The Truth About Search Engines: Playing A Game You Can't Win

Written by Dean Phillips


If you go strictly byrepparttar numbers, Yahoo, MSN and Google are repparttar 120186 "Big 3" of search engines and directories. Between them, they index millions and millions of pages in their directories. Although Google claims to index over 4 billion.

However, that's a subject for another day. The point is, out of all those millions and millions of pages, there's room for only a very few websites atrepparttar 120187 top ofrepparttar 120188 results pages.

That means, if you go strictly byrepparttar 120189 number of indexed web pages in their directories, you have a better chance of winningrepparttar 120190 lottery, than getting high enough inrepparttar 120191 results pages to where it's going to make a significant difference in your traffic. That's not my opinion, it's a fact!

You're simply playing a game YOU CANNOT WIN!

So what can you do about it? The first thing you need to do is forget aboutrepparttar 120192 search engines--period! Just forget about them!

Why? Because even if you're one ofrepparttar 120193 fortunate few to get a high enough ranking to where it's making a significant difference in your traffic, there's no guarantee you'll get to keep it. Sincerepparttar 120194 search engines are constantly changingrepparttar 120195 rules ofrepparttar 120196 game (AKA) their algorithms, you could be number one inrepparttar 120197 search engines today and totally offrepparttar 120198 results pages tomorrow. Again, that's not my opinion, it's a fact!

If you don't believe me, just ask those thousands of devastated and bankrupt business owners whose websites disappeared off ofrepparttar 120199 results pages altogether, when a category 5 hurricane named "Florida" swept throughrepparttar 120200 Gulf of Google on November 16, 2003.

But that's exactly what happens when you put all of your eggs into one basket. And just like it's wise to have "multiple streams of income," it's also wise to use a variety of ways to promote your website.

It's sort of like all of those millions of people who flock to Las Vegas every year hoping to get lucky. There's only one problem. The system was not designed for you to win. It was designed to make you think you could win. That'srepparttar 120201 allure of Las Vegas and that'srepparttar 120202 allure ofrepparttar 120203 search engines--they make you think you can win. You can't!

Oh sure, just like in Vegas, you'll have your lucky few who hitrepparttar 120204 jackpot and snare a top ranking onrepparttar 120205 results pages, at least untilrepparttar 120206 search engines change their rules again. Butrepparttar 120207 vast majority are left onrepparttar 120208 outside looking in, and atrepparttar 120209 mercy of so-called SEO experts who are only too happy to take your money and continue to make you think you can winrepparttar 120210 game. You can't!

Do You Know Who You Attract to Your Web Site?

Written by Catherine Franz


By Catherine Franz

There are five types of people that browserepparttar web: (1) Specific Information Seekers (2) Current Information Seekers (3) Bargain Hunters (4) Entertainment Seekers, and (5) Specific Buyers.

When you identifyrepparttar 120185 type of people you want to come to your website, orrepparttar 120186 type of people coming now (for those who already have a site), as well as what gets them there, what keeps them there, then and only then can you design your site to attractrepparttar 120187 type of visitors you want.

Specific Information Seekers (SISers)

To convert Specific Information Seekers into prospects, you will need consistent marketing and multiple trust building strategies. SISers usually search for a particular piece of information. If you have it, they will visit and might stay. If not, they want to find out fast that you don't and poof they are gone. This group is after timely and relevant information. It is an either/or decision -- either you have it or you don't. If their search engine searching continuously sends them to your site and you have on several occasions let them down on havingrepparttar 120188 information, they will seerepparttar 120189 URL link inrepparttar 120190 search engine and not ever return.

SISers like to ask questions, usually diving right intorepparttar 120191 question, giving little or no background torepparttar 120192 question. If they have a deep sense that you haverepparttar 120193 answer, they will generate a quick e-mail to you. They are frequent visitors torepparttar 120194 FAQ (frequently asked questions) pages. If you want to attractrepparttar 120195 SISers, track allrepparttar 120196 questions customers and prospects ask, provide answers, and post on your site. You can make them happy by placingrepparttar 120197 answers in larger or bold print.

SISers like several different levels of information. With each click you can barrel downrepparttar 120198 details. You can do with an overview page and then in a separate page addrepparttar 120199 full description and other details. Designrepparttar 120200 overview page for on-line reading (large font, white space, and fast, flowing language) andrepparttar 120201 detail pages for off-line reading (printable).

They also like an up-to-date websites with changing information. Ifrepparttar 120202 "last update date" is older than one week, or if your articles have old dates on them, they usually will not even enterrepparttar 120203 site. First impressions mean a lot to them and determine if they will ever return. Credibility isrepparttar 120204 second decision maker for this buyer. Do not compromiserepparttar 120205 integrity ofrepparttar 120206 information you provide. If you're an affiliate just say so, they don't mind.

Their decision to buy is usually immediate if you have what they want. This group reads by scanning onrepparttar 120207 Net. They will scan and read bold, colored and highlighting in long sales letters.

In a retail store, SISers browserepparttar 120208 aisles. They know what they are looking for before they enter a website or store. Retailers call these people aisle browsers. In a store, they walk through a store, first checkingrepparttar 120209 aisle platforms for bargains. Men do fall mostly in this category.

Even though this group only reads what they need from a book,repparttar 120210 next group, CISers readrepparttar 120211 whole book.

Current Information Seekers (CISers)

Current Information Seekers are curious people who find everything interesting. They can be reading about Mars and next learning about cooking, and later into something different. They purchase material based on whatever is hot in their life at that moment. Usually they over purchase material and get behind in their reading. Yet, that backlog does not seem to bother them, they would feel empty without it.

CISers enjoy reading a high portion ofrepparttar 120212 newspaper and readrepparttar 120213 whole book. They want something interesting...something useful...something they would not have found on their own. They want something that will give them an edge, an advantage, an insight, something unexpected.

Use caution, this group does make suggestions that can lead you astray. They also cannot understand why others pigeon hole (their viewpoint) themselves with their businesses. They value exploration and freedom.

To use this group to your advantage define one or two topic categories that fit in with your niche. Then changerepparttar 120214 material daily or weekly. In addition, since they are so busy running afterrepparttar 120215 latest and greatest, you will need to make sure they are consistently aware of those changes. Send them updates. They will findrepparttar 120216 frequent updates useful, interesting, and amusing even if they've heard them a million times before. They will return frequently. Frequent updates will keep you on their hot list and bookmarked.

CISers compare before buying. If everything isrepparttar 120217 same and your shipping is 3 cents less they will buy from you. However, they make sure they are exact offers. If you have something that looks more attractive, whether it pertains to their needs or not, they will also purchase from you.

CISers aren't a great group to receive testimonials from unless they have used your material and it has worked for them in some BIG or EXTRAORDINARY way.

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