Well, there goes hotmail.

[MonsterMash]

Zappo and Spidertrag,

You have mail!

Cheers
MM

 

[Aitch Eye]

Google also makes money through what they call "search optimization" which basically means you can pay them to show up on the first page of a certain search.

So not only can you show up higher on the list if you pay their consultants for this service, but you can strive to show up high in the most common search string for your business.

So a 3rd party company might want to show up really high when someone types "3rd party fantasy rpg" or some such.

Note you dont HAVE to pay them to show up high, but optimization guarantees it.

Do you have a link to something that confirms this? I believe Google's paid placement service only puts you in the "Sponsored Links" column on the right hand side. According to Wired News:

"Paid placement is a long-running issue with search engines. Google does not accept payment for ordering search results, while Yahoo does.

http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,64472-2,00.html?tw=wn_story_page_next1

And according to Google's own site:

"PageRank also considers the importance of each page that casts a vote, as votes from some pages are considered to have greater value, thus giving the linked page greater value. Important pages receive a higher PageRank and appear at the top of the search results. Google's technology uses the collective intelligence of the web to determine a page's importance. There is no human involvement or manipulation of results, which is why users have come to trust Google as a source of objective information untainted by paid placement. "

http://www.google.com/corporate/tech.html

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

I've got two gmail accounts left to give if anyone desires.

 

[Greylock]

Just wanted to add my 2cents...

The targeted ads are often waaayyyy off the mark, and quite hilarious. DnD char discussion can really throw Gmail a curveball.

Luv my Gmail, btw.

 

[spidertrag]

Zappo and Spidertrag,
You have mail!
Cheers
MM

Thanks MM! ---if u want some free art for your game(s) let me know---u can email me at my gmail account

 

[rangerjohn]

I've got two gmail accounts left to give if anyone desires.

I guess my first request got passed over. Well, I hereby formally request an invitation.

I better repeat my address, ranger_32202@yahoo.com

 

[Zappo]

I can't offer free art (you don't want to see me drawing, really), but thank you MonsterMash.

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

I guess my first request got passed over. Well, I hereby formally request an invitation.

Let it never be said that Queen Dopplepopolis is not a kind and generous ruler.

Rangerjohn, you have been gmail-ified. Enjoy!

 

[Dimwhit]

I've got an invite to hand out, too. I figure since I got mine from a user here, I should give one back! If anyone else is interested, that is.

 

[Vigilance]

Do you have a link to something that confirms this? I believe Google's paid placement service only puts you in the "Sponsored Links" column on the right hand side. According to Wired News:

"Paid placement is a long-running issue with search engines. Google does not accept payment for ordering search results, while Yahoo does.

http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,64472-2,00.html?tw=wn_story_page_next1

And according to Google's own site:

"PageRank also considers the importance of each page that casts a vote, as votes from some pages are considered to have greater value, thus giving the linked page greater value. Important pages receive a higher PageRank and appear at the top of the search results. Google's technology uses the collective intelligence of the web to determine a page's importance. There is no human involvement or manipulation of results, which is why users have come to trust Google as a source of objective information untainted by paid placement. "

http://www.google.com/corporate/tech.html

I could very well be way wrong on this.

However, I know someone who works for Google doing optimization, and his description of what it was is what my comment was based on.

It didnt sound like a "quid pro quo" where you paid them X amount and wound up in the top 5 of a search.

It sounded like you were having their consultants teach you how to construct your site to maximize hits and show up under some common searches for your business.

In other words, show you how their system works and teach you how to make a highly placed page. Not the same thing as what Yahoo does (as I understand that).

But again, this is based off of one conversation with a friend of mine, so I could be way off.

Chuck