The Axandra newsletter archive
10 September 2002
WEEKLY SEARCH ENGINE FACTS
http://www.Axandra.com
Issue #20 - September 10, 2002
Copyright 2002-2003 Axandra / Voget Selbach Enterprises GmbH
Welcome to a new issue of Search Engine Facts.
This week we're discoveing where Google looks for keywords on your Web pages and you can show your talent to do Google queries.
1. Facts of the week: Google: Keywords in link texts
As you might know by now, we conducted a huge search engine ranking study examining 103,260 top 10 Web pages on Google, AltaVista, iWon/Inktomi, AllTheWeb, Teoma and Wisenut.
We discovered that 23.38% of the #1 Web pages on Google result pages used the queried keyword in <A> link texts.
For example, if the keyword is "software", the following <A> link text contains the keyword once:
<A HREF="http://www.domain.com/anywhere.com">Software</A>
Nearly one out of four Web pages is a very high number so it looks like Google ranks Web pages higher if they contain keywords in their <A> link texts.
Almost as interesting is the question whether the keyword hould be used in same site link texts or in link texts of outbound links. In other words, which of the following two links should you use if your keyword is "software"?
a) <A HREF="http://www.not-my-domain.com">Software</A>
b) <A HREF="link-belongs-to-my-site.htm">Software</A>
What do you think? Guess now before you continue. :-)
In our search engine ranking study, we discovered that twice as many #1 Web pages on Google used the queried keyword in same site link texts (option "b" in our example above).
Source: Search Engine Ranking Study
If you want to know what other factors are taken into account by Google, AltaVista, AllTheWeb and others, read the full search engine ranking study:
http://www.Axandra.com/search-engine-studies/index.htm
2. 19 common mistakes that prevent your Web site from getting top rankings on search engines - Part 18 of 19
Is your Web site not getting listed in search engines? Is your Web site listed but it's not getting top rankings? In our series we tell you the 19 common mistakes for low or no ranking and what you can do about it. Reason #18: Do you use the right keywords? It's important that you use the keywords on which you want to be found in the right places on your Web pages.
Imagine your Web site sells garden flowers. Your HTML source might look like this:
---
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Garden Flowers at Flower Garden Farm</TITLE>
<META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="garden flowers, flower arrangements, wildflower seeds, seed mixes">
<META NAME="description" CONTENT="Many different garden flowers available for your home, yard, garden and patio.">
</HEAD>
---
Some search engines (AltaVista, Inktomi) index the META Keywords tag, some (Google, AllTheWeb/FAST) don't.
For the search engines that index the META Keywords tag, it's important that you actually use the keywords of your META Keywords tag on your Web pages.
Some search engines nowadays consider it spam if the keywords of your META Keywords tag don't appear in the body text on your page.
Of course, you know that the most important thing for a good search engine listing is content on your Web site. Search engines need text, text and even more text to index your Web site.
For example, if you sell cars, have articles about cars on your Web site. If you offer package holidays, provide some tourist information about your destinations. Build this content and optimize the text for your target search terms.
In other words, make sure that the content on your Web pages contains the keywords that are important for your site.
And don't forget to use only those words in your META Keywords tag that appear on your Web page.
Now make the test with your homepage:
- Go to "http://www.live-keyword-analysis.com".
- Enter three of your META keywords in the three keyword fields.
- Leave the ratio fields empty.
- Copy and paste the body text of your homepage into the big edit field.
- Click the "Update" button.
- Now look at the ratio fields. If a keyword has a ratio of 0%, consider adding contents about that keyword on your Web page.
3. Link building
We were quite surprised when we discovered that the live-keyword-analysis.com site (see 2. above) has reviewed ARELIS.
ARELIS is our professional links management solution that improves the link popularity of your Web site so that you'll get higher search engine rankings. But let's just read the review:
"As you may know, Google has changed the way we think about search engines. It has become really important that we get linked to from sites that are popular so that it will push your page rank up on Google. The more relevant and popular the site, the better it will help if obtaining a high ranking on search engine's like Google and Direct Hit.
I asked myself one day, how can I find these sites easily, and how do I get a link off them? I was completely blown away when I discovered a software product called Arelis 3. This was like a dream come true for me (hmm perhaps I am spending too much time on the computer :-)).
But seriously, this is all that and more. I will try and sum up what this software does. It essentially goes out and finds all the people that you NEED to get links off by looking at your competitors sites, as well as your own.
But this is only where the fun starts. It actually streamlines the whole process by putting all the information that you need into the right spots in template files (which you can add to) so each e-mail that is sent out appears totally personal. Consequently increasing your chance of receiving a link back to boost your traffic.
I can't give it justice here. You really need to check it out for yourself. It's not super cheap (around 100 dollars) but it has saved me so much time it is not funny.
It is an investment that I have received major returns from. This is one you can't ignore."
Found at:
http://www.live-keyword-analysis.com/search_engine_tools.html
Download a free trial version of ARELIS and improve the link popularity of your Web site:
http://www.Axandra.com/arelis/download.htm
4. The Google quiz
Until September 20, Google is hosting a 5-question quiz at http://www.google.com/googlequiz.html .
Contestants can test their knowledge of art, film and music, using the Google search engine for the more difficult questions. If completed successfully, players can win one of one hundred $60 Timbuk2 messenger bags sporting the Google logo and other Google gear from the Google shop.
David Krane, Google spokesman, said that the quiz benefits both Google users and the Google company:
"The quiz helps users learn how to create focused queries that bring the desired results to the top of the list. [...]
We'll likely analyze aggregate user search data from this quiz. [...] The results may provide insight to us on how we can make improvements to our service."
The Google quiz is for U.S. residents only: http://services.google.com/quiz/rules.html
5. Previous articles
If you want to publish one of the above articles on your Web site, you're allowed to do so! However, you must not change the contents in any way. Also, you must keep all links and you must add the following two sentences with a link to www.Axandra.com: "Copyright by Axandra.com. Internet marketing and search engine ranking software ."
Please recommend this issue to anyone you know who is interested in search engine facts. It's a good way to stay in touch with your clients, too.
If you're receiving this issue as a forward, and would like to get your own free subscription, visit
http://www.Axandra.com/subscribe.htm
Back issues:
http://www.Axandra.com/news
Copyright 2002-2003 Axandra / Voget Selbach Enterprises GmbH
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