The "truth" about web search engines

Can you get to the top of Google.com search results? No. Can you be found on Google? Yes, but ...

There is a whole industry that specializes in search engine placement. You pay someone to submits your site to billions of search engines and to revise your site to maximize your search results. That can be a valuable service. But I don't use them and I don't think you need to either.

(I hope you look over my search engine experiment, "Can search engines find your place?")

Here is the deal with search engines:

• Their job is to present surfers with the information they want not the information you want.
• They have ever more sophisticated methods to avoid being tricked.
• They list sites properly even when the site isn't just right.
• They like unique content.
• They like sites that are linked to from other sites.
• Their actual ranking methods are trade secrets and constantly changing to meet the needs of surfers.
• They take their time in adding your site to their search. It may take two months.

Here is what to do about it:

• Unique content is vitally important. If we look at all the web pages for rentals at Sharkbait Beach, we'll find they are all the same, seen one, seen them all - boring to search engines and surfers. Our job is to avoid the boredom. We do it providing information that help your guests enjoy their vacation.
• Keywords is a mystical and overused term. In our small universe it means that the text in the site needs to describe your property and what is unique about your property. If your house is at Sharkbait Beach, your site better say "Vacation rental at Sharkbait Beach."
• Getting linked is another web industry also knowm as "link exchanges." If Google finds a web site the link to your, that's good. If your buddy has a website by all means ask him to link to your. But I recommend that you place ads on the rental listing sites. The search engines already know about these and you can research which of the listing sites are most popular for your Sharkbait Beach house.
• Dan wrote a very good yet brief article with more information.

What about things like Google ads and eBay?

• Google sponsored links appear on the right side of Google search results. You pay when someone clicks on your link. Should you? Why not, it may work for you!  You can always discontinue it.
• eBay is another way to market your property and will generate hits on your site. Should you? Why not!

"Submit your site to 10,000 search engines!"

• There may be 10,000 engines but very few of them matter. See Jacob Nielsen's report on traffic referred by search engines.
• Unless you have a standalone site, there is nothing for you to do.
• If you do have a standalone site, nothing beats getting linked on a popular site. The search engines will find your site and you won't have to do anything. If you somehow get your link in a front page story of CNN online, Google will crawl you that very day.

Don't depend on search engines alone.

• You have to tell folks about your site.
• Your renters need to tell folks about your site.
• You need to place ads in other media.
• You need viral marketing which in essence means word of mouth.

Previous article		Next article
Sites I've done		Can search engines find your place?