Stop! Please read:How would you like to look for a book in the largest library in the world (the Web) without knowing it's title, or the name of it's author?
It would be even worse if the book was listed among over thirty million other documents in no certain order or category. Even with a computer, it is no easy task when you're searching for key words among more than 10 billion other words.
Alta Vista AltaVista gives you access to the largest Web index: 30 million pages found on 275,600 servers, and four million articles from 14,000 Usenet news groups. It is accessed over 20 million times per weekday. Where is your page indexed on Alta Vista or any other search engine? Is it at the top of the index or number 65, 500 out of a total of about 1.5 million?
There is a misconception about the effectiveness of registering a site with various search engines. Sadly, the misconception is perpetuated by a lack of understanding the Web, the search engines and an unwillingness to face the facts. The first step to help is to admit there is a problem, you must then face the truth.
I say your Web Site/Page is lost in cyberspace (Homeless).
Further, I say you can't find your own Web site, within the first 50 listings returned by any search engine, without using your Web Site's name or it's URL in the search. Use any search engine you choose to do the search.
Meeting the challenge
While searching, use "key words" you think people would normally use to look for your site and see how many times it's name comes up, within a reasonable number from the top listing returned by the search engine. Remember, don't use it's title or URL in the search. I think when you finish with your search you'll be convinced, it's not easy to find your site, provided you did find it, using search engines and key words alone.
Wouldn't it be better if all the apples were in the apple bin in the corner? You bet. Wouldn't it be better if all computer related sites were on one computer related directory, real estate on real estate, construction on construction, etc? You bet it would be better.
One last reminder before you start your search. Don't get lost out there in cyberspace and forget to come back to Step #3 or you may choose to read Step #3 now.
PROOF! Most
Web Sites Are Lost In Cyberspace.
Reality Check Check your site here. Use only "key words" relevant to your site.
Don't use your site name or address.After you finish, come back and send me your results.
Search Results:
If you didn't find your site listed, at least within a reasonable number from the top of the search results, and will include it's address (URL) in the body of No, I Didn't Find My Site, I will look at your site and give you (without cost or obligation) my evaluation as to why.
If YOUR Web Site is not listed or linked to a directory related to it's subject content, it is Homeless and LOST in cyberspace. Why build a Web Site and hide it among millions of other lost sites? If you have taken the Step #2 challenge and are now convinced your site is lost in cyberspace, then find it a home by following the suggestions listed below:
1. Find all of the directories possible that are related to the subject content of your site. Look each one over to see if you want to be associated with it. If you do, go to the next suggestion.
2. Check to see how many accesses (not hits) it gets. Sometimes you may have to e-mail the webmaster or administrator of the site to get the information and he/she may or may not want give out the information.
3. List or link your Web Site/Page on as many directories as you care to list or link with. Some are free, others charge.
4. Be prepared to pay to get on the top directories. Remember, the directories are there as a service to you. Most of them do not have a product to sell, only their services to help promote your commercial Web Site/Page. Remember, you usually get what you pay for. Don't expect to get much results from Free listings.
5. One last thought. Getting listed or linked on a related directory will not diminish the exposure you currently have. It is a plus, an add-on enhancement, bettering your chances for a wider exposure.
Directory Listings vrs Search Engines
Both are important. However, directory listings have certain advantages
over search engine listings.
A new Web Site/Page can be listed or linked on a directory of choice, usually in a matter of a few hours at the most. Some search engines take up to two weeks to list a new sight. Not only that, but your site may be number 600,001 on a list of 1 million or more in a search return. Another negative is the inability to separate search return results into sorted content categories.Advantages:
For example, say your site is all about geotextile fabrics. Go to a search engine and do a search on "geotextiles" and see what comes up in the search results. You'll find a mixture of everything listed on the search engine about fabrics. Chaos, total chaos! Try a search on "hydro seeding." Every garden variety of seeds imaginable comes up at the start of the listing on most of the engines I tried. I don't want to spend my time going through fifty pages of flower and vegetable seed titles to get to what I want.
So you have a hot new page you want to introduce. Sorry about that, it takes some search engines up to a year to traverse the Web and pick up your new page. Others, and only a few at that, will allow updates, however, about the fastest you can expect is usually at least by the next day. No so with directory listings. New pages added to your site will be reflected immediately.Advantages:
Choosing a directory with the search engine feature is another plus for you. If the directory is properly set up with "Key Word" search capabilities, your remote Web Site/Page can be referenced in a key word search.Advantages:
Mirroring has other distinct advantages.