Using Smaller Search Engines for Big Profits
Google, Yahoo and MSN. Most webmasters and online marketers spend a lot of their time trying to get listed in the big three search engines. But trying to figure out the algorithms and robot visits for these SE's can mean changing your site for the search engines and not for your customers.
As an example, our partner site HostingGoodies.com has an extremely hard time ranking with Google and Yahoo becuase the keywords are so competitive. Without spending money on PPC campaigns and other advertising, they could never be found on Google.
While we did manage to get this site ranked on the first page for some very specific keyword phrases, getting it ranked for general keywords is next to impossible.
One solution we have been using is targeting the smaller search engines for this highly competitive site. By doing this we have increased traffic and sales. Now while most of the search engines follow the same guidelines such as , keywords, content, linking etc. the smaller engines tend to rank sites on a fairer playing field.
I have found less "sponsored links" on top of search results and more relevant results for what I typed in the search box. I would try this yourself. Check your results for keywords in Google and they will different in ExactSeek and even Yahoo.
The point I am trying to make is not to spend all your time trying to please Google, but to spend some time pleasing the smaller guys. Think of it this way. If you rank on page 7 for your keyword on Google and rank on page one or two for a few of the smaller engines, which do you think will bring more targeted free traffic?
So, give it a try. Visit Exactseek.com, SearchBliss.com, dogpile.com or Looksmart.com just to name a few. Check out your rankings on these engines and visit their SEO Guidelines to find out how to better make your site friendly for their spiders to visit. Then tweek your site a bit and resubmit it or just let the spiders find it on their own.
Within a month or so or even a few weeks, you may start to see results you only dreamed of with Google.
About the Author
This article was written by Jim Hoffman. Jim Hoffman is founder of Internet Marketing CPR. His free members only site offers resources, live training, tips and tricks to help you succeed online.