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If your web site is listed in the Open Directory Project (ODP, dmoz.org) then Google and MSN will often use the text that the ODP uses to describe your web site in their own search results.

Unfortunately, the descriptions in the Open Directory Project are often outdated and they don't reflect the current status of a web site. That means that your web site might be listed with an outdated description in the search results on Google and MSN.

How to get rid of the ODP description

Fortunately, there's a way to tell Google and MSN not to use the ODP description for your web site. You can direct Google and MSN not to use the ODP as a source by adding a new Meta tag to your web pages.

To prevent all search engines (that support the Meta tag) from using the ODP description for the page's description, use the following HTML tag:

<META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="NOODP">

To specifically prevent Google from using this information for a page's description, use <META NAME="GOOGLEBOT" CONTENT="NOODP">. If you just want to prevent MSN from using the description, use <META NAME="msnbot" CONTENT="NOODP">.

Note that once you add this Meta tag to your pages, it may take some time until a new description of your web page will appear in the search results of Google and MSN.

You might wonder why Yahoo does not support the NOODP tag. Yahoo operates its own directory so it does not need to pull the web page descriptions from the ODP.

There are many more Meta tags that allow you to influence search engines

In addition to the new NOODP tag, there are many more Meta tags that allow you to influence how search engines handle your web pages.

For example, you can tell search engines where your business is located (that's useful for local search features), you can tell search engines if they should index a web page or not and much more.

We recommend IBP's Website Optimization Editor to add these tags to your web pages and to optimize the contents of your web pages. IBP's Website Optimization Editor allows you to quickly edit your web pages:

• Quickly change the web page title, the Meta tags, the link texts, the IMG ALT attributes etc. with a few mouse clicks.
  
  IBP displays the keyword density in real-time so that you can quickly apply the perfect keyword density to all web page elements.
  
  
• Quickly add the new NOODP tag to all of your web pages so that Google, Yahoo and other search engines don't use the outdated Open Directory Project description of your web site anymore.
  
  
• Quickly create Meta tags for local search to your web pages. IBP supports regional Meta tags, Meta GEO tags and the Meta ICBM tag. Tell search engines the exact position of your business so that customers can find you.

The new NOODP tag is an easy way to tell search engines how to describe your web site in the search results. You should also use the other available Meta tags that are supported by search engines to make sure that your web site gets maximum exposure. If you haven't done it yet, download the latest IBP version here.

Yahoo announces Yahoo! Search Builder

"With Yahoo! Search Builder you can create a custom Web search engine by selecting a set of trusted sites to search across or you can tune the search algorithm to the topic of your choice. Beyond Web search, Search Builder includes Site search and News search.

Then generate the code you'll need to add your search engine to your site. You also have control over the look and feel of the search box and search results page."

Editor's note: This new Yahoo service is similar to Rollyo.

Google Sitemaps has been renamed to Google Webmaster Tools

"With our latest release, we've done more than just change our name - we've listened to you and added some features and enhanced others as a result."

Google breaks 60% - U.S. July search volume numbers

"The top engines combined account for over 94% of all search volume in the US. [...] Google has increased its share from 59.3% to 60.2%, Yahoo! Search has increased from 22.0% to 22.5% and MSN Search has decreased slightly from 12.1% to 11.8%."

Search engine newslets

• Yahoo now displays a second search box when people search for Google.
• MSN does the same.
• Nettracker Home is a family safe search engine for parents and their kids.
• Gains by Ask.com can't steady InterActive ship.
• MySpace.com is Google's space.
• Take a look at the Google Maps flight simulator.
• Google related links now also show videos.
• A long list of Google patents.
• Stephen Hawkins asks a question on Yahoo and many people answer.
• Google now warns web surfers if they click on some search results.
• Google reveals payment deal with AP.

Study: search marketers undervalue 'assists'

"Marketers who credit only the last search result a person clicks on before converting are missing the full value of 'assist' clicks, according to a new study. [...]

The study found more than 60 percent of conversions were completed with one click on a marketer's natural or paid listings. The other 37.3 percent of transactions were completed with at least one 'assist' click on a marketer's search listings. These multi-click conversions accounted for two-thirds of the total clicks measured in this study."

 

The high cost of a free web site

"For the love of your business, you should just pass it up. There's nothing more expensive than a free Web site. [...] Your prospects will check out your Web site first to learn more about you. Even if they're not super-sophisticated they can tell the difference between a professional Web site and an amateurish, free site."

AOL says sorry for leaking user search data

"AOL has said it is sorry for releasing shedloads of details of user searches onto the interweb. Randomly selected search data, from 658,000 subscribers, was intended for use on the recently launched AOL Research site."

Google plans to distribute MTV clips with ads

"In a further reach for online video, Google Inc. will begin distributing clips from MTV Networks' shows to other Web sites through its budding video service in a model that offers content creators a new source of distribution and revenue."

"This site can now be found at pole-position #1"

"One of my customers couldn't be found on search engines. With the help of IBP this site can now be found at pole-position #1 out of 40 million results."
Ed Bohnen, www.randware.nl

"We now have no1 listings accross may search engines"

"With ARELIS, I spend less time finding and submitting links. IBP/ARELIS has made our life very easy and we now have no1 listings accross may search engines."
David Sargent, www.gov-certificates.co.uk

IBP is now available in version 9.2

The new IBP 9.2 offers everything you need for successful search engine optimization: web page optimization, inbound link optimization, search engine submission, ranking check and much more.

If you currently use another web site promotion tool then you should take a look at the new IBP 9.2. We're sure that you'll find IBP 9.2 more powerful and easier to use than any other SEO tool.

• Inbound links and optimized content for your web site
• New study: How to get high rankings on Google, Yahoo and MSN
• How to submit your web site to all Internet directories
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• How to get high rankings with Flash sites
• Analyze the linking structure of your competitors
• View all past issues...