search engine literature?

Hi all,
I'm new to the group and I needed a little advice. I own a company
that specializes in real estate marketing. We'd like to help our
customers get on the web, but just aren't that savvy at this point. I
wouldn't be opposed to hiring someone to handle our web business, but
I'd like to make an informed decision. Most of the ads I've seen
offer a "GUARANTEED" top five listing on the top engines. Why is this
hard for me to believe?

Are there any books or sites out there that could better help me
understand the ins and outs of search engines, site submission, etc?

Thanks so much for your time,
Joe

vegasjo:

Are there any books or sites out there that could better help me
understand the ins and outs of search engines, site submission, etc?

Highly recommended for novices in this field: Search Engine Visibility
By Shari Thurow. http://safari.oreilly.com/0735712565

--
René Pijlman

Wat wil jij leren? http://www.leren.nl

I'd like to make an informed decision. Most of the ads I've seen
offer a "GUARANTEED" top five listing on the top engines. Why is this
hard for me to believe?

No-one can offer this as it is impossible.

what they might be doing is:

1) Sponsored listings (that sometimes appear before actual listings)
overture/espotting.

2) Doing this on the craziest keywords. 3-5 words long that anyone could get
easily enough.

On 6 Oct 2003 09:26:09 -0700, vegasjo72 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com (vegasjo) wrote:

Hi all,
I'm new to the group and I needed a little advice. I own a company
that specializes in real estate marketing. We'd like to help our
customers get on the web, but just aren't that savvy at this point. I
wouldn't be opposed to hiring someone to handle our web business, but
I'd like to make an informed decision. Most of the ads I've seen
offer a "GUARANTEED" top five listing on the top engines. Why is this
hard for me to believe?

Are there any books or sites out there that could better help me
understand the ins and outs of search engines, site submission, etc?

Thanks so much for your time,
Joe

No. The minute they're published, they're out of date. I've put a list
of SEO resources together at www.kruse.co.uk/resources.htm you could
try there for info.

BB
MFW Britpack www.extreme-positioning.co.uk
There is only one war, and it's not the rich against the poor,
the blacks against the whites, the Federation against the Borg,
or the Democrats versus the Republicans. It's those of us who
aren't complete idiots against those of us who are.