NONE: Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Can we live without Yahoo?
Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Can we live without Yahoo?
Ray Taylor (taylor_at_bizbiz.com)
Fri, 06 Mar 1998 09:03:46 +0000
> From: richard_at_tenagra.com
>
> Does Yahoo Still Yahoo?
I too have had a lot of difficulty with Yahoo. I first submitted one
client site, a straightforward corporate/brochure site, back in October
and have since resent the details every few weeks. Thankfully, the site
has just been listed - over four months later!
If Yahoo wants to clean up its act I am all in favour of it. I have
never been a fan and think the adulation they get is unjustified. What
they did was to do it first and have been riding on that high ever
since. It won't last much longer.
The solution to Yahoo's problem is the same as the other search engines
- and, yes, I did commit that blasphemy of describing Yahoo by its
function rather than its own ambitions. Like Alta Vista and all the
other engines swamped by irrelevant and outdated material, they should
just delete everything and start again. This is not as stupid as it
sounds. All they need to do is rebuild a new database from scratch,
using existing URLs.
Here's the process, step by step:
1. Draw up a list of URLs from the existing databases
2. Cut out duplications using a purpose-built algorithm enhanced by a
little human judgement
3. Re-spider all of the remaining URLs
4. Employ a shed full of students to manually reverify descriptions,
etc., and to draw up a hit list of unreliable domain names.
5. Hit the big "delete" button on the old database and bring the new one
online.
Adopt the following rules to keep it under control in future:
1. Automatically reverify all entries every sixth months by sending out
the entry to the originator's email address and deleting the entry if
there is no response.
2. Ban porn on the grounds of volume of entries.
3. Invite promotion agencies to apply for special status - fast track
entries, submission tools, etc - in return for adopting an undertaking
to abide by certain professional standards.
4. Have two levels of directory entry: (a) brief, automatic listing of
URL and description and (b) manual review where content justifies this.
In the case of most company Web sites, the auto listing would suffice,
but in the case of more content-rich sites, a manual review of the site
would be worth doing.
If anyone has a few hundred thousand dollars to spare, I would be
delighted to launch a new service that will out Yahoo Yahoo and all of
their imitators.
Ray Taylor
New Media Communications, London
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This week's Online Advertising Discussion List sponsors:
HotBot, Texas Monthly and ICONOCAST
HotBot, with its newly expanded Category Search, now offers more ways
to target your best prospects more efficiently. For Category Search
ad avails, contact Rick Boyce at 415.276.8440 or rick_at_wired.com.
---
Looking for Texans? We've got 'em at the Texas Monthly Ranch,
http://www.texasmonthly.com. Plus travel, food, events, culture and
more. Contact Jena at 512.320.6928 or jenab_at_texasmonthly.com.
---
"I love ICONOCAST - it's extremely informative."
Kathlene Herrmann, Managing Producer, RealNetworks
To subscribe, send a message to: michael_at_iconocast.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Online Advertising Discussion List To Unsubscribe send UNSUBSCRIBE
http://www.o-a.com/ to online-ads-request_at_o-a.com
