====== June 03, 2003 =========
Subject: PR AD Network Press 6-3-03
Date: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 3:40 PM
From: bobking bobking@searchking.com
The NETWORK NEWS Published by the PR Ad Network This newsletter is published for the sole purpose of educating, entertaining and exchanging information with those who believe webmasters have as much right to legally profit from their own content as those who use that content without benefit of contract or compensation. It is sent only to those who are either advertisers, inventory partners or like-minded interested parties of the PR Ad Network and those people are known only to the publisher and staff of this newsletter and will not be disclosed to any third party for any reason. We are not anti anything. We are simply very pro ecommerce. ************************************************
• Date 06-03-03
• IN THIS ISSUE
• What's All the Uproar About?
• A New Service Launched
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WHAT'S ALL THE UPROAR ABOUT
? For those of you who follow Google's updates or the Webmaster World Forums, you are well aware that this last update is very different from updates in the past. Most of the data being displayed, including backlinks, is from back in February. What a commotion this has caused! Some of the longest threads in the history of WMW have been born in the name of the "dominic update". Everything from, "this is the beginning of the end for Google", to the old tried and true, "let's all just be patient and it will be all right", posts.
As I've advised several times in the past, when evaluating information in those forums, remember to consider the source. As usual, both extremes are VERY likely wrong!
It is true that they are using more data centers than before. It is also true that the main database is displaying content that is as old as the Feb. update. Most importantly to you, it is also true that many backlinks aren't showing up as we would expect. So what does all this mean? It simply means that link popularity, page rank and anchor text is more important than ever.
Anyone notice the discussion about the "god" sites? There is not much point in putting a link to the Google search for God as they are known for changing things quickly when it is brought to the attention of the media. Furthermore, it is well-known that Goolge does manipulate the results whenever they like for any reason they like, but as of today, a search on G for the word God, brings back this page, http://www.phpnuke.org
This site has no mention of the word God anywhere! Not in the title. Not in the link titles. Nowhere. Nowhere except in the anchor text of incoming links and the html link titles of incoming links. With Google, as always, page rank is the key. *******************************************************************************************************************************
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That is not to say that you can forget about all the other typical aspects of good SEO and good site design. The point is simply that page rank and having the right link from the right site with the right anchor text is the single most important factor to placing well under competitive keywords. Watch your P's and Q's but more importantly, watch your incoming links and your anchor text. As for my personal take on this latest Google update is that it actually has very little to do with SEO's as much as they would like to think that it does. It has more to do with the fact that Google is a business and their business is indexing as much of the web as possible. Contrary to popular opinion, I believe they see their core business as being NOT advertising, rather the collection and organization of the content on the web. The more content they can gather and organize, the more valuable they see their business as being.
The single biggest part of the web Google, (and every other search service for that matter), is missing is dynamic content. Dynamic content has always been the "nut to crack" so to speak. If you consider all the shtml, .asp, .php pages, all the flash pages and all the other dynamically generated stuff on the web, it leaves a big hole in anyone's 3 billion document database. My personal opinion is that all they are doing is trying and testing ways to gather and retrieve dynamic content and that it actually has nothing to do with Adwords or link popularity except of course in how to handle one page with thousands of versions of the one page being generated daily. Is that one link or thousands? This too shall pass. *********
Subject: Portal Partner Press Volume 5, Issue 7, June 20, 2003 Date: Tuesday, June 24, 2003 10:19 AM From: "Portal Partner Press" editor@portalpartnerpress.com
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In this Issue: Editor's Notes (Lynne Scott) Ask Paynt (Debra Paynter)
Some of you will have received this issue twice. I apologize for that. Unfortunately, I discovered a URL error part way through the send, and had to correct it before I could restart. I'll try to make certain that it doesn't happen too often ;-)
Those of you who are keeping track will have noticed that it's been several weeks since the last PPP went out. The fact that this one is making out, more or less as it should have gone out 3 weeks ago, is due to a very good technician who managed to retrieve the vast majority of the data hiding on a burnt out hard drive. It took him the better part of 2 weeks to do it, but do it he did, thank goodness. That will teach me to go more than a week without backing up to a CD! Any of you who are wondering whether or not that CD burner would be a good investment can rest assured it will be. A recent backup would have had me back up and running within 2 days. Waiting 2 weeks between backups cost me 2 weeks of downtime and several days of reorganizing data. No contest there!
This issue marks several milestones for the PPP:
For the first time we are sending out both a text and an html version. I'm counting on those of you receiving the html version to send in some feedback on what you like or don't like about it! Please post your comments in the forums at http://www.searchking.com/skboards/ikonboard.cgi or send them to me at editor@portalpartnerpress.com
The PPP website (http://www.portalpartnerpress.com ) is also open, and the archives will be indexed over the next few weeks. This year's issues will be the first indexed, with previous years following close behind.
Chat is back! Bob will be hosting an hour or so of chat Wednesday mornings at 10 am, central time. See you there. http://www.searchking.com/chat/okchat/client/index.html
I saved the best for last. This week we welcome Debra Paynter of Promotional-Strategies.com ( http://www.promotion-strategies.com ) as a regular contributor to the PPP. Her bi-line will appear in the first issue of each month. Debra is well known as an authority on a number of issues related to niche or hub site building, and we look forward to her contributions. This week Debra answers the questions you sent in following our 2 part interview with her. Welcome aboard Debra!
Lynne Scott is a graphic designer and partner in Optical Resolution, a Winnipeg, MB design house. She runs the Graphic Design Portal ( http://www.graphic-design-portal.com ), Eye on Winnipeg, and KidsEdLinks.com. as well as serving as editor for the PPP. ********************************************************************************
Ask Paynt Debra Paynter
I want to start with two questions Lynne passed to me that came in from the interview. The first is from Brad,
"What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of redirected listings vs. direct URLs in regards to a SEO standpoint? And which do you think is better?"
Well Brad, there's a purpose for almost every tool, if we look at it that way there may be instances where a redirected URL is important to an overall strategy. I would rather turn the tables and ask why you want to use a redirected link? The most important reason for me to not suggest redirected links is in respect to the sites I am linking to. They deserve a straight static link, unless I've agreed to a redirected link for the purpose of an affiliate program, or at the request of a link partner. There are tracking reasons for redirects and alternative solutions that make a static link possible.
I suggest looking for alternative solutions to the use of redirects. Ask yourself what is the purpose of the portal in the first place and then consider the needs of the sites listed and if how they want their links presented is important to your overall strategy.
For the most part Brad, in my experience even the search engines like it simple. I'm all for keep it simple SEO. The pure nature of a portal puts it leagues ahead of a standard site for built in optimization benefits.
Diane asked, "Is there a guideline for creating a portal?"
Very good question, Diane, and the simple answer is yes there is a guideline. The more difficult answer, though, is you are the architect. Development experts know you need a plan to start with and that will act as your guide. The first phase is in the form of research and analysis into your industry and niche. Looking for what are both an industry standard and then the holes in existing information will give you an edge, ultimately, for the traffic, if you are smart in building out the content of your site. Mix that with the passion that drives the topic and you'll find your key to success.
If I were take on a new hub project, I would first sit down and figure out what the ultimate goal is and break that into all the supporting goals. I would list what content, tools, resources I had to offer through the portal. My focus would be on my strengths, but I would also look for the holes in the industry and do what I could to fill them. My next list includes the support features, tools and services I need to contract out to build my hub. This may include software, design and programming, even copywriting.
One of the most important items to consider is the structure. Along with that are the policies including about the linking/submission policy, privacy, copyright and communication. I have to consider the financial aspects, how the site will pay for itself. Will I sell advertising, PPC or enhanced listings? Equal to this are how the responsibilities will be divided. There are editing, communications, advertising, content development and link checking tasks that require ongoing attention. Add a forum or chat feature and the responsibilities multiply quickly.
I am happy to discuss in more detail any of these specific aspects of portal building. I think my greatest contribution though is help in the development/planning aspects so I'll tend to leave the technical aspects to those more qualified. Perhaps we can spend time on developing a working guideline for creating a portal.
