Web Hosting by Netfirms | Free Domain Names by Netfirms

Search Engine Basics Q&A

•	Search Engine Basics
•	Our Submission Service
•	Other Topics

Search Engine Basics

	•	How many types of search engines are there?
		There are basically two types of search engines: spiders and directories. There are also search sites which combine the two, and "mega" search engines which will display search results from several search engines simultaneously.
	•	What are spiders?
		Spiders (also known as "Web crawlers" and "robots") are computers that endeavour to find every Web page they possibly can. They'll go to a page (either one in their existing database or a page a visitor submits), search through the HTML code for that page, and find all the links to other websites. They'll then follow the links, search those pages for more links, and so on. Any new pages they find, they add to their database. Spider databases can contain hundreds of millions of entries. Some examples of spiders are Alta Vista, Google, and Hot Bot.
	•	What are directories?
		Unlike spiders—which are entirely computer automated—directories are compiled by humans. Representatives from the directory look at each website submitted to them, and evaluate whether or not the site is appropriate for addition to the directory. Directories are usually organized by categories (computers, entertainment, etc.) and subdirectories (software, movies, etc.). Directories also have searching capabilities, to help find specific subcategories and websites quickly. Two popular directories are Google.com and Yahoo!
	•	What's so special about Yahoo!?
		Yahoo! is the most popular search site on the Internet; it's also the most difficult site to get your website listed in. Each website address that's submitted to Yahoo! is checked by a Yahoo! employee, and that person will make a determination as to whether your site meets Yahoo!'s standards; if that person decides otherwise, you site will not be listed. Because each site is checked by a person and not by a computer, it can take months for your site to reach the top of Yahoo!'s waiting list. Because Yahoo! is such an important site, we take extra time and care to make sure your website is listed correctly on the Yahoo! online submission form. We will do everything we can to get your website listed on Yahoo!, but because of the way it works there is no way we can guarantee that your site will be listed in a timely manner, if at all.
	•	What are "Free-For-All Links" pages?
		"Free-For-All Links" pages (often referred to as "FFA" pages) offer to put a link to your website on their Web page. While extra exposure sounds like a good idea, we have found that in almost all instances, these pages—which are run by both companies and individuals—are nothing more than a way to get your e-mail address so they can send you advertisements. FFA pages are almost never organized in any meaningful way, and usually have no type of search facility at all. CompuNet Services search engine submission service does not submit your site to any FAA pages.

Our Submission Service

	•	How long will it take for my website to start showing up in the search engines after the initial submission?
		It depends on the search engine. It can take anywhere from a few days to a few months, but it usually takes around two weeks for most search engines to index your site.
	•	Can you make my website appear more prominently in Web searches?
		There are a number of "tricks of the trade" that can be used to modify a website to improve its ranking in a Web search. CompuNet Servicesmarketing experts stay on top of the latest tricks, both through external sources and our own internal research department. We'll employ the best and most modern techniques when we prepare your website for submission to the search engines.
	•	I've seen websites that guarantee they can place my website in the top-10 in Web search results. Can you?
		While there are many techniques that can be used to improve a website's ranking in search engine results, there is no way to absolutely ensure a top-10 listing. We have found that many of these types of companies use the exact same techniques that we do to improve search engine ranking. If they are lucky enough to get your website in the top-10 of one or more search engines, they get to keep some or all of your money; if not, they return it. They have nothing to loose by making the claim, but because they usually wind up having to return a large percentage of customers' money, they charge much more than our service—usually hundreds of dollars.

Other Topics

	•	Besides your submission service, how can I learn about other ways to promote my website?
		There are many good books offering information on website promotion (and some not so good). We recommend Relationship Marketing on the Internet by Roger C. Parker. It's available from several online booksellers, including Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

Information Request