iProspect CEO Fredrick Marckini Says That This Changes Everything: Web Site

Design And Yahoo!'s Business Express Program Are Now The Two Most Important

Factors In Determining Web Site Ranking And Visibility.

    ARLINGTON, Mass., Nov. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- iProspect(R), the Original(TM)
 Search Engine Positioning Firm today warns online marketers that Yahoo!'s
 decision to extend its contract with Google, and the unprecedented decision by
 Yahoo! to subordinate its own human-edited directory with Google's search
 database, represents an industry mega-trend that has significant implications
 to online marketing programs. Namely, search databases have now effectively
 replaced human-edited directories as the perceived most successful search
 mechanism, as all major search properties are now leading with search
 databases and subordinating their human-edited directory matches to them.
 This has two HUGE implications if you are marketing on the Web:
 
     1. Inclusion in Yahoo!'s Business Express program is now critically
        important to online marketing success (Yahoo!'s fee-based program
        ensures that a site will be viewed and evaluated in a timely manner --
        a member of Yahoo!'s editorial staff will view the site within seven
        days of submission and consider it for inclusion in the directory.).
        Having your Web site listed within Yahoo!'s directory impacts your
        site's link popularity in Google; the quantity, quality and context of
        links to your site from other sites; as well as Google's ranking
        algorithm (called PageRank(TM)), that determines the order in which
        sites appear in search results. This program is a huge benefit to Web
        site owners as it allows your site to be even more accessible to
        online audiences.
     2. Web site design that is "search engine spider friendly" is more
        important than ever, since virtually all major search properties are
        now utilizing automated "spidering" as the means by which to index and
        rank your site, and not the mind of a human being.  Web site owners'
        sites not designed with spiders in mind (i.e. sites that utilize
        Flash; sites that are graphic intensive; sites with little content)
        used to be able to rely on human-edited directories for prominent
        listings -- but not any longer.  Hundreds, if not thousands of Web
        sites that once ranked prominently within Yahoo!'s database, but which
        were not designed to be "spider-friendly," will now be lost among
        pages that have been optimized.  Spider-based search algorithms are
        now the only game in town when it comes to determining page rank.
 
     "The value of Business Express is no longer essential for just small
 business, but for big business it still remains a no-brainer purchase," said
 Danny Sullivan, Internet consultant, writer, and recognized search engine
 expert.  "Because Yahoo! is making use of spider-based listings more than they
 ever did in the past, it is more valuable than ever to optimize your pages.
 These changes make it more important that companies consider their search
 engine strategy."
     "This development is nothing short of an earthquake for Web site owners
 and may prove cataclysmic to some whose Web sites are not prepared," said
 Fredrick Marckini, CEO of iProspect and author of the book, "Search Engine
 Positioning."  "Companies that had previously relied on their Yahoo! listing
 to generate site traffic may suddenly find themselves out in the cold.
 Conversely, Web site marketers whose sites are search engine friendly can
 expect increased traffic from Yahoo! now that Google's algorithm powers it. No
 longer can a Webmaster tell his Marketing VP not to worry about their search
 engine unfriendly Web site design because, 'we can always get listed in
 directories like Yahoo!.'  This changes everything.  It means that a Web
 site's architecture, content and general search engine friendliness will rule
 the day at virtually all major search properties, and this now includes
 Yahoo!."
     "Six years ago at the 1997 Infonortics search engine conference, someone
 summarized the proceedings by stating 'clearly, Yahoo! has won the search
 engine wars, which was evidence that human-edited directories provide better
 relevance than spider-based search engines.' A statement that I felt was a
 mistake at the time," said Marckini.  "Yahoo! was winning the search engine
 wars because they had the most recognized brand, not because they provided the
 best search experience.  All of the major search engines in attendance must
 have agreed with that unknowingly off-target pronouncement, because they spent
 the next five years partnering with directory services and subordinating
 spider-built search databases to directory content.  Now that mistaken belief
 system has finally been put to rest.  Today, virtually every major search
 property is powered by a spider-based search engine, not a directory.  For Web
 marketers, it is decision time.  You can curse the wind or adjust your sails.
 If the search landscape is dominated by spider-based search tools, your Web
 site had better be spider-friendly or you risk your site being lost in the 1
 to 3 billion Web pages indexed by most search engines.  Pay-for-placement
 engines can only get you so far, and the costs are prohibitively expensive
 with keyword bids up to as much as $5 or $10 per click, some even $50 per
 click.  Monthly keyword budgets in some vertical niches are running upwards of
 $50,000 to $75,000 per month-advertising dollars that would not have to be
 spent if the marketers focused on making their Web sites search engine
 friendly."
 
     For more information, please visit:
 http://www.iprospect.com/googleextension
 
     Or, see this article by Danny Sullivan on SearchEngineWatch.com:
 http://www.searchenginewatch.com/sereport/02/10-yahoo.html
 
     About iProspect
     iProspect, The Original(TM) Search Engine Positioning Firm, is the leading
 provider of professional services that improve clients' Web site visibility in
 major search engines and directories.  Founded in 1996 by Fredrick Marckini,
 the company helps large, established organizations increase their online
 market reach through consulting on search engine optimization and query
 language research.  iProspect pioneered the industry and works with the most
 recognized and successful brands in the world, including Marriott, Miller
 Brewing, The GM Card and Sharp Electronics.  The company has published three
 books on search engine positioning including the seminal work, Achieving Top-
 10 Rankings in Internet Search Engines, and most recently, Search Engine
 Positioning.  iProspect is located in Arlington, Mass., and can be reached at
 1 800-522-1152, via e-mail at pr@iprospect.com, or on the Web at
 www.iprospect.com.
 
      Contact:
      Patti Abbate for iProspect
      (508) 533-0537
      patti@sunrise-pr.com
 
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SOURCE  iProspect

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