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''<blockquote>See also [[Search engine optimization]] (SEO) for a general discussion of SEO.</blockquote>''

''<blockquote>See also [[Search engine optimization]] (SEO) for a general discussion of SEO.</blockquote>''

{{Nutshell|Content created in Centiare has a way of showing up toward the top of search engine results.}}

{{Nutshell|Content created in MyWikiBiz has a way of showing up toward the top of search engine results.}}

Centiare contributors enjoy the effects of Centiare '''[[Centiare:Search Engine Optimization|Search Engine Optimization]]'''. Centiare listings that utilize [[Centiare:Semantic_tagging|semantic tags]] achieve higher rankings in search results, through a combination of relevance and linkage.

MyWikiBiz contributors enjoy the effects of MyWikiBiz '''[[Help:Search Engine Optimization|Search Engine Optimization]]'''. MyWikiBiz listings that utilize [[Help:Semantic_tagging|semantic tags]] achieve higher rankings in search results, through a combination of relevance and linkage.

==An amazing example==

==An amazing example==

See how the semantic tags recorded in the [[Directory:Church of the Loving Shepherd|Church's]] Centiare Directory listing improve not only Google's search term relevance, but also trigger the correct address and contact information to be displayed?

See how the semantic tags recorded in the [[Directory:Church of the Loving Shepherd|Church's]] MyWikiBiz Directory listing improve not only Google's search term relevance, but also trigger the correct address and contact information to be displayed?

In addition to context and relevance, semantic tags also improve overall rankings through the effect of Centiare's internal ''cross-linking''. That is, the combination of Centiare listings, automatically-generated summary reports (at the end of each listing), cross-referenced [[Centiare:ASK|ASK]] queries, and (probably) our tolerance of Google AdSense ads, '''all''' serve to improve overall search rankings by providing multiple reference points.

In addition to context and relevance, semantic tags also improve overall rankings through the effect of MyWikiBiz's internal ''cross-linking''. That is, the combination of MyWikiBiz listings, automatically-generated summary reports (at the end of each listing), cross-referenced [[Help:ASK|ASK]] queries, and (probably) our tolerance of Google AdSense ads, '''all''' serve to improve overall search rankings by providing multiple reference points.

The Church's listing on Centiare was authored only as recently as [[December 9]], [[2006]].  We noticed that the Centiare listing had jumped to #1 or #2 for the Google search results above, as soon as [[January 4]], [[2007]] -- less than one month for the '''Power of Centiare''' to impact the Church's SEO.  Note, also, that the Church's own website comes up much lower in the search results.

The Church's listing on MyWikiBiz was authored only as recently as [[December 9]], [[2006]].  We noticed that the MyWikiBiz listing had jumped to #1 or #2 for the Google search results above, as soon as [[January 4]], [[2007]] -- less than one month for the '''Power of MyWikiBiz''' to impact the Church's SEO.  Note, also, that the Church's own website comes up much lower in the search results.

==Other fun examples==

==Other fun examples==

Additional proof of these search engine optimization (SEO) results can be found by trying these search queries at Google:  

Additional proof of these search engine optimization (SEO) results can be found by trying these search queries at Google:  

* [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&rls=GGLG%2CGGLG%3A2006-13%2CGGLG%3Aen&q=lowrider+performance+artist&btnG=Search lowrider performance artist] -- -- A Centiare listing ranks #2 out of 194,000 results  

* [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&rls=GGLG%2CGGLG%3A2006-13%2CGGLG%3Aen&q=lowrider+performance+artist&btnG=Search lowrider performance artist] -- -- A MyWikiBiz listing ranks #2 out of 194,000 results  

* [http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&q=Littleton+graphics+stationery Littleton graphics stationery] -- -- A Centiare listing ranks #1 out of 20,600 results  

* [http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&q=Littleton+graphics+stationery Littleton graphics stationery] -- -- A MyWikiBiz listing ranks #1 out of 20,600 results  

* [http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&q=Florida+stone+crab+scientific+video Florida stone crab scientific video] -- -- A Centiare listing ranks #1 out of 126,000 results  

* [http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&q=Florida+stone+crab+scientific+video Florida stone crab scientific video] -- -- A MyWikiBiz listing ranks #1 out of 126,000 results  

* [http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&q=Ellie+Rountree Ellie Rountree] -- -- A Centiare listing ranks #2 out of 13,800 results

* [http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&q=Ellie+Rountree Ellie Rountree] -- -- A MyWikiBiz listing ranks #2 out of 13,800 results

The [[stone crab]] article in Centiare took its author about 10 minutes to create, and it now comes up first out of 126,000 Google search results -- '''even higher than Wikipedia's article about stone crabs'''. Imagine what careful, dedicated authors of encyclopedic content on Centiare could achieve.

The [[stone crab]] article in MyWikiBiz took its author about 10 minutes to create, and it now comes up first out of 126,000 Google search results -- '''even higher than Wikipedia's article about stone crabs'''. Imagine what careful, dedicated authors of encyclopedic content on MyWikiBiz could achieve.

==Two test cases==

==Two test cases==

At the end of the first week of [[January]] [[2007]], Centiare developers created two new "test cases" to explore the dynamic impact of Centiare on Google search engine rankings for small businesses.  We selected two real-life businesses in competitive trades -- [[plumbing]] and [[real estate]] -- and settled on [[Directory:Superior Plumbing & Heating|Superior Plumbing & Heating]] of Rochester, [[Directory:Minnesota|Minnesota]], and [[Directory:Pinnacle Realty Services|Pinnacle Realty Services]] of New Bedford, [[Directory:Massachusetts|Massachusetts]].

At the end of the first week of [[January]] [[2007]], MyWikiBiz developers created two new "test cases" to explore the dynamic impact of MyWikiBiz on Google search engine rankings for small businesses.  We selected two real-life businesses in competitive trades -- [[plumbing]] and [[real estate]] -- and settled on [[Directory:Superior Plumbing & Heating|Superior Plumbing & Heating]] of Rochester, [[Directory:Minnesota|Minnesota]], and [[Directory:Pinnacle Realty Services|Pinnacle Realty Services]] of New Bedford, [[Directory:Massachusetts|Massachusetts]].

We drew up what we thought might be some common search engine queries that potential customers of these businesses might input on Google.  We checked where each of the companies' own web sites ([http://www.superior-plumbing.com/ Superior] and [http://www.pinrs.com/ Pinnacle]) emerged on these hypothetical Google searches.  Then, we created Centiare [[Centiare:Directory Space|Directory]] pages for each company, including no more data or information than could be derived from these companies' existing web sites.  Finally, we waited a little more than a month for Google's spiders to crawl Centiare and appropriately rank these new Directory pages.

We drew up what we thought might be some common search engine queries that potential customers of these businesses might input on Google.  We checked where each of the companies' own web sites ([http://www.superior-plumbing.com/ Superior] and [http://www.pinrs.com/ Pinnacle]) emerged on these hypothetical Google searches.  Then, we created MyWikiBiz [[Help:Directory Space|Directory]] pages for each company, including no more data or information than could be derived from these companies' existing web sites.  Finally, we waited a little more than a month for Google's spiders to crawl MyWikiBiz and appropriately rank these new Directory pages.

Honestly, some of the results were enticingly good, while others were a bit of a disappointment for our very high expectations.  Here is the data from the '''Superior Plumbing & Heating''' test:

Honestly, some of the results were enticingly good, while others were a bit of a disappointment for our very high expectations.  Here is the data from the '''Superior Plumbing & Heating''' test:

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"

!width="300"|GOOGLE SEARCH TERMS

!width="300"|GOOGLE SEARCH TERMS

!width="150"|Rank of [http://www.superior-plumbing.com/ corporate web site] before Centiare

!width="150"|Rank of [http://www.superior-plumbing.com/ corporate web site] before MyWikiBiz

!width="150"|Rank of [[Directory:Superior Plumbing & Heating|Centiare Directory page]] after 5 weeks

!width="150"|Rank of [[Directory:Superior Plumbing & Heating|MyWikiBiz Directory page]] after 5 weeks

|-

|-

|[http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&rls=GGGL%2CGGGL%3A2006-17%2CGGGL%3Aen&q=plumber+zip+55901&btnG=Search plumber zip 55901] ||align="center"| None of 152 results ||align="center"| 2nd

|[http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&rls=GGGL%2CGGGL%3A2006-17%2CGGGL%3Aen&q=plumber+zip+55901&btnG=Search plumber zip 55901] ||align="center"| None of 152 results ||align="center"| 2nd

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"

!width="300"|GOOGLE SEARCH TERMS

!width="300"|GOOGLE SEARCH TERMS

!width="150"|Rank of [http://www.pinrs.com/ corporate web site] before Centiare

!width="150"|Rank of [http://www.pinrs.com/ corporate web site] before MyWikiBiz

!width="150"|Rank of [[Directory:Pinnacle Realty Services|Centiare Directory page]] after 5 weeks

!width="150"|Rank of [[Directory:Pinnacle Realty Services|MyWikiBiz Directory page]] after 5 weeks

|-

|-

|realtors 02740||align="center"| 69th ||align="center"| 6th

|realtors 02740||align="center"| 69th ||align="center"| 6th

<br>

<br>

As one can see from these tables, Centiare (even in its formative stages of content-building) has the capability of giving small businesses another "chance" within Google searches to be found by prospective customers.  This is '''especially''' true if one carefully targets some highly-specialized searches that might be taking place (as in the "se habla espanol" example).  Why would [http://www.pinrs.com/ Pinnacle Realty Services] settle for a 15th-place ranking of their home page on that search, when they could achieve a 2nd place ranking with an equivalent [[Directory:Pinnacle Realty Services|Centiare listing]]?

As one can see from these tables, MyWikiBiz (even in its formative stages of content-building) has the capability of giving small businesses another "chance" within Google searches to be found by prospective customers.  This is '''especially''' true if one carefully targets some highly-specialized searches that might be taking place (as in the "se habla espanol" example).  Why would [http://www.pinrs.com/ Pinnacle Realty Services] settle for a 15th-place ranking of their home page on that search, when they could achieve a 2nd place ranking with an equivalent [[Directory:Pinnacle Realty Services|MyWikiBiz listing]]?