Themed Canonical Vortal

In relation to linking

[paynt]

In
[webmasterworld.com...]
Linkshark asked >

I still don't know what a themed canonical vortal is.....

Let's take it apart...

Themed - lots of info around here on themes, for those curious try the site search. I wouldn't mind talking about theme linking if folks are interested.

Canonical - another site search will revel many of my thoughts on canonicals. The short version is they are sub-domains, subdomains, virtual domains, vanity domains, third level directories (I don't get that one), the list goes on. I like canonicals and so when I see a discussion where any of these terms are discussed I try to plug in canonical, simply to make the search more complete.

Vortal - A themed niched portal or hub is how I look at it.

So a Themed Canonical Vortal is a themed niche portal that utilizes canonicals for the structure.

[trillianjedi]

Canonical:-

Conforming to orthodox or well-established rules or patterns, as of procedure.

Vortal:-

Vertical Industry Portal is a portal Web site that provides information and resources for a particular industry. Vortals are the Internet's way of catering to consumers' focused-environment preferences.

So a themed industry specific portal web site that conforms to well-established internet principles.

TJ

[edited by: trillianjedi at 4:07 pm (utc) on May 2, 2003]

[paynt]

Wow, a doorway page? Where did you get that? I cannot follow the logic from your first point to the conculsion.

A themed canonical vortal would actually be a large site, even within a very niche industry or theme. Portals/vortals/hubs/directories are by nature large sites, certainly a doorway page would not be adequate.

Each canonical, depending on the overall plan for the site should be well-developed and content rich. At least to be effective. Others may want to throw up junk doorway sites but why would they go to the effort to theme it?

We’ve discussed each of these terms and there is confusion.

[trillianjedi]

Sorry Paynt, was just being flippant (it's Friday)!

I've deleted the last sentence....

Incidentally, I think "themed hub structured around content" would be a better description? That's how I'd think of it, visually more than theoretically I guess.

TJ

[dmorison]

vertical: ver·ti·cal ( P ) Pronunciation Key (vûrt-kl)
adj.
Being or situated at right angles to the horizon; upright.

industry: in·dus·try ( P ) Pronunciation Key (nd-str)
n. pl. in·dus·tries
Commercial production and sale of goods. A specific branch of manufacture and trade

So what exactly is a "Vertical Industry"? I don't think people that use that term know what they're talking about.

[rogerd]

TrillianJedi, the hourly rate for creating a "Themed Canonical Vortal" is at least 50% higher than for a themed hub with content. Also, if your client ever asks a competitor whether they can do a themed canonical vortal, the competitor will reply, "Huh? A what?" ;)

[rogerd]

Dmorison, "vertical" often describes a single industry. E.g., vertical market software applications could include hotel management software, etc. Vertical integration refers to integrating within your supply chain, e.g., buying your raw material supplier.

Horizontal applications span many industries, e.g., general accounting software.

<edited for spelling>

[edited by: rogerd at 4:32 pm (utc) on May 2, 2003]

[trillianjedi]

RogerD - noted - but no-one is going to be asking me to design an industry specific Yahoo anyway (I do web design for fun)!

Dmorison:-

This is a relatively new expression (I'm English, and it's definitely an Americanism, so new-ish to us anyway).

If you think industry specific, you can only look at other industries (services, products etc) as being vertical to that parent industry.

If the industry is the widget industry, and you make blue widgets, your industry is on a vertical plane to the parent.

If you make cars, you're not anywhere on that line.

It implies variation without going outside the category.

TJ

[trillianjedi]

RogerD:-

TrillianJedi, the hourly rate for creating a "Themed Canonical Vortal" is at least 50% higher than for a themed hub with content

Further thoughts.... OK, how about:-

"themed and structured content hub for a vertical market"

TJ

[rogerd]

I was kidding, TJ, you can call it whatever you want... ;) Paynt's term seems to offer a maximum level of mystery and sophistication, though. :)

[trillianjedi]

was kidding, TJ, you can call it whatever you want... ;) Paynt's term seems to offer a maximum level of mystery and sophistication, though. :)

Hmmm.... was wondering if I was walking into something when I typed it! lol

I agree with Paynts description in that case. B-S baffles brains any day of the week.

Looks like I just upped my hourly rate by 50% by learning a new expression!

TJ

[paynt]

Sorry trillianjedi, I excited about these things. My buddy eboda reminded me that folks do use canonicals as doorway pages (ugh) in the spammy sense. And there is the point that each entry into the site is a doorway. Over 6 years in the biz now I’m a bit jaded perhaps.

Love the line about the 50%, great stuff. I actually don’t often use the term vortal. I do often use the term hub. I like hubs because I think of them as the meeting place for the information. I love canonicals for the structure and benefits. We always start from the theme of the site and build from there. A vortal was a buzz word more than anything. I’ve used it and it comes up in the form of questions to me often enough I thought it warranted a discussion.

Canonicals, I just get tired of all the terms people come up for them and the misunderstandings because of that.

“Canonical Name records (CNAMEs) act as aliases for the hostnames they are attached to.”