6 replies to this topic

[Zendulee]

I am wondering about this technique. It seems like another way to try and "fool" the search engine algorithms. Creating 10 other unrelated URLs, and embedding some kind of magic source code? Help me out, here, if anyone has a good explanation for this. I don't quite grasp the concept.

[Scottie]

Hi Zendulee and welcome!

I'm not exactly sure what type of scheme you are outlining, but I guarantee it is a bad idea. Creating URL's for the search engines won't help anything.

[Scottie]

Hey Zendulee-

Got your e-mail- this is what you are referring to:

Directory Information Page (D.I.P)

  The next step is the creation of 10 "D.I.P".  Each of our "D.I.P" is given its own specific URL and .com domain.  The reason we do this is simple, it allows us to resubmit your site to the search engines more often.  Our "D.I.P" is very unique in the way they work with the search engines.  The proprietary technology embedded in the source code is extremely effective and is one of the main keys to how we are able to achieve results. Each of our "D.I.P" is seen by the search engine as a completely unrelated web-site, therefore allowing us to submit more often.

What they've outlined doesn't even make any sense... submitting more often to search engines won't do you any good.

[Jill]

Time to pull out the Zebra Page article from the drawer...

This Q&A from one of my newsletters should pretty much sum up DIPS for you. - Jill

I came across the concept of a Preferential Copy File in my recent SEO
research.  I am not familiar with this technique.  Do you know any
good resources that could provide me with more in-depth details?
Perhaps you have written about it before.

Thanks again for being so responsive.  It is a godsend.

Best regards,

Jonathan

~~~Jill's Response~~~

I had never heard of Preferential Copy File, so I asked Jonathan where
he learned of this concept.  He pointed me to a page from a search
engine optimization company's Web site where they had posted a
definition.  I'm not going to post the exact definition here due to
copyright concerns, but basically they said that these Preferential
Copy Files (PCF) would add content for the search engines without
having to change your site.  They also mentioned that they would be
designed with specific ranking criteria in mind.  But my all-time
favorite part of the definition was the part which said not to confuse
PCFs with a doorway or gateway page.

Umm...okay.

How could these NOT be confused with doorway or gateway pages?  Isn't
this exactly what they are?

In my opinion, a doorway and/or gateway page is one that is designed
strictly to obtain high search engine rankings.  They're basically
used when you don't want to change the actual pages of your site.
This appears to be what PCFs are, according to the posted definition.

Quite frankly, I'm tired of people making up new names for things just
so they won't sound dodgy.

You can call a doorway page a "zebra" if you want, but if it's not
fully integrated into your site through visible links, it's still a
doorway page.  (A rose by any other name, and all that.)  What makes
doorway pages, PCFs (and now zebras!) unacceptable to most search
engines is that they were created for the sole purpose of obtaining
high search engine rankings.  I've said it before, and I'll keep on
saying it until the end of the Internet -- pages that are not an
actual part of your site simply create clutter within the search
engines.  They don't like them nor want them, and may penalize you for
having them.  The engines have enough trouble indexing all the *real*
pages out there without having to index piles and piles of "zebras"
that add no value to your site or their database.

Please, oh please, oh please -- don't create pages just for the search
engines regardless of what you call them.

You *can* have the best of both worlds by making sure that the
existing pages of your site work for the search engines AND your
visitors.  I know I sound like a broken record with this, but it's
true, and it's not even that hard to do.  You simply have to be
willing to do what it takes.  And don't you dare tell me that this is
not a realistic option.  It most certainly is realistic, and it's
something that more and more companies are finally doing.  It used to
be that when I would discuss what needed to be done with a potential
client, they would bristle and say it was preposterous!  Lately, I'm
noticing that most companies don't even blink anymore when I tell
them.  They come to me with a clear idea of what it will take, and
this is simply wonderful!

Even if you have a Flash site, a highly graphical site or a
dynamically generated site, there's nothing stopping you from making
sure that your visitors can find some important information about your
products and services in plain HTML text.  Most likely, they're
already looking for this, so for goodness' sake give it to them!  When
you finally bite the bullet (or get your clients to bite it), you'll
find that the search engines will eat it up and your rankings will
soar.  Not only that, you'll be done with your search engine
optimization forever, because good keyword-rich content has staying
power like you wouldn't believe!

So don't be afraid to make these suggestions to your clients and
bosses.  Once they realize that tricking the search engines is simply
not an option, they'll eventually do what it takes.  If enough people
just say no to tricking the engines, the *smart* ways will prevail.

We've come a long way in the few years since I've been writing about
this stuff, but we're definitely not there yet.  As long as companies
continue to promote "zebra" pages, there will be those who get
suckered into taking the easy way out.  If you're smart, you won't let
it happen to you!

Jill

[powerofeyes]

Thanks Mrs Jill,
This newsletter archive is of great help to me. i was searching for a solution for it and I got it now from your newsletter,
VIJAY

[Zendulee]

Thanks, Scottie & Jill, for clearing this up. I feel better knowing my Spam Radar Detector works on Zebra setting, too!

[Jill]

Glad to be of help!



Jill