Search Marketing Association of North America (SMA-NA) Launches Membership Drive

The Search Marketing Association of North America (SMA-NA), an association for people and companies involved in the study, promotion and practice of search engine marketing is launching a major membership drive beginning August 1, 2005.

San Jose, CA (PRWEB) August 1, 2005 -- The Search Engine Marketing Association of North American, officially launched February 2005 aims to be an open, democratic, and responsible, member-focused trade organization representing the interests of professionals working in the field of search engine marketing. In addition to giving its members an industry voice, the SMA-NA provides a platform to inform and educate the business marketplace of the benefits of search engine marketing. The SMA-NA is proud to stand alongside the SMA-UK and SMA-EU chapters, both launched in 2004.

“We are getting a clear message the industry wants and needs an organization to promote and support the welfare and interests of professionals working in the field of search engine marketing,” said Ian McAnerin member of the working group committee. “The association will be member driven and open to all types of search engine marketing professionals ranging from individuals to the larger search marketing firms. We are actively seeking members from Canada, Mexico and the United States.”

The SMA-NA is actively seeking new members and encourages anyone in the search engine marketing industry to apply for membership. Official elections of the Board of Officers is scheduled for early fall 2005 after the membership drive has ended. Only registered members of the organization will be eligible for nominations to the Board and can vote in the election. The working group committee plans on having its membership drive kickoff meeting at the Search Engine Strategies tradeshow in San Jose during August of 2005.

For more information visit http://www.sma-na.org.

###

[ Comments: I was very interested to find this group, but in looking over the site, I could not find any information on what my $250 membership fee would be used for and how I would benefit. I will continue to monitor them and hope that some tangible benefits appear. - (hris ]

 

Pixelbay.Org Breaks All the Rules With Microscopic Ads

Clearwater, FL, (PRWEB) September 28, 2005 -- PixelBay.org, a non-traditional advertising site, which creates internet traffic through the use of the world’s smallest ads, generated a startling amount of consumer interest as throngs of online visitors surged to its site in just the first 24 hours of its operation. Thousands of visitors streamed to www.pixelbay.org after learning about the quirky little ads displayed on the homepage. The site was officially launched on Tuesday, September 27.

Advertiser reaction was just as strong upon learning about how Pixelbay.org intended to draw consumer interest. Within hours of first hearing of Pixelbay’s unique strategy, dozens of companies were scrambling to confirm ad placement on the site. Pixelbay is banking on its relationships with blogs across the world to get its message out about the world’s smallest ad. The story line is simple—world’s smallest ad versus traditional media giants, a true David and Goliath story.

In Touch Media Group, Inc (ITOU—OTCBB), a leading supplier of online marketing services, developed the web site in response to the shift in the internet viewing habits of the public at large. Bob Cefail, Chairman of ITMG, feels that advertising has to change with the times. “I believe we should follow the lead of many bloggers who are attracting viewers through creative and contrarian web site content”, states Cefail. “Advertisers must develop unique ways to compel visitors to come to their sites. This is why I created the world’s smallest ad and am working with the alternative media, such as the blogosphere, to push the word out”. Cefail feels that consumer generated media, led by bloggers, are at the forefront of many internet trends.

The micro-ad design seemingly runs afoul of all accepted laws of advertising. Instead of overpowering consumers with imagery and message the little pixel ads, measuring less than a quarter inch by a quarter inch, attract attention because of their tiny stature. “Advertising in general has gotten far too serious”, warns Cefail. “Advertisers should just lighten up and have some fun with a pixel ad. We even developed a cool mascot we call Mr. Pix, who you can find on the PixelBay homepage”. This playful attitude regarding advertising is what Cefail feels is the difference between In Touch Media Group and its more traditional industry counterparts.

Businesses can advertise on the PixelBay homepage by buying at least one 10x10 pixel block for US $100, which they can use to display an ad or logo, together with a link to their own site. Pixel ads on the site have included a web site promoting an online fantasy game that is a cross between the stock market and a poker game, currency trading software providers, home owner services sites, blogs, and various small businesses.

Pixelbay is just the beginning of In Touch Media’s diminutive ad efforts, pun intended. The company intends to develop other micro-ad sites based on input from individuals involved in the massive multiplayer gaming field. ITOU will be focusing on the needs of internet users ages 18-29 who spend a significant amount of time online. “We have a lot to learn from this generation that lives, breaths and eats technology and all things internet”, concludes Cefail.

For more information and media inquiries please contact:

Bob Cefail
Chairman, Intouch Media Group, Inc.
(727) 465 0925


About In Touch Media Group

In Touch Media Group (ITOU.OB) is an online marketing and PR firm which specializes in generating website visitors, and customers for its business clients using a combination of effective systems, including search engine advertising, publicity, and other marketing services. The company employs online market research to dramatically increase the effectiveness of search engine advertising, targeted publicity, and strategically placed website advertising.

This announcement contains “forward-looking statements.” Words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect” and other similar expressions as they relate to the Company and its management are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although the Company and its management believe that the statements contained in this announcement are reasonable, it can give no assurances that such statements will prove correct. Factors that could affect the occurrence of events or results discussed herein are included with those mentioned in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact:
Bob Cefail
Chairman
In Touch Media Group, Inc.

# # #

Press Contact: Robert Cefail
Company Name: Data Resource Consulting
Email: bob@drcinc.us
Phone: 7274650925
Website: www.pixelbay.org

[ Yeah, lighten up and pay these guys some money...! Too bad they don't really sell single pixel ads. If they did I would have bought a few. If anyone would like some ads like this on a site that has some PR, would like to pay much less, and get traffic NOW please contact us. We'd LOVE to take your money and will take much less of it...! (hris ]

Global Information Operations Conference Confirms Dr. Ran Hock, Internet Deep Web Search Pioneer, as Trainer WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Robert David Steele Vivas, CEO of OSS.Net, Inc., a Virginia C Corporation, announced today that Dr. Ran Hock, CEO of Online Strategies, has been confirmed as the closing trainer at the Global Information Operations Conference to take place at the Sheraton Premiere in Tysons Corner 17-20 January 2006. "Dr. Ran Hock is one of the most successful global online deep web searchers in America, and pioneered the concept of 'extreme searching.' His award-winning guides to web search engines and his recent books 'Extreme Searcher's Internet Handbook' of 2004, and 'Yahoo! To the Max' (2005) are standards in the field. Dr. Hock will offer the concluding half-day training session. "This advanced training for national security and intelligence specialists of all governments has been described by one leading European intelligence professional as the quickest way for him to look brilliant to his colleagues for the rest of the year. Topics to be covered include updates on all new search engines, audio and video search, advances in penetrating the 'invisible' web, specialized directories, images and maps, and the exploitation of newer channels including Podcasts. "The Global Information Operations Conference, known as IOP '06, brings together an international audience centered around the U.S. Department of Defense and its coalition partners, to discuss and examine capabilities in relation to Information Operations (IO), Joint Intelligence Operations Centers (JIOC), OSINT, man-machine Foreign Language Translation, man-machine automated analytics including predictive analysis, and compelling visualization including automated all-source geospatially-based fusion and visualization, rapid response modeling & simulation, as well as Peacekeeping Intelligence and information-sharing with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) participating in stabilization & reconstruction operations. "The audience, based on the 7,500 individuals that have attended this event since 1992, will number between 400 and 700, and generally be mature Lieutenant Colonels and GS-14's with Action Office or Branch Head responsibilities in IO, JIOC, OSINT, FL, or AA. This event will be especially useful to NATO members and the Partnership for Peace nations ramping up their capabilities for out of area operations and early warning, and to the indigenous nations of Africa, Asia, and Latin America that are beginning to realize that regional intelligence networks and information-sharing are a source of regional power." Source: OSS.NET CONTACT: Robert David Steele Vivas of OSS.NET, +1-703-242-1700 Web site: http://tinyurl.com/blev9 http://www.oss.net/

To see more releases from OSS.NET, Click Here

This company's web site http://www.oss.net/

The old I-Search newsletter was the best moderated, best edited, and the best attended search marketing newsletter/discussion list that I had ever seen. LED Digest is of the same quality, but the topics covered are not as focused as I-Search was.

If all the old gang once again participates I am sure SearchReturn will quickly gain the same level of respect and surpass the volume of subscribers of I-Search.

You've only missed one issue as of today, so go to http://www.searchreturn.com/ and subscribe today. If you are interested in search engine marketing and the best discussions with useful information, this will be the place.

From the site:

"Achieve better search engine rankings. Increase your search engine indexing and enjoy super targeted users. Learn what it takes to convert search users. Discover source code samples. Improve your search. Search engine information, actionable tips, expert advice, and publishing services by site owner Detlev Johnson."

(hris

How to Survive the Dark Side of Search Engine Optimization

New search engine optimization guide helps Website marketers learn how navigate the SEO industry’s underbelly – scams, unethical techniques and more. CLEVELAND, Ohio (PRWEB) September 27, 2005 -– A new search engine optimization guide will shed light on the industry's dark side - everything from money back guarantees and duplicate content to keyword stuffing and cloaking. "Taming the SEO Beast: Tips, Traps and Trends," a free guide from Cleveland, Ohio-based Fathom SEO, will offer marketers insights about controversial techniques and services that can wound profitability. The guide covering so-called “black-hat” and “white-hat” techniques will be available Oct. 10th. Before hiring an SEO consultant, register for your copy at: http://www.fathomseo.com/forms/seotips.asp "If you don't want to get banned by Google or other search engines, take these tips to heart," said Michael Murray, Fathom SEO's vice president. "Unfortunately, business owners are too naïve about the search engine optimization industry." The guide also includes a series of tips and tools any Web site marketer can use to help drive traffic while staying on the safe side of the SEO ethics boundary. Murray is available to discuss the guide, search engine marketing tactics and related trends. He can be reached at 216.861.5951 ext. 111. Fathom SEO is a market-leading firm dedicated to Search Engine Marketing (SEM), with an emphasis on natural Search Engine Optimization (SEO). As an SEO firm, fathom SEO provides pay-per-click (PPC) bid management, link building, web analytics, custom web site development and permission-based marketing services. Clients include Eaton Corporation, The Cleveland Clinic, Little Tikes, Sauder, Bissell, Darice and FedEx Custom Critical. Fathom SEO developed as a division of Fathom IT Solutions, also based in Cleveland. Since its start in 1986, Fathom IT has been in the forefront of applying state-of-the-art interactive business technologies to solve client problems. Fathom SEO has seasoned and knowledgeable SEO consultants with diverse skills. Visit us at www.fathomseo.com or call 216.861.5951 or 866.RANK.YOU (726.5968). Contact: Michael Murray Fathom SEO (216) 861-5951 ext. 111

WebTrends Kicks Off Sixth Year of Industry's Most Successful Marketing Optimization and Web Analytics Seminars; North American Cities and Dates Announced for the 2005 Web Analytics Success Tour PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 27, 2005--WebTrends Inc., the global web analytics leader, today announced North American cities and dates for its 2005 Web Analytics Success Tour, a series of complimentary, half-day seminars focused on optimizing marketing performance through web analytics best practices. The series, sponsored in part by Stratigent LLC, a leading web analytics consultancy and WebTrends Insight Network(TM) partner, will arm marketing executives, Internet marketers and web producers with the information they need to optimize their online marketing programs and achieve better results. Since 1999, WebTrends has educated more than 13,000 professionals worldwide in 60 cities across six continents, making the WebTrends(R) Seminar Series one of the most popular and successful educational Internet marketing seminars to-date. Now entering its sixth year, WebTrends introduces its newest seminar series, titled "Optimizing Marketing Performance through Web Analytics Best Practices." Topics include: -- Key trends in web marketing and where web-smart organizations are investing their dollars -- How to bridge the marketing confidence gap by mastering the fundamentals of web analytics -- Facts about the recent accuracy debate and how to ensure that marketing performance isn't undercounted -- Techniques for optimizing site conversion, search marketing and customer segmentation -- Customer success stories from different industries with varying site objectives "As more marketers learn about the opportunity to measurably improve their business results, education and best practices adoption are foundational elements that dramatically accelerate time-to-results," said Greg Drew, CEO and president of WebTrends, Inc. "As one of our marquee educational events, the Seminar Series embodies WebTrends commitment to offer organizations unparalleled access to the information, resources and expertise they need to make smarter decisions that drive greater results." The free, half-day seminars will be offered in 9 cities across North America: -- St. Louis, MO - Thursday, October 13 -- Indianapolis, IN - Friday, October 14 -- Dearborn, MI - Tuesday, October 18 -- Milwaukee, WI - Wednesday, October 19 -- Miami, FL - Thursday, October 20 -- Houston, TX - Friday, October 21 -- Minneapolis, MN - Tuesday, October 25 -- Boston, MA - Thursday, October 27 -- San Francisco, CA - Tuesday, November 1 A complimentary lunch and networking session led by Stratigent called "Leveraging Scientific Testing to Improve Your ROI" will be held immediately following the seminars in St. Louis, Indianapolis, Dearborn and Milwaukee. Further details about the seminars can be found at: http://www.webtrends.com/Resources/Community andEvents/SeminarSeries.aspx. (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.) About Stratigent, LLC Stratigent provides fully customized web analytics consulting and applies information derived from multiple data sources to influence business decisions, website design and online marketing programs. Stratigent provides a wide range of consulting services including data analysis, scientific testing and optimization, and tool optimization and customization. For more information visit www.stratigent.com. About WebTrends Thousands of web-smart organizations worldwide, including more than half of the Fortune and Global 500, rely on WebTrends to improve their web site conversions and optimize their marketing performance for maximum return on investment. As the worldwide market leader for web analytics, WebTrends has become the trusted standard not only for award-winning technology, but also for a full range of consulting services and unmatched industry expertise. By delivering accurate and actionable metrics through both on-demand and software options, WebTrends ensures that its customers are positioned for both immediate and long-term success with a solution that can adapt to ever-changing business and technical requirements. For more information, visit www.WebTrends.com. WebTrends and WebTrends On Demand are trademarks or registered trademarks of WebTrends Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

Contacts WebTrends Inc. Public Relations Corey Gault, 503-553-2682 corey.gault@webtrends.com or SHIFT Communications Mandy Mladenoff, 415-591-8420 mmladenoff@shiftcomm.com

Search Engine Marketing Firm @Web Site Publicity Announces New Client EF Tours

(PRWEB) September 27, 2005 -- Search engine marketing company http://www.websitepublicity.com/?c1=pr&source=prweb&kw=search+engine+marketing [@Web Site Publicity] announced today the signing of a new client, http://www.eftours.com [EF Educational Tours], the industry leader in educational tours and experiential learning. The search firm will assist EF Educational Tours to introduce and reinforce their brand online through a strategic Pay-for-Placement campaign at the major search engines. By achieving top rankings in the search engines, EF Educational Tours' travel and program information will be readily accessible to teachers interested in providing educational travel experience for their students in the United States and around the world.

Earlier this year, EF Educational Tours became the first international travel organization to be accredited by The Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA) and its six regional accrediting bodies. This means that all of EF’s international and domestic educational tours have been recognized for their quality and educational value, meeting the same rigorous standards as the best schools. With this certification, participating teachers can now earn professional development credits when they lead an EF tour and complete coursework. Also, students can earn high school credit by experiencing a tour and completing coursework associated with it.

@Web Site Publicity is a leading http://www.websitepublicity.com [search engine marketing] company offering comprehensive, integrated services in the area of search engine optimization, paid search advertising and web usability analysis. Founded in 1998, it serves client companies throughout the United States. Based in Peterborough, NH, the company also works directly with interactive agencies, public relations agencies, and web development firms to increase their clients' success online. Company founder and C.E.O. Susan O'Neil is the co-author of Maximize Web Site Traffic and a frequent presenter on the topic of Internet Marketing.

For more information on EF Educational Tours, call 800-637-8222 (international tours) or 800503-2323 (North American tours) or visit www.eftours.com.

For more information on @Web Site Publicity, call 800-450-2818 or visit www.websitepublicity.com.

# # #

Press Contact: Susan O'neil
Company Name: @WEB SITE PUBLICITY
Email: susan.oneil@websitepublicity.com
Phone: 800-450-2818
Website: www.websitepublicity.com

[Comments on this release: Extra, Extra! SEO firm gets new client...! (hris ]

 

64% of Clients Fail To Implement Their SEO Firm's Recommendations Finds iProspect & JupiterResearch Study

Watertown, MA (PRWEB) September 27, 2005 -- According to a new study published today by iProspect (http://www.iprospect.com), the Original® Search Engine Marketing Firm, 64% of organizations that outsource their natural search engine optimization to an SEO firm encounter obstacles within their organization that prohibit them from implementing their vendor's recommended changes to their websites. Lack of human resources and lack of budget are amongst the most frequent obstacles encountered.

The iProspect Natural SEO Outsourcing Study (http://www.iprospect.com/ecampaign/pr3_0905/searchenginemarketingwhitepapers.htm) also revealed that 48% of organizations that outsource their natural search engine optimization to an SEO firm believe they underestimate the resources required for implementation.

High-level findings include:

*    2 out of 3 marketers who outsource their search engine optimization encounter obstacles that prevent them from implementing their vendor's SEO recommendations.

*    1 out of 3 marketers lack adequate internal human resources to implement their vendor's SEO recommendations, while 1 out of 6 lacks an adequate outsourcing budget to do so.

*    1 out of 2 marketers underestimate the resources required to implement their vendor's SEO recommendations.

"These responses tell a troubling story," said iProspect President, Robert Murray. "Companies who are unable to implement their vendor's recommendations or who cannot muster the organizational commitment to act on their SEO firm's recommendations are, in effect, committing to fail." Murray continued, "The site changes an SEO firm recommends are not tremendously difficult to implement, and the resulting visibility, traffic and conversions are often significant. The message is clear: Marketers must build solid organizational commitment not just in the marketing group, but in the IT group, to the search engine marketing campaign before engaging an SEO firm. This ensures that they have the implementation resources to execute on their SEO firm's recommendations so they can generate the results their organizations seek."

According to Dr. Naga Krothapalli, iProspect's Director of Algorithmic Search, "There are myriad reasons why this could be happening, from road blocks in the IT department to changes in priorities within the organization," but he notes, "ultimately, it comes down to one of three factors: budget, human resources, or organizational commitment. In most large organizations, IT projects, including site improvements, are ongoing. It's just a matter of which ones are given priority."

Krothapalli elaborated, "Companies engage SEO firms for their expert guidance and recommendations to remedy rankings shortfalls. However, internal obstacles regularly delay or derail site changes related to search engine optimization, handcuffing what would otherwise be a successful SEO campaign. It's akin to going to the doctor when you're sick and then failing to fill the prescription. If a website cannot be found in search engines, it is not going to get better on its own. If the site doesn't change, the rankings won't either."

About the Survey and Methodology

JupiterResearch surveyed search engine marketers and agencies. Respondents were targeted by familiarity with their company's search engine marketing efforts and screened for involvement with marketing their company's products or those of clients. A total of 636 qualified search engine marketers and 224 qualified search engine marketing agencies completed the survey. Respondents received an email invitation to participate in the survey, with an attached URL linked to the Web-based survey form. As an incentive, respondents were entered into a sweepstakes for the chance to win a $50 Amazon.com gift certificate.

In this survey effort, JupiterResearch worked with its sister company JupiterWeb on the technical tasks of sample building and survey fielding. JupiterWeb properties include more than 150 Web sites and over 150 email newsletters that are viewed by 20 million unique users and generate over 275 million page views monthly, thus enabling JupiterResearch to survey hard-to-reach audiences.

Proper attribution requires that the study is clearly identified as the "iProspect Natural SEO Outsourcing Study." Copies of the study can be obtained at http://www.iprospect.com/ecampaign/pr3_0905/searchenginemarketingwhitepapers.htm

About iProspect

iProspect® (http://www.iprospect.com) is the Original® Search Engine Marketing Firm. The company helps many of the world's most successful brands maximize their online marketing ROI through natural search engine optimization (http://www.iprospect.com/services/search-engine-optimization-service.htm), paid inclusion management (http://www.iprospect.com/services/paid-inclusion-management-service.htm) as a Yahoo! Search Submit Certified Ambassador, pay per click advertising management (http://www.iprospect.com/services/pay-per-click-management-service.htm) via their own patent-pending bid management agent called iSEBA™, and Web analytics (http://www.iprospect.com/services/web-analytics-service.htm) through their own SEM-configured version of WebTrends™. Located in Watertown, Massachusetts, the company can be contacted at 1-800-522-1152, or by visiting www.iprospect.com.

Questions regarding this release should be directed to iProspect Media Relations Manager, Colleen Reed, at 1-800-522-1152 x1203 or creed@iprospect.com.

# # #


Press Contact: Colleen Reed
Company Name: IPROSPECT
Email: creed@iprospect.com
Phone: 617-923-7000
Website: www.iprospect.com

[ Comments on this press release: Perhaps the recommendations were not realistic, bad advice, or beyond the budget of the client. In my experience, effective search engine optimization has to be neither complex nor expensive to produce good results. I would REALLY like to see the details behind what this survey seems to indicate, including did the companies implement part of the recommendations and see an increase in their search engine traffic or not? The whitepaper makes it sound like companies either implemented all or none of the recommendations. Was there no middle ground? Did that include cases where the company just rejected the proposal of the SEO company and went with someone else?

If you read the whitepaper, my take on the results is that the search engine optimization provider failed to properly educate the client or understand the client's needs and available resources. This is not really about a problem with the client but the company or companies providing the services, in my opinion. Nice spin, wrong direction... -(hris ]

FirstGov.gov to Partner with Vivisimo, MSN on Search

U.S. Government's Official Web Portal to add State, Local, Tribal and Territorial Search along with News and Images

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Citizens will have easier and expanded access to federal information and services thanks to the powerful new Web search capabilities that will be added to the U.S. Government's official Web portal -- FirstGov.gov, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced Thursday.

Citizens across the nation, as well as government employees, will benefit from FirstGov.gov's improved Web searching capability. Combining the power of a leading Web search with an award-winning clustering technology, FirstGov.gov will function as the single, swift and efficient source for Americans to locate, identify and utilize information and government services at all levels from local to federal. This Web search capability is available through a contract with Vivisimo of Pittsburgh, Pa., in partnership with Microsoft of Redmond, Wash.

FirstGov will leverage Vivisimo's award-winning Clusty.com search service, incorporating results and features from Microsoft's MSN Search. For example, a search on "nursing jobs" will return results from government Web sites and job listings from USAJOBS, the federal government's official job database. Clusty makes it possible to search government databases simultaneously with MSN Search. FirstGov.gov's approach to government-wide search will provide citizens with unprecedented access to government information from a single source.

This new search strategy provides significantly more services for less than the cost of previous FirstGov search services. The value of the contract is $1.8 million annually, which is nearly half the cost of the current search service on FirstGov.gov. The contract is part of a new Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) FirstGov has set up to acquire future Web search services. The BPA has a total value of $18 million over the length of the agreement.

"The enhancements we're unveiling today improve Firstgov.gov's ability to guide citizens through the sometimes-confusing Federal bureaucracy, and translate to simple yet advanced searches of government information and images," said M.J. Pizzella, Associate Administrator of GSA's Office of Citizen Services and Communications. "When President Bush came to Washington, he issued clear instructions for all agencies to use technology to improve citizen access to federal information and services. The improved search engine -- as well as the unique content developed and added to Firstgov.gov after Hurricane Katrina -- move us a step closer to his vision of results-oriented, performance-based government that harnesses technology on behalf of the American public."

Teri Takai, Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the State of Michigan, added, "We recognize FirstGov.gov as the official Web portal and front door to the U.S. government. Here in Michigan, we have worked hard to make it easier for our citizens to access government services and information, and this latest enhancement to FirstGov.gov will go a long way to aid citizens in their search for federal and state government information."

From a local government perspective, David Molchany, CIO of Fairfax County, Va., said, "The ability of Firstgov.gov to search from the U.S. Federal Government through State to Local Governments will be invaluable. This is an excellent example of joined up Government and one that will benefit the customers of government."

FirstGov.gov, the award-winning federal portal, provides government information and services to citizens, businesses and other governments. FirstGov.gov is an integral part of creating a citizen-centric government, keeping in line with one of the five priorities in President Bush's Management Agenda. In addition, FirstGov.gov is part of USA Services, one of the Presidential E-Gov initiatives created in 2003. USA Services delivers information and services to citizens through multiple channels. This includes the Internet, email, telephone, and publication distribution. Last year, USA Services reported 242 million public contacts, of which 5.4 million were through 1-800 FED INFO (for telephone and email), 5.1 million publications were distributed through the Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC) in Pueblo, Colo., and 202 million were FirstGov.gov.

FirstGov.gov Search will also significantly expand the scope of its government service capability. Currently, FirstGov.gov Search includes an index of approximately 8 million Federal government web pages. Vivisimo, in partnership with MSN, will provide an index that's more than three times larger than the current service, and includes Federal, state, local, tribal and territorial government web sites.

In addition, FirstGov.gov will launch government-wide News and Image search services so citizens will not have to go to individual agencies to find these resources. For example, Federal and state agencies both have image libraries covering Hurricane Katrina. To find Katrina images, citizens have to go to each agency to find ones they want to see. The new image search capability will allow citizens to search across all agency image libraries, so the citizen will have to go only to FirstGov.gov to find all Katrina images from official government agencies.

The new search service includes packages geared toward specific audiences (i.e., kids and Spanish speakers). These two audiences are very important, but existing services for these groups are not enough to meet their needs. FirstGov for Kids on Kids.gov will be enhanced by a more robust "kids only" search engine that will help children, parents and teachers locate kids' appropriate content on government web sites. FirstGov en Espanol on Espanol.gov will offer the same search capabilities as FirstGov.gov, but specifically targeted to Spanish-speaking citizens.

Concurrently with the award of this contract, GSA has signed a BPA with Fast Search & Transfer of Needham, Massachusetts, Gigablast, Inc. of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Vivisimo of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The BPA enables GSA to easily acquire new search services that are important to citizens, and enhance citizen access to government information. Both the BPA and the first task order are being awarded for one base year and four option years.

GSA is a centralized, federal procurement, property management, policy development and information provision agency, created by Congress to improve government efficiency and help federal agencies better serve the public. In this role, GSA acquires products and services on behalf of federal agencies; plays a key role in developing and implementing government-wide policies; provides services and solutions for the office operations of more than one million federal workers; and encourages a citizen-centric relationship with government by providing a single "point of entry" to the information and services citizens need in a timeframe they can appreciate. This allows citizens to receive accurate, timely and consistent answers and information, and helps federal agencies better respond to citizen inquiries.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration

CONTACT: Mary Alice Johnson of U.S. General Services Administration,
+1-202-501-1231, maryalice.johnson@gsa.gov

Web site: http://www.firstgov.gov/
http://www.espanol.gov/
http://www.kids.gov/
http://www.gsa.gov/

Yes, search engines are great too, but so are directories. Both should be submitted to and each has different advantages. Here are some as I see them:

Most links in search engines are not seen unless someone brings them up with a query. This means that if one search engine spiders another, many of the sites will not be seen. This can be overcome if the search engine operator "hard codes" some links that will bring up search engine results pages that can then be found.

Directories generally have a list of links to categories that lead at some point to listings. These are easy to spider and is the reason why a small directory may be preferred over a small search engine. If the directory provides a "direct link" then that is preferred over one that may use code to "redirect" to the site. Some avoid directories that do not link directly, since they do not get the benefit of link popularity. I think this is short-sighted since if the directory is or becomes popular, they sites listed should get some good traffic at some point in the future. By listing your site in small directories, you provide them with content, which will attract more visitors, and in return they should send you more traffic as time goes on and the site grows.

I don't like directories that require links back and this is why. They will not get as many listings and will not grow as quickly as those that do not require links or payments. They are limiting their own growth and do not seem to recognize the value of having as much content as possible for their visitors. The exchange of traffic and listings should be considered a "fair exchange" where both benefit from the other. Directory owners may say they need to get links or they need to charge a fee, but I own www.Consultant-Directory.com and the site does quite well from regular ads and some paid text ads that run on the site without having to resort to return links or listing fees.

(hris

National Arbitration Forum Issues Decision on Jaclyn Smith Web Address MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 22, 2005--   A National Arbitration Forum arbitrator rules in favor of Jaclyn Smith and Jaclyn Smith International, Inc., regarding the Internet domain name jaclynsmithhome.com   The National Arbitration Forum announced today that a ruling has been issued in favor of actress Jaclyn Smith, best known as a member of the original Charlie's Angels television show, and Jaclyn Smith International, Inc., a designer of clothing and domestic products, regarding rights to the Internet domain name jaclynsmithhome.com. Jaclyn Smith and Jaclyn Smith International, Inc., represented by Stephen J. Strauss of Fulwider Patton Lee & Utecht, LLP, filed a complaint with the National Arbitration Forum on July 22, 2005 against Unasi, Inc. of Panama, asserting legal rights to the Web address jaclynsmithhome.com. The disputed domain name resolves to a website featuring links to third-party commercial websites that directly compete with Jaclyn Smith and Jaclyn Smith International, Inc.'s business. Having received no response to the complaint from Unasi, a National Arbitration Forum arbitrator ruled in favor of Jaclyn Smith and Jaclyn Smith International, Inc. The Jaclyn Smith trademark has registrations with United States Patent and Trademark Office dating back to 1986. Unasi registered the domain name jaclynsmithhome.com on January 11, 2005. The arbitrator found that Unasi did not have legitimate rights to, or interest in, the disputed Web address, and that the Web address was confusingly similar to Jaclyn Smith's trademark. The arbitrator also found that Unasi was using the address in bad faith by presumably profiting from "click-through" fees for diverting Internet users to third-party commercial websites. Jaclyn Smith and Jaclyn Smith International, Inc.'s Internet domain dispute is one of thousands heard each year by the National Arbitration Forum. The domain name dispute process is a popular alternative to lengthy and expensive trademark lawsuits. A copy of the decision, Jaclyn Smith and Jaclyn Smith International, Inc. v. Unasi, Inc., is available for viewing on the National Arbitration Forum Web site at: http://www.arb-forum.com/domains/decisions/522853.htm. About the National Arbitration Forum The National Arbitration Forum is one of the world's leading providers of alternative dispute resolution solutions, including arbitration and mediation, representing a distinguished panel of over 1,500 attorneys and retired judges in the U.S. and in 29 countries. Founded in 1986, the National Arbitration Forum administers more than 50,000 cases annually. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the National Arbitration Forum also has offices located in New Jersey and Los Angeles. Additional information is available at the National Arbitration Forum's Web site at www.arbitration-forum.com.

Contacts The National Arbitration Forum, Minneapolis Kimberly Johnson, 952-516-6478 kjohnson@arb-forum.com [I just visited the site and it's just ads with a nasty popup ad...]

Yahoo! Search Marketing Renews Its Sponsorship of Search Engine ...
Emediawire (press release) - Ferndale,WA,USA
Palo Alto, CA (PRWEB) July 20, 2005 -- The Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) announced today that Yahoo! ... 

 

Tools of the Trade, the SEO Must Have Utilities
Self SEO - Hamburg,Germany
... Unless most of the mundane tasks are automated the life of an SEO is going to be miserable. ... The free SEO tools can found in http://www.web-inspect.com. ...

Jupitermedia's Search Engine Strategies Conference & Expo August 8 ...
Business Wire (press release) - San Francisco,CA,USA
... Media; Referback; Referencement.com; Revenue.net; The Search Agency; Search Engine Optimization; SearchForce; SearchForIt.com; SearchRev; SEMPO; SideStep; SLI ...

Blog: Shawn Rogers
B-EYE-Network - Boulder,CO,USA
... A recent survey from the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) found that one in five pay-per-click online advertisements are counterfeit. ...  

 More On AOL's SEO/SEM Campaign
Search Engine Watch - USA
... Another follow-up story, Paid Search a Footnote in AOL.com Push from ClickZ, noted briefly that the push is almost entirely on the free SEO side, rather than ...

WebStream Announces Localized Search Engine Registrations
24-7PressRelease.com (press release) - USA
... standard listings. The service is offered along with WebStream's SEO and SEM services, or as a stand-alone enhancement. By creating ...

Marketing your website
iSeries 365 (subscription) - Middlesex,UK
... Online marketing uses the power of the internet to promote your website -- primarily this is search engine optimisation (SEO) and linking. ...

Strategic RSS Positioning: How to Hotwire Your Site to Google!
Self SEO - Hamburg,Germany
... So keep reading to find out how you can use this new SEO wildcard to 'hotwire' your site to the major search engines such as Google, Msn and Yahoo. ...

I am an AUTHOR" - Is this the next big fad
WWWCoder.com (press release) - Girard,PA,USA
... With the birth of SEO (search engine optimization), people all over the world are searching, browsing, and reading everything they can on how to promote their ...

 

Since first posting ( 9/14/2005 - Are major search engines going to favor
web sites that carry their ads and hurt those that don't?) about the idea
that some search engines may be favoring sites that carry their own ads,
which was an idea brought to my attention by a site that offers a cloaking
product to hide ad code from search engines, I have been contacted by one
person that has confirmed that it seems like this may be true. They are
going to provide some additional testing and let me know if they can offer
additional evidence.

I'm not going to mention what site this is so that the results of their test
cannot be affected by someone reading about the testing.

If you have seen something like this, either before or after hearing about
it, please let me know so we can increase awareness on this issue.

Thanks,
(hris

"Dream Team'' Panel of eMarketing Experts to Present Latest Trends and Strategies at TechBiz Connection IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 15, 2005--TechBiz Connection (TBC) will present a "dream team" panel of experts who will teach local businesses the intricacies and nuances of the latest eMarketing strategies on Wednesday, September 21, 2005, from 6-9:30 pm at Connexion by Boeing's headquarters in Irvine. According to Bob Newkirk, TBC director, topics to be covered include: RSS feeds, blogs, online advertising, permission-based e-mail opt-in, newsletters, white papers, spam, affiliate marketing, online research, pay-per-click, search engines, flash video, website interaction, ROI calculator, i-Brochures, metrics and analytics, databases, interactive, eLibrary, webinars, live chat, auto response, online brands, viral eMarketing, and other marketing-related strategies and technologies. The TBC panel of experts will describe how they've put eMarketing to work, what it can mean for today's company, and where it's going tomorrow. TechBiz Connection's "dream team" panel of experts includes: -- Peter Ashworth, CEO, Brilliant Blue, Irvine, a marketing agency specializing in the creation of growth for mid-size corporations. -- Kaiser Yang, Vice President and Managing Director, ePrize, Los Angeles, the largest international interactive promotion agency. -- Beverly Atkins, President, Go Fish Media, Santa Monica, Calif., an interactive media planning and buying agency that places media for clients such as DreamWorks. -- Jeff Green, COO, Experclick, Santa Barbara, Calif., a new auction and profile-based ad network. -- Michael Bonfils, CEO, Hyper InterActive, Irvine, specializes in providing search engine and advertising technology services for ad agencies and Fortune 500 firms. -- Sally Falkow, Principal, Expansion Plus, Valley Village, Calif., creates effective internal and external communication strategies for both large- and medium-sized enterprises. -- Sinan Kanatsiz, CEO, K-COMM, San Clemente, Calif., one of the leading innovators in tapping the new medium of the internet to the marketing and promotional needs of consumer and business-to-business clients. The panel discussion and subsequent question-and-answer session is sponsored by Business Wire, Daly-Swartz Public Relations, iSeminars Int'l, Savvis, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips and Brilliant Blue, with Connexion by Boeing as host sponsor. Admission to the TechBiz Connection event is $25 prepaid and $35 after September 20 and at the door. For further information and to RSVP, visit www.techbizconnection.org or e-mail Jack Bicer at president@techbizconnection.org. TBC is located at 3943 Irvine Blvd. #216, Irvine, CA 92602. TBC was created to support Southern California business and technology professionals, companies and entrepreneurs by providing timely education and networking opportunities. The organization focuses on where technology and business intersect; everything a successful high-tech company would want to do.

Contacts Daly-Swartz PR for TechBiz Connection Jeffrey Swartz, 949-492-0075 jeffreyswartz@dsprel.com Lyris VP to Reexamine Conventional Email Marketing Wisdom at OMMA East; Email Thought Leader Robb Wilson to Present Fresh Views on Boosting Response Rates at New York Event      Online Media, Marketing and Advertising Conference and Expo BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 15, 2005--Lyris(R) Technologies, developer of world-class email marketing software and services, and a subsidiary of J.L. Halsey (OTCBB:JLHY), today announced vice president of deliverability Robb Wilson will lead a workshop at the upcoming Online Media, Marketing and Advertising Conference and Expo to take place in New York City later this month. Titled "The New Delivery Wisdom: How To Reach The Inbox Today," the session will challenge several widely accepted email best practices and lay out a new approach to maximizing inbox delivery and response rates for top-brand email marketing campaigns. The workshop takes place on September 27, 2005, 5:00 p.m. and covers the following additional topics: -- Leading causes of email delivery problems and how to resolve them -- Overlooked methods for ensuring messages are welcomed by customers -- Segmentation strategies that drive customer engagement and response -- The most innovative, effective email marketing strategies in use today Scheduled to take place during the always-lively Advertising Week in New York, Wilson's workshop will be geared specifically toward advertising and marketing professionals, and participants will receive a copy of the August 2005 whitepaper The Opt-In Marketer's Checklist for Inbox Delivery. As one of the true thought leaders in email marketing today, Robb Wilson is vice president of development and deliverability for email marketing solutions pioneer Lyris Technologies, as well as a former vice president of high-profile email marketing solutions agency Quris. In addition to more than 12 years of experience in the development of digital hardware and email software, Wilson has consulted with several major brands to improve email program performance and deliverability. He has served in leadership roles for the Association for Interactive Marketing's Council for Resp