| LED Digest 2311: Google on Linking |
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================================================== The LED Digest Moderated Discussion List "Effective Online Advertising, Since 1997" Data > Information > Knowledge > Wisdom pair Networks: The LED's Web Host Hosting and Domain Registration from a Trusted Leader pair.com for Hosting | pairNIC.com for Domains ================================================== List Moderator: Published by: Adam Audette LED Digest adam, led-digest.com http://www.led-digest.com .............................................. December 19, 2006 Issue no. 2311 .............................................. .....IN THIS DIGEST..... ==== CONTINUING ================= <Moderator Comment> ~ Google on Linking --== The Email Crisis ==-- ~ Dan McAvinchey "Apparently the [spam] robots are not doing enough quality control..." ~ Doug Burt "I have a question regarding the use of the php mailto script in a form setting..." ~ D. Perry "If you buy only one piece of website software MasterFormV4 is the one to get." ~ Rich Dudley "The mailto tag is hardly the only way spammers target e-mail domains." --== Website Accessibility ==-- ~ Al Toman "Can a text reader work it's way through javascript? You bet it can!" --== SEO Scumbaggery ==-- ~ Beth Earle "Honestly, a number of [clients] don't even look at their site once it's launched." ~ Al Toman "I know that there are a lot of LED Digest lurkers out there." ======== CONTINUING =============================== <Moderator Comment> Big ruckus going on over at Web Master World (WMW) about reciprocal linking. A recent blog posting at the Tower of Google is apparently the culprit. Here's a snip and a link: ------------------------ "To sum up, even though improved algorithms have promoted a transition away from paid or exchanged links towards earned organic links, there still seems to be some confusion within the market about what the most effective link strategy is. So when taking advice from your SEO consultant, keep in mind that nowadays search engines reward sweat-of-the-brow work on content that bait natural links given by choice." Source: http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot/2006...link-based-popularity.html ------------------------ Here are some of the more interesting points made at the WMW thread (doing the hard work of reading so you don't have to!). Please note: these points *ARE NOT MINE* but were gleaned from reading the discussions: - Google is constantly changing their algorithm and forcing the responsibility of playing "pin the tail on the donkey" towards Webmasters. The other major SEs, MSN and Yahoo!, are better at consistent ranking if worse at preventing spam. - By their comments, it appears Google may be encouraging the "tabloid" nature of Web content, where shocking headlines, bait-and-switch content, and other tricks of the trade encourage easy links through social media (you've heard it before: linkbait). - Paid and recriprocal links still work, no matter what Google's stated policies are, simply because carefully bought, sold, and reciprocated links are made to look like natural links. - Some rants and raves I'll spare you the anguish of reading. Here's the full thread: http://www.webmasterworld.com/link_development/3190790.htm Experiences and rants / raves of your own appreciated. -Adam ------------------- From: Dan McAvinchey Subject: Hiding Email I have an additional thought / comment on this: > That's not to say it never will be penetrated, I expect sooner > or later it will happen... There must be a fool-proof way to > implement one-click email without the danger of the address > being harvested. There's gotta be. - William Bontrager, LED Digest 2310 - http://www.led-digest.com/content/view/1406/55/ How much trouble do you think the automated 'bots will go to find your obfuscated e-mail address if they think they already have it? How about including a bogus e-mail as part of the cgi-link that is only there to satisfy the 'bots thirst for 'at's and 'dot's, such as website.com/cgi-local/mailto.pl?email= This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it &df=er.... ... where This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it is not a working, valid or usable e-mail, and the actual e-mail is obfuscated? About five years ago some non-working cgi links were harvested from my site, and they continue to be used by automated programs to this day. Apparently the robots are not doing enough quality control, and you may be able to use that to your advantage. Dan McAvinchey Guitar Nine Records www.guitar9.com -------- new post - same topic -------- From: Doug Burt Subject: Email Good Morning all, First time post but on the germane subject of hiding incoming mail links from SpamBots. I have a question regarding the use of the php mailto script in a form setting eg. action=mailto: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it Any ideas? Also another issue that would arise if you have more than one mailto link on a page but headed for different addresses. How would that be addressed using the php script? Many thanks, Doug Burt -------- new post - same topic -------- From: D. Perry Subject: Email > [Does] anyone have any real time experience / track record > of using [William Bontrager's Master Series CGI scripts] many > of which cost money while others are free? - Peter D'Aprix, LED Digest 2310 --out of 'Lurk' mode-- I use MasterFormV4, MasterFeedback, and even Master Spambot Buster on my own sites as well as client sites. I don't have any documented study or test data, however I can say without reservation that all scripts work as described, and are easy to install and implement. Of course the paid products all come with the Bontrager Guarantee (from willmaster site) -- ------------------- "All of our programs are guaranteed to work as intended. If any do not, we will either fix it or refund your money." ------------------- MasterFeedback and MasterFormV4 are both great form handlers. MasterFeedback is free and a nice little form handler by itself - quick and easy to set up and implement - but MasterFormV4 is so much more than that. If you buy only one piece of website software - MasterFormV4 is the one to get. The functionality, customizability (is that a word), and flexibility of this program is just amazing - and IMHO the price is a steal. Just my .02, hth. --back in 'Lurk' mode-- Regards, D. Perry DLPerry.com Professional Website Design, Development, Management, SEO, Software <Moderator Comment> I've never used the Bontrager's software, but it's highly recommended from everyone I've spoken with. The support is reported to be fantastic. Plus, the people behind the software are terrific, and long time LEDers. The first post Will made to the list (from my incomplete archives) is from June 2001. That's old-school! And Will continues to post, along with his wife Mari recently. Way to go Bontragers! (I'll put down the pom poms now) Adam -------- new post - same topic -------- From: Richard J. Dudley Subject: Email The mailto: tag is hardly the only way spammers target e-mail domains. Probably the greater portion of spam is the "shotgun recipient", where any of the common accounts (admin, webmaster, etc) are used, and multiple copies of each messagre are sent. None of these accounts are found in any Mailto tag on any of our sites. Most people don't see them because most don't have a catchall account configured, but the spam is dragging on your server anyway. Rich Dudley The Bloomery www.bloomery.com -------- new post - new topic --------- From: Al Toman Subject: Accessibility Good design practices = accessible web pages > Sorry to disagree, but there is lots of reasons why a text reader > would have problems attempting to deal with javascript. - Tom Aman, LED Digest 2309 Tom, December 23, 2005 I contacted Target.com regarding their horizontal javascript dropdown menu. Viewing TARGET.COM with Mozilla Firefox (1.5...) resulted in their menu dropping down behind their cool flash gizmo. It was corrected (of sorts) by January 8, 2006. But things have since changed. More on target's bugs later. The first thing about accessible web pages is not to only validate the web pages but to script web-compliant web pages using good design practices. Note that a VALID web page, "this web page is W3C xhtml 1.0 strict dtd valid" can render improperly in a web browser. Therefore, "good design practices" supercede W3C validation. Designing web pages using good design practices is a WIN-WIN for business web sites. Web pages need to be changed often, especially when used to market products and services (retail). A well-designed web page saves the web site owner / webmaster time, money, and energy (less frustration) and from potential lawsuits-bad publicity (target.com for example) in making these changes. Dropdowns are useful when they follow GOOD design practice. This link takes you to the dropdown (example) of which I spoke and you commented. http://studio9.ws/scripts/dropdown.html It is a pure CSS dropdown of which the action is javascript driven. Another example can be found at sucker fish drop down menu, on A List Apart. It not only validates, it follows good design practices. You can review both the javascript and css by following the given links on that web page. If the viewer turns javascript and/or CSS off, the page renders well degrading to pure text as seen here http://studio9.ws/scripts/dropdownnot.html and similarly as viewed via LYNX (link to LYNX is found on the web page). The content on this example web page is accessible to the general viewer, viewers who turn scripting off, and viewers with sight disabilities using a text-reader. No clutter of (java)script on the text-reader though the web page uses javascript. There is absolutely nothing confusing about this drop down. If I can create web page crawlers designed to rip web pages in anyway I wish, including the web page you are currently reading, I feel highly confident that a team of 'gineers can do even better. Now, an example of dropdown scripting that you would most likely consider confusing can be found at Target. Since January 8, 2006, their IT department has once again changed their navigation. As viewed in either MSIE 6.0 or FireFox 2.0(beta2) on WIN98SE, it is once again a horrific experience. Will I contact target, again? No way! Can a text reader work it's way through javascript? You bet it can! Simply by following good design practices. Is "it" a benefit to marketing web site owners? You bet it is! Al Toman studio9.ws -------- new post - new topic -------- From: Beth Ann Earle Subject: SEO scumbaggery > Doesn't he have a full copy of his own website > on his own computer to upload? How does he > make modifications without that? - John Wagner, LED Digest 2310 Ahhh, John. You must be one of the true can-do LED'ers (there are a number of you out there, I know). But most of Pilot Fish's clients, largely small b2b manufacturers, aren't of that ilk -- they rarely update their sites, despite occasional messages from us, explaining the benefits of different additions to their sites, or even just the benefits of checking their sites for outdated staff lists or area codes. The few who do want to update something, contact us to do it for them. (Honestly, a number of them don't even look at their site once it's launched.) The idea of asking for a copy of their company site is something that would never occur to these overworked, over-worrried business managers / owners -- in some cases, because they don't even know such a possibility exists. In other cases, that's what they feel they're paying us for (talk about trusting souls). But, thankfully for our clients, we are pretty trustworthy; if anyone's ever requested a copy of their site, we've always provided it at no charge and with no questions asked. And, if they really want access to their site, we set up a connection for them. Yes, I know: A host with integrity would provide this automatically, but we got tired of having to fix things for clients who thought they'd just go in and see what they could do -- we especially got tired of having to explain and insist that they pay for our time in fixing their mistakes. So, sadly, it is entirely possible that some scumbag could hold another company's site hostage and that the site owner would have to start from scratch. Wishing all LED'ers everywhere a happy end to 2006 and a prosperous start to 2007, Beth Earle www.pilotfishseo.com -------- new post - same topic -------- From: Al Toman Subject: SEO scumbaggery > Perhaps we need to put together a comprehensive > list of SEO warning signs, and have everyone that > cares post a copy on their sites. - Chris Nielsen, LED Issue: 2310 > I would like to continue to make people aware that the > certain parts of the SEO community have lost their bearings > with respect to the average site owner and real-world websites. - Dirk Johnson, LED Issue: 2310 Mr. Nielsen and Mr. Johnson espouse an excellent idea. It is very difficult for Mom and Pop webmasters to find, then, to understand, then, to trust what is necessary to optimize web pages for search engines before they write that big check. Perhaps if the LED Digest Community, as a team, can put together the necessary rock-solid information (of best practices) and propose to and convince Mr. Audette to setup a LED Digest web page specific to this information, we can provide trusted information to web masters from a trusted and rock-solid platform, the LED Digest. I would suggest that we link back to this web page from our web sites. This way, the information is written once, in one place, and is more accomodating to updates and addons. Perhaps Mr. Audette can sell advertising space to 'approved' SEO marketers. You ol' timer experts can optimize the web page to get it in front of the intended audience. I can contribute what is necessary to include in the script of one's web page(s), that is, the web design aspect of web page optimization for search engines (excluding black hat practices). Beyond that, I myself am attempting to find, understand, and trust web site search engine promotion. I know that I'd benefit from you pros. I'd just as soon outsource this aspect and just as soon outsource it to you folks on LED Digest. Thus, y'all would benefit too! Now that's a warm fuzzy feeling. Posting is okay. However, I find it very hap-hazard and fragmented. If it's compiled, objectively, all in one place, man, what a resource that would be. I literally followed a precise ordered check list to take my web site from absolute nothing to a PR 3 (now,a year later, a PR 5, if that means anything) and all that goes with it within less than 2 weeks (then I dropped the ball from there). However, I don't sell anything and I suppose we'd be targeting those who wish to sell stuff on the W.W.W. I know that there are a lot of LED Digest lurkers out there. Perhaps we can draw them out and have them participate and contribute too~! This is exciting and could be a great benefit to ALLl marketing web masters! Al Toman studio9.ws <Moderator Comment> I'll support anything LEDer's want to achieve in this area. Publishing it on the LED site is a good idea, and we could also make it available to all under the Creative Commons license. -Adam ------------------------------------------------------- The LED Digest is sponsored by pair Networks: pair.com for Hosting | pairNIC.com for Domains Copyright 1995-2006 Orange Wheel, LLC. All Rights Reserved. ----------------------------------------------------------------- "No army can withstand the strength of an idea whose time has come." - William James |
