Sales from the EDGE
Back Issue #003
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Sales from the EDGE Issue #003
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Sales from the EDGE
Issue #003 October 21, 1999
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SALES FROM THE EDGE is sent only to MYSS! owners and to paid
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>> SITESELL NEWS
Printed MYSS! is Coming... Again! Really!
Phew, did I boob! I seriously underestimated demand for the
printed book. We have not yet shipped the entire backlog of
existing owners of the Electronic Version (those who had
pre-ordered the Printed Version) who had pre-ordered.
Inventory was getting low, so I ran a test on the Order Page
to determine ongoing future demand. Based on that, we have
ordered a large second full offset run. Should be 2 weeks to
take delivery. At that time, we'll jump straight to the full
launch. I'll announce this first to the pre-orders, and then
here. So all MYSS! owners will be shipped first.
I am sincerely sorry for the delay.
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>> THIS ISSUE'S TOPIC
>From time to time, the EDGE will publish important updates
to the MYSS! book. The "Big 3" approach of MYSS! (product,
site-selling, and traffic-building) is, of course, timeless
-- it will be as valid in 2002 as it is today.
But every now and then, important new developments occur --
it's the nature of the Net. Actually, new stuff happens
every day. But most "latest and greatest" simply wastes our
time. Today's "hot new technology" is tomorrow's "whatever
happened to you-name-it?" For example...
"Whatever happened to 'push" technology?"
Occasionally, though, something comes along that sticks.
When that happens, I'll explain it here and outline how you
can best take advantage of it.
Today, there is enough evidence and experience to suggest
that you add the following to your "A list" of
traffic-building tools!
1. Open Directory
2. RealNames
3. GoTo.com
There's a right way and a wrong way to use each of these. As
usual, most people either don't use them at all, use them
half-heartedly/sub-optimally, or make some serious mistakes.
Then... they wonder why "they don't work."
So, over the next three issues of the EDGE, I'll review each
in detail, including a complete strategy for how to best
make use of each.
This issue, we'll cover the Open Directory. In two weeks,
I'll provide you with an original, powerful and
cost-effective step-by-step approach to getting the most out
of RealNames. And finally, I'll greatly expand upon
MYSS's coverage of GoTo.com.
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Open Directory
http://www.dmoz.org/
The Open Directory is, as you would guess, a directory, not
a search engine. Think of it as another Yahoo!, except that
it's kind of an "open-source" one. For more background
info, please see...
http://www.latimes.com/business/19991018/t000094132.html
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Do you remember the following from MYSS!?...
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"A directory is not a search engine. Unlike
Search Engines, it does not send out spiders
to cruise the Web, sucking millions of Web
sites indiscriminately into a humongous
database.
No, a directory is merely a list of bookmarks
that “got out of control.” As a matter of
fact, that’s not far from how Yahoo! got its
start..."
-------------------------------------------
-----SIDEBAR-----
Read Chapter 4 of the Traffic volume of MYSS! now if this is
a bit hazy for you. You'll get more out of this article if
you do.
-----SIDEBAR-----
So... *humans* compile directories, not spiders. In
Yahoo!'s case, these humans are employees. In the case of
the Open Directory, it's over 17,500 volunteers! While this
allows for the review and inclusion of a high number of
sites, quality control may be the trade-off. Time will tell.
Still, Open Directory does a great job overall and it has
grown by leaps and bounds, both in terms of number of the
number of Web listed and (importantly for us) in terms of
***use by potential customers***. Here's why...
Many spider-based search services have switched to using the
Open Directory as their **main listings** for search
results, (with crawler results still supplied when the
Directory draws a blank). Which ones?...
Lycos, Netscape Search, and AOL Search all use Open
Directory as their main results. Others are likely to
switch, since it's a free license. What does all this
switching mean, and why is it important?
To understand, try this...
Go to http://www.lycos.com and search for "penny stocks."
You won't see the Lycos crawler results any more. You get
the Open Directory results. Same for Netscape and AOL.
And HotBot provides Open Directory categories at the top of
its search results, although it does not list the actual
Open Directory sites yet (you still have to drill down
through the listed categories to get to the relevant sites).
And, soon, AltaVista will be presenting Open Directory
category results, but after the spider-driven results.
-----SIDEBAR-----
Danny Sullivan points out this is all part of a major trend
towards Directory-driven search results. Even MSN Search
has switched to a Directory-first main listing (it uses
LookSmart). That leaves only Go (InfoSeek) and Excite which
list spider-based results in their main listing. And Danny
speculates that Excite will soon list LookSmart.
This has an important ramification for Web marketers like
us. Remember when I talk about Phase I Search Engine Tricks
and Phase II Gateways in MYSS!? Well, as speculated there,
these will indeed become less and less successful. Why?
Because humans won't let this type of stuff into the
directories.
Phase III strategies, will however, not only continue to be
effective. They will become more so. I'll outline new and
more powerful Phase III strategies after this sequence of 3
Edge e-zines.
-----SIDEBAR-----
The bottom line?...
Open Directory now fits into the 80-20 Rule of Web Marketing
-- i.e., it's part of the 20% effort that brings 80% of the
benefit. So it's worth the time and effort to list with it.
The process for listing in the Open Directory is basically
the same as was described for Yahoo! and Looksmart in MYSS!,
with the following modifications, and one important strategy
difference...
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STEP 1. Find the categories that you "belong" in. Unlike
Yahoo!, you are allowed to list in more than two categories.
I recommend a maximum of 2 submissions at a time, to avoid
the appearance of spamming. So pick your two most important
categories, submit them, and then wait until you are
accepted before submitting another two.
Different services that use the "Open Directory" may list a
different set of categories. So do a search for your most
important keyword at each of them.
For example, let's search for "penny stocks" on each of the
above search services that uses Open Directory. Here are
the categories that you'll find...
NETSCAPE SEARCH http://search.netscape.com/
1. Business > Investing > Stocks and Bonds >
Investment Research > Specialties > Penny Stocks
HOTBOT http://www.hotbot.com/
1. Business & Money/ Investing/ Stocks and Bonds/
Investment Research/ Specialties/ Penny Stocks
2. Business & Money/ Investing/ Stocks and Bonds/
Small Cap Stock Research
AOL SEARCH http://search.aol.com/
1. Business > Investing > Stocks and Bonds >
Small Cap Stock Research
2. Business > Investing > Stocks and Bonds >
Investment Research > Specialties > Penny Stocks
3. Business > Investing > Commodities, Futures >
Directories
4. Business > Investing > Investment Guides > General >
Linking Sites
5. Games > Webgames > Hol Stock Exchange > Fan sites >
Up and coming fan sites
LYCOS http://www.lycos.com/
1. Business > Investing > Stocks and Bonds >
Small Cap Stock Research
2. Business > Investing > Stocks and Bonds >
Investment Research > Specialties > Penny Stocks
3. Business > Investing > Stocks and Bonds >
Investment Research > Specialties >
Emerging Public Companies
4. Business > Investing > Investment Guides > Professional
It's not hard to pick which categories that my first site,
PennyGold, would belong to, right? "Penny stocks" and "Small
Cap Stock Research."
***Don't spam them all.*** Pick the most important and
relevant two categories. Leave the rest -- if there are
other "good fits," save them for later.
-----SIDEBAR-----
If you have more than one important and appropriate keyword...
Perform STEP 1 for each of them before choosing your first
two categories.
-----SIDEBAR-----
STEP 2. Get ready to submit by pulling out your answers to
the points outlined in the "How to Get Listed in Yahoo!"
chapter (Chapter 4.1 of MYSS!). You did save those
templates, right? RIGHT?
OK, OK, you deleted those templates. In that case, simply
prepare answers for the following four points, so that you
can copy-and-paste them when the time comes.
1) Site URL -- double-check in your browser!
2) Title of Site
3) Site Description -- important strategy point below.
4) Your E-mail Address
-----SIDEBAR-----
See Yahoo! details in MYSS! for how to prepare the above
four points. By the way, much of the Yahoo! discussion in
that chapter applies to Open Directory. Now would be a good
time to review that material, if you have not already. :-)
--
See the Open Directory for special instructions if your site
fits into one of the following...
o non-english sites
o sites that are purely regional (ex., local car dealer)
o adult sites
o online shopping sites
http://www.dmoz.org/
-----SIDEBAR-----
STEP 3. Go to the Open Directory...
http://www.dmoz.org/
Do a search for your keyword. Click on the most important
category that fits. Once you're in the category, click on
"Add URL."
You can also do this on Lycos, Netscape, etc. As a matter
of fact, if one of your categories only appears on, say,
Lycos, it's easier to just submit it from there. Then click
on the "Submit a Site" link at the bottom of the page (once
you have linked into the relevant category, of course).
-----SIDEBAR-----
No matter where you submit from, it all goes to the Open
Directory central database. *So don't resubmit to the same
category from different services.*
-----SIDEBAR-----
STEP 4. Submit the site. It's simpler than Yahoo!'s
submission, and it doesn't cost $200 for you to get
preferential treatment! Just enter the info that you
prepared above...
1) Site URL -- double-check in your browser!
2) Title of Site
3) Site Description -- important strategy point below.
4) Your E-mail Address
Again, please review the Yahoo! chapter. There is important
advice there on using keywords properly so that your listing
can be *FOUND*.
--
Done? Great! Now repeat for the second most important
category that fits.
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STEP 5 Expect to be listed in 2-4 weeks. Resubmit and
contact the editor of the category (name at bottom of each
category) if you have not been listed after 3 weeks. Tell
the editor the date that you resubmitted and your original
date of submission, the URL of your site and why you feel
that your site deserves to be included.
-----SPECIAL STRATEGY NOTE-----
One important tip... If you submit to several different
categories, change the keyword in your TITLE so that your
customer can find you. It must, of course, still be true to
what your site, or at least that page, is all about.
Also... customize your Site DESCRIPTION to fit with the
different category. Adjust the content of your DESCRIPTION
so that the editor for this category understands why you
belong there. And include a more appropriate keyword here
too, again so you are more likely to be found.
Let's say that I wanted PennyGold to be PLACED (by the
editor) and FOUND (by a visitor) in the "Investment Guide"
section of the Open Directory.
Here's the changes that I would make...
Current TITLE in Open Directory...
"PennyGold: Penny Stocks Software "
New TITLE in "Investment Guide" section
"PennyGold: Mining Stocks Newsletter"
(Now I can be found for "Mining Stocks" and "Stocks
newsletter," as well as by regular drilling down through the
categories and sub-categories.)
And the DESCRIPTION? The description would change from...
"Canadian firm offering software which claims
to be useful for penny stock selection with
"testimonials" about performance."
(NOTE: Not my description -- hence the name "editor"!)
New DESCRIPTION in "Investment Guide" section...
"PGOLD XPRESS" is a free newsletter all about
penny mining stocks that covers how to find,
evaluate, buy and sell them."
See? I would emphasize the "investment guide" aspects of
our free PGOLD XPRESS e-zine. By changing the TITLE and
DESCRIPTION, I have a much better chance of getting listed.
However, I have not actually done this -- we do not publish
the PGOLD XPRESS any more. And I have not listed it to the
"Futures" category, since a chosen category must fit the
site. If you spam your site all over to semi-appropriate
categories, you may be banned from all categories.
If you submit to more than two categories, play it safe.
Wait until your first two submissions have been accepted
before submitting two more. Never submit more than two at a
time.
Finally, and most importantly, heed the MYSS! advice about
*ALL* engines and directories...
Act in good faith and add value to their product. That way,
everybody wins... Search Service, Customer...
... and YOU! :-)
-----SIDEBAR-----
"What about all the other directories?" Well, I remind you
of these words from MYSS!...
"Regarding the zillions of other
directories... many companies waste a lot of
time and money posting to them all. I did,
and now I can tell you not to bother -- I’ve
never had a customer tell me, “I found you on
BillyBob’s Link World.”
Unless there is a specialized directory
related to your product or industry,
submitting to any other directory is just not
worth the effort. Nor is it worth hiring a
service or buying software to do it... the
change in traffic, if any, will be
negligible."
Don't bother.
-----SIDEBAR-----
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Written by Ken Evoy, M.D.,
President of SiteSell.com
(c) and ™ SiteSell.com All rights reserved.
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