Googles Trap, DMOZs Nap, And Yahoo!s Crap

On November 16th, 2003, Google commenced an update (the Florida update) which had a catastrophic effect for a very large number of websites and, in the process, turned search engine optimization upside down. It is common to give alphabetical names to Google's updates in the very same way that names are given to hurricanes, and this one became known as "Florida".

In a nutshell, a vast number of pages, many of which had ranked at or near the top of the results for a very long time, suddenly disappeared from the results altogether.

To so many on the Internet, Google has become the omnipotent "hand of God" and it's sickening! Why are so many people falling into the trap of optimizing their website's to cater to Google's ever-changing algorithms? I refuse to play that game! I personally could care less about my search engine rankings. I never have. My search engine rankings go up and down like a yo-yo! They have for years. Yet, I'm still able to comfortably support myself and my family.

If you only remember one thing from this article, remember this: DO NOT DEPEND SOLELY ON SEARCH ENGINES FOR YOUR TRAFFIC! Find alternative ways to attract traffic to your website. If you're fortunate enough to achieve a high search engine ranking, consider it a bonus. But DO NOT MAKE THE SEARCH ENGINES A PRIORITY!

Why? Because when you stop to consider that Google, DMOZ and Yahoo! has millions and millions of pages in their directories, you'd really have a better chance of winning the lottery, than getting high enough in the results pages where it's going to make a significant difference in your traffic.

In fact, I receive a very tiny percentage of my traffic from the search engines.

So, where's my traffic coming from? Well, the vast majority of it comes from the dozens of articles I've written that have been picked up and published on popular websites. I also get traffic via word of mouth, newsletters that my articles are published in, and a few other secret methods that I use.

Yes, like Colonel Sanders, I too have a secret recipe!

And if all of the search engines disappeared tomorrow, I'd be just fine, because I'm a marketing man. I know how to market myself and my service. I was lucky enough to be born a "baby boomer." That means I had the honor and privilege of personally seeing first-hand, some of the greatest copywriting in history. I took lots of notes and learned my lessons well.

Back then, mailorder was the Internet of its time, and boy was there marketing talent everywhere! You should really do yourself a favor sometime and go to the library and read the old mailorder books. Some great titles to look for include, "How To Get Rich In Mail Order," by Melvin Powers, "Money In Your MailBox," by L. Perry Wilbur, "How To Make A Fortune In Mail Order," by Al Stern and "Building A Mail Order Business," by William A. Cohen .

You'll come away a lot smarter and you'll discover some ingenious ways to market your website, besides the search engines.

Will somebody wake up DMOZ? I hear they're sleeping on the job. DMOZ (The Open Directory Project) is another prime example of why you shouldn't depend on search engines or directories. I've heard and read countless horror stories about DMOZ taking 9 months to a year or more to add new sites to their directory, and in many cases not adding perfectly qualified sites at all. I've also heard their directory is not kept up to date, because the editors can't keep up with the workload.

In addition, it's been widely reported that they don't respond to e-mails, don't inform you if and when you're site is rejected, and that some of the editors are rude and arrogant.

Who cares how much weight Google places on being listed in DMOZ? You don't have to put up with that nonsense! Find alternative ways to attract traffic to your website.

Yahooooooooooooooooo! I want you to read what it says on the info page for submitting to Yahoo! Express:

"We established Yahoo! Express as part of a suite of services that Yahoo! has created to service small business needs. Through Yahoo! Express, we can ensure that sites suggested by merchants such as yourself are viewed and evaluated in a timely manner by Yahoo!'s editorial staff.

Your payment and participation in Yahoo! Express guarantees that within seven business days a member of Yahoo!'s editorial staff will look at your site and consider it for inclusion in the Yahoo! directory.

Please keep in mind that payment does not automatically guarantee inclusion in the directory, site placement, or site commentary. As with all sites suggested to us, final judgement remains solely with Yahoo! editors. Yahoo! Express Guarantees All Yahoo! Express submissions will be evaluated within seven business days. You will receive an email response within seven business days, stating whether your entry is accepted or declined. (If your entry is denied, you will be told why.) The Cost of Yahoo! Express Yahoo! Express requires a US $299.00 non-refundable, recurring annual fee per submission, or US $600.00 non-refundable, recurring annual fee for submissions offering adult content and/or services. Yahoo! Express does not guarantee a listing in the Yahoo! directory, nor does it guarantee the type of placement or description that your site will receive if accepted. Please read our Yahoo! Express Terms of Service to review the terms and conditions of Yahoo! Express."

Are you kidding me? What a bunch of crap! Why, why, why would anyone want to just hand over their money to Yahoo! that way, without any type of guarantee?

I've just given you shining examples of the arrogance and total lack of respect Google, DMOZ and Yahoo! has for the very people they depend on to keep them in business.

I say we show them the same kind of respect they show us. Get out of the Google trap, let DMOZ nap, and don't accept Yahoo's crap!

Remember: DO NOT DEPEND SOLELY ON SEARCH ENGINES FOR YOUR TRAFFIC! Find alternative ways to attract traffic to your website. If you're fortunate enough to achieve a high search engine ranking, consider it a bonus. But DO NOT MAKE THE SEARCH ENGINES A PRIORITY!

About The Author

Dean Phillips is an Internet marketing expert, writer, publisher and entrepreneur. Questions? Comments? Dean can be reached at mailto: dean@lets-make-money.net.

Website: http://www.lets-make-money.net

---

8 ways to build a really bad web site for Search Engines

Some web sites receive hundreds or thousands of unique visitors... Read More

How To Use Google As A Niche Website Builder

The popularity of weblogs or blogs has gotten a lot... Read More

Google Website and Web Page Indexing for Dummies

You may have heard how important it is to have... Read More

How Directories Help Search Engines

At the beginning of the web era, users would go... Read More

Google Bring Deskbar Search To Windows Desktop. Now Any Website Can Take Advantage Of This

Google's premier of desktop search proves that the desktop is... Read More

Google Contest - Nigritude Ultramarine

Search engine optimization experts are having fun with Google. Experts,... Read More

The Easiest Way to Your Google Sitemap

Google Sitemaps is a new tool for website owners and... Read More

Click Click Boom: a Linking Strategy that will Blow Away Your Competition

Web marketers, do you hear what I hear?"Click-click BOOM"That's the... Read More

What You Can Expect From Search Engine

Search engines will be a way for you to generate... Read More

Hiring An SEO Constultant - 10 Reasons Why You Should

It crosses every webmaster's mind anytime they see an ad... Read More

Going To Market: Keywords and Backlinks, Part 1

As I waded into the 'Make Money Online' waters on... Read More

The Simple Formula To Search Engines

Search engines are one of the best tools to bring... Read More

The Search Doesnt End at Your Homepage

In a recent report for a new client, I wrote:... Read More

How I Suddenly Stumbled Onto No.1 In Google and Yahoo Without Search Engine Optimization - So What?

Sometimes, the search engines act really strange. And this story... Read More

8 Essential SEO techniques

1) Title Tag - The title tag is the most... Read More

How To Find Good Keywords

Good keywords are frequently searched for (high demand) but not... Read More

Pay Per Click Versus ?Organic? Search Engine Listings - The Pros and Cons and Best Uses for Each

What's the difference?For those who aren't quite clear what the... Read More

Feed me - Satisfy the Search Engines and Your Sites Visitors With Keyword-Rich Content

Search engines love content. Graphics may make your site look... Read More

Its All in the Title

Unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world. You may... Read More

STOP Writing for Search Engines

Back when I was starting out with my first internet... Read More

Sales And Crawlers, Update! Update! Update!

The importance to the algorithmic web crawlers that speed throughout... Read More

Search Engine Optimization, Positioning: Is Chasing Google Algorithms Worth It?

Google is the undisputed heavyweight champion of search engines. Most... Read More

The Wonders of Wordtracker: Its More than a Hunt for Keywords

For me personally, Wordtracker.com is not just a... Read More

7 Search Engine Resources You Should Be Using Now

Ask any business person who's website is at the top... Read More

All about SEO or SFO?

First let's start with definitions:SEO: Search Engine Optimization, SFO: Search... Read More

If Content is King, then surely Relevance is Queen!

There has been a lot of to-ing and fro-ing in... Read More

An Introduction to Google Sitemaps

... and why I 'm dying to get finally in... Read More

PageRank and How It Gets Assigned

We know that each and every website page is assigned... Read More

One Way Linking Campaigns II

There is a way to generate links with the content... Read More

Search Engines: Tips and Strategies on Getting Listed and Ranking High for Newbies

You've got a website. You've put countless hours into it,... Read More

Forget SEO ? It?s All About Conversion!

Which SEO hat do you wear? Is it white or... Read More

SEO Expert Guide - Paid Site Promotion (Marketing) (part 7/10)

In parts 1 - 6 you learnt how to develop... Read More

Guide to Search Engine Optimization

What is Search Engine Optimization?Search Engine Optimization or SEO for... Read More