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Google, Yahoo, and Bing- They Still Don't Get It
A
few years ago, some friends of mine (all retired) started an
Internet business to have something
to do, and today, we have a tiger by the tail. We have
developed an Internet based local business search/marketing
system that we believe to be significantly superior in
concept/ and performance to
pay-per-click/adword type marketing and revenue generation,
and any other marketing scheme developed by Google,
Yahoo, or Microsoft, as
related to small, local businesses-the vast majority of
businesses in the US.
We
are well aware that the major search engines do not
effectively serve the vast majority of local market
businesses because of the dichotomy between search terms
and protocols related to a local search versus those
related to a broader search, and the inherent
differences in websites targeted to different
marketplaces, geography, and the logical queries of
web uses. We determined that the initial efforts of
the major search engines, were warmed over versions of
their standard search concepts, and the key error in
their thinking was to use a top-down approach, where the
starting point was that they had lots of computers and a
good search algorithm. They did not address the
needs or the culture of the local business communities,
in which there are two major thought processes to be
addressed relative to the Internet. The first major
thought process related to using the Internet for
broadbased searches, where the primary attributes of the
major players were dominant. The second major
thought process involved the fact that most people in a
community have a sense of community, where a community
intra-net is ingrained into their every day thought
process. The question would be, can a physical
Internet community intra-net complement this sense
of community intra-net.
Another driver for a new
approach was whether local businesses would financially
support a system directed to the people that in many
cases are already their customers. It's
value had to be obvious, not involving
word auctions, click analysis,
click fraud, or expertise in IT technology. The cost to
each business had to be affordable and predictable. We
had to convince them to think of their website and the
Internet as they would think of the telephone, heat,
air-conditioningl, etc. A utility!
From
these points we determined that the best concept must
include as a minimum, a direct relationship to their community; their
websites must draw real customers from their community
without neglecting potential customers beyond the
community,
and the concept must be a significant/positive
experience for the web user. Just simply performing a
search that would contain much extraneous information
like the major search engines was not an option as that
would be just a copy of the major search engines.
We
fielded a number of variations of our systems approach
within and around our home community, and got a
significant response. We also broadened the system and added significant features to more closely meet our
overall goals.
If
you agree with our overall assessments stated above, the
next step is to briefly describe our system.
It is critical to recognize that small, local
businesses need an easy to understand system, where they
can see their business listing is not buried in tens of
thousands or more, irrelevant results typically
associated with (and bragged about) by the major engines.
Just a few summarized features before we continue:
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*No Pay-Per-Click
*No Key Word Auction
*24/7 Active Marketing
to Marketplace
*100% Relevant SearchResults
*Affordable
*and more !
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We have taken a
systems engineering approach to the Internet issues of
local businesses to their marketplaces, rather than individual relationships
of businesses with multiple search engines to the
planet. While the search engines have not been idly
standing by, (Google Maps for example is helpful, but
still doesn't address the major points made in this
article, as well as it doesn't generate revenue for
Google), they are still building upon a flawed initial
concept.
The focus of our
approach is the development of what we refer to as
the MagNet1 Navigator. The Navigator serves a number of
purposes, including being a miniature Internet
Portal, functionally similar to other Internet
Portals that are major focus sites (Yahoo, etc.).
But because of its design and construction , it is
placed on the home page of many local business websites,
creating a common tool for the intra-netting of these
local businesses via their websites. There are many
nuances that have been addressed to make the Navigator
an acceptable and useful tool, that the businesses
recognize as a positive force in their web presence.
To summarize this
article, it is about concepts we believe to be the
future of the Internet for local businesses and
communities. It does not interfere with existing
businesses or Internet service companies in a community,
and only serves to translate what's in a persons mind,
to a physical presence that helps every business and
everyone in the community. it does not interfere with
the businesses presence in the broader markets of the
Internet, and its costs are affordable and predictable,
and it requires no IT experience by the local
businesses.
For more
information, call D. Elliott at 281-251-6640 in Cypress,
Texas
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One might say that
the business of the search engines as directed towards
local market businesses, is the generation of a
multitude of non-relevant search results, within which
the local market business may or may not exist at all,
if listed it will be buried, most likely not on page 1,
and this for the privilege of bidding for the rights for
key words that may or may not influence their position,
again being dependent on skill they might not possess.
This also leaves local business with the task of
determining if resultant clicks on their links have any
meaning. Local businesses do not spend much time
micro-managing anything, clicks in particular.
Further, anecdotal
evidence shows that typically only 10% +/- of local
businesses predominately depend upon out-of-community
sales from Internet contacts, therefore they are not
prime candidates for any pay-per-click scheme. So what
is local business's alternative?
MagNet1 Internet Systems has developed a local
marketplace based "system" that provides search results
superior to those provided by the major search engines
when dealing with the local business market. While
doing this, the MagNet1 System offers an improved search
experience for the web user, and greater advertising
opportunities for local businesses - independent of
micro-managing clicks. This presentation will propose
that one search engine could incorporate elements of the
MagNet1 System with an existing search engine, in order
to fully exploit the potential of the local marketplace
for the web users, and all businesses, local and
otherwise, that would support the resulting system, but
not pay-per-click.
In the zeal to
address this market, the major search engines (MSE) have
designed their approaches as extensions of their
existing technologies- essentially searching their
global data base and determining the information
supposedly relevant to a search query. Obviously, in the
vast majority of local business searches, these
techniques are overkill. While the search engine sorts
through millions or billions of possibilities, there are
only about 14 million businesses in the US, which when
you start applying geographic and line of business
discriminators, the possibilities rapidly reduce to very
manageable numbers. For example, there are 8 florists in
Orange County, Virginia. A Google search produces
hundreds of thousands of results, where a MagNet1 search
produces up to 8. If Google found the 8 florists, where
would they be in the 5000 or so pages of results. The
MagNet1 system would have all 8 on page 1.
Also, as
sophisticated as the major search engines may be, they
do not exclude Orange County California from the Orange
County Virginia results. Just more irrelevant results.
It is presumed by
the search engines that present advertising methods
employed for the larger market advertisers will be
applicable at the local business level. Simply put,
will the smaller businesses perceive the major search
engines as sources of productive and affordable
marketing to their primarily local clientele?
The largest number
of businesses (over 70%) are in the range of 1 to 9
employees. We believe that a significant majority of
these businesses do not or will not support existing
pay-per-click systems on a continuing basis. The
pay-per-click system has many short-comings.
Real or perceived,
these are not minor issues.
The MagNet1 System
addresses the major short-comings of pay-per-click in
terms of usefulness to the web user and value to the
local business community. The MagNet1 System works
within the existing culture of small/local business,
rather than trying to impose the culture of the IT world
onto these businesses. It is important to note that the
operators of small/local businesses are not typically IT
trained, nor do they employ IT personnel.
Local businesses do not or will not invest their
valuable time in becoming micro-managers of clicks and
the volumes of data produced by pay-per-click systems.
The MagNet1 System addresses their Internet marketing in
the same way as their common utilities-electric,
telephone, etc. Be part of the Internet, be found by
people in your marketplace, and don't try to analyze a
click. Make it a fixed monthly expense that is
affordable. It is known as Internet Presence. Your
business pays to be there, not whether or not someone
clicked on your ad, or what was their motivation. Your
business is visible in your community 24/7.
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2.0 Executive Summary
The MagNet1
System is a network of community intra-nets,
accomplishing a number of important tasks
related to the marketing of local businesses
within their specific marketplaces. Their
marketplaces can be defined as small as
their zip code to as large as the entire US,
and any configuration in between.
The
MagNet1 System consists of the Navigator
System and related supporting items.
2.1
The Navigator System-
The navigator appears on all client
websites - virtual domains or sub-domain
virtual pages. All clients have one or the
other. The information contained in each
navigator is provided by from data base as
each client website is opened. It is the
Internet portal to the host website
community information and to the Internet
beyond their local community. It has the
capability to override the default settings
for definition of community and search
geographic area.
All of
the information contained in the navigator,
or linked away from the navigator, is
controlled by our Data Base. The basic
non-community related information is
controlled by MagNet1 and the community
related information is controlled by MagNet1
and/or a master affiliate webmaster for one
or more communities.
The
Navigator utilizes mouse-over techniques, drop-down menus,
and other standard techniques to expand the
various subjects, sub-topics, and their
links. The Enroll section allows anyone to
enroll in the system from any navigator, and
the Search section allows anyone to search
the web for a local business or any other
subject, from any navigator. Another point
is that there will be MagNet1
infra-structure sites that can serve as home
pages/direct portals to Amazon, searches,
and portals to news, sports, communities,
etc.
In
addition to the informational content,
search content, and the MagNet1 marketing
content, the navigator is the home for the
ultimate marketing tool, banner ads with
links to our clients websites . For the case
of a sub-domain virtual web page (free),
they do not have a banner ad, but they may
appear in a search result, with a link to
the sub-domain virtual page. A banner ad
tied to the sub-domain virtual page is a
paid option.
2.2
Banner Ads
-The banner ads are primarily peer
businesses to other clients websites.
Competitors banner ads do not appear on each
others website navigator. Each banner ad
contains a link to the business website.
Banner ads can be uploaded to the MagNet1
servers, or simple banner ads can be
directly generated via the enrollment
process.
While the vast majority of banner ads will
be for local businesses, there are
capabilities for broader market ads at
appropriately higher costs. Local
businesses often geographically define
their marketplace by multiple zip codes,
cities, counties,
states, etc. Additionally, nationally
advertised items such as auto companies,
soft drink manufacturers, etc., can purchase
a limited amount of ads that would be
distributed within the system.
Non-community based banner ads cannot
directly compete with the community based
ads.
Banner
ads are first uploaded to our servers, then
entered in our data base, where their id’s
and URL’s are entered. The final step is the
assignment of banner ads to an AdBannerBar,
where one or more is created for each
definable community. Banner exclusions are
controlled by the Primary Line of Business
description provided during enrollment in
the system.
2.3
Client Website
The Navigator System is installed on any
client's website, and banner ad relevant
groupings are supplied with each Navigator
when it is loaded on a client website. There
are various rules and protocols associated
with the distribution of banner ads in each
community, but the important result is that
they appear 24/7, provide name recognition,
and actually are part of a positive effect
on search engine ranking criteria via a
supporting function not described herein. All Navigator Systems
provide the Internet portal to national and
community level accurate information, and
provide search results with relevance and
exclusion of opportunist websites that
interfere with the energy of a local
business community. The system is designed
to enable local businesses to easily utilize
our system, with or without professional
help.
2.4
Management of Community Information and
Client Information
One of the biggest issues with the top down
approach to dealing with local businesses
and local data, is a condition common to the
entire Internet - stale and irrelevant
information. The most accurate information
is best available from the source, so the
problem is how to make the source (or as
close to the source as possible) be
responsible that their information is
accurate. Our approach is discussed
separately. The
expected cost of a business enrolling in our
system is $20/month (minimum) on top of
whatever other charges they
incur-hosting/ecommerce, etc., assuming they
are not our client. When they are our
client, bundling of services results in more
favorable pricing. Our system
properly marketed, will enable other
local internet businesses to market to existing sites and
new sites, because there is a direct
measurable benefit related to their clients.
The case can readily be made that most local
businesses have minimal representation in
the results of major search engines, and
that the MagNet1 System is a small fraction
of the cost of the pay-per-click
alternative. The system provides improved
performance on major search engine results,
whether or not it is important to the local
business.
Each client business or a webmaster
representing the client will fill out an
enrollment form. The option of having any
person or business fill out the Enrollment Form is a
key element of our strategy, based upon our
personal experience. While not necessary,
this kind of customer support is often the
most important part of the relationship of
the Internet company and their clients. Left
on their own, few businesses see the value
of filling out the endless forms posted on
the Internet for various directories or
search engines. There are too many, and the
benefits are not obvious. Having a local
person in the loop, is helpful.
The key items from the form relate to the
success or failure of the search processes,
and the data entered is the actual data used
for the searches, not data interpreted by
search engines. The accuracy of the local
community links is the responsibility of
MagNet1, and sources who have intimate
knowledge of each community. Selling the
system, and keeping the sources interested
in keeping their sites up to date is in the best interest of each
community member, and the source will be
in the best position to be aware of the
site status in each community. When community
business groups see the differences in the
MagNet1 search system and a major search
engine approaches, there is little choice
which to support. One works and the other
doesn't.
2.5
Marketing the System-The First Steps
The first step is the upgrading of the
MagNet1 model community, Orange County,
Virginia to the full new Navigator system
for demonstration purposes. In this
community, there are a number of business
organizations and a number of Internet
related entities, from ISP's, web
developers, etc. A direct marketing program
to these existing entities should show the
problems of pay-per-click, the advantages of
the MagNet1 System, and most importantly,
being part of a solution that works, while not changing anything about
the way they currently run their businesses
or who manages each website. The presence of
TBD and a professional marketing package
would be a great motivation for the
program.
In
parallel, there are a number of
demonstrations that will be made to business
organizations (chambers of commerce,
business exchanges, business associations
and societies, etc.), direct mailings and
follow-up to ISP's, web developers, etc.
Also in parallel, visual advertising through
the major parent website, the TBD website,
articles in trade magazines, interviews,
Internet online review websites, and
technical TV programs. A professional web
system description presentation is one of
the larger tasks to be done with our new
partners, so that most of the hard copy
material will refer the recipient to the web
presentation.
2.5.1 Marketing Affiliates
-An individual business owner enters the data for each
client (name, address, telephone, line of
business, etc.), and they are maintaining the
accuracy of the data in the MagNet1 data
base. This section concentrates a local
webmaster, but an individual business owner
could do it themselves. A credit card is put
on file, and each month our subscribers pay
us to be part of the system. The major work
effort is at the local level, entering all
the information and keeping it current. The
local person is the portal/interface
between their clients and MagNet1 . They
will get more clients because of the value
of the system. The clients can concentrate
on their businesses, A web savvy entrepreneur
could enter their own site into the system
themselves. The code needed to run each
client site is provided as cut & paste for
each subscriber to input directly in their
websites, or to provide to their webmaster.
Why do
this? The answer is clear that they will
have an easier sell to their local
businesses for an integrated local/global
search process. The fees are reasonable and
fit into the MagNet1 perceived model of what
is affordable to local businesses. We also
believe that the system will be treated as
another basic utility in the overhead of a
business. The cost to each business would
be the same whether they purchased it from
MagNet1 or a reseller, and it is
significantly less than the pay-per-click
options. Because this is a direct
alternative to pay-per-click, the primary
features of the accurate search, less cost,
more relevance, etc., are major marketing
points.
Having a
Navigator on a business website is an
attraction for all web users. A portal to
the Internet. A local search process, a
global search process, local and national
links. All of these reasons will result in
more traffic to the local business sites,
all of which create this new concept in
Internet access. |
2.6 The
Business Enrollment System - From any
Navigator, click on the Enroll button
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Portal Page Functions
http://www.magnet1.com/nav
The portal page description has
not been completed to include
all the information necessary
for its functional tasks, but
gives a general indication of
what it would be.
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2.7
The Business Search System
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Logical Query
Definition
A query is initiated by
selecting major search
engine to complement our
search.. For now the A9
engine is the default
major engine.
Enter a common sense
description for your
search. The words you
believe a potential
customer would type into
the search box.
When searching from a
MagNet1 Navigator, you
are going to look in a
defined community (by
zip code) of the host
Navigator unless you
override the default
settings by adding
unique preferences to
your computer.
The success of a search
is measured by the
quality of the
results. Following the
search guidelines for a
local business, all
client local business
(regardless of website
or no website) will be
displayed, with links to
their websites, and a
local map link. Banner
ads of clients and broad
area advertisers are
also displayed .
Results from the major
search engine are also
displayed. The query
system can be used to
search for local
businesses only, or any
other subject..
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Logical Query Input Screen
Functional Layout-
(banner ads from community of host
Navigator)
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Note that a default search area has been assigned to this Navigator based upon the the host website. To search beyond this area, you can create any geographic search area by clicking Console Button on the Navigator. This new search area can be saved to your computer, and will work with any Navigator |
SEARCH
(Help)
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Personal Preferences Set by
Navigator
The Navigator default search area is
determined by the zip code of the
Navigator host business, and will
search the local business community.
The Navigator Button “Console”
enables the user to select the
global search engine of choice (A9
being the default) and whether to
limit the search to local business
listings, or search the local
business plus the global search
engine of choice, and set the
geographic/zip code limits. This
preference will remain in the users
computer until superseded by new
preferences to the contrary, or
returning to each Navigator’s
default.
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2.8 The MagNet1 Data Base
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The MagNet1
System is
based upon
a Master
Data
Base(MDB)
of all
clients
(providers
of goods and
services
(businesses,
government,
associations,
etc. within
all of the
United
States, and
eventually,
the world.)
The MDB
provides a
number of
functions:
1)The web
user
utilizes a
MagNet1
Navigator to
find
businesses
by name or
by line of
business or
service,
versus
geography-
state,
county,
city, town,
or zip code,
by utilizing
the search
engine(s) of
choice. Eg.
MagNet1
only,
MagNet1 +
Google, etc.
2) Groups
at the
community
level are
defined
typically by
zip codes.
We have the
capability
to define a
business
directory
for any
group or
association
by any
parameter,
with any
group size
by the
technique
of
relational
associations
and members
of
associations.
The
resulting
business
directory
can be
embedded in
any website.
3) The Data
Base
controls
relationships
between any
source and
access to
the Data
Base,
allowing the
establishment
of unique
sub-sets of
relationships,
definable in
any way we
choose. We
can define a
relationship
between any
client or
non-client,
to any
definition
of community
and line of
business.
For example,
a business
located on
the border
of multiple
communities,
can
establish
links to
multiple
lines of
business in
one or more
of these
communities
that
establish
their
marketplace.
4) The Data
Base
contains
admin
functions
for
authorized
people in
the defined
groups and
communities
to maintain
their
membership-adding,
deleting,
editing,
etc.
Additionally,
while they
are
maintaining
the accuracy
of their
membership,
they are
maintaining
our data
base.
5) The Data
Base also
contains and
manages
relationships
of other
elements of
the MagNet1
System,
specifically
the
intra-netting
between
providers of
goods and
services via
the MagNet1
Navigator
and Banner
Ad program,
making sure
that
competitors
do not have
each others
banner ad on
their own
website.
6) Embedded
Mini-search
engines-
Many
websites
have the
need for
specialty
mini-search
engines of
other
businesses
related to
their own,
that would
perform
valuable
services for
their
clients. For
example, a
funeral
business
could add a
mini-search
for flowers,
lodging,
restaurants,
etc. A
realtor
might add a
mortgage
lender,
property
appraiser,
home
inspection
service,
lodging,
restaurant,
home
rentals,
etc. This is
readily
accomplished
via our
system. |
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Dan Elliott
13215 Golden Valley Drive
Cypress, Texas 77429
281-251-6640
delliott@magnet1.com
PS Please excuse aesthetics of this page. The material
was originally generated in FrontPage, then put
into a Word document for printing, and then extracted
from the Word document, back to FrontPage to
create this page. The gremlins have had a field day.
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