Re: Ok I did it...but, now..more problems HELP!

From: Steve Werby <steve-lists_at_befriend.com>
Date: Fri 27 Sep 2002 06:19:00 -0500

"Lynda Rogers" <Lynda_Rogers_at_email.msn.com> wrote:
> A while back, being new to this web page search engine submission
> business, I asked how I could get my page included in the top search
> engines. I had tired to submit using SubmitWolf and others...I had
> great replys and all were very consistant. The advise boiled down too:
> www.agiftgallery.com was a database driven page and these were not
> picked up by search engines.

Actually, it's more appropriate to describe that as part of the problem, not
the "advice". One of the main problems was that your product pages
consisted of URLs with query strings (the key-value pairs after the "?" in
the URL) and many search engines assume those pages to be dynamic and do not
index them as a result. Several suggestions were made, but it seems that
you misinterpreted them.

> I should try developing some other pages
> that were not database driven and then "link" them back to
> agiftgallery.com.

I don't recall how the advice was written, but I'm sure the author meant for
you to create static web pages (either on the same site or another site)
with the same (or similar) content as your product pages. All you did was
create a second site, http://www.exclusivelydesigned.com/, with a single
page on it listing 3 products and a link to the site which you wanted better
positioned in search engines. Though your site's positioning will improve
in some search engines (google.com for example) if other sites indexed by
that search engine link to yours, that alone isn't going to magically
improve your positioning.

> Well, I did this! See www.exclusivelydesigned.com and
> www.kids.exclusivelydesigned.com. I submitted to search engines and got
> confirmations from Claymont, ExactSeek and others...

I've never heard of those search engines. I'd focus on the top 5-8 search
engines and directories. Also, the main page of each of those sites
consists of a page with no (or no relevant) text and a fast meta refresh to
the next page. Some search engines to do list pages that use a fast meta
refresh and in any case neither of the main pages has any relevant text that
would allow those pages to be returned if someone does a search.

> I even paid to
> have my site added to Lycos. And...it still is not there!

Which of the 3 sites? And what are you doing to check if the site is listed
in a particular search engine? Are there specific search phrases your
entering to check?

> Any suggestions? I think my metatags are correct

There are no syntax errors in your meta tags, but they aren't going to be
very effective. For them to be effective the keywords uses in a page's meta
tags should appear in that page's content in a properly constructed way
(used in sentences, not just listing them). Your main pages have many meta
keywords, none of which appear on those pages and the same is true for the
meta keywords on the subsequent pages of your 2 new sites. And the site you
really want to drive traffic to, www.agiftgallery.com, does not use meta
tags. Keep in mind that there's a lot more to search engine optimization
than adding meta tags and chosing the meta tags and the wording on the
respective pages requires thought and research to be most effective. Once
you know how search engines work and what needs to be done most of this is
quite straightforward. In my opinion, the most effective solution in your
case involves adding meta tags to each of the product pages on your main
site and having a programmer recode the site so that it doesn't use query
strings. That is, instead of having URLs like:

http://www.agiftgallery.com/agiftgaller/product.asp?dept%5Fid=28&pindex=5&mscssid=GX9UGQBHRG9B

have URLs like:

http://www.agiftgallery.com/agiftgaller/products/5/28/

> ...but, being such a
> novice...who knows. I do find it kind of ...almost...amusing that these
> search engines send you a message announcing that "your site is now
> added to their grand engine.." and of course...here are additional
> products, packages etc you can buy. Yet you go out there and ...your
> site is not there! Kind of almost a scam of its own...wouldn't you
> think?

Well, I do not know what you expect to gain from being listed in search
engines that very few people use. If you're going to pay money to be listed
somewhere I suggest considering Yahoo and if you want to consider paying for
an advertising link/blurb/box consider using overture.com or google
keywords.

> And who said..."Create it ...they will come!" ya right.

6 years ago that was somewhat true if your offerings were fairly unique.
Now you're competing with many other sites.

> Would appreciate feedback...comments...suggestions...

Please re-read the advice that was given to you previously. Feel free to
ask any followup questions.

--
Steve Werby
President, Befriend Internet Services LLC
http://www.befriend.com/






Received on Fri Sep 27 2002 - 06:19:00 CDT