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Issue #009: Search Engine Optimization

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                    SearchReturn Discussion List
             "Understanding Internet Search Technology"
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Moderator:                                          Published by:
Detlev Johnson                                       SearchReturn
               http://www.searchreturn.com
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October 25, 2005                                       Issue #009
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                   .....IN THIS DIGEST.....

// -- NEW DISCUSSION -- //

         "SEO"
                 ~ Kelly Blazes


// -- ESSENTIAL NEWS -- //

         "Google Base"
         "MSN Search Interview"
         "Office Depot vs. Staples"
         "Del.icio.us Search"
         "Infospace Pay-Per-Call"
         "Messenger Sponsored Listings"

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// -- FEATURED POST -- //

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==> TOPIC: SEO

From: Kelly Blazes 


Hi Detlev et al,

It is so great that you have resurrected I-Search [SearchReturn]
as the industry desperately needs forums like this. There are a
lot of opinions out there about what the spiders want and I am
just relieved knowing we have this forum to actually find out.

So, thanks a lot!

Speaking of opinions....

I have been engaged in an ongoing conversation w/ another local
SEO who insists on the following best practices for tags:

- Long Meta description tags (up to 500 chars) so the spider can
"pick and choose" what it wants to display. I thought the spider
truncates after 150-200 chars depending on engine. Will spiders
pick and choose from a long Meta description based on keywords or
will they just display the first 150-200 chars (assuming the
engine is actually pulling the Meta description for the listing
as opposed to on page copy)? I asked another SEO and she said
long descriptions work well for XML feeds but I am talking about
static Web pages here - not XML.

- Optimizing comment, abstract tags and other meta tags is good
for SEO??? I thought comment tags went out of favor back in 98.
And abstract tags? I know spiders do not read other Metas other
than keywords and description. Am I missing something here?

I am very interested in what other I-Searchers [SearchReturn
readers] have found and follow re: char length in Meta
description and optimizing "other" tags.

Kelly Blazes
KUMA Interactive
kelly@kumainteractive.com

 

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// -- ESSENTIAL NEWS -- //

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==> Google Base

http://www.webforce.co.nz/blog/item/google-base.html

Essentials: Three screen captures of a Google test site where
users can post their items that may be included in "the main
Google search index," as well as Froogle, and Google Local.

 

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==> MSN Search Interview

http://channel9.msdn.com/Showpost.aspx?postid=128677

Essentials: MSN Search engineers discuss the affect of their new
neural network on ranking and dampening typical SEO factors.

 

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==> Office Depot vs. Staples

http://directmag.com/news/10-24-05-Office-Depot-Staples/

Essentials: The latest in Trademark disputes regarding Sponsored
Search Listings.

 

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==> Del.icio.us Search

http://del.icio.us/search/

Essentials: Social bookmark and tagging site offers new search
tool.

 

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==> Infospace Pay-Per-Call

http://dmnews.com/cgi-bin/artprevbot.cgi?article_id=34523

Essentials: "As local search evolves and usage increases on
mobile devices, we expect pay per call to be a critical component
of its success for both consumers and local merchants." Merchants
can benefit from search advertising without operating a website.

 

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==> Messenger Sponsored Listings

http://www.seroundtable.com/archives/002699.html

Essentials: On the heels of MSN Messenger and Yahoo! Instant
Messenger working together, Microsoft may be testing Sponsored
Listings in the newest versions of their Messenger chat service.
This represents another outlet for ads. Microsoft must be looking
at all angles for publishing ads from their upcoming AdCenter to
catch up with Google's comprehensive dominant ad network.

 

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Copyright 2005 Detlev Johnson. All Rights Reserved.
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