Internet Business Promoter v8.0
Axandra Software
Standard Edition: $179.95
Business Edition: $349.95
Axandra Software has recently released version 8 of their popular Internet Business Promoter software (IBP). A suite of tools designed to assist with various aspects of search engine visibility and website promotion. The new version features a completely redesigned interface and a variety of new tools in addition to the tools offered by previous releases. The following is a review of IBP Version 8 features and primary tools:
- Top 10 Optimizer:
Enter a search phrase which is targeted by your website and IBP’s built in spider will identify your top 10 competitors and do a full source code analysis of each competitor’s home page. This information is then used to define optimal values for various source code elements, against which your website is compared. Finally an extremely comprehensive comparative report is compiled which contrasts your website’s code elements to that of your competitors. Recommendations and suggestions for improvement are offered in the report.
Pros:A very useful tool for doing competitor website research and analysis.
Cons:All elements are analyzed using the sorely outdated and ineffective keyword density approach and therefore offers no reliable advice or suggestions. See PPW newsletter #38 [Sorry, link no longer available] for an introduction to search engine language analysis)
- Website Optimization Editor:
Specialized HTML editor that focuses on web page elements traditionally important to search engine optimization. Allows you to establish keyword emphasis.
Pros:Breaks up editing tasks by element for easy organization.
Cons:Based on outdated SEO methodologies; primarily the creation of useless meta tags for keyword placement.
- Keyword Generator:
Convenient interface for interacting with various web based keyword suggestion/expansion tools.
Pros:Cuts research time by providing a common interface.
Cons:Does not facilitate access to the more comprehensive and powerful keyword research tools such as Wordtracker.
- Search Engine Spider Simulator
Allows you to view webpages from the perspective of a basic web robot or distributed crawler.
Pros:Allows you to simulate different web robots; GOOGLEBOT, MSNBot and Slurp(Yahoo)
Cons:Analysis is little more than a text browser view with a summary. The individual robot simulations are at best educated guesses of how each engine views a web page, however the reports appear to be the same regardless of which spider you choose to simulate.
- Search Engine / Directory / Specialty Site Submitter
Automatic and semi-automatic submissions can be made to an extensive list of both search engines and directories. Additionally a database of industry/topic specific specialty websites is available for link requests.
Pros:Provides a comprehensive collection of subject specific directories.
Cons:Search Engine submission is generally a useless exercise. The specialty websites are no longer specialty websites, because they are now advertised in a popular software application for link exchanges. They are now/will soon be link farms.
- Search Engine Ranking Checker
Track your keyword rankings on many terms and across a huge database of search engines. You specify engines, concurrent connections and report details.
Pros:Supports human behavior emulation, search depth and multiple scheduled tasks. Tracks changes over time.
Cons:None
- Pay Per Click Account Management
Common interface for managing many different PPC accounts. Includes Keyword editor and refinement tool and ROI calculators.
Pros:Convenient solution for managing multiple PPC campaigns.
Cons:Interface is cluttered
- IBP 8 Special Features:
- Manage and track all IBP activities for multiple projects
- Schedule automated tasks
- HTML Validation
- Self-Updated System and Databases
- Guides and Tutorials built in
Overall IBP 8.0 is a software suite that combines a majority of mediocre tools with a few really exceptional ones.