----------------------------------------------------------------- SearchReturn Discussion List "Understanding Internet Search Technology" ----------------------------------------------------------------- Moderator: Published by: Disa Johnson SearchReturn http://www.searchreturn.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- November 20, 2007 SearchReturn Issue #138 ----------------------------------------------------------------- SEND POSTS: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Refer a friend: http://www.searchreturn.com/subscribe.shtml ----------------------------------------------------------------- .....IN THIS DIGEST..... // -- SEARCHRETURN -- // "Featured Post" ~ Da' Tmeister (Terry Van Horne) "Ranking Reports" ~ David Temple ----------------------------------------------------------------- // -- FEATURED POST -- // ----------------------------------------------------------------- ==> Ranking Reports Continued From: Terry Van Horne Hi All! The advice for new SE marketers in the last SearchReturn is some of the best advice I've seen in a while. I quit doing rank reports when the second version of WebPosition was released which I believe was before 1999. Originally it was because I saw WP as a chronic abuser of SE resources and ranking reports just too time consuming to prepare manually. It was likely the best decision I ever made because that decision forced me to focus on conversion and what I can personally act on with guaranteed, and more importantly, measurable results with tangible value. IMO, the post though excellent, missed an important negative factor in using ranking as a measure of success for your campaign. Rankings are not the same for everyone. There are at least three factors which are ranking variables which would result in the client and SEO receiving different results: Sorry for the Google slant on this but... 1. With Personalization of results #1 for Joe is not #1 for Mary (for many reasons and deserving of a post itself). 2. Personal settings - my preference setting is google.com, all of my Canadian clients seem to start on google.ca. When I use another machine and enter google.com in the browser I am redirected to google.ca. 3. Location can be a variable especially if Google is testing a new feature Sorry, if you are using rankings to measure campaign success you're measuring stick is flawed! IMO, spending the time you spent analyzing ranking reports on analytics and log/traffic analysis is much better because these provide actionable data that can be used to improve ROI and website usability and content. They show you how to make changes that are measurable, controllable and go straight to the bottom line. When you raise positions but don't convert all you've really done is disappoint more vistors then you did previously! Eventually that results in a client with a high position questioning the effectiveness of SEO. Ranking reports don't provide a solution to a problem the report indicates, whereas, traffic analysis often does that and more! One of the last articles I wrote for SeoPros was on the value of rank reports and anylitics/traffic analysis. http://www.seopros.org/Processing/News/rank-reports.asp IMO, many clients would be wise to understand the real difference between traffic analysis and rank reports. Best Regards, Da' Tmeister ----------------------------------------------------------------- ==> Ranking Reports Continued From: David TempleYou're absolutely right. I would tell my clients that looking at rankings to determine their success in search marketing is like looking at a race car's tires at the end of the race to determine the winner. The goal is to cross the finish line first, not to have the best looking tires at the end. Sure the tires are very important in helping you win the race but they are just a part of the process. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Stay Tuned. Got feedback?: http://www.searchreturn.com/feedback.shtml Archives: http://www.searchreturn.com/digest-archive.shtml Alternate formats: http://www.searchreturn.com/info-formats.shtml Manage Subscriptions: http://www.searchreturn.com/help/manage-subs.shtml Problems unsubscribing? Contact the postmaster: mailto:postmaster@searchreturn.com Information on how to sponsor this publication: http://www.searchreturn.com/help/advertise.shtml Published by SearchReturn http://www.searchreturn.com Website Membership: http://www.searchreturn.com/register.shtml The contents of the digest do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SearchReturn or Disa Johnson. SearchReturn and Disa Johnson make no warranties, either expressed or implied, about the truth or accuracy of the contents of the SearchReturn Digest. Copyright 2007 Disa Johnson. All Rights Reserved. -----------------------------------------------------------------