Adam Beazley’s Traffic & Promotion Blog

By: Dave Davies

Every now and then an event occurs that changes how the SEO community views the way websites are optimized and structures promotions. The purchase of the rights to the Orion Algorithm by Google and equally important, the interest that both Yahoo! and MSN took in the algorithm as they vied for ownership themselves, marks just such an event.

Bill Gates said to Forbes magazine about Orion:

“That we need to take the search way beyond how people think of it today. We believe that Orion will do that.”

What Is The Orion Algorithm?

There is much confusion about the Orion algorithm and much secrecy around the specifics. Here’s is the “What’s Been Said” and “What It Means” breakdown:

What’s Been Said: Ori Allon, the developer of this technology described Orion in this way:

“The results to the query are displayed immediately in the form of expanded text extracts, giving you the relevant information without having to go to the Web site–although you still have that option if you wish.”

He cited an example of the keyword phrase “American Revolution.” The search would not only provide extracts with the phrase, but also additional information on topics such as American history, George Washington and the Declaration of Independence.*

* CNET News, April 10, 2006

What It Means: Most on the web take this to mean the results from Google will be displayed similar to those at Ask.com where you will be able to get a sample of the site and some of it’s quality content without having to visit the actual site. The part that most caught my attention however is where he cited the example and noted the additional phrases that would be considered and the impact having this technology will have on the way queries are dealt with.

From this standpoint, the Orion Algorithm, in its essence, is a whole new way to score the value of websites that appear on the Internet. Rather than determining the value of a website based on the specific query being entered into the search box, Orion may dig deeper and query related phrases as well. Now, this may not be an entirely new concept, directories have been providing a “Related Categories” option for ages however the addition of this function to standard search engines and what this may well mean for the methods required to rank sites on them is extremely significant.

What Is Relevant?

One of the main hurdles that SEO’s will face in reaction to this new function is determining exactly how the additional relevant phrases are determined. There are a few possible sources the come to mind:

Directories (least likely) - The directories are already using “Related Categories”. It is possible that the engines will choose the simplest possible means of determining relevancy and opt to use sub-categories of a directory listing and to use the “Related Categories” as the supplemental keyword sources.

Alternatively they could simply run the search itself on their directories and reference the categories that come up and run supplemental searches for those categories.

The main drawback to this approach is that many popular keywords would not be cross-reference accurately. For example, a search for “seo” would result in a supplemental search set of “promotion”, “web design and development”, Internet marketing” along with a variety of other phrases. While these phrases are related by industry a visitor searching for “seo” may well not be interested in “web design and development”.

Thesaurus (unlikely) - It may be that the engines choose to reference a thesaurus for related phrases however this doesn’t work for many keyword phrases. Single word phrases would be doable however multiple keyword phrases would be far more difficult and acronyms (such as “seo”) would find no related words in the more common thesauruses.

Search Behavior (highly likely) - The most likely source of the relevancy data is also the most difficult to predict and this is search behavior patterns. While I have had some disagreements with members on a couple SEO forums over whether the search engines can in fact know your search patterns, the conclusion is that they indeed can under many circumstances. Search engines will be able to compile enough data based on the users they are documenting to assess overall search behavior (and here you thought all those great tools the engines come out with were just them spending their money altruistically).

If Google “knows” that after someone enters “seo” as a query they follow that up with “seo service”, this is likely to then be used as a supplemental search. Similarly, if they also know that these same searchers tend to also search shortly before or after for another common phrase, say “w3c compliance” then this too is likely to be used as a supplemental search.

Agree To Disagree: Implementation

Now that we have a better idea of what the Orion Algorithm is and how it works the big question is, what will it’s implementation mean to search engine users and to how websites get ranked on those engines. At this time there appears to be two main schools of thought:

• What I believe, and
• Everything else that’s been published

I’ll be the first to admit that my interpretation of how the Orion algorithm will affect search engine results is either not shared by other SEO’s (at least those who have a published opinion on the topic) or has not been thought up by them. That said, my take on the Orion Algorithm did not initially include their predicted affect whereas I now believe that it is likely both implementations will be tested if not brought into full effect within the next 12-18 months (this may seem like a long time but if you want to develop a strategy to react to it this is about the lead-time you may well need). So … what are these two possible outcomes?

Where we all agree: the addition of key parts of web content in the results. This is how the algorithm is explained to function by its developer and is thus the obvious conclusion to most in regards to how it will be implemented.

Everyone else: related information displayed separately. From what I have read, the majority of people believe that the related phrases will be displayed separate from the original query (though rightfully no one seems to be predicting exactly where or how). Essentially this will give searchers the ability to view information on related topics quickly and easily.

This is certain to be included in some capacity and we have already seen similar functions added to the Google results for specific queries though not to any capacity reliable enough to be launched across all Google search results.

And then there’s my opinion: integration in standard search results. To me it seems short-sighted to believe that Google will leave a technology that allows them to drawn information and relevancy on multiple related phrases to just displaying multiple options on a results page. With the processing power they have at their disposal why would they not reference a site against its ability to rank for these other phrases and base the final results on that? Let’s a take a quick peek at the pros and cons of such a move:

Cons first: Processing power. That about covers the downside and I’m sure we’re all aware of the fact that if this ever becomes an issue they have more than enough capital and technical know-how to get around it.

Pros: Imagine a world where running a search for a query took into consideration whether a site ranked for multiple related phrases. What do you suppose the impact on the results would be if only those sites that had content related to a number of areas of a topic ranked highly? The answer: a much more relevant set of results.

Conclusion

Fortunately, while there may be some disagreement in regards to how this new algorithm will be integrated into the search engine results pages the resulting actions required are the same. Whether the new functions will be added in the form on additional links and information on the results pages or whether they will be taken into consideration when ranking the site for the initial query, sites that rank well for a multitude of related phrases will fare better than those that rank for just one of the phrases.

The action required then on the part of SEO’s and website owners is to provide quality unique content on all the possible areas that may be considered relevant to the main keyword target. Once this is accomplished then these areas need to be promoted in order to insure that they rank well.

The resulting web will be one that rewards websites with a large amount of quality content on the highest number of topics related to a specific issue. If one considers the end goal of any of the major search engines, to provide the most relevant results possible, this new technology is sure help promote these types of results and insure that the searcher is receiving results that are likely to provide the information they’re looking for.

And let’s also consider this: should you choose to be an “early adopter” and begin making changes to your site, adding new content, optimizing it and getting it ranking well, what will the results be? Even if Orion isn’t implemented for another decade your website will gain stickiness and rank for more related keywords bringing you more targeted traffic and keeping it on your site. Could this possibly be a bad thing?

Resources

While I have strived to provide some insight into the Orion Algorithm and what it means to you, there is a lot of information/speculation out there regarding what it means and which also covers other implementations of this technology not covered in this article. Below you will find some of the better pieces of information.

I have included information that contradicts what you may have read above. This algorithm is sure to have an enormous impact on the way searchers find results and the way SEO’s promote sites and thus, you need to have all the quality information at your disposal to make the right decisions for you website and your business.

Search Engine Watch - Danny Sullivan wrote a solid piece on the subject (as he always does) which includes some good links to related information and also a link to their forum thread on the subject where you can get other opinions on what this means to searchers and SEO’s.

E-commerce Time - Jennifer LeClaire wrote a good piece on Orion which covers more on the integration of relevant listings into the results pages.

The Sidney Morning Herald - Stephen Hutcheon covers some of the basics regarding how the deal to purchase the algorithm came about, who the major players were, and a bit of the history behind Orion.

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So your running an online business and your wondering how to promote it. Building a list has got to be the single most important thing you can do to help build your home business. Generally speaking your opt-in list will provide the bulk of your website traffic so do not slack on this issue, this should be your primary focus.

Building an Opt-in email list used to be pretty easy. Now and days with spam at an all time high, people are reluctant to give out their email addresses. As marketers it is our job to offer them something so enticing that they will give us their email address. Its not enough to just have an enticing offer, you also need to establish some form of trust. How do you create trust on the internet and how do you create an enticing offer that the viewer cant refuse?
 
Lets start with the basics. You need a good autoresponder and you need a set of emails that has some good content.  I recommend the Getresponse autoresponder, simply because they are hosted on a good server that has not been blacklisted by AOL, Yahoo or other large email providers and its free.

Now as far as email content goes, I recommend that you do your own research and write your own emails. Keep in mind that the only way to have a responsive opt-in list is to continually provide quality information which gives your subscribers results. If you are the person who absolutely despises writing and would prefer another option, you can go to ghostwriter and hire a freelance writer to draft up a set of emails for you to use. The ghostwriting service is very affordable and a great solution for those of you pressed with time.

I recommend having one primary full set of follow-up emails focused on a particular subject. For instance you might have an email campaign ‘Home Business Tips’ which sends an email a week and covers many different facets of home business promotion. This primary email campaign will be used in conjunction with another technique to attract the most new subscribers.

One of the most effective list building techniques is to make special 5 day email courses which addresses particular issues and then have that autoresponder courses loop into your primary autoresponder campaign. For instance you might have a 5 day course “5 Methods to increase your Opt-in subscribers” and every day you would send an email with one of the methods explained in detail. After the 5th day you would have an email telling the subscriber that they have been automatically entered into your “Home Business Tips” ezine. Be sure to let them know how to unsubscribe in case they are not interested, otherwise no response would imply that they are interested in receiving more information from you.

Now that you know how the back-end works we need to shift our focus on the front end, otherwise known as the ‘Squeeze Page’ or ‘Splash Page’. This is the place where you send people with the promise of something, weather it just be the information within the email campaign, free software or some popular e-book. Whatever the enticement is you need a good ‘Squeeze Page’ to convince the visitor to give you his or her email address in exchange for the enticement.

A squeeze page design consist of 7 major components:

1. The question - this is where you ask the question that your 5 day course will answer.
2. The statement - this is where you state what the email course will do for them, in BIG RED LETTERS deliver the results of following your direction.
3. The Picture - this is where you gain the trust of your visitors, a picture is worth a thousand words and having your picture on your squeeze page will increase your chances of them opting in by almost %80. You should post a nice headshot of yourself with your signature right next to it. You should also type your name, profession and website next to the signature.
4. The List - this is where you list the benefits of your ecourse and the free stuff you are giving away. You might use bullets where you describe the free materials and maybe tell the visitor what they are worth in dollars. Be sure to bring attention to your action words and keywords by increasing the size and or changing the color (red works well).
5. The directions - here is where you tell the visitor what to do. Tell them how to fill in the form and state exactly what they will get by filling out he form.
6. The form - this is the form that will actually take their information and submit it to your autoresponder. Generally speaking the autoresponder you use will have a place where you can go get this form to place within the HTML of your website. See “Website Design Section” for more help on this subject.
7. The disclaimer - this is where you promise not to sell or give away the persons email address under no circumstance.
8. The testimonial (optional)- this is where you can post a customers testimonial about your email course and or your character and business practices.

Now that you have finished all of the setup your done, all that’s left is getting people to your squeeze page. This can accomplish this by using direct email campaigns, solo ads, classifieds, traffic exchange programs, forums and many other techniques.

If you want to learn more ways to drive more people to your splash page and website signup for my
“Home Business Traffic & Promotion Strategies” email series NOW!

Best Regars,

Adam Beazley
http://www.Plug-In-Home-Business.com

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Do you have what it takes to be an e-entrepreneur?
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
Author of “Dotcomology - The Science of Making Money Online”

These days, it seems like everyone wants to work
from home and make money on the Internet. But
before you even turn on your computer, the first
question you have to ask yourself is whether
you’re cut out for this kind of work.

The fact is, building a home-based business isn’t
for everyone. Some people like the commute. They
really do enjoy having a boss who tells them what
to do, and they like the routine of working
nine-to-five for an ordinary salary that can
barely pay the mortgage. Personally, I think
they’re nuts.

More reasonably, there are people who are
concerned about the risk of starting up their own
business. They’re not sure it’s worth the
investment of time and money, and they’re scared
of the responsibility that comes with running
their own company. They wonder if there is
another way to escape the rat race.

I’m sure there is. You could win the lottery or
wait for your Aunt Sue to keel over and leave you
her condo. Or maybe you could sit down with a pen
and paper and draw the blueprint for “The Next
Big Thing”. Anything can happen… Right?

For me, what happened was creating a successful,
self-running Internet marketing system. It didn’t
happen without effort. It didn’t happen without
at least some initial investment of both time and
money and, of course, it doesn’t happen now
without me making sure that the taxes are filed
and the paperwork is done. But it happened.

I’m my own boss. I work from home according to my
own schedule and I get to pocket all the cash my
business makes. If you’re prepared to give an
e-business the time, the work and the money it
needs to get started and get growing, it can
happen for you too.

Article excerpted from “Dotcomology”:
Don’t Pay A Dime For Any Ebook, Marketing
Course, Software Program Or Anything Else Until
You’ve Read This Groundbreaking Document…
Click Here to Discover “Dotcomology” Now!

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The first marketing strategy is to build a list.

This strategy is the most important step to continue to make money long term. If you do not already have some type of autoresponder system you need to get one. Don’t be cheap here either because your entire business will hinge on this one piece of software.

You can build your list many different ways. You can buy leads from reputable list building companies and get them into your autoresponder. Most good list building companies will have an option to send an email to your autoresponder so you don’t have to manually input the lead’s information.

Another effective way of building your list is from the traffic that visits your website. This step, which is probably the most effective, does require you to have a website in order to implement an opt-in list form. Of course if your Affiliate program does offer a list management service then you can send traffic to the affiliate URL, but I don’t recommend it as you will usually not be able to email the entire list with special offers.

To make the most of your opt-in form and get the most signups, you should place it in your sales page text. It should be strategically located in the sales text after you present a problem. The title of your autoresponder email series should address the problem by offering a solution. In the example below we will assume that I am selling a hosting package and I want opt-in subscribers to my email course for back-end sales.

Example: You can use the pre-built websites or build your own. Many people think that building a website is hard, but I can show you how easy it really is. Take my 10 day email course “Build a Website with Ease” [signup form here].

The second marketing strategy is to drive traffic to your website.

When I say traffic, I don’t just mean any old traffic, I mean targeted traffic, people who are motivated and ready to buy can and will make you money. You can use programs and techniques such as Google adwords, bloging, article writing and linking to drive targeted traffic to your website.

Google adwords is a resource offered by Google in which you can pay for your site to be show when certain keywords are queried in their search engine. The secret to using adwords is not to bid high on popular keywords. Instead, what you do is find similar keywords that still describe your website, but are used much less frequent. These keywords will cost much less to bid on and will allow you to spread your money out over many different keywords, getting the most bang for your buck. You can use this handy little tool to find similar keywords: http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/

Bloging is another great way to drive targeted traffic to your website. To get the most out of this technique the blog should be hosted on the same website as the sales page witch links to your affiliate program. Once its setup all you have to do is fill your blog with good quality content.

I recommend writing your own content which specifically relates to your affiliate program and or products. Once you have some content you will need to submit your RSS feed to the as many blog search engines as you can. This will put your blog out there for other webmasters to use as content feeds on their websites.

This win-win situation allows webmasters to have quality content on their website, which increases the value of that website while driving targeted traffic directly to you. This is done by the URL link that you conveniently placed under your name after the blog was written.

That means that your link is on a blog feed that is on thousands of websites. Not only do people click those links but Google sees these links pointing back to you and thinks that you’re popular and you are rewarded with a higher page rank.

Article writing is basically the same as bloging except the information in an article will need to have more useful content and be peppered with keywords that the webmasters are looking for. After completing your article you will submit (syndicate) it to content sites as opposed to blog search engines.

Content sites are places where webmasters go to find specific content to offer their readers. If you are a good writer you may at some point build up a name for yourself and finagle a deal with a webmaster to write exclusives for his site. His readers get great exclusive content and you get highly motivated targeted traffic.

Linking is perhaps the most widely used form of increasing traffic and page rank. However, if done incorrectly you could end up hurting your Google page rank and ultimately loosing potential buyers. You will need your own website for this technique as you will need a ‘links’ page to place your reciprocal links on.

Many people go and submit their URL links to link farms in an attempt to trick Google into giving them a better page rank. This does NOT work; in fact Google has been known to penalize websites for engaging in these activities.

The secret to linking is to find websites in your niche market which have a Google page rank of 4 or above and enticing the webmaster to list your link on their website. You may think that you would be helping your competition, well you would be. But your competition would be helping you as well. It’s better to send leaving traffic to a partner than just having them close their browser window, and remember that works both ways.

The strategies listed in this article do work and they will increase you sales and residuals it done correctly. Reciprocal linking, Bloging and Article writing are great ways to bring massive amounts of high quality targeted traffic to your website. Those strategies combined with an effective sales page with an integrated opt-in email list can make your business soar to new heights. You can and will make money with this system, Guaranteed!

Adam Beazley
http://www.Plug-In-Home-Business.com

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