URL Promotion, Placement Purchasing

[rjtiess at juno.com]

Some search engine results are determined by
more than data retrieval algorithms.  Money
could be part of the equation.  For example:
http://www.goto.com/d/about/advertisers/faq.jhtml

This is not a new concept, but an intriguing one
nonetheless for its obvious dark effects on web
reference.  It would be interesting to learn how
others feel about this.  Imagine what PACs would
be like under similar practices.  It can be
rationalized, but is it a direction to be encouraged?

Those in support of this compare listings to yellow
pages (vs. white), where yp ad space can be
purchased in addition to listing.  But I have problems
synonymizing URL registration with advertising,
although the former could imply the latter.

Some related articles:
http://www.zdnet.com/products/content/articles/199804/search.bidder
http://searchenginewatch.internet.com/sereport/9803-goto.html

This issue underscores the importance of continued
development of noncommercial Internet guides in
and beyond the library community and was partly
motivational in my steep involvement with Internet
resource management.  We must preserve unbiased,
dependable outlets for information and encourage
a diversity in that information--core ALA concepts.

With so many other factors (e.g. bias, censorship),
distempering information, paid search results provoke
further consumer concern--but, not to unsuspecting
eyes.  A negative of this practice is that we may not
clearly discern "highest bidder" sites from other sites,
as the results may be mixed in with other unpaid hits,
whereas contemporary advertising is easy to perceive,
because it's apparent--on the radio, in print
publications, on billboards, on television--and we
know to critically analyze it in its commercial context.
Another argument asserts the highest bidder is often
one of the best sites in its category anyway.  Is
that not a bold and dangerous assumption?

Does anyone know of other search services offering
pay per top-percentage hits?  I'm well aware of the
consultant services and web promotion enhancement
programs out there, both free and premium.  I'm
interested specifically in search engines doing this.
Rumors have been rampant that this practice is far
more regular online--and it is, if we include the
proliferation of paid banners/pop-up pages in this
discussion--but concrete search engine examples
(and URLs) would be appreciated.

In parallel to this, I've established a concise guide
to *free* website promotion/announcement services,
including links to search engines offering free URL
inclusion/site indexing.  It's the "URL Registration
Center," and it can be accessed at
http://members.tripod.com/~rtiess/urlreg.htm
There's also a section regarding further steps to
take to improve a site's accessibility, such as using
metadata (W3C & Dublin Core) and XML, learning
more about search engine techniques, and free
banner exchange programs.

I also see URL promotion as problematic to general
Internet cataloging initiatives, particularly in the
misapplication of metadata keywords, which more
search engines draw from these days.  The Dublin
Core is an attractive standard, but diverse data
and future data structures necessitate extensibility
mechanisms nonexistent until we consider
metadata sets larger than those fifteen elements,
or XML, which still suffers from a lack of
implementation, adoption, and understanding.

Cumulatively, promotional malpractices and
unstable electronic document referencing systems
have helped fracture this glass sphere of lost and
found or unfindable documents we now call the
Internet.  Standards alone do not suffice; they
must be used--usable--easily, to all netizens
seeking equitable recognition, honest light in the
midst of these shadows, shards and refractions.


Robert Tiess
rjtiess at juno.com
http://members.tripod.com/~rtiess











-

___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]