serenade

whats up with these guys?

[mr_dredd2]

One of our clients had an email from serenade .co.uk search engine, telling them that they had a free listing and that they could get free code to improve their rankings. I had a look and its basically just a link! In other words, they are being cheeky and trying to build link pop like this!

Anyone else had any experience with serenade?

[carlwright]

Certainly don't look anything special - in fact, it's possibly one of the slowest searches I have ever endured!

[IanTurner]

Agreed one of the slowest yet. But it is still a search engine and therefore we should at least be looking at getting a listing for the sites we promote.

Also they do seem to be making some attempts to market their site, it looks like it only went live this month (July).

All the best
Ian

[Videoman]

Had a look at the site- actually had a barbecue while it was searching! A little Essex Scepticism but Most of these SE's follow a familiar pattern. You submit- They phone and offer you a listing for silly money. You then use a little Anglo Saxon.....and they are never heard of again. Junk emails for a variety of "interesting-not" services and products then follow As for the links pop issue. As they are already pulling in results from somewhere else is there really any point? Perhaps someone may like to comment on that.

[tigger]

>actually had a barbecue while it was searching! :)

Washed the car, did the housework still gave up ! I'm running on an ADSl line and I got fed up waiting and what a awful looking website

[engine]

>As they are already pulling in results from somewhere else is there really any point? Perhaps someone may like to comment on that.

I think this helps to supplement the engine's own database.

I'm sitting on a T1 connection here and can confirm the site was s l o w. If you've got to wait that long for a search response, the user will pick up a phone directory!

On a positive, general note - creating an effective search engine is not easy. Let's welcome new services that are effective. Overall, if a search service drives traffic and raises the profile, then it's deserves attention.
I certainly would not pay for a listing that could'nt demonstrate adequate performance.
Make up your own mind on this one.

[carlwright]

It's a pity they don't let on their figures, it would be interesting to know what percentage of their results are actually outsourced or are their own

[uk_dokey]

Hey come on my UK compatriots lets be positive. We need to have more of a positive outlook on these sites, if its slow then fair enough talk to them and help them with constructive feedback. Reading through the US postings I find them to be more positive than us, no suprise that they are doing far better economically than us brits.

[Videoman]

UK-d
As a "Non positive poster" Its not a case of being negative but a sigh of not another one.
Positively, tell me of one new (last 12 months) successful UK SE/Directory that produces business- NOT just hits. If the quality of the hits are poor or even manipulated then what's the point.
B2B's like Tapaz seem fantastic but are ZTG's (Zero Traffic Generators) Regional directories certainly here in Essex appear from nowhere like Romford Cleavage only to never be heard of.
I'd luv to see more (cleavage) but just with paper directories having been in biz for 18 years I have seem them come and go and only Yelow Pages has survived and made the phone ring.(Shame Yell.com doesnt do the same)

[IanTurner]

I am currently in email discussion with Brian Robinson of serenade, he seems to be open to releasing his traffic and search figures and seems reasonably positive about promoting the site and getting some deals with smaller ISPs.

I do not however hold out much hope for them unless they can improve the speed of that search.

All the best
Ian

[carlwright]

Ian, if you want to pass him my email address I've got tonnes of tried and tested code he's welcome to that might improve his search performance (assuming he's on the right platform).

[IanTurner]

Carl,

Have sent him your email address - hopefully he will be interested enough to get in touch.

All the best
Ian

[tigger]

I'll go along with Videoman on his views it would be great to have a GOOD uk directory that actually sent traffic to their clients other than bills !!

Can anyone really take serenade seriously the site is slow, design is awful. who designed the site a school boy !! if so he should go back to delevering newspapers