What's with AOL Search?

[Cream]

Was it just me or has anyone else noticed that AOL Search has not refreshed its Inktomi listings for a week or so now?

I am an Inktomi Paid-Listings user with both INeedHits and NetSol, and it appears changes made to my URLs (including newly purchased listings) have already been reflected at MSN Search, but not so AOL Search.

Just worried AOL might be ditching Inktomi as a partner soon...:(


Just Add...
...Cream

[markymark]

Not sure about AOL ditching Inktomi, as it was only recently that they started using more Ink and less ODP. However, you are not the only one, no. There are several issues with AOL at the moment, particularly AOL UK showing weird and irrelevant results, or only 40 results for searches where there are 1000s. I think this is all part of the same problem.

[ihelpyou]

Welcome to the forums Cream! :hi:

Yes. Problems at aol now. I'm sure things will get worked out soon.

[Cream]

Thanks for the reassurances.

My sites depended heavily on AOL Search for much of the traffic, no thanks to the LookSmart directory listings at MSN Search, so it would be a disaster if AOL were to drop Inktomi.

BTW, apart from Inktomi and ODP, what other SE listings are AOL Search using anyway? Overture, maybe? :confused:

And shouldn't there be a cap on the number of LookSmart listings at MSN Search? There's no point optimizing a page to rank number 1 for Inktomi, only for it to come in at #97 behind all those r.lksm listings!! :mad:


Just Add...
...Cream

[ihelpyou]

hey cream, If your keyphrase is a fairly popular one, MSN will always give the LS results first as long as their are sites for that keyphrase in the directory. If the term is not as popular, MSN might not have any sites in the directory, so will show Inktomi results.

It's fair to say that if you search on MSN for your keyphrase and it brings up 100 LS listing first, then you had better get your site into the Looksmart directory or simply target a phrase that is not as popular.

[Cream]

I hear ya, Doug.

But since my sites are ahem, affiliate sites :o: , I have absolutely zero faith in getting into LookSmart or through the Zeal backdoor.

So it's still Inktomi and AOL for me, and it's looking like lean pickings this Valentine's, the way AOL is acting. :(


Just Add...
...Cream

[Advisor]

I think that Inktomi is having big problems with their refreshing over the past few weeks, so it's probably more of a problem on their end than an AOL thing.

Jill

[ihelpyou]

Yes and Ink better watch their backside as Google is chumping at the bit with stuff now.

Look for partner changes, etc if Ink does not get it together fairly soon. :)