Archives for June 2005

To all of us interested in having our websites rank high in Google’s search engine, called search engine optimization, Google revealed some of it’s ranking algorithm secrets in a recent patent filing. I have not read the patent, but an article by Daniel Yates was a very helpful summary.

The bottom line confirmed what I’ve thought for quite some time: we should do our job well, ethically, grow links because we are providing top quality content, be faithful to keep our sites current. We should avoid tempting shortcuts that promise overnight success.

Several words come to mind — patience, goodness, faithfulness from Galatians 5:22. Sowing and reaping from Galatians 6:9 — “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Kind of sounds like a plan for building high-ranking websites…
… or how to grow in our journey with Jesus called the Christian life.

“How do searchers find what they want online?” Tony Whittaker links to a very interesting article for those engaging in search engine optimization. The current issue of Web Evangelism Bulletin reports on a story from a search engine recent conference. Read the full article online.

The article reports some very interesting things. The study monitored volunteers as they performed tasks to identify products. Some of the findings I thought very interesting:

• Most people click on one of the top 3 listings.
• More than half click on the first sponsored link.
• People don’t usually start searching for brand names, but for products.
• 60% click on one of the first 3 organic listings (the natural search results which come from search engine optimization work).
• 85% click on one of the first 3 sponsored listings (the results which come from purchasing ad words).

The final two points are amazing to me. I would have expected people to prefer natural results more than sponsored listings. I do. Maybe it’s because this study was for product searches, not “quality of life” type searches (how do I raise teenagers, understanding Star Wars Episode III, etc).

I really liked the closing observation:

From time to time people type in same search string trying to get new answer.” It seems the only hope is for smarter search engines, rather than smarter users, she added with a smile

It seems that people trust frequent improvements in search technology more than improvements in their search techniques. It also means that even if you’re not in the top 3 results (natural or sponsored), keep working on it. You may be there when the same person searches for the same search string tomorrow.

What strikes you about this study?

[By the way, if you are not subscribed to Tony’s Web Evangelism Bulletin, why not? To join, send a blank email to mailto:bulletin-subscribe@web-evangelism.com.]

Weng Kong in Japan has launched an internet ministry plan with partner evangelical ministries to use the Narnia movie, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe which will be released next year. They expect it to be very popular in Japan.

Andrey in Ukraine is working with Alex in Ukraine, Eric in France, and Tom and Jerry in Hungary to produce a Russian language evangelistic website.

Kxxxxx in a country in the Middle East is encouraging every staff member build a personal evangelistic website. When they share their faith with someone, they will give them a card with their personal website address and encourage the person to visit the site.

Oumar in Mali has taught his campus director to use email to followup females he cannot meet with personally.

Hans in Germany has launched a project to create an evangelistic website for university students. See the English U.S. version at EveryStudent.com.

What do all these have in common?

Read our May newsletter online about MinistryNet: Budapest 2005. Sixty seven people from 27 countries came to Budapest, Hungary in April to interact with fellow web ministers as we explored how use the internet to engage people so we can help them with their relationship with God.

Soon after the conference, someone asked me, “Was MinistryNet a success?” I told them that the conference was a successful event, but to ask me again in a year if we had succeeded in mobilizing more internet missionaries who embrace timely communication tools to share the timeless message of John 3:16.

However, I don’t think the Lord intends for us to wait a year. In the past few weeks, I’ve heard these amazing stories from Oumar, Hans, Andrew, Weng Kong, and others. In the 12 weeks since MinistryNet, evangelistic outreach projects based on MinistryNet principles of internet ministry are exploding around the world. Amazing. God is so faithful in mobilizing laborers for the harvest.