LookSmart Introduces Pay-Per-Click URL Inclusion Program

For the most part URL inclusion programs are fairly straightforward. You pay a fee, you get listed. In some cases, such as Yahoo's, the fee is yearly. But LookSmart is breaking new ground by introducing pay-per-click URL inclusion.

There is a flat fee associated with this new program. You pay $49 as an "editorial review fee" -- LookSmart makes sure that your description and keywords are relevant, that your page doesn't break any of their rules, etc. Once you're listed, you pay 0.15 per clickthrough from their directory. Minimum is $15 a month. Maximum is $2500 a month.

Wait, wait, I can hear your brain melting from here! You *can* set a cap on your monthly spending. If you go higher than your cap then your listing won't appear in search results until the next month.

If you're a non-commercial site you don't have to go through all this hoo-hah. Instead you can submit your site via Zeal.com, http://www.zeal.com/ . You can get more information on LookSmart's listings at http://listings.looksmart.com/help/faq.jhtml .

My feelings on this? It seems awfully expensive. Which is better, paying a flat fee of $299 a year and getting unlimited clicks from Yahoo, or paying $180 a year ($15/month minimum for 12 months) plus an initial $49 setup fee (per listing) for 100 clicks/month? Now if only Yahoo made it easier to regularly change a listing's description.....

Posted to Search Engines-LookSmart