Inktomi Ranking

how does it affect affiliates?

[keyplyr]

I've noticed that a site's ranking at pure search [169.207.238.189] seems to also translate to a similiar (if not exact) ranking at those resources that use Inktomi results. Even those indexes who place sponsored listings at the top of the SERP, seem to keep Inks pecking order.

AOL, Hotbot, Sprinks, Overture (filler), etc... are said to use their own algorithems but I suspect that unless a site supplied by Ink has a significant amount of traffic, that these dynamics do not come into play and the Intomi results stay fixed. Comments?

[caine]

What a question.

I don't personally care too much about ink. But i do care about AOL and MSN, their important, in which i find a very strong directory listing intermingled with positive ink ranks, helps.

How MSN and AOL, deal with this algo wise, their own directory listings and other partners listings, with the Ink supplied listings, is a bit of a mystery to me. Not sure if it is just weighting related to the most important resource, as viewed by them or whether you can top the list in a highly competitive k-phrase, with just a #1 lising in Ink, this of course excluding all the preferential top listings > MSN's, paid directory, Overture's allotment.

What i suppose i am saying (for MSN) is Ink listing + Directory listing + overture = bloody good rank, under serps for paid directory listings + ppc listings.

[Marcia]

keyplyr, what I've seen is that MSN is a little closer to the pure search, but pretty consistently the same page for the same search term seems be 2 or 3 spots lower at AOL than MSN.

[keyplyr]

I can't even tell the Ink listings at MSN because my Look$mart listing comes up instead. Either my Ink is buried so deep I can't find it, or they only choose one or the other.

This is bad for me because Look$mart murdered my description, and Ink of course reads the meta tags with the correct description, giving me tons more hits.

'Course when my clicks run out with Looksmart at least Ink will be there; that is if things don't change a few dozen times by then.

[keywordbuys]

I find an ink listing has a higher AOL ranking, and a lower/exact MSN ranking.

If looksmart was still doing PFI like they used to I would say write back to an editor and give them a better title and description, that method has worked for me.

[Marcia]

>an ink listing has a higher AOL ranking, and a lower/exact MSN ranking.

kwb, it may be different depending on who the competition is, and whether it's paid or free Ink pages being competed against. Are you seeing a wide spread between them or just a little?

[keyplyr]

> ...write back to an editor and give them a better title and description, that method has worked for me.

Don't ya know, they now charge $199 (or is it $299) just to change your description, and there's no guarentee it will even be what you submit. They really are a piece of work.

[keywordbuys]

I know it could depend on paid and free crawl, but that's just my site's rankings. Submitting to looksmart is not what it used to be I know, but if you get a description and don't like it you could try and persuade an editor to change it within 30 days...well that's the way it was. Hard to say with the new PPC they rolled out, since it isn't anything long term if you run out of money I'd say you could change your description everytime you open an account.