Why Live Search is failing Microsoft
By Toby | June 14, 2008
Everyone who follows online search is familiar with the competitive nature of the industry. The big three, Google, Yahoo and Microsoft, compete heavily to deliver the most accurate search results on a given query. That is why Microsoft made the half assed attempt to takeover Yahoo. As it sits, Google controls search, period, and that translates into many eyes balls using search as their online starting place.
With Microsoft the failure has not been due to their Live Search strategy but with the results search queries render. It was actually showed me through a routine search using Live Search. During game play on LOTRO, I tabbed out to a browser for a quick search and instead of using the Google search bar I used the Live Search on MSN’s homepage.
The search term was “lotro maps” (minus quotes) and I fully expected to see query to render highly similar to those found on Google. Quite the opposite actually. Using Google, a listing is generated for a site pointing to a webpage that is hosting dynamic map of LOTRO worlds. The page is everything pertinent for the search term and gives users the best results for the query. On the other hand, Live Search rendered a site that is setup as a gold spam site which focuses on keyword stacking to emphasize authority for the search term.
Search Results
- Google
- Live Search
The top listings display two totally different results. Live Search seems to put to much emphasis on the number of times the keyword are placed on the page. Google on the other hand displays a result that is highly relevant to the query and that result that has minimal keyword density, if any, on the page. I am no rocket scientist but the Live results seem to have no relevance to the query.
Another area to analyze is Microsoft’s correlation between search term and website’s url (also can be viewed in the previous example). This example looks at the search term “click here” (minus quotes).
Search Results
- Google
- Live Search
Google still basis a lot of importance on the number of incoming links coming to a website and as a result Adobe ranks #1 for “click here”. Adobe has so many links to its website with the anchor text “click here” because so many sites link to their download page as a precaution if their users do not have Adobe Acrobat. Microsoft seems to feel the domain name clickhere.com is more important. But like in the first example, more emphasis is being put on the domain name that relevant incoming links.
The last reason why Live Search is not working for Microsoft is that they are over diversified and not focused on solely on search. Windows and Office have been the work horses for Microsoft for many years and the foundation in which it has created its massive empire. But search has never been Microsoft’s primary focus like other tech companies have made it. This over diversification does not allow Microsoft to isolate and focus on the variables that comprise a useable search.
That is why Live Search is failing Microsoft. They cannot get their algorithm right to display the most accurate results for a specific query. The domination of search, or the quest to dominate search, will not end anytime soon and providing more relevant searches is going to be harder for Microsoft if they can not get it together soon.
Topics: Brand Building Essentials, From Basic to Elaborate | No Comments »
What can traditional networking do to increase your market presence?
By Toby | May 29, 2008
As a small business marketing consultant I come across many types of businesses that have one thing in common; they want to increase profitability in an affordable and streamlined fashion. Marketing is more much more than a single act; its a constant action that builds branding and awareness through effective means of targeting market segments.
But the limits of targeting a market segment are not just limited to ranking at the top of search engines. There are more traditional methods to gain quality business contacts and that is why TW Resource Group joined the LeTip business networking group. Today there was a business mixer in Marysville where many entrepreneurs gathered to share their business specialties.
The many different networking groups offer the small business owner to get their business in front of many people who may need or might know someone who needs the services you offer. Yes, these networking groups require a commitment to attend meetings, mixers, board meetings and training seminars but the long term ROI is immense. The biggest argument I hear from business owner “why not to join” is the time commitment out of their already busy schedules. But if business is to be had by committing a small block of time every week isn’t it worth it?
In my opinion it is. Small businesses can not normally afford a large marketing/advertising budget to generate a long-term source of fresh business. Getting involved in a group that is designed to build contacts as increase the size of a client base is one of the most effective small business marketing strategies.
After joining LeTip TW Resource Group has made many contacts, provided small business marketing proposals and even closed a few deals all in a period of a month and a half. Get involved in local business mixers, professional networking groups and make you and your company known through out the community. The dividends will pay themselves a few folds before you know it.
Take a proactive position to your company’s success and get involved because your success and survival depends on it.
Topics: The art of Social Networking for Business Purposes | No Comments »
TW Resource Group has joined LeTip
By Toby | May 13, 2008
Even though TW Resource Group is an online marketing company it is important for us not to loose site of other avenues to group and expand our business. That is why we have joined the LeTip of Crossroads Connection networking chapter.
I have created a webpage for our group, which can be accessed via the link in the top navigation, since the chapter does not have an official site right now. Hopefully my skills will be showboated enough where the chapter site will be done by TW Resource Group. From my last meeting, Monday May 12, 2008 in Seattle, the regional director was pushing the importance of local chapter presence.
Personally I think the site could be a power if it was Tweaked by TW Resource Group. Ok that is personal opinion but here some food for thought. The current project for Lamb Hanson Lamb Appraisal Associates, Inc has exploded with success. Before completion of the project, which happens next week, they already achieved two commercial real estate appraisal clients. Not to shabby.
So for the time being it is my goal to get the LeTip page on our site to rank on Google for the keyword LeTip. But until that happens it will be all about content generation. I will keep the progress posted here in order to track progress and rankings.
Topics: The Comings and Goings with TW Resource Group | No Comments »
New project maximizes real estate appraisal company’s marketing
By Toby | May 6, 2008
This past year TW Resource Group has grown to provide pretty cool services to some awesome companies around Washington. This time is for a Seattle real estate appraisal firm Lamb Hanson Lamb Appraisal Associates, Inc. This is the largest single project done and the strategies use take advantage of the many solid Wordpress plugins to achieve excellent results.
A little about LambHansonLamb.com
Strategy and hierarchy were the two most important items of this site and would dictate how the rest of the framework would be laid out. LHL provides services across Washington state but those terms would be to difficult to target due to scale so and leads generated for broad terms would yield little. So it was decided to geotarget Seattle since it is the largest metropolitan area.
The homepage and navigation where built to maximize presence within the Seattle market; some examples are the residential appraisals, commercial appraisals, agricultural appraisals and litigation appraisals pages. Notice the title tags and page title match and this allows for greater keyword density while not overloading and spamming the main text. Clear and concise titles make a page more indexable and favorable with search engines.
Pairing these two items take more than just a standard site using the Wordpress platform. Plugins are essential and can only be used by a site hosting its own site not like the free versions that a person can get by signing up at Wordpress. Here is a quick list of the plugins:
- Contact Form ][
- SEO Title Tag
- Automatic Update
- Worpress Stats
They are probably the best, easiest and efficient plugins for a Wordpress blog. My thought is never crap up a site with junk that is found on every other website on the web. Let your competitors annoy consumers with advertisements and framework that is junk.
Another strategy built into their site is the static homepage with the - blog posting being placed directly on the /blog/ url. Many Worpress blogs fall short will this one because they are not set correctly under the Options panel. Making this work takes the website from being a blog to the next level, blogsite. Incorporating the traditional static homepage of a Web 1.0 site and adding the Web 2.0 blog feature.
The site is going to be a dynamite in the search engines due the framework construction and the staff utilizing the blog feature. Publishing original content, like what is done here, will grown the site into a Seattle real estate appraisal monster.
Topics: Do It Yourself Search Engine Optimization Strategies | No Comments »
Upgrading to Wordpress 2.5
By Toby | April 23, 2008
The other day I tried to upgrade from Wordpress 2.1.1, I know…the platform was quite old, to version 2.5. It was all going good until I followed some instruction on a forum which I did not completely understand. After going through the steps, which called for deleting some files, I tried the new install and got a nasty error message on the homepage.
Not what I expected and really got my anxiety level up. The thought of loosing a years worth of content almost made me puke. But fortunately luck was on my side once again. I logged into my BlueHost account and went back into the Fantastico auto installer and low and be hold there was an upgrade to 2.3.3. Crossing fingers I clicked the upgrade link and viola! It all worked, whew…much better. Everything seemed to be in perfect working order so onto try the 2.5 upgrade again but this time using a much different approach, a plugin.
Download: http://techie-buzz.com/wordpress-plugins/wordpress-automatic-upgrade-plugin.html
This plugin automatically backup and upgrades Wordpress with flawless ease. So if you are like me and are not the most experienced on server side upgrades then this plugin is for you. Upgrades are sometimes painful and lesson learning experiences and thanlfully there are solutions to get us through them.
Topics: Do It Yourself Search Engine Optimization Strategies | 2 Comments »
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