Sunday, December 11, 2005
Finding Site Information With SearchIt! Free Research Tool
The SearchIt! free search tool consists of a window with two dropdown boxes and two text boxes. In the two dropdown boxes, you select the type of search you want to do. In the two text boxes, you select the search criteria (such as keywords or URLs) you want to use.
Rather than repeat the introductory info about SearchIt! that I shared previously, I suggest that you see the October 2nd blog for this information. Or simply realize that it is important to click all the links and read all the instructions that SearchIt! tells you to do.
You'll find SearchIt! A LOT easier and more valuable to use if you do that.
Using SearchIt!
Last week we started covering some site research tools, starting with various ways to determine the popularity of your site or that of a competitor. This week we'll look at ways to find vital statistics about a site, including info such as contact information or whether your site is on any spammer blacklists.
In the Step 1 dropdown box, scroll down under Site Research and select Vital Statistics.
Click the dropdown box for Step 2: Select Search Type. You'll see the following options.
WhoIs and Background Info
This option shows you a ton of information about your domain or that of a competitor. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
The intro page talks mainly about how a SiteBuildIt! site includes the domain name for free. Click the link at the bottom of the intro page to see your results.
Your results show you a thumbnail of the home page of the site as well as the page title and other metadata, the site's Alexa rank, technical data about the site, and contact information (at the bottom of the page).
Site Profile
This option shows you additional info about the site you search. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
Click the link at the bottom of the page to see your results.
Your results show you contact information for the site. The right hand column supposedly offers unbiased ratings of how trustworthy the business is and reviews of the site. I've always been skeptical of the third-party company that provides this rating. It's hard to trust the rating provided by a company that is notorious for packing spyware into the browser bar they urge you to install and that sets up their ranking system so that the only way for most sites to attain a decent ranking on their "Trust Gauge" is to purchase membership in their validation service.
Frankly, the only data I would trust on this search option is the contact information, and you can find that on the WhoIs Background Info option.
DNS/IP Lookup
This option identifies the IP address of the site you search. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
Then again, you can get this same information with the WhoIs and Background Info option. The only advantage this option has is that if you're looking only for the IP address and nothing more, this option doesn't provide all of the additional info about the site.
Spam Status Report
This option is very useful to quickly check whether your site or a competitor's has gotten onto any spam blacklists. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
Read the intro page carefully. It has some excellent resources not only for understanding what your results mean and for avoiding getting onto spam blacklists. Then click the link at the bottom of the page to see your results.
Click the links on the report page to see if your site is listed with the reporting groups listed.
Detailed Spam Status Report
This option is a more detailed, but much more confusing way to check whether your site or a competitor's has gotten onto any spam blacklists. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
If you haven't read the intro page for the Spam Status Report already, read the intro page carefully. It has some excellent resources not only for understanding what your results mean and for avoiding getting onto spam blacklists. Then click the link at the bottom of the page to see your results.
The results are geared more for people who are very active in anti-spam groups rather than for people who are new to anti-spam initiatives. Look for the site's name and see how many MX records it says you have. On the same line, it will identify your IP address. A few lines lower on the page it will identify how many sites list your IP address.
Don't get worried if it says you appear on a couple of lists. EVERYBODY appears on some list. The only reason to get concerned about clearing your name is if you appear on dozens of lists. In that case, you want to find out which sites list you and contact them about removing you from their list.
openRBL Spam Status Report
This option is also confusing. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
The intro page is basically the same as described for the previous two options. Read it if you haven't already read the others and click the link at the bottom ofthe page to see your results.
I've never really gotten any useful info from this option. Most of it is accessible through other options on this page.
Free E-mail Domain Lookup
This option lets you check whether an email you received came from a free email provider. This can be useful if you are concerned that an order from that email address could be fraudulent.
Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
Click the link at the bottom of the intro page and your results will identify whether the domain is from a free email server or not.
Next week
This Sunday, we looked at ways to find vital statistics about a site, including info such as contact information or whether your site is on any spammer blacklists. Next week we'll see how SearchIt! can help you find related sites for joint ventures or link exchanges.
All in all, SearchIt! can find you lots of valuable information. The main thing to remember is to READ THE DIRECTIONS. With as many tools packed into this one interface, you're not going to take one look at it and intuitively understand how to use every one of them. But the directions they give are easy, and they do more than just tell you how to use each tool; they also throw in tips on how to use the results you receive to make your site more successful.
SearchIt! is one of these free tools that really produces value for you. I recommend that you check it out and make it a part of your web marketing arsenal.
Jeff
The SearchIt! free search tool consists of a window with two dropdown boxes and two text boxes. In the two dropdown boxes, you select the type of search you want to do. In the two text boxes, you select the search criteria (such as keywords or URLs) you want to use.
Rather than repeat the introductory info about SearchIt! that I shared previously, I suggest that you see the October 2nd blog for this information. Or simply realize that it is important to click all the links and read all the instructions that SearchIt! tells you to do.
You'll find SearchIt! A LOT easier and more valuable to use if you do that.
Using SearchIt!
Last week we started covering some site research tools, starting with various ways to determine the popularity of your site or that of a competitor. This week we'll look at ways to find vital statistics about a site, including info such as contact information or whether your site is on any spammer blacklists.
In the Step 1 dropdown box, scroll down under Site Research and select Vital Statistics.
Click the dropdown box for Step 2: Select Search Type. You'll see the following options.
- WhoIs and Background Info
- Site Profile
- DNS/IP Lookup
- Spam Status Report
- Detailed Spam Status Report
- openRBL Spam Status Report
- Free E-mail Domain Lookup
WhoIs and Background Info
This option shows you a ton of information about your domain or that of a competitor. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
The intro page talks mainly about how a SiteBuildIt! site includes the domain name for free. Click the link at the bottom of the intro page to see your results.
Your results show you a thumbnail of the home page of the site as well as the page title and other metadata, the site's Alexa rank, technical data about the site, and contact information (at the bottom of the page).
Site Profile
This option shows you additional info about the site you search. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
Click the link at the bottom of the page to see your results.
Your results show you contact information for the site. The right hand column supposedly offers unbiased ratings of how trustworthy the business is and reviews of the site. I've always been skeptical of the third-party company that provides this rating. It's hard to trust the rating provided by a company that is notorious for packing spyware into the browser bar they urge you to install and that sets up their ranking system so that the only way for most sites to attain a decent ranking on their "Trust Gauge" is to purchase membership in their validation service.
Frankly, the only data I would trust on this search option is the contact information, and you can find that on the WhoIs Background Info option.
DNS/IP Lookup
This option identifies the IP address of the site you search. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
Then again, you can get this same information with the WhoIs and Background Info option. The only advantage this option has is that if you're looking only for the IP address and nothing more, this option doesn't provide all of the additional info about the site.
Spam Status Report
This option is very useful to quickly check whether your site or a competitor's has gotten onto any spam blacklists. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
Read the intro page carefully. It has some excellent resources not only for understanding what your results mean and for avoiding getting onto spam blacklists. Then click the link at the bottom of the page to see your results.
Click the links on the report page to see if your site is listed with the reporting groups listed.
Detailed Spam Status Report
This option is a more detailed, but much more confusing way to check whether your site or a competitor's has gotten onto any spam blacklists. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
If you haven't read the intro page for the Spam Status Report already, read the intro page carefully. It has some excellent resources not only for understanding what your results mean and for avoiding getting onto spam blacklists. Then click the link at the bottom of the page to see your results.
The results are geared more for people who are very active in anti-spam groups rather than for people who are new to anti-spam initiatives. Look for the site's name and see how many MX records it says you have. On the same line, it will identify your IP address. A few lines lower on the page it will identify how many sites list your IP address.
Don't get worried if it says you appear on a couple of lists. EVERYBODY appears on some list. The only reason to get concerned about clearing your name is if you appear on dozens of lists. In that case, you want to find out which sites list you and contact them about removing you from their list.
openRBL Spam Status Report
This option is also confusing. Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
The intro page is basically the same as described for the previous two options. Read it if you haven't already read the others and click the link at the bottom ofthe page to see your results.
I've never really gotten any useful info from this option. Most of it is accessible through other options on this page.
Free E-mail Domain Lookup
This option lets you check whether an email you received came from a free email provider. This can be useful if you are concerned that an order from that email address could be fraudulent.
Type the domain name (without the http:// or the www.) in the Step 3 box. Click the SearchIt! button.
Click the link at the bottom of the intro page and your results will identify whether the domain is from a free email server or not.
Next week
This Sunday, we looked at ways to find vital statistics about a site, including info such as contact information or whether your site is on any spammer blacklists. Next week we'll see how SearchIt! can help you find related sites for joint ventures or link exchanges.
All in all, SearchIt! can find you lots of valuable information. The main thing to remember is to READ THE DIRECTIONS. With as many tools packed into this one interface, you're not going to take one look at it and intuitively understand how to use every one of them. But the directions they give are easy, and they do more than just tell you how to use each tool; they also throw in tips on how to use the results you receive to make your site more successful.
SearchIt! is one of these free tools that really produces value for you. I recommend that you check it out and make it a part of your web marketing arsenal.
Jeff
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