Navigating the Digital Landscape: A Guide to Increasing Your Website's Visibility

The Importance of Major Search Engines

We've found that regularly checking our listings on these search engines and resubmitting our website every two months or so can be beneficial. However, it's crucial to focus only on the major search engines. For instance, we've had success with our creative writing courses on Alta Vista and Yahoo, so we don't risk resubmitting there.

On the other hand, we've faced challenges with HotBot, Lycos, and Open Directory. Resubmitting our website periodically seems to help with getting listed. It's worth noting that Alta Vista can take about six weeks to list a site, and Lycos appears to be slowing down its site listings. Infoseek, unfortunately, has ceased operations.

Regional Search Engines and Bidding on Keywords

In addition to the major search engines, we also submit to regional Yahoo sites in Australia and New Zealand, which tend to list our site quickly. We've tried bidding on keywords with Go To for 'writing courses', but the traffic from this source has been minimal so far.

Another useful resource is www.Canada.com, which uses the Inktomi directory and has proven to be very effective.

Focusing on What You Can Control

With so much discussion about search engines and the effort people put into trying to outsmart them, it's worth considering whether this energy could be better spent elsewhere. Once you've submitted your site to the major search engines and monitor your positioning occasionally, it's best to let things be.

Search engine policies are constantly changing, and it's nearly impossible to keep up. Instead, focus on marketing and carving out a unique niche for your products on the internet.

Lessons Learned

Our journey at Eagle Products (NZ) has been a long learning curve, figuring out what works and what doesn't in getting listed with the major search engines. But like life itself, it's all about learning and adapting.

We hope this information can assist you in navigating the digital landscape. Remember, the internet is a powerful tool that can help us reach out to the global community and build a better world. Let's use it wisely, respect our diversity and unique cultures, and celebrate a new world in union.

Visit Eagle Products to learn more about our journey and offerings. Good luck on your digital journey!

"We can all use the internet to reach out to the "global community" and build a better world in this new "Information Revolution" that is upon us. Let's use it wisely, respect our diversity and unique cultures; but celebrate a new world in union. One where, like your founding forefathers in America, you can first celebrate the Independence Day of the strong burning creative spirit that is within you. If set alight, it is one that will make your personal VISION of the future a REALITY." - Craig Lock