their catastrophe/crash phases: an earthquake is a crash in the underlying dynamic system that governs the stresses of the tectonic plates).
What does all this mean in practice? Nothing more than the fact that a crash/catastrophe phase in the internet world should be considered normal and part of the market behavior. We cannot predict when or how it will happen, but we can be prepared for it so we will not end up as one of the bad statistics in the crash and catastrophes.
Hedging for this situation is not a simple matter and should be part of the daily routine of any business. Your marketing department should not be there only to promote your products and services but should play a strategic role in the overall presence of your online business.
Take advantage of your new year resolutions and planning to think about this and prepare for your future.
If you have any questions feel free to ask us!
Posted by Basileios at 11:27 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack