Search Engines

Yahoo
Yahoo's algorithm is based on Inktomi's old algorithm. Keyword density helps. Yahoo's algorithm requires you to rdrive home the keywords. Keyword density seems to matter with Yahoo's algorithm as it relies less on link anchor text analysis than Google.

Google and Keywords

Google's algorithm is constantly changing. The basics remain the same but the emphasis seems to change from month to month, and sometimes from Google data center to data center. A lighter touch goes a long way when optimizing a web page for Google.

Things that Google likes:

• keyword phrases in links
• keyword phrases in title tag
• keyword phrases in the meta description

Regarding keyword phrases in links, with Google it seems you can't have enough keywords in your on page anchor text. It looks un-elegant, so you may want to place those keyword laden links "below the fold," out of sight from most of your web page visitors.

Pay Per Click

Ask Jeeves
Does Ask Jeeves really matter? Although Jeeves controls approximately 2.5% of web search eyeballs, many webmasters will tell you from experience that the majority of Ask Jeeves' audience is clicking on the Google ads that appear before the Ask Jeeves listings than are clicking on the actual Ask Jeeves algorithmic results. They will tell you that you're better off optimizing your Google AdWords Pay Per Click campaign if you want to score well in Ask Jeeves.

Ask Jeeves recently purchased a company called Tukaroo that makes a desktop search application. Additionally, it also comes with a contextual advertising component. Coupled with the fact that Ask Jeeves recently purchased a company called Max Online, it is rumored that Ask Jeeves will at some point end it's relationship with Google and cultivate it's own Pay Per Click program.

Ask Jeeves and Google have an agreement to end their relationship between September and October 2004. Their UK agreement is scheduled for termination in May 2005.

Will Ask Jeeves consolidate their Excite/I-Won.com network into a Pay Per Click advertising network? If this isn't handwriting on the wall, there is surely something blowing in the wind.