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What did these insiders say about linking?

Basically, the old linking principle still applies: if page a links to page b then it is a recommendation from page a to page b. The more links point to your web site, the better your rankings.

The Ask Jeeves representative pointed out that text links can be understood by search engines but not image links. He also pointed out that you should avoid link farms, cloaked pages and invisible or hidden links. It seems that ethical search engine optimization is still important.

The Yahoo representative said that links had been very popular and that the link popularity on Yahoo would be moving to the social community aspect (without revealing further information). He also said that the links to your web site should look natural.

Google's representative agreed with Ask Jeeves' statements. In addition, he suggested to add one new page of content everyday and that the links to your web site should not all have the same text. He also confirmed that Google only returns a few of the backlinks they have in their index.

How can you improve the link popularity of your web site without upsetting search engines?

The discussion confirmed that it is important to focus on ethical search engine optimization. Don't try to cheat search engines and don't go for one shot quick fix solutions.

Get good links to your web site and use text links whenever possible. If the site navigation on your web site uses image links, add text links so that search engines can index your pages. Mix reciprocal links and one-way links to create a natural linking pattern. Don't forget to optimize your web page content for search engines.

It takes some time to prepare your web pages for high search engine rankings and to keep them there. If you want to get long-term results with your web site, you have to work with your web pages.

Be cautious when someone offers you quick solutions that require no work. These companies usually offer spam services that will harm your web site rankings.

Google, Yahoo! still dominate search; MSN gains ground

"Google maintained its lead in the United States with 36.5 percent of all the searches in the month of July--followed by Yahoo! at 30.5 percent and MSN at 15.5 percent [...]

Microsoft's MSN earned the greatest search volume gain among any of the top search engines, rising 30 percent year-over-year and accounting for 744 million domestic searches."

Google stealthily monitoring clickthroughs from search-results

"There's some very subtle clickthrough tracking going on at Google. Just before you click on a link on a search-results page, at the 'on mousedown' event, Google rewrites the links in its search results with a long redirector URL that is presumably being used to track which search results are being selected most often."

Google ad display increases

"In more searches, particularly queries with commercial intent, Google now displays three paid PPC links instead of the traditional one or two."

Google releases a new version of their desktop search tool

Google has released Google Desktop 2 with new features. Further information can be found here.

Google search for Trader deal

"[Google and Yahoo] each approached Trader Classified Media, the Euronext-listed owner of 575 print titles, ranging from Canada’s Auto Trader magazine to Buy & Sell Chinese in the US, about a possible corporate tie-up."

Courts signal that Google's keyword policy is lawful

"We believe our current policy strikes a good balance between advertisers, users and trademark owners, don't be surprised if our policy evolves over time. We believe it is possible for an advertiser to create an ad that uses a trademark in a legal and non-confusing way - after all that is what comparative advertising is all about."

Search engine newslets

• Ask Jeeves improves its Smart Answers service.
• Yahoo adds Y!Q to toolbar and messenger.
• Google used the sub domain talk.google.com for a short time. Is this an indicator for a new Google service?
• Google buys Android for its mobile arsenal.
• Yahoo takes iVillage away from Google.

Google has your data: should you be afraid? - part two

"From Google's viewpoint, once users grant consent by using Google's services, the collected data is beyond the user's reach forever. Google states that it might store and process personal information collected on its site wherever it wants. [...] Google has an interest in using what it collects from search engine users to make money."

Where does Google plan to spend $4 billion?

"While executives would not disclose what the new software tool might be, Google has long been expected to introduce an instant messaging service to compete with services offered by America Online, Yahoo and MSN from Microsoft."

Google tests "commercial" results in organic listings

"Google is testing interspersing alternate listings that appear to be commercial in nature into its natural, or organic, search results. [...] We're finding results that may be an experiment in a new system of determining relevance."

Google desktop search: Take two

"The search giant may be hoping the beta version of Google Desktop Version 2 will be better received than the first version, which was criticised by analysts at Gartner who advised firms to steer clear of it."

Optimize your web page content for high search engine rankings with IBP 8

It works with Google, Yahoo and all other major search engines. The new IBP version offers many new features that make it even easier to successfully promote your site.

Of course, the new IBP version still offers the powerful search engine submitter, the ranking checker, the top 10 optimizer, the keyword generator and many more powerful tools. Just give it a try.

How to get good links to your web site

If you want to get high quality links to your web site, try ARELIS and IBP's Link Popularity Improver. Both products follow a no-spam approach that help you to get good links.

"My site went from 400 incoming links to 8,653 incoming links in 4 months with ARELIS!"
Dave Sorenson, www.FortMyersHomes4u.com

If you haven't done it yet, download the free ARELIS demo now .

Let your web site check by Axandra professionals for free

This newsletter is about search engine optimization. For that reason, we'll analyze the web site of a reader in one of the next articles.

Thank you for all of your suggestions. You can still suggest your web site for review until 25 August 2005.

If you want to suggest your web site for a free and detailed SEO analysis, click here.

• Is the KEI (keyword effectiveness index) really a good indicator for useful keywords?
• Keywords and search engine optimization
• The most important search engines for search engine optimization (SEO)
• Can too many links hurt your web site rankings?
• Why has your web site been dropped from Google?
• How to react to the latest ranking algorithm changes
• Is the Open Directory Project still important?
• The perfect balance between on-site and off-site optimization
• Does Google manually influence its search results?
• View all past issues...