Netallianz

We are often told that 90%+ of all Internet searches are performed in the 3 major search engines, namely Google, Yahoo and MSN.

In addition to these 3 major engines, there are literally thousands of other smaller search engines. If you surf the web often enough, you’ve probably seen many ads which look like this: “Submit your website to XXX,XXX search engines…” where XXX,XXX is a ridiculously large number.

Don’t bother with such services. Here’s why:

1. The 3 major engines provide search results for many other smaller engines. If you are listed on the Big 3, you will automatically be listed on hundreds of other engines. For example if you are listed in Yahoo, you will be in Alta Vista and All The Web sooner or later. Similarly AOL and Netscape get some of their listings from Google.

2. Focus your efforts on optimizing your website for the Big 3. Getting a good position on Google will get you much more traffic than getting listing in 100,000 obscure search engines.

3. Websites who claim to submit to XXX,XXX number of search engines would have to rely on automated submissions. It’s just not possible to manually submit and track your submissions. You’d be wasting your time trying to track how successful you are in your submission campaign.

4. Focus your time and money on getting listed in 2nd tier Directories. Directories such as ExactSeek and SearchSight offer free listings and are highly regarded by the major search engines.

The main difference between such Directories and Search Engines (Crawlers) is that websites in Directories are organized into a range of categories or subjects, and in some cases are reviewed by human editors before being listed. Crawlers on the other hand would send out “spiders” to “crawl” through each website and index the pages they find.

When you submit to these directories, search engines such as Google will crawl through them and eventually find your link there. This will help you increase link popularity also.

Another popular Directory is DMOZ. Getting listed on this directory is a big plus for any website. Submit to as many directories as you can.

Getting Listed on the Big 3… FAST

There is really no need to even submit your website to any of the Big 3. Google even says that it prefers to find a new website naturally rather than from the “Add URL” submissions it receives on its website.

The fastest way to get listed on all of the Big 3 is to have a link to your website in the home page of an existing website which is considered a popular, high traffic or authority website. For example a popular forum such as Web Hosting Talk would be crawled through by major search engines every day. You can post a message in popular forums and blogs, leaving a link to your website, and be assured of a Google listing within 2-3 weeks, as compared to waiting months for a listing if you submit on their website.

SEO for the Big 3

Optimization of your website for selected keyword phrases might your best investment ever. The cost is relatively low, for example basic SEO services in Malaysia starts at under RM1,000 which pretty much pays for itself if you get one or two good leads. Over a period of time, your website ages in the search engines and increases in value.

Author: Larry Lam 

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