Re: Yahoo!

From: Barbara Sybal <gfx_at_gfxinc.com>
Date: Thu 30 Nov 2000 11:17:15 -0500

BARBARA SYBAL <gfx_at_gfxinc.com> WROTE:
> Long time lurker here jumping into the fray ...
>
> My site is listed in Yahoo!, but unfortunately it's
> placed so deep into a regional category that I hardly
> receive a blip of visitors from them.

TO WHICH MICHAEL MARTINEZ <Michael_at_xenite.org> REPLIED:
> I feel compelled to point out once again that category
> is not as important on Yahoo! as most people seem to
> believe.

Hi Michael,

I beg to differ, somewhat ...

I've had a few sites up since 1995, have been listed in
Yahoo's "main" categories, and have noticed quite a dip
in traffic when placed in a sub-sub-regional category.

I do have keywords in the description, and when
searched, the bottom line is that the main categories
are listed, usually, but not always, ahead of the
regional ones.

MICHAEL MARTINEZ <Michael_at_xenite.org> WROTE:
> The average surfer treats Yahoo! and any other
> directory which offers a query tool first as a search
> engine. They type keywords into that query box and go
> searching. Many people may sift through the directory
> categories, but usability studies have shown that more
> people use query tools than use category links and
> trees. Category is definitely taken into
> consideration by Yahoo!, but there are many searches
> where sites rise above category and get placed high in
> the search results.

You're right ... except that if the sub-sub-regional
category is No. 20 in Yahoo after a search, how many
people will actually scroll down? The answer is the
same as any other search engine, i.e.: most people
won't go past the first screen.

So I'd say category is important for the directories,
based solely, of course, on my own experience, which is
fairly extensive.

MICHAEL MARTINEZ <Michael_at_xenite.org>
> Xena: Warrior Princess category with a pair of
> sunglasses, but I'll take what I can get. People still
> find us through Yahoo!

I'm still found as well, but my original point was that
Yahoo doesn't necessarily drive "tons of traffic" as
someone else suggested ... getting listed in Yahoo
isn't the road to riches: it's merely part and parcel
to an overall strategy (for non-Americans I believe
more so), as Mr. Frankel suggested.

Barbara Sybal, GFX Printing Services
Printing Has Never Been So Easy ...
Easy in Saving You Time & Money, that is!
Visit http://www.gfxinc.com for full Details
Vox: 905-828-7399
E-M: basybal_at_gfxinc.com





Received on Thu Nov 30 2000 - 10:17:15 CST