Actual Correspondence
Here is an email correspondence with an actual customer. I have
removed the pertinent information until I receive permission to print it.
Dick writes:
> To: <ray@optimet.net>
> Subject: Question?
> Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2002 09:22:20 -0700
>
> I have some knowledge of "search engine science".
> My needs are very local (Orange County, CA)
> I just hosted my site "------inspections.com" .. a home inspection biz.
>
> I also hosted a "door way" site to support my main site
> "-------inspection-service.net"
> looking to have an optimized URL, and engine content.
> I plan to optimize the "door way" for searchers,
> and not to compromise my main site with specific engine stuff?
> I've downloaded several engine "tips" sites (found you) to help me.
>
> I don't have deep pockets, so I don't know if you want to respond,
> or what do you think?
>
> Thanks in advance, Dick --------
>
Ray writes:
Sent: Saturday, April 13, 2002 5:57 AM
Subject: Re: Question?
> Hi Dick-I think you've got a great site there. Good content, good tags.
> How old is the site? I don't see it on the first couple of pages at Google.
> I think you should add alt text to all of your graphics. Use some
> keywords to describe each. Google tends to like them these days. Other SEs
> as well. You may need to give it some time. Don't submit too much. Once
> will do. They will penalize you for too much of that.
>
> I am currently on vacation but will be home on the 17th. We can talk more
> in-depth at that point.
>
> Ray
> ray@optimet.net
> http://www.optimet.net/
Dick writes:
To: "Optimet .net" <bandbseek@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Question?
Date: Sat, 13 Apr 2002 08:43:41 -0700
Thanks Ray, good to hear back from you.
I added (had to learn first) the "alt text" tags
I up loaded the site on March 13th., and started submitting.
True, I submitted several times, thru several sources,
didn't know I was harassing. (impatient to get cash flow going)
Do the SE index/spider (or what it's called) once, or is it an on going
process.
Like the alt text or additional changes/pages, is that picked up over time?
I also up loaded a support site on April 8th (doorway?)
"---------inspection-service.net"
My thought was to optimize this page for the engines, to help potential biz.
find me?
Understand I have no chance at engines that have actual people reviewing
sites for content.
I could ad lots of content, like how tos, links etc. but, in general, no
body takes the time to read.
This new biz. of mine is not dependent on web traffic, it's a part of
marketing mix effort,
more valuable for potential biz. to investigate me, and communicate.
Thanks for the "great site", coming from a pro to a FrontPage hacker.
Happy vacation, Dick
Ray writes:
Hi Dick-Nice to see the alt text on the graphics at the site. The search engine robot's indexing habits are a bit hard to explain. Read this:
http://www.optimet.net/search_engine_truth_2.htm
it may help you understand their travel habits. They index and re-index constantly therefore will find any changes (eventually).
Don't assume that your site won't get listed well by actual people. It is hard to say what an actual person might or might not find appealing. If your site offers lots of information content (a link index maybe) that people will find valuable, it will probably get listed higher then a site that just looks good but says nothing. A lot of those BIG SITES with flashy graphics and tons of javascript don't really get good listings because there is nothing in them that Search Engines can even see. Stick with text and alt text on any graphic.
Great idea with the other website. I always optimize "every" page for the search engines, though. It is sometimes suprising which pages actually end up getting great listings. Example: my travel site, B and B Seek
(http://www.bandbseek.com) is #1 at Google
(http://www.google.com) for
"mssmarttagspreventparsing". I never thought of getting that kind of traffic at that site but hey, I can't kick. You'll also find Optimet.net at #2 for that search term!
Why not create a link index on your doorway site. Take the top 30 sites from search engines that rank higher than you for your keywords. Make a page for every search term, list the sites on the page with hyperlinks to the sites, title each page the search terms. ie www.----.com/search_term.htm. Search engines love these! I mean LOVE EM! The sites you're linking too won't mind either. Everyone wants traffic, right? Put your link at the top of the page and make it really stand out from the rest of them. People will click your site first. Make the other sites open in new windows. They'll have to click your link before the page closes. Zeus does this automatically for me. You can check it out here
(http://www.cyber-robotics.com/cgi-bin/creditgo.cgi?bandbseek@hotmail.com). I'll even get a little credit if you download it from this address.
There are tons of other ideas to use. Let me know if you have any other questions. It takes time. You can't rush it. Especially if you don't want to spend a lot of money. Google is best (and they are powering a lot of Yahoo searches now ;-) In a year if you work at it, you can be in a much better position at most of the search engines. Some will even take longer than that! Use my site. It will keep you up to date on everything. As I learn, you will learn. And I learn something everyday.
Ray
ray@optimet.net
http://www.optimet.net/
Dick writes:
> From: "Dick"
> To: <ray@optimet.net>
> Subject: Sat.
> Date: Sat, 18 May 2002 10:18:53 -0700
>
> Hi Ray, how's things?
>
> I understand I should be submitting to search engines monthly?
>
> Do I have to budget for the paid services, or can you recommend other way?
>
> Thanks, Dick
Ray writes:
> Hi Dick-It is almost impossible to keep up with who you should submit
> repeatedly to and who you shouldn't. I keep doing little experiments with
> my new domains (I register and design about 6 new sites per week) but what
> the SEs want changes almost daily so its a nearly wasted effort in my
humble
> opinion. It may sound very strange but I think I get listed as fast without
submitting. If I simply add a link to my new sites from my others, I find
myself in the SEs as fast as if I had paid to submit. I'm in the middle of a few
experiments and I'll let you know the outcome. Plus... I guess I just figure that my sites have information that people
> want and therefore the engines will find them (eventually). I do use this place:
> http://selfpromotion.com/?CF=ray@raypasnen.com
(if you use this link,
> they'll know you came from me.) :-)
>
> This guy (Robert) is tops with submitting. His service is pretty easy to use
(after
> you've entered you website's info, you do nothing). Its free unless you have a bunch of
> sites. I think I've "contributed" $35 this year (I have him promoting 35
> sites.) He has an automated program that submits your site when it should
> be submitted and not before. The time is different for each Search engine
> and this program knows what to do. It works for me. Try it out. Its
worth
> it. You only pay if you want to and its good.
>
> Let me know if you have any more questions.
>
> Ray
Dick writes:
To: "Ray"
Subject: Re: Sat.
Date: Sat, 18 May 2002 12:47:59 -0700
Thanks Ray, I sent in a contribution to Robert, and said you recommended me.
I asked, if it would help you, if I put your link on all of the doorway
pages, or is it all the same?
He says I should use "key phrases" instead of key words"
Do you agree? I don't think I am suppose to use a key word more than 3
times, which the key phrase would require.
Dick
Ray writes:
Hi Dick-Thanks for mentioning me to Robert. I appreciate it. Thanks also for the link from your site. Just the one link will be OK. Chances are increased that the robot will stumble upon it if it is on all pages, but I can wait. ;-) That's the name of the game.
More about that: I usually put a link to every page in my site on the homepage until it shows up in the search engines. Then depending upon the page, I will link it from another page, one level down in the site or just leave the link. They (the pros) say that every page should be able to be reached within two clicks of your home (index) page. Most robots will only go two clicks from your homepage or the page they entered from (if not the homepage). Best to be safe and have a link to every page on every page. (This is possible with index sites, like mine, where people tend to expect a LOT of information.) You can also do it with hyperlinks to graphics. Even tiny graphics can have a hyperlink to another site or page within a site. I mean tiny graphics. Put 100 3x3 pixel boxes together and you have a line of 100 possible hyperlinks. Just something to think about.
Wow. OK, I hope that answered the question. If you have a link on any page that is accessible from the homepage, it is good enough to (eventually) raise the link popularity for my site.
Thanks again.
Ray
ray@optimet.net
http://www.optimet.net/
