For a while Google was against the idea of seeing search results inside of search results, calling them redundant. But over the last couple years they losened up their stance on the issue...not only do they index and rank tag pages, but they go so far as generating content pages on the fly by entering keywords into search boxes on websites.

Search and tag pages usually have some editorial input, but some community content sites (like associated content) automate the process of adding links to content through algorithms which are likely self reinforcing on rankings and revenues. eHow takes this one step further by automating the internal links and pointing them at recycled content from Dealtime, eBay, and Amazon.com...just in case you are shopping for Ice online ehow.com/shop_ice.html.

Automated internal linking will become a big SEO trend in 2008 and 2009. Jim Boykin offers an interlinking tool inside his Internet Marketing Ninjas program, which came as inspiration for Gab Goldenberg to make a free Wordpress plugin to do the same. If a site like TechCrunch installs the plugin they could basically pick any phrase and own top rankings in a week. For smaller sites they might need to partner with a circle of 20 or so friends that swapped promotional editorial links back and forth.

Search has been a driving force in lowering the value of most traditional media business models, but how useful will search be if most major publishing platforms aggressively use automated internal linking, especially if they start doing it to point links at custom advertising pages focused on high value keywords? The problem with many publishing business models is a high cost structure coupled with poor targeting. Automated internal linking fixes the targeting issue, and those ad pages would subsidize the cost of their editorial.

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The more I learn about the field of SEO the more it feels like public relations and the less it feels like anything to do with machines, algorithms, or search engines. I am soft launching a blog about social stuff called social network theory.

Not so much Digg spamming sorta stuff, but tips and ideas about how social networks work from my limited understanding thusfar. In time I hope to read lots of books on the subject and related subjects like behavioral economics and linguistics. The blog might just be a fling, or it might turn into more if I really get into the topic. SEO Book will still be my main venture for the foreseeable future.

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Wikipedia is a powerhouse because

• they have so much content
• they don't run ads on their site
• they turn users into evangelists by making it easy to contribute
• they have so many inbound links
• where possible they replace their outbound links with links to more internal Wikipedia pages (I just saw a page on performance based SEO pricing models, which seems outside the scope of the goals of an encyclopedia)
• when they do link out they use nofollow

Nofollow is the flip side of paid links - you pay content creators for a while (with links), and then stop paying them while keeping their content.

In an attempt to follow Wikipedia's strategy (but with monetization) Mahalo...

• is creating a bunch of easy to read how to articles (though I am not sure I would trust a guide covering how to invest online from a person who is willing to spend a couple days writing it, for less than $100)
• now allows people to recommend links without logging in
• allows anyone to create new pages

In the past couple years Google has killed many paid link sources, and stripped PageRank from most general directories and most article directories. Given how much harder it is got to get clean links, some SEOs will be tempted to add content to Mahalo hoping for the outbound reference link, but in a year Mahalo will likely claim they need use nofollow to stop spam, so the opportunity is probably fleeting.

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Not content with attempts at trying to rid the web of spam, Matt Cutts has been posting about how to get a free credit report and how to stop junk mail. If your job is abstract, an easy way to gain further authority and credibility is to extend your brand into related more established markets that are easy to understand.

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My wife and I just had our first anniversary dinner, which was a lot of fun. She actually found me by buying my ebook back when I still sold it, and our connection was only made possible through years of supporting this site / blog / brand by readers like you...so I just wanted to say thanks. :)

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We recently added support software for SEO Book members. It is powered by Kayako SupportSuite, which is perhaps a bit more than we need as a 2 person business, but I think the software is fairly powerful and looks quite professional. :)

The only downsides were that it took me a while to install it and we are running out of room in the sitewide navigation at the top of the page...one more item and the formatting dies!

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Yahoo! is back around the $20 range again today. If Microsoft could find a way to buy them they could quickly gain some search marketshare, but presuming Microsoft builds a memorable search brand they could probably catch up through other acquisitions cheaper.

I think rather than buying another overpriced ad platform a cheaper way to attack Google would be to buy some of the leading editorial brands/sites that dominate Google's organic rankings. For far less than the $47 billion Microsoft offered for Yahoo! they could buy...

• Expedia (currently valued at $5.2 billion) and have a leading role in the travel market. I think something like 40% of internet commerce is travel.
• Monster.com (currently values at $2.24 billion) and have a leading role in employment and education.
• Bankrate (currently valued at $700 million) and have a leading role in the mortgage and consumer credit markets.
• WebMD (currently valued at $1.64 billion) and have a leading role in the medical market
• IAC (currently valued at $5.38 billion) After IAC spins off many of their other units this price might go cheaper. Google paid $1 billion for 5% of AOL. Microsoft can get 100% of Ask (with more marketshare than AOL) for not a whole lot more, giving them significantly more marketshare than they currently have and an actual brand in the search market. Plus IAC is buying Dictionary.com and some other generic high traffic sites.
• The New York Times (currently valued at $2.25 billion) and have a leading role in the news market. If they wanted to they could buy it out, spin out About.com as a Microsoft owned web property, then set up the NYT as an industry non-profit that monetizes via a longterm ad arrangement with Microsoft.

I think those companies add up to around $17.4 billion. Pay 50% over market value to close the deals and they could have all the above for $26 billion, giving them a leading position in most high value markets and $20 billion left over for marketing, branding, and buying further assets.

Is the above strategy crazy? What would you do if you were Microsoft?

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I am usually a fan of creating niche sites that are easy to link at and in profitable categories. In some cases generic sites can do well because they allow you to expand wherever the money is.

• Sites like NexTag can buy mortgage ads on Bankrate because they already have enough volume that it makes it easy for them to quickly build inventory whenever an arbitrage opportunity comes about.
• From an SEO standpoint generic websites are great for creating top 10 lists and other egobait driven publishing strategies which allow you to tap into link equity from established bloggers and other publishers.
• A site about coupons or reviews is heavily focused on a traffic stream of people looking to spend money.
• A site about trivia focuses on a traffic stream of people looking to waste time who will engage in quizes and zip submit offers.

The downside to many generic sites is it is hard to build a loyal following, but as long as SEO is driven by links maybe you don't need a following to make a lot of money.

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Imagine turning a Firefox extension into the base for an ad network. Someone just did that, as Patrick Gavin recently announced that ScribeFire is launching an ad network and ad optimization service for bloggers. They are currently in limited beta testing, but if you want to sign up your blog quickly you can be one of the first to try it out by emailing them at seobook@scribefire.com.

An extension to a social network usually does not create such an opportunity, but if you create a brand and destination around the extension and aggressively market it there are opportunities to expand your business. Which sorta makes me want to make SEO for Firefox better and come up with some sort of cool strategy for it. Have any ideas?

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Apparently Google is now pretty good at crawling flash.

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