The Advantages of Submit URL

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Submit URL is without a doubt the least expensive search engine advertising program long term , outscoring Fixed Placement and PFP programs. Submit URL shares a majority of its advantages with its sister paid inclusion program, Trusted Feed. But you'll choose one paid inclusion, not both. If you have less than 500 web site pages to submit, here are a few advantages you'll receive by participating in Submit URL.

Appears as an Organic Search Result, Not an Advertisement

In the beginning of search engine time, text links were organic search results. Or, a few were editors' web site recommendations. If marketers wanted to buy keywords, banner ads were their only option. Banner ads were an obvious form of advertising. Web site listings in search results were not. While consumers learned to develop "banner blindness" when performing keyword queries on search engines, savvy marketers were already promoting their web sites in the search results. Simple search engine optimization (SEO) techniques coupled with the URL submission process achieved top rankings fairly easily. Only then, Submit URL wasn't considered paid inclusion because for nearly all search engines it was free.

Today, marketers can buy their way to the top through paid placement or paid inclusion. Due to recent pressure from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, search engines that offer paid placement are labeling this form of sponsorship. Perhaps a portion of consumers who spot a "Sponsored Listing" heading skip over these as they do banner ads. This is important to consider because Submit URL (or Trusted Feed) enables marketers to appear in the natural search results. Consumers might assume that these are unbiased site matches to their query. Paid inclusion marketers continue to draw the attention of consumers who intentionally skip what they consider to be advertisements.

This is an interesting assumption because natural search results aren't all that pure. Paying an inclusion fee improves marketers' odds of getting into the search engines. Then implementing a solid SEO strategy definitely influences page rankings. Many companies opt to outsource these efforts to professional firms, so again they're paying a fee. Therefore, isn't all search engine marketing advertising to a degree? Yes. But as long as consumers believe there's a difference, there's value to being visible in the area they consider to contain unbiased search results.

Score Additional Rankings for Relevant Keywords

With paid placement, you specify the keywords you want to buy. Through paid inclusion, when you optimize your site design for primary keywords you'll often score rankings for relevant secondary keywords at no extra charge.

Content is central to achieving high rankings; search engine spiders need to determine what each site page is about and how it compares to other pages with similar content. Look at the relevant content on the Matco Associates Inc. welding page (see Figures 8.2 and 8.3). It's no wonder that this company ranks first under "Web Pages" on MSN Search for " welding services."

Figure 8.2. The Matco Associates Inc. welding page ranks first under MSN Search's organic listings (see "Web Pages" heading) for the phrase "welding services."

Figure 8.3. Look how much relevant content search engines can scan on Matco's welding page and consider for additional keyword rankings.

Matco makes the copy people-friendly by using a client testimonial , bullets to highlight their services, plus in-depth copy explaining the welding process. Potential customers are offered pretty extensive educational information about the topic. Search engines love this approach too, and fortunately, often reward sites following this model.

The search engines, or their authorized resellers , that offer a Submit URL service often provide reports . These usually include the keywords that send traffic to your site or to specific pages. Figure 8.4 is a sample Inktomi report from Position Technologies, a Submit URL and Trusted Feed reseller.

Figure 8.4. A Submit URL report generally reveals the keywords that send traffic to your site. Paid inclusion resellers such as Position Technologies provide one account login for you to review reports for multiple programs. This is their sample Inktomi Submit URL report.

Continual Re-indexing of Site Pages

Marketers who aren't using a paid inclusion program wait indefinitely for search engine spiders to make return visits to their sites. Sure, a couple of search engines and directories offer a free Add URL form (AltaVista, Lycos, Google, Open Directory Project/dmoz.org). But, if there's significant competition for your keywords, don't rely on the chance that perhaps this year a spider travels your way. (Top SEO firms can achieve success with free submissions because they're experts at site optimization.) Furthermore, when you update your content or add site pages, you'll want to invite the search engines to swing by for a closer look immediately. The sooner they evaluate your pages, the sooner they'll include them in their databases. I recommend using their fee-based service, if available.

Once you've paid the fee, first-time inclusion generally occurs within 72 hours, as it does with Inktomi. Inktomi provides 48- hour refreshes for their Submit URL programs. You're only a few days away from initial and repeat spider visits. No praying to the spider gods and checking web analytics reports to spot their visits. It's an automated process.

Important

A web site page can't achieve an organic ranking without being in the search engine's database. Once included in the database, a top ranking is earned, not guaranteed .


Getting listed by search engines is similar to being last in a pathetically long line at an over-the-top trendy restaurant. A little cash catches the host's attention and voil ƒ , you're in. In this case, that cash incentive guarantees that a waiter will actually serve you. Now it's up to your astonishingly-beautiful attire and electric personality to win VIP treatment. Back in the online world, paying the inclusion fee instantly opens the doors to the search engine database. Then it's up to your web site design and content to earn you prominent visibility.

Least Expensive Traffic Generator Long-Term

The aforementioned advantages apply to both Submit URL and Trusted Feed inclusion programs. This benefit, however, is owned completely by Submit URL. It's the only search engine advertising program where you pay an annual or semi-annual fee for unlimited traffic.

Table 8.1 shows sample pricing for two search engines that offer Submit URL. (Remember that the same search engine often sells both types of paid placement and paid inclusion programs as well.)

Table 8.1. Sample Submit URL pricing structure for two search engines through Position Technologies.

Search Engine

First URL Fee

Additional URL Fee

Ask Jeeves/Teoma

$30/year

$18/year

Inktomi

$39/year

$25/year

As an example, if you submit 10 web site pages to Ask Jeeves, you'll pay $192 for the year (1st URL = $30, 9 additional URLs = $162). On Pay-For-Placement (PFP) search engines, $192 buys you 3,840 clicks ‚ if the keywords you want are only $.05 each. For competitive terms, you won't pay the minimum bid amount. Maybe your keywords are $1 per click; you'll receive 192 clicks. High bids on PFP engines make Submit URL a more profitable option for companies with highly competitive keywords. Even if clicks to the advertiser's site cost roughly the same amount, conversion rates could be higher through Submit URL. You'll have to review your tracking reports to make that determination.

Important

With the popularity of cost-per-click pricing on the rise, don't be surprised if their pricing model moves into the Submit URL program space too.


The risk with Submit URL is that neither rankings nor clicks are guaranteed. Therefore, submit site pages with customer-focused content that have been optimized for a group of keywords. You'll increase the likelihood of driving traffic to those pages through a variety of search terms, which will lower your per-visitor cost. The home page and main products or services pages are good candidates for Submit URL. A contact page is not. Start with 10 ‚ 20 pages at a time as a test run.

Stable Positions in Directories

Directories typically fall under Submit URL because an annual or semi-annual submission fee is generally required, and a particular position is not guaranteed. Unlike crawler-based search engines, a directory is composed of human editors who determine if a web site will be included in the directory, and under which category it will be placed.

Important

Nonprofit organizations may submit their web site to Yahoo! for free. The free option generally appears once you click the "Suggest a Site" link from within a nonprofit category. Timely site review is not guaranteed with this option.


Yahoo! is a good example of a directory. Scroll down Yahoo!'s home page to find the category options (Figure 8.5). Click through the categories until you find a subcategory that relates to your business. Once on that subcategory page, click on the "Suggest a Site" link on the upper-right side to begin the submission process (Figure 8.6). Yahoo! charges $299 for a site submission, which guarantees site review but not inclusion . Once accepted as a "Site Listing," web sites are ranked in alphabetical order by company name . The $299 fee covers a one-year listing, which must be renewed annually.

Figure 8.5. To find which category to submit your web site to in Yahoo!, click through the directory.

Figure 8.6. Once you've identified a category match for your site, click on the "Suggest a Site" link in the upper-right side of this page.

Are you noticing differences between directory inclusion and crawler-based inclusion? Although each directory and search engine's Submit URL program is unique, Table 8.2 shows a few highlights to keep in mind.

Table 8.2. Submit URL inclusion general comparisons.

Crawler-Based Search Engine

Directory

Fee per web page submitted

Fee per web site submitted

First review within 72 hours

First review within 7 days or longer

Technology evaluates site pages

Humans evaluate site pages

Database inclusion guaranteed

Category inclusion not guaranteed

Rankings not guaranteed

Position guaranteed (alphabetized) if accepted

Multiple web pages listed

Home page listed in one or two categories

Open Directory Project/dmoz.org and Zeal are volunteer-based directories. Anyone can become an editor. The great news here is if you can get through to the sites (ODP's site is frequently down or really slow), and get a volunteer to review your site, the listing is free! Directories can be a good source of qualified leads. Furthermore, a directory listing boosts your link popularity, which crawler-based search engines consider in determining your ranking within their index. The number and quality of inbound links to your site matter. (Link popularity is discussed in Chapter 10, "Web Site Optimization.")

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Search Engine Advertising. Buying Your Way to the Top to Increase Sales
Search Engine Advertising: Buying Your Way to the Top to Increase Sales (2nd Edition)
ISBN: 0321495993
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 155

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