LEARN FROM THE INTERNET MARKETING EXPERTS

Google Uncovered by Jerry West

Getting Listed with Google
(57.4% YTD US Market Reach)

Google Main Page - The Home Page of Google.
Add Your Site to Google - Site Submission Page.
Help with Google - List of Links to Assist you.
How To Get Listed - Detailed information on how to get listed.
Site Not Listed? - Possible explanations as to why your site isn't listed.
Site Listed Incorrectly - What to do if your site is incorrectly listed.
How Does Google Rank Pages? - An explanation of ranking criteria.
Webmaster Guidelines - If you are a webmaster, this is a must read.
SEOs - Hired a "Search Engine Optimizer"? Then read this.

Time to Index: Approximately 6-8 weeks through Add URL page.

Last Known PageRank Update: January 2008

How Google Works: Google uses over 100 different pieces of criteria when calculating how a page will rank in its search results. One of these criteria is PageRank. PageRank is a numerical rating from 0-10, 10 being the highest. PageRank is determined by the quantity and quality of incoming links to a page. For example, a link from the Yahoo! directory and one from an obscure site are the same in quantity - 1. However, there is an obvious difference in quality. Often, a quality link will carry the same benefit as dozens or hundreds of poor quality links.

Google Tips: Use the following links to use Google more effectively.

Site Search - Learn how to search only on a particular site with Google.
Web Page Translation - Break the language barrier with this feature.
Link Check - Check to see how many sites link to a particular page.  

Google Services: Here are services you may not be aware that Google offers:

Google Catalogs - Browse and order mail-order catalogs.
Google Groups - Search Newsgroups.
Google Image Search - Search images online.
Google News - The Latest News
Special Searches - Search Government Only Sites, etc.
Google Toolbar - A toolbar to enhance your Internet experience.
Google University Search - Narrow your search to a specific university.
Google Directory - Search the Google Directory (powered by the ODP).

What Google Wants:

Title: 83 characters (this is what displays, Google can index up to 125 characters)
Keyword in Title: Important - especially at the beginning
Description Meta Tag: Used if keyword phrase appears, if not, snippet is taken from page.
Keyword Meta Tag: Not supported
Redirect Meta Tag: Seen as SPAM, penalized
Robot Meta Tag: Supported (NOINDEX, NOFOLLOW)
Review a comprehensive list of Google Meta Tags.

What does Google index?: Title, All visible text, <no frames> content, ALT text, Link Text (higher score), ASP files, PDF files. Limit is 102k in file size.
Case Sensitive Search: No
Keyword in Domain?: Yes, suggest to use third-level domains (i.e. http://keyword.domain.com/)
Link Popularity: Yes, a major influence (i.e. PageRank).

Submission Notes

• Google is not case sensitive.
• Google doesn't use the meta description tag for the page summary in the search results. It displays the text around the keyword from the document source and highlights the keyword. Google can also pull the description that was used in the Open Directory Project listing for your site.
• Google caches your page content on their server and makes it available through the "Show Matches" link in the search results. This is done in case your server goes down, users can still access your content.
• If you use their Add URL Submission page, only submit your Home Page as Googlebot will find the rest of your pages through your internal linking structure.
• Google also allows you an option to Remove a page or site from its index. It should be understood in order to remove pages from Google, you need to have access to the web server of the site you wish to modify. This is a security measure.
• Sites receive a boost to their PageRank that have a listing in the Yahoo! directory ($299.00 annual submission fee).
• Prefers large sites (over 100 pages in content).
• While Google does not have a limit on the number of pages that can be indexed per site, Google tends to seek out quality content based on link popularity scores and total words on the page.

• Hidden Text. Any text that is in hidden codes, very small text or text that is the same, or close to the same as the background color on the page.
• Using Two or more Title tags.
• Over-repetition of keywords in Title or the body text.
• Zero Link Popularity
• Linking to Link Farms or other "bad neighborhoods".
• Mirrored Sites. The same content on multiple domains.
• Promotion of software that Google has "banned" (i.e. Web Position Gold, OptiLink, TopDog, etc.).

• Build a site with at least 50 pages of quality content.
• Add 2-5 pages per week of quality content to the site.
• Seek out at least 100 quality link exchanges.
• Focus on Quality Content.
• Track your progress through each Google Dance. The Google Dance occurs approximately every 4-5 weeks and is when Google does a complete update of their index.
• Keywords in Anchor Text are given a boost.
• Avoid Linking to "Bad Neighborhoods".
• Track your competitors through the Google Toolbar.

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© 2003-2008, WebMarketingNow.com
Jerry West is the Director of Internet Marketing for Web Marketing Now. He has been consulting on the web since 1996 and has assisted hundreds of companies gain an upper-hand over their competition. Visit Web Marketing Now for the latest in marketing tips that are tested and proven.

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