Search Engine Facts or Myths?

Most experts agree that the following 5 Search Engine Myths can hurt your business the most:

1. Once I submit my site to search engines, I will have massive traffic to my web site.
If your web site is not optimized correctly for search engines, it may never be picked up by them. If they are picked up by search engines, you may have a very deep positioning, which means that your site can be listed number 4,725 and no one will be able to find you. Ensure that you have the correct "META TAGS", which include a title of your site, the correct keywords, and a proper description of your site. Each instance should contain the most effective keywords you can create. Using META TAGS is not the "cure-all". There are many other factors to be considered before a search engine will pick up your site.

2. My site must be registered with thousands of search engines.
98% of Internet users search the Net through the top 10 search engines. The most popular and most effective search engines are: (Alphabetically)

Altavista - http://www.altavista.com
Altavista is now powered by Yahoo & Overture
Free Submit Link: http://addurl.altavista.com/
Express Submit: Use Overture Site Match Program
Average Submission Time: Paid: 2 Weeks / Free: 6 Weeks
PPC Link: Use Overture Premium Listings

Ask Jeeves - http://www.ask.com
Powered By Teoma
Free Submit Link: None
Express Submit: Ask Jeeves Site Submit Program
Average Submission Time: 1-2 Weeks
PPC Link:Use Google AdWords

FAST - http://www.alltheweb.com
Powered By Yahoo & Overture Match Program
Free Submit Link: http://addurl.alltheweb.com/
Express Submit: Use Overture Site Match Program
Average Submission Time: 1 Month
PPC Link:Use Overture PPC

Google - http://www.google.com
Free Submit Link: http://www.google.com/addurl.html
Express Submit: NO
Average Submission Time: 2 Weeks
PPC: Google AdWords - http://adwords.google.com/

HOTBOT - http:/www.hotbot.com
Hotbot is powered by Inktomi & Overture.
Free Submit Link: Use MSN Submit Link
Express Submit: Use Overture Site Match Program
Average Submission Time: 2 Weeks - 72 for Express

Inktomi - www.inktomi.com
Inktomi is owned by Yahoo & Overture
Free Submit Link: Use MSN Submit Link
Express Submit: Use Overture Site Match Program
Average Submission Time: 2 Weeks - 72 hours for Express

Looksmart - http://www.looksmart.com
Express Submit: No, Looksmart is PPC Only
PPC Link: http://listings.looksmart.com/

Lycos - http://www.lycos.com
Free Submit Link: http://advertising.lycos.com/contactus.html
Express Submit: Use Lycos Insite
Average Submission Time: 1 Month
PPC Link: Use Google AdWords

MSN - http://www.search.msn.com
Free Submit Link: MSN Submit Link
Express Submit: Use Overture Site Match Program
Average Submission Time: 2 Weeks - 72 hours for Express
PPC Link: Use Overture Premium Listings

ODP - Open Directory Project - http://www.dmoz.org
Free Submit Link: http://www.dmoz.org/add.html
Express Submit: NO
Average Submission Time: 1-2 Months

Overture - http://www.overture.com
Free Submit Link: NO, PPC only
PPC Link: http://www.overture.com/

Teoma - http://www.teoma.com
Provides results to Ask Jeeves & is powered by AdWords
Free Submit Link: None
Express Submit: Use Ask Jeeves Site Submit
Average Submission Time: 1 - 2 Weeks
PPC Link: Use Google AdWords

Yahoo - http://www.yahoo.com
Free Submit Link: http://submit.search.yahoo.com/
Express Submit: Use Overture Site Match Program
Average Submission Time: 2 Weeks - 1 Month
PPC Link:Use Overture Premium Listings

Although there are literally thousands of search engines on the Internet, your best bet lies within these top 10. You can register your web site with as many search engines and directories as you want, but it will not yield much additional traffic. The only advantage to the additional linking is that it will increase your link popularity and in effect may make you more desirable to the top search engines.

3. I must re-register my web site often to get a higher ranking.
You must be careful NOT to submit your site more than once per month. Bi-monthly or quarterly is preferred. The reason for re-submission is to hopefully get a better positioning. However, many search engines are banning web sites that over submit. Some engines are banning for submitting twice because they consider this spamming. The best time to resubmit is when you have an addition to your web site, or a web site redesign.

4. I can create doorway pages, or "cloak" my code to get better positioning.
These strategies used to work well, but are fast losing its effectiveness because search engines are more sophisticated and can detect this easier. There are ways to still use doorway pages to your advantage, but you must be careful not to be considered a search engine spammer. This will ban you from the search engine for a very long time.

5. Real world advertising is much better than Search Engine Optimization.
Quite the opposite. When you have an optimized web site, which lists in the top 10 listing of the any top search engine, and you have a killer website that informs, educates, and has a good sales process, there is no comparison. When people are ready for your product or service and they visit their favorite search engine to find your site, odds are that they will immediately take action. The internet allows consumers and business owners the ability to seek, find and act faster than traditional advertising ever has because they are looking for you-not the other way around.

Optimizing your web site correctly will help you find the most targeted prospect for your business. If you compliment that with Link Popularity, you'll maximize your efforts and be amazed at the traffic your web site generates for your business.