SNAP

URL to the Engine http:// www. snap. com or
http:// speed. snap. com (high-speed connection version)

Must submit EACH page? JUST ONE
How long to index my page? 2 to 8 weeks
Recognizes and supports META Tags? NO
Are searches case sensitive? NO
Does a spider index the site? NO
Uses data entered on submission form only? YES
Is page popularity a factor? NO
Alphabetical ranking used? YES
Keyword weight plays a role? NO, frequency and prominence only
Title tag considered for relevancy? YES, but only for the title you enter
on their submission form.

Prominence of keywords in title tag important? YES, but only for the title you enter
on their submission form.

Frequency of keywords in title tag important? Yes, but only for the title you enter
on their submission form.

Comment tags considered for relevancy? NO
Max. length of title accepted 40 characters (unless company name
is longer)

Max. length of keyword META tag N/ A
Max. length of description field you can submit 15 words
How to check to see if you're listed Type in full URL:
http:// www. yourcompany. com
or site title as you submitted it.
How to check your link popularity Snap has no spider so no links are
tracked.

E-mail support Go to:
http:// www. snap. com/ main/ help/ sup
port/ 0,120, home-0, 00. html
Total documents indexed Unknown at this time (Inktomi
supplements search results and claims 110 Million documents)

Total page views Unknown at this time.

Add/ Remove URL Select appropriate Snap category and then select the "Submit your Web site to the Snap directory team" link

on the bottom left of the page.

Snap can be classified as a "search-directory" -similar in some ways to Yahoo!, but with a few important differences. The trend toward human edited directories continues and like Yahoo!, Snap supplements its directory listings with the Inktomi database, the same database used by HotBot and others.

This does not mean that your Web site will have the same rankings as it does in HotBot. First, Snap returns matches to many keyword queries from its own human edited directory and only returns Inktomi matches when the keyword or phrase queried does not have an immediate match in its directory (Inktomi matches are typically served when the phrase queried is for three or more words like, "how to find Arlington" or "information about John F. Kennedy Jr."). Also, in HotBot, the first 10 matches to many popular keyword queries are served by DirectHit, a relevancy system that measures which Web sites people visit after performing a query, and lists those first (for more about DirectHit see the chapter on HotBot).

Snap does not use the DirectHit software so in cases where the first 10 matches in HotBot are served by DirectHit, matches 11 through 20 and beyond will match Snap search results that are served by Inktomi.

What this means for your search engine positioning efforts is that you must first determine whether a query in Snap for your targeted keyword or phrase will result in Snap category matches or Inktomi matches. If the search matches to a keyword query are Snap categories and sites within those categories, you'll need to submit your site to Snap's directory in order to be listed. Where search matches are served by Inktomi, the techniques necessary to achieve a top ranking in HotBot apply.

Step 1:
Query each of your keyword phrases in Snap and note whether the search results are from the Snap directory or from Inktomi. If the search results were supplied by Inktomi this will be indicated at the top and bottom of the search results by the display of the Inktomi logo and the words, "powered by Inktomi."

If the search results are from the Snap directory, you'll notice that each Web site is listed under a category heading and the Snap logo will be displayed the top and bottom of the page.

Step 2:
If the keyword phrase you are targetting generates search results from Snap's directory listings, you'll want to determine which categories are listed on the first page of results and whether or not your site would be an appropriate candidate for one of those categories.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Snap allows you to submit your site to only one category. For this reason, you'll want to query all of your keywords and choose one category that is presented for as many of these queries as possible.

For more information, visit this link to learn how to submit your site to Snap (FYI, you can find this link at the bottom of every page, titled "List Your Site"):

http:// www. snap. com/ main/ help/ item/ 0,11, home-8450,00. html? st. sn. ft. 0. surl
And this link for answers to frequently asked questions about submissions:
http:// www. snap. com/ main/ help/ item/ 0,11,-9551,00. html

Step 3: Once you've determined in which category you'd like your site to be listed go to that category, scroll down to the bottm of the page and select, "Submit your Web site to the Snap directory team." at the bottom of the page (usually right justified and in very small print).

NOTE: If you select "List Your Site" which is at the very bottom of the page, it takes you to an FAQ on how to get listed and not to the submission form. This can be very confusing so make sure you're clicking on the correct link.

The submission page is self-explanitory, but worth noting is that you are allowed only 10 to 15 words to describe your site (even Yahoo! allows 25 words and we thought they were stingy!). Do your best to phrase this description so that your targeted keyword is the first word of the description. Try to make your description clear, concise and a complete and natural sounding sentence. This will make it less likely that Snap will edit your submission.

NOTE: Anytime a human editor is involved, there is a high probability that your submission will be edited, shortened and your keywords omitted. Your best chance is to submit a clear, thoughtful description sentence that does not include any hyperbole, claims about your product or service or other marketing hype.

Remember, your product is not the best, fastest and most ingenious widget ever invested, it is simply a product that performs a particular function and offers specific features --at least that is all it will ever be to a directory editor.

Step 4:
Wait. Snap proudly announces that "there is no notification that an entry has been listed or rejected."

Step 5:
For your keywords which result in Inktomi matches instead of Snap directory results, you will need to apply to techniques described in our HotBot chapter.

Want more power?

WARNING: Use this technique only AFTER you've successfuly submintted your default page to Snap and you know that it was accepted and now appears in the Snap directory. Snap included an interesting note on the FAQ page: "... Sites should generally consist of more than one page, and a site's front page is preferred over individual pages.

However, if an individual page contains enough unique or valuable material, Snap. com may include it." What this says to us, is that if your Web site has an internal page that covers a particular unique topic and perhaps does so in depth, if you submit it to another Snap category it may be accepted.

For instance, if you operate a site that sells hot sauce but one of your internal pages offers a number of recipes for dishes flavored with hot sauce, that internal page may be considered unique and qualify to be listed in another Snap category. If this internal page were accepted by Snap, your Web site would have two listings and twice as many chances to be found.

In fact, if the 15 word description you supply with this submission used an entirely different set of keywords, you could achieve an entirely different set of top rankings than your home page and attract even more visitors.

NOTE: Snap returns 20 matches per result page, therefore a top 20 ranking in Snap may be as valuable as a top 10 ranking in many other search engines.