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Search Engine Submission
by Larry Poch
Before submitting your site to search engines you should
have some insight into,
1.. how they function.
2.. what some of the differences are.
3.. which ones to submit to.
4.. do I need to pay for a submission?
Is it a Search Engine or a Directory?
When submitting your site to a search engine or search
directory be aware that there is a difference between the
two. Not being aware of this difference can create problems.
Example, Google is a search engine and Yahoo is a directory.
The basic difference between the two is in the way the
submission is reviewed and entered into the database index.
Search Engines
Search engines are databases that use robots/spiders to crawl
the Internet and index web sites. The database listing is
automatically generated from the information gathered from the
pages of the web site. The sites may be found through random
search of the Internet or through a submission.
Directories
Directory databases are compiled from submissions and reviewed
by editors, real live human beings. The editors physically review
the submission, rate it, and catagorize it. Take great care in
describing a site when submitting it to a directory. The methods
used to achieve a high search engine ranking DOES NOT work
when submitting to a directory.
Submission
Understanding where major search engines and directories get
some of their database information from can help when it come
time to submit a site. It can save a lot of time and possibly quite
a few dollars.
Many major search engines and directories get their search results
from third-party search providers. Some of these third-party search
providers are other search engines or directories. So by reviewing
who provides search results to whom may help with your submission
process. Submitting to one search engine may get your site displayed
in another one where you would have had to pay for the submission.
Example:
Google, most popular search engine on the Internet, provides main
results to AOL Search, Netscape Search, and Yahoo (fee-based).
Google uses the Open Directory for back-up results. The Open Directory
also provides the directory back-up results for AOL Search, Ask Jeeves,
HotBot(fee-based submission), Lycos(fee-based submission), and
Netscape Search.
Needless to say, getting your site listed in the Open Directory is well
worth the time spent submitting it. DMOZ (http://dmoz.org/)
This alphabetical list of the major engines shows the current sources
for database search results.
AltaVista (search engine), provides its own results using a crawler
to index information for its database. Paid results/listings come from
Overture, while secondary results come from the Open Directory.
AOL Search (search engine), primary and paid results both come
from Google. Secondary search results are pulled ftom the Open
Directory.
Ask Jeeves (search engine), paid results come from Overture with
secondary results coming from Teoma. Directory results are from
the Open Directory by way of Teoma.
Google (search engine), crawler based providing its own primary
and paid results. Directory results come from the Open Directory.
LookSmart (directory), paid results are their own, secondary search
results are from Inktomi.
Lycos (search engine) primary results come from the Open Diectory,
secondary results from Fast and paid results from Overture and their
own fee-based submission program.
MSN Search (directory), with results coming from LookSmart.
Paid results provided by Overture with secondary results from Inktomi.
Netscape Search (search engine) primary results from the Open
Directory, secondary results from Google, and paid results from
Overture.
Overture (pay-per-click database service)
Not actually a search engine, Overture provodes the paid search
results for many of the major search engines. Such as;
All the Web AltaVista AskJeeves Excite iWon
MSN HotBot Netscape Lycos Teoma
Open Directory (DMOZ) (directory)
All content in this human-edited directory is from direct submission.
Yahoo! (directory) paid submissions from its own fee-based program
and Overture. Secondary search results from Google.
For more in-depth detail on this interwoven web of search results see
the following pages.
Search Engine Providers Chart
http://www.searchenginewatch.com/reports/alliances.html
Search Engine Results Chart
http://www.searchenginewatch.com/webmasters/results.html
Search Engine Relationship Chart
PDF file format, need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed.
http://www.bruceclay.com/searchenginechart.pdf
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Larry(Momp) owns Momp's Web Design and MWD News newsletter.
In addition to the web design service, the site includes a
web design reference library for webmasters.
Momp's Web Design: http://www.mompswebdesign.com/
MWD Newsletter: http://www.mompswebdesign.com/mwdnews.html
Contact Momp: mailto:momp@mompswebdesign.com
About the Author
Larry(Momp) owns Momp's Web Design and MWD News newsletter.
In addition to the web design service, the site includes a
web design reference library for webmasters.
Momp's Web Design: http://www.mompswebdesign.com/
MWD Newsletter: http://www.mompswebdesign.com/mwdnews.html
Contact Momp: mailto:momp@mompswebdesign.com