The Axandra newsletter archive - 9 November 2004
Welcome to the latest issue of the Search Engine Facts newsletter.

This week, we're taking a look at text link broker web sites.

In the news: Firefox launches today, Yahoo works on desktop search, Overture considers flat rate pricing and more.

Table of contents:

We hope that you enjoy this newsletter and that it helps you to get more out of your web site. Please pass this newsletter on to your friends.

Best regards,
Andre Voget, Johannes Selbach, Axandra CEO

1. Facts of the week: Should you buy text links?
Many text link broker web sites have appeared on the Internet. These web sites allow you to rent links from other web sites on a monthly basis. Is this something you should consider for your web site?

Why should you buy text links from other web sites?

Text links from other web sites increase the link popularity of your web site. The more other web sites link to your site, the better your search engine rankings will be.

Text links are much better than image links or banners because the text of the link also influences the ranking of a web site on search engines. For example, if the link to a web site is <a href="http://www.example.com">brown shoes</a> then the ranking for the search term "brown shoes" will be increased for that web site.

How much does it cost?

Prices vary depending on the text link broker site. Some links are available for US$30 per month, others cost more than US$1,000 per month. Most links cost about US$100 per month.

Although most of the text link broker web sites use terms like "buy text links" and "buy a link", you actually rent the links. The average text link will cost you US$100 per month.

Is it really worth it?

Buying text links can be an alternative if you quickly need many links and if you have lots of cash. However, paid text links can become very expensive. The average link costs US$600 for half a year and there's no guarantee that someone will click on this link or that search engines will really pick up the link.

Instead of paying more than US$150 per month consider ARELIS to find high quality link partners for your web site. ARELIS is much cheaper than renting text links. You only pay a one-time fee and you can use it as often and as long as you want to get text links from other sites. ARELIS helps you with all aspects of link management.

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2. Search engine news of the week

The official Firefox version launches today

    After a long testing period, the official version of the new web browser Firefox launches today. The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT), a division of the Department of Homeland Security, recommends switching to this new web browser.



Yahoo works on desktop search

    "Yahoo Inc. Chief Executive Terry Semel said [...] that the Internet media company is working on a desktop search program that would help people find information stored on their computer hard drives. [...]

    Software giant Microsoft Corp., which is preparing to take on Google and Yahoo in the Web search market they dominate, also plans to launch a test version of its own desktop search product by year-end."



Google releases final version of Google Deskbar

    "The free Google Deskbar lets you search with Google right from your Windows taskbar. Get the information you're looking for without having to switch applications or launch a web browser."



Copernic Desktop Search is now available in many European languages

    "Copernic and its international business development partner Contraco initiated a European market penetration strategy by announcing German, French, and Dutch versions of the award-winning Copernic Desktop Search product, with an Italian version soon to follow."



Yahoo!'s Overture looks at simpler models to court advertisers

    "Overture is considering offering advertisers a flat-rate pricing model to make paid search simpler for small- and medium-sized businesses, according to Ted Meisel, president of Overture and SVP at Yahoo! [...]

    We need to help marketers to think about their objectives, not on the keywords they're picking. [...] We're entertaining subscription models. It's going to take all of that."



Search engine newslets

  • SBC Communications and BellSouth will acquire YellowPages.com.
  • Speegle is a search engine that reads out the results to you.
  • Topix and Citysearch team for local content.
  • Yahoo! CEO Semel garners $80 million from stock options.
  • UpSnap partners with LookSmart to sell listings on 411 service.
  • FyberSearch acquires feed archive search engine FeedPlex.
3. Articles of the week

Are you Google hack-proof?

    "It was easy, and all done with, well, Google. As Google hackers know, what I did was to use Google to look for information residing in other people's Web-connected servers--and machines connected to those servers. Stuff that I'm not supposed to see. So how did I fare?"



Meeker doubts Microsoft impact on search market

    "Influential Wall Street analyst Mary Meeker said Microsoft’s impending release of its own search technology is unlikely to greatly change the search landscape."



Google: don't be evil; do be CIA lackey

    "It is a lot of fun (and really scary) to speculate that Google is a CIA front, designed to infiltrate our homes with its promises of 'Don't Be Evil', reading everything we ever write."



Google publishes incomplete ad guidelines

    "The policies that frustrated many people finding their ads rejected on Google were the more subtle things - like what seems like a ban on negative competitive advertising."



Google working on TV search?

    "This paper by Sergey Brin and other Googlers devises a way to match TV reports to news reports, by devising a software model that analyzes the closed captioning for keywords. [...] What is the point of this? Google is looking at ways to match television, which it says has a 'passive nature', with additional, more detailed information."

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4. Recommended resources

Even more great ratings for ARELIS

    Our popular link popularity tool ARELIS has been awarded with the "Editor's Choice" award from Freetrialsoft.com. ARELIS also has received a 5 out of 5 stars rating from the site:

    "ARELIS is a top-rated software program that helps you to build a powerful business network quickly and easily. [...] ARELIS helps you to establish many high quality reciprocal links that point to your web site. It is the first software program that provides a serious, spam-free reciprocal links solution for professional webmasters."

    If you haven't done it yet, download your ARELIS copy now.



Want to be mentioned in this newsletter?

    Just send us some words about your successes with IBP or ARELIS and you might get featured in this newsletter along with your web site address.

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5. Previous articles

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