Don’t scratch your head any more. iProspect has just released a study on all the meaty information you’ve been asking yourself. It’s no surprise to learn that people don’t go past the first page, but it is interesting to note that a whopping 68% of search engine users click on a result on the first page.

And 92% click on a result within the first three pages. If you’re not in the first three pages the only clients you’ll be getting are those 8% with lots of time on their hands – and we all know what a joy they are to work for…

The study is actually about blended search results, aka universal search and it’s obviously changed our tolerance for results. Now, 49% of users who don’t find what they are looking for on the first page change their search query. So rather than click through those extra 2 pages, they’ll just type something else in. Our desire to go deeper into the black hole (past the first three pages) has decreased from 22% in 2002 to 9% in 2008.

Do we really trust that each of the big three search engines are returning the best results on the first three pages?

I certainly don’t, this survey makes me want to dive into the black hole more often.

Make up your own mind by reading the report.

At last weeks SMX in Sydney, two SEO experts stumbled across flightcentre.com.au cloaking their pages. Those naughty people had been presenting the search engines with different content to what was actually on some of the pages. Apparently the situation is now rectified and I’m sure their SEO agency is fired, but what a PR disaster. To have all of your dirty work revealed live in front of an audience.

Find out more from one of the discoverers, Rand Fishkin of SEOmoz

http://www.seomoz.org/blog/the-dangers-of-cloaking-revealed-at-smx-sydney-4086#jtc55210

Update: Flight Centre has posted a response and explanation on Neerav Bhatt’s blog here

Actually, I lie. It’s not writing for search engines 101, it’s laughing at those who have followed parts of that subject religiously. I happened to stumble across this site this afternoon, http://www.mywebsitedesigner.com.au/

For those of you who are too lazy to click on the link, let me show you their first two paragraphs, I’ve gone to the effort of highlighting their keywords, just in case they don’t stand out for you:

Melbourne website design & search engine optimization services are just a few of My Website Designer Australia's award winning website design services.

We have worked with Melbourne website design clients, Sydney website design clients, Brisbane website design clients & International website design clients to create beautiful, easy to use, Google friendly websites that can help your business succeed online.

They’re offering search engine optimisation, which I’m sure includes their excellent copywriting services.

OK, the way Google’s ranking at the moment, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were on the first page. I’m going to monitor these guys and report back…soon…

I’m putting this spammer in my hall of shame for sheer laziness. Here is the offensive email:

Microsoft Award Team
20 Craven Park, Harlesden
London NW10
United Kingdom
FILE REF: HL/5564/06/07/MICS
BATCH: MC11/834/5PDH /EU  
OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION

The prestigious Microsoft and AOL has set out and successfully organised a Sweepstakes marking the new year anniversary for 2008, we rolled out over ?450.000.00 (Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand pounds sterling) Draws. Participants for the draws were randomly selected and drawn from a wide range of web hosts which we enjoy their patronage. Your email address as indicated was drawn and attached to ticket number 008795727498 with serial numbers BTD/9080648302/06 and drew the lucky numbers 14-21-25-39-40-47(20) which subsequently won you ?450.000.00 (Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand pounds sterling) as one of the jackpot winners in his draw. You have therefore won the entire winning sum of ?450.000.00GBP (Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand pounds sterling)  
These are your identification numbers:MCS-26799/097 CATEGORY NO.OF WINNERS WINNING PRIZES
1st. 2 ? 450,000.00 pounds each
2nd. 8 ? 350.000.00 pounds each
3rd. 13 ? 250,000.00 pounds each
4th. 27 ? 170,000.00 pounds each CLAIMS REQUIREMENTS:
1. Full names:
2. Residential address:
3. Phone number:
4. Fax number:
5. Occupation:
6. Sex:
7. Age:
8. Nationality:
9. Present Country:
10.Next of kin name/address: Mode Of Price Remittance. (1)Cash Pick-Up (You coming Down to Uk Personally to Pick Your Price). (2)Courier Delivery Of your Certified Winning Cheque Name and other Winning Documents safely to you. FOREIGN TRANSFER MANAGER
MR:LIQIN TIAH
MICROSOFT SECURITY DEPARTMENT (UK).
E-mail:dr_liqintiah@hotmail.co.uk The Microsoft Internet E-mail lottery Awards is sponsored by our CEO/Chairman, Bill Gates and a consortium of software promotion companies. The Intel Group, Toshiba, Dell Computers and other International Companies. The Microsoft internet E-mail draw is held periodically and is organized to encourage the use of the Internet and promote computer literacy worldwide. Once again on behalf of all our staff, CONGRATULATIONS! Sincerely,
MR.GERY BROOK
M.S.PRO. ZONAL COORDINATOR. 

The email comes from Microsoft Window XP Award, which is ligintiah_101@yahoo.co.uk – really – they let Microsoft employees have yahoo email accounts? I know there are talks of impending merge, but the least he could have done is have a hotmail address, like he does at the bottom of the email.

The grammar, well, let’s not get started, but can I just point out (You coming Down to Uk Personally to Pick Your Price).

Does that mean I get to pick the price? I’ll have 450,000,000.00 pounds please .