herbalife information

Case Study: Is Lycos InSite Pro Paid Inclusion Worth It?

Last Update: Sunday, March 06, 2005.

In this article I will show you the results of my test with the Lycos InSite Pro paid inclusion site submission program.

I recently tested the Lycos InSite Pro paid inclusion system. InSite Pro offers guaranteed inclusion in the Lycos web index within 48 hours of submission, and full refresh of my web pages every 48 hours.

Lycos InSite Pro offers two packages:

* 1-250 Pages: $189.00/month

* 251-500 Pages: $279.00/month

I opted for the $279/month plan. I have about 500 pages of content across my network of sites and wanted all of them indexed in Lycos.

The Results

Lycos currently do not provide keyword, impression or click-through stats, although they do intend to offer them in the near future.

So I checked my traffic stats according to my WebTrendsLive reports. I was shocked to find that Lycos only sent 41 visitors in the first 2 weeks of indexing my site. During the same period, Google sent me thousands of visitors.

So I wrote to Lycos and asked if they could provide access to click through stats for my account. I wanted to double check, just in case my stats were wrong. They couldn't.

So I also asked what I could change in my pages to get more traffic.

Here's their helpful reply:

Every entry in the Lycos index is created by automated software called a "spider." When a Web page is submitted to Lycos, the spider examines the full text of the page and determines relevant keywords based on its composition.

The spider will pay close attention to the components of the URL, the TITLE tag, headings and subheadings, frequency of word use, location of words on the Web page, and the distance between words.

If your Web page contains frames, our spider will be able to index the text in the <NOFRAMES> section only. We cannot examine the pages within your frame.

Once our software has extracted this information, an abstract is created and stored in the Lycos index. Our search software ranks the search results by considering a combination of the factors listed above. Web pages with fewer than 100 words of text are less likely to be found in a Lycos search.

Read that again in case you missed anything.

Note that the Lycos spider pays close attention to the URL. So if you ever wondered if search engines took into account keywords in URLs, you now know the truth.

Another important point is that your pages should contain 100 words or more, otherwise it's unlikely to be found in Lycos.

For some unknown reason Lycos doesn't like my web pages.

There's nothing new in their reply that suggests I have not optimized my web pages in the correct manner to achieve top rankings in Lycos.

Thankfully, Google does like my pages, so I don't intend to change my pages just to cater to the Lycos ranking algorithm.

In case you're wondering, I have canceled my Lycos InSite Pro subscription. But that shouldn't come as a surprise. ;o)

Link Monkeys Privacy Policy

The Link Monkeys Web Site (the "Site") is an online information service provided by Link Monkeys ("Link Monkeys "), subject to your compliance with the terms and conditions set forth below. PLEASE READ THIS DOCUMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE ACCESSING OR USING THE SITE. BY ACCESSING OR USING THE SITE, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH BELOW. IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, YOU MAY NOT ACCESS OR USE THE SITE. Link Monkeys MAY MODIFY THIS AGREEMENT AT ANY TIME, AND SUCH MODIFICATIONS SHALL BE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY UPON POSTING OF THE MODIFIED AGREEMENT ON THE SITE. YOU AGREE TO REVIEW THE AGREEMENT PERIODICALLY TO BE AWARE OF SUCH MODIFICATIONS AND YOUR CONTINUED ACCESS OR USE OF THE SITE SHALL BE DEEMED YOUR CONCLUSIVE ACCEPTANCE OF THE MODIFIED AGREEMENT.

1. Copyright, Licenses and Idea Submissions.

The entire contents of the Site are protected by international copyright and trademark laws. The owner of the copyrights and trademarks are Link Monkeys, its affiliates or other third party licensors. YOU MAY NOT MODIFY, COPY, REPRODUCE, REPUBLISH, UPLOAD, POST, TRANSMIT, OR DISTRIBUTE, IN ANY MANNER, THE MATERIAL ON THE SITE, INCLUDING TEXT, GRAPHICS, CODE AND/OR SOFTWARE. You may print and download portions of material from the different areas of the Site solely for your own non-commercial use provided that you agree not to change or delete any copyright or proprietary notices from the materials. You agree to grant to Link Monkeys a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual license, with the right to sub-license, to reproduce, distribute, transmit, create derivative works of, publicly display and publicly perform any materials and other information (including, without limitation, ideas contained therein for new or improved products and services) you submit to any public areas of the Site (such as bulletin boards, forums and newsgroups) or by e-mail to Link Monkeys by all means and in any media now known or hereafter developed. You also grant to Link Monkeys the right to use your name in connection with the submitted materials and other information as well as in connection with all advertising, marketing and promotional material related thereto. You agree that you shall have no recourse against Link Monkey for any alleged or actual infringement or misappropriation of any proprietary right in your communications to Link Monkeys.

TRADEMARKS.

Publications, products, content or services referenced herein or on the Site are the exclusive trademarks or servicemarks of Link Monkeys. Other product and company names mentioned in the Site may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

2. Use of the Site.

You understand that, except for information, products or services clearly identified as being supplied by Link Monkeys, Link Monkeys does not operate, control or endorse any information, products or services on the Internet in any way. Except for Link Monkeys- identified information, products or services, all information, products and services offered through the Site or on the Internet generally are offered by third parties, that are not affiliated with Link Monkeys a. You also understand that Link Monkeys cannot and does not guarantee or warrant that files available for downloading through the Site will be free of infection or viruses, worms, Trojan horses or other code that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. You are responsible for implementing sufficient procedures and checkpoints to satisfy your particular requirements for accuracy of data input and output, and for maintaining a means external to the Site for the reconstruction of any lost data.

YOU ASSUME TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK FOR YOUR USE OF THE SITE AND THE INTERNET. Link Monkeys PROVIDES THE SITE AND RELATED INFORMATION "AS IS" AND DOES NOT MAKE ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, REPRESENTATIONS OR ENDORSEMENTS WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF TITLE OR NONINFRINGEMENT, OR THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE) WITH REGARD TO THE SERVICE, ANY MERCHANDISE INFORMATION OR SERVICE PROVIDED THROUGH THE SERVICE OR ON THE INTERNET GENERALLY, AND Link Monkeys SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY COST OR DAMAGE ARISING EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM ANY SUCH TRANSACTION. IT IS SOLELY YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO EVALUATE THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS AND USEFULNESS OF ALL OPINIONS, ADVICE, SERVICES, MERCHANDISE AND OTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED THROUGH THE SERVICE OR ON THE INTERNET GENERALLY. Link Monkeys DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE OR THAT DEFECTS IN THE SERVICE WILL BE CORRECTED.

YOU UNDERSTAND FURTHER THAT THE PURE NATURE OF THE INTERNET CONTAINS UNEDITED MATERIALS SOME OF WHICH ARE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT OR MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO YOU. YOUR ACCESS TO SUCH MATERIALS IS AT YOUR RISK. Link Monkeys HAS NO CONTROL OVER AND ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER FOR SUCH MATERIALS.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

IN NO EVENT WILL Link Monkeys BE LIABLE FOR (I) ANY INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INDIRECT DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF PROGRAMS OR INFORMATION, AND THE LIKE) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE, OR ANY INFORMATION, OR TRANSACTIONS PROVIDED ON THE SERVICE, OR DOWNLOADED FROM THE SERVICE, OR ANY DELAY OF SUCH INFORMATION OR SERVICE. EVEN IF Link Monkey OR ITS AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, OR (II) ANY CLAIM ATTRIBUTABLE TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR OTHER INACCURACIES IN THE SERVICE AND/OR MATERIALS OR INFORMATION DOWNLOADED THROUGH THE SERVICE. BECAUSE SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN SUCH STATES, Link Monkeys LIABILITY IS LIMITED TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

Link Monkeys makes no representations whatsoever about any other web site which you may access through this one or which may link to this Site. When you access a non-Link Monkeys web site, please understand that it is independent from Link Monkeys, and that Link Monkeys has no control over the content on that web site. In addition, a link to a Link Monkeys web site does not mean that Link Monkeys endorses or accepts any responsibility for the content, or the use, of such web site.

3. Indemnification.

You agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Link Monkeys, its officers, directors, employees, agents, licensors, suppliers and any third party information providers to the Service from and against all losses, expenses, damages and costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees, resulting from any violation of this Agreement (including negligent or wrongful conduct) by you or any other person accessing the Service.

4. Third Party Rights.

The provisions of paragraphs 2 (Use of the Service), and 3 (Indemnification) are for the benefit of Link Monkeys and its officers, directors, employees, agents, licensors, suppliers, and any third party information providers to the Service. Each of these individuals or entities shall have the right to assert and enforce those provisions directly against you on its own behalf.

5.Term; Termination.

This Agreement may be terminated by either party without notice at any time for any reason. The provisions of paragraphs 1 (Copyright, Licenses and Idea Submissions), 2 (Use of the Service), 3 (Indemnification), 4 (Third Party Rights) and 6 (Miscellaneous) shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

6.Miscellaneous.

This Agreement shall all be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of The United States of America applicable to agreements made and to be performed in The United States of America. You agree that any legal action or proceeding between Link Monkeys and you for any purpose concerning this Agreement or the parties' obligations hereunder shall be brought exclusively in a federal or state court of competent jurisdiction sitting in The United States of America . Any cause of action or claim you may have with respect to the Service must be commenced within one (1) year after the claim or cause of action arises or such claim or cause of action is barred. Link Monkey's failure to insist upon or enforce strict performance of any provision of this Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver of any provision or right. Neither the course of conduct between the parties nor trade practice shall act to modify any provision of this Agreement. Link Monkeys may assign its rights and duties under this Agreement to any party at any time without notice to you.

Any rights not expressly granted herein are reserved.

Information Wants to Be Free

by Mike Banks Valentine

From the Web2001 Internet and Mobile conference and

exposition at the Moscone convention center in San Francisco

August 4-8, comes an interesting set of keynote speakers

offered to attendees. Rather than major computer or software

company CEO's, we have commentators on our culture speaking

to a conference full of web developers and corporate

strategists charged with developing web initiatives.

One very important speaker was Dr. Lawrence Lessig, Stanford

Law professor, speaking on the threat represented by corporate

interests to the creativity of the web. A creativity being

regularly squashed and supressed by legal wrangling and debate.

I attended Dr. Lessig's talk given to web developers at Web2001

9-7-01 and expected a lively debate when I visited his

discussion forum at the Harvard Law web site. To visit and see

posts over a year old is disappointing and worries me. I

purchased his book, "Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace" at the

show and highly recommend it to all small business webmasters.

Dr. Lessig strongly advocates that creativity not be stifled by

intellectual property owners asserting control over software and

coding of web pages. This basically represents a viewpoint (and

only in my own humble opinion, not Dr. Lessig's) in support of

Source computing and freely available content for the web

with appropriate copyright protections extending only a short

time to allow the compensation of the creator.

As a list owner that distributes content freely to web publishers

and a columnist that publishes in multiple small business forums

and portals around the web, I am disturbed by the control being

sought by information "owners" over content.

My list at http://yahoogroups.com/group/free-content distributes

articles written by small business owners to publishers of small

business ezines and web sites across the web. We have over 700

members, some representing very large distribution ezines and

high-traffic web sites with potential exposure approaching 5

million readers.

This approach allows exposure for the authors and results in

sales of products or services from their web sites. The method

of producing and distributing web content is an accepted means

of small business exposure for the little guy. Sometimes we are

infiltrated by publicists and distributors of PR for large content

"owners" seeking wider distribution and access to a small

business market segment.

This inevitably leads to threats from publishers of "affiliate"

articles for distribution. They are suddenly concerned that we are

using their copyrighted articles and book excerpts for purposes

other than those intended by the affiliate programs they are

connected with. They then threaten the list and the affiliates

posting their "articles" (read PR pieces) with copyright violation.

This is bizarre, frustrating and worrisome.

Is it free or not?

Another talk at this conference by Stewart Brand, author of

"How Buildings Learn, What Happens to Them After They Are Built" who

is often quoted as saying "Information wants to be free". He

would be a welcome contributor at the "Free-Content" list and

would probably upset a lot of list participants torn between small

business ecommerce, copyright issues and other business concerns

about "ownership" and protecting that ownership.

Authors who contribute to free content request that their articles

only be used if their "Resource Box" is maintained and a link to

their site is listed. It is doubtful that any would persue violators

in court if that condition were not met, simply because most lack

the financial resources to do so. No money, no law suit. Simple.

Is it free or not?

Many small business writers online contribute to a long list of

article distribution/ announcement lists to gain the widest

possible exposure, yet several major web sites insist on owning

to the Free Content list that are later run by large webzines that

insist on copyright ownership when they run articles. They are

sometimes picked up from Free-Content or one of the other article

distribution lists. How do I know that? Because I know a couple

of writers that have not submitted directly to those lists, yet

they are published by them and lose copyright of their words!

Is it free or not? I can't believe those large ezines would take

it to court if the authors "violate" the copyright claimed by the

large ezines when those articles are used without their knowledge!

Get real guys. If we offer it free, you certainly can't claim to

own copyright as you haven't paid for it and have used the work

without notice to that author.

It is free, I still own it and you can't claim to own it just

because you published it without my knowledge. Too many publishers

are trying to operate on an old paradigm when the writers have

moved on.

Free content is Free content and remains so.

--------------------------------------------------------

Mike Valentine does Search Engine Placement for the Small

Business http://website101.com/Optimization.html

WebSite101 "Reading List" Weekly Netrepreneur Tip Sheet

Weekly Ezine emphasizing small business on the Internet

http://website101.com/arch/

--------------------------------------------------------