June 2004

6/28/2004	Blogging presents an easy way to add content to a web site. Once a blog is set up on a site, content can simply be e-mailed to a specified address at "blogger.com", from which it will be posted to the site as new content. Google also incorporates a "Blog This" button into its toolbar that simplifies copying content from other sites and posting it to yours. The tool automatically creates a link to the site you are clipping from, and provides you an opportunity to add your own comments to the entry, thus making it your won entry rather than just a lifted item. Ask Jeeves has added some features to its searches that make it very interesting. For example, a search for "Winston Churchill" brings up a biography immediately, as well as a list of other sites that the search found. On the right of the page, it shows "Related Searches", which are "automated suggestions are generated from popularity algorithms, based on Ask.com user queries". If your browser allows it, they provide "Binoculars Site Preview", which "... presents a "sneak preview" of a web page when you mouse over a Binoculars icon next to a search result." We demonstrated this in class, and it really gives you more insight into what a result site might provide in advance of actually going there. It is certainly a "nice", if not totally "necessary" feature. Note that it requires broadband, Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher, cookies and javascript in order to function. Their site doesn't mention it, but this looks very much like a tool that Jay demonstrated two weeks ago and we discussed last week called "Thumbshots". Note: This was our last class to be held on Monday evening! Beginning in July, we will meet on Wednesday evenings, same time & place!
6/21/2004	There was some interesting detail presented in the review of the two studies of search engine users attitudes about searching and the importance of the different elements of the results pages presented to them. The overall import of the studies, at least to me, was to reconfirm the importance of content in the search engine optimization process, and the value of organic rankings as opposed to sponsored positions. At the same time, the findings did show that when searchers are in a buying frame of mind, they are more likely to consider sponsored ads, and are, therefore, better prospects for the web sites they are directed to. Another topic of interest in the surveys was information about the differences in demographics between search engine clients, and the lack of overlap of results between engines. This points out the importance of having keywords that rank your site across multiple search engines, and of using other techniques to ensure that you have the kind of coverage that is appropriate for your target market. We spent some time looking at the differences in results for particular keywords between different search engines. This involved use of one of the tools that Jay presented some time ago. This web site also offers a free tool that will place thumbshots of your (or other) pages (however, ONLY if you are listed in DMOZ!) on your site for free. For example, here is a shot of Annie's "Recipes" page: We were able to confirm that live links can be placed within the text of descriptions of photos posted to the Ofoto site, and assume that other photo posting sites will also allow these links to be live. We also found live links to sellers sites within eBay descriptions. We have previously discussed the value that these other placements can have in terms of both inbound links and visitors. eBay, in particular, is a huge market, and can be a very good place to position a few of your products, particularly since you can manage to place live links to your sites.
6/14/2004	Jay presented three sites that are useful for web developers. Two pertained to keyword research, and the third to evaluating your Google ranking on specified keywords. Jay also discussed the web development classes being designed for October-November to be offered by UH SBDC. These are to be paid classes that are part of the SBDC program offerings. We anticipate six sessions, during which participants will develop their own web site using an open source database product. Charges for the classes will include the cost of initializing the database on each participants website. Participants are expected to have sufficient material available at the beginning of the class to provide the content of the site, and to have time between classes to load the material into the site. Classes will focus on guiding the students' in the principles of setting the site up to be effective in marketing the product (or service), and in the practical details of getting the site into operation. Jerry Hobby presented an excellent overview of how "blogs" can contribute to the effectiveness of a site, and actually took the class through the setup of a live example of a blog. His tutorial is available on his site, and his presentation can be downloaded in pdf format. The blogging tool illustrated was Blogger, affiliated with Google.
6/7/2004	Dick showed what Gmail accounts look like and demonstrated the features that set it apart from other mail programs currently offered (for example, Hotmail & Yahoo). Using reports generated by Web Position Gold, Dick illustrated how to research a site's position in search engines relative to its competitors. A sample set of reports was used showing potential competition for a site selling developmental and educational toys.

Internet Marketing Class Notes