| Interview With Gimpsy Founder - Mordechai | | | | have amassed a large collection (and some |
| Chachamu | | | | users have accumulated hundreds of sites), it |
| | | | is always easy to find them again. |
| Gimpsy is a different kind of directory, | | | | |
| listing only sites that provide online | | | | DW: What else can a user do to fine-tune the |
| activity or help you accomplish a specific | | | | search results? |
| task. Gimpsy founder, Mordechai Chachamu | | | | |
| explains why. | | | | MC: In addition to the usual 'Preferences', |
| | | | many categories have additional 'attributes'. |
| DW: It only takes a cursory glance at your | | | | It would be easier to explain by example. In |
| home page to appreciate that it is quite | | | | the category Buy > home & garden > window |
| different from all other directories out | | | | covering there are now 49 sites (assuming |
| there. Perhaps we can start with some | | | | Location is set to USA). On the right hand |
| background about you and Gimpsy. When, why | | | | side, there is a drop-down list titled |
| and how did it all begin? | | | | 'Covering Style'. Clicking on it brings up |
| | | | various types of windows covering, such as |
| MC: The inspiration to Gimpsy came way back | | | | blinds, curtains etc. If you select |
| in 1999. As is the case with many other | | | | 'shutters' the list of sites will shorten |
| inventions - it came out of frustration with | | | | dramatically and you will see just 9 sites. |
| existing technology. I was trying to buy | | | | Thus, if you were looking to buy shutters for |
| something on the net and used the search | | | | your windows online - you now have a perfect |
| engines to get to the right site. I spent | | | | list! |
| many hours and visited many sites without | | | | |
| success. I started to think "WHY can't I get | | | | DW: Is Gimpsy more "spider friendly" than |
| the results that I want?" and it occurred to | | | | other directories? If so, how? |
| me that the reason is that the search engines | | | | |
| don't UNDERSTAND what I want! "But is there a | | | | MC: That would depend on your definition of |
| way to MAKE them understand?" It was then | | | | 'spider friendly'. Do you mean the extent of |
| that the idea of Gimpsy was born. Gimpy is | | | | indexing of the directory pages by Search |
| built so that once you have made your | | | | Engines? |
| INTENTION clear - it provides you with a list | | | | |
| of sites where you can accomplish them. | | | | DW: Yes. |
| | | | |
| DW: How was Gimpsy funded? | | | | MC: Well, in that case, you can get an |
| | | | objective indication for it at the directory |
| MC: After the flash of inspiration, I | | | | section of Strongest Links. From about 80 |
| naturally thought that people would just fall | | | | directories, Gimpsy is ranked 7th in the |
| over themselves trying to secure a slice of | | | | world (at the moment) in total 'Saturation'. |
| the golden pie. As an MBA graduate, I knew | | | | But that's not the full picture. If you check |
| what I was supposed to do, business plan and | | | | the 'info' page of the leading directories, |
| all. The time was the height of the dot com | | | | you will see that Gimpsy is much more |
| boom and the world was awash with | | | | 'balanced' than many other directories and is |
| entrepreneurs like me trying to secure | | | | indexed well in all the Search Engines. The |
| funding. I nearly made it - but the promised | | | | advantage for site owners is that a site |
| funds never materialized. Then came the big | | | | listed in Gimpsy is likely to be spidered and |
| crush, and with it the realization that | | | | indexed by many Search Engines - not just |
| Gimpsy will become a reality only if I will | | | | Google. As you know, getting indexed by some |
| make it so. Using my (very modest) savings | | | | Search Engines is a notoriously long process, |
| and help from my family, we managed to get | | | | unless you are willing to pay for inclusion. |
| where we are now. We would welcome interest | | | | |
| from investors, but Gimpsy's survival is now | | | | DW: Does Gimpsy contribute to the PageRank of |
| assured. | | | | sites listed in it? |
| | | | |
| DW: What is it that makes Gimpsy so unique? | | | | MC: Indeed it does. First, unlike many other |
| | | | directories, Gimpsy allows sites to be listed |
| MC: The most fundamental difference is the | | | | in several categories, which means that a |
| categorization model. Every directory follows | | | | site may have several links to it. In |
| the footprints of the first major directory - | | | | addition, each site has its own detailed |
| Yahoo. The home pages of all the directories | | | | information page, which links only to it. |
| look virtually identical - they all have | | | | Many sites can see their back link from |
| 'Arts', 'Business', 'Computers', 'Health', | | | | Gimpsy at Google, even though the home page |
| 'Science', etc. A Yahoo style Editor that | | | | has, at the moment, a PageRank of just 6. |
| reviews a site tries to answer the question: | | | | |
| What is this site ABOUT? | | | | DW: Is submission to Gimpsy free? |
| | | | |
| A Gimpsy Editor, on the other hand, has a | | | | MC: Gimpsy provides a free submission option. |
| different question in mind. He or she asks | | | | There are no strings attached - totally |
| "What can the user DO on this site?" Thus, | | | | unconditional. However, as the queue for |
| the home page of Gimpsy simply lists VERBS, | | | | review is now very long (by the way, we |
| like 'buy', 'design', 'play', 'subscribe', | | | | operate on a strict 'first come first serve' |
| 'trade', etc. | | | | basis), a free submission is likely to be |
| | | | reviewed after 4 months or more. As we are |
| DW: The slogan "Active Sites for Active | | | | becoming more and more popular - the queue is |
| People" is related to Gimpsy containing sites | | | | likely to lengthen much more. |
| that provide an interactive online service. | | | | |
| Can you expound on this further, explaining | | | | DW: You must get tons of spam submissions. |
| what kind of sites are actually included in | | | | How do you effectively deal with this? |
| Gimpsy? | | | | |
| | | | MC: First of all, we ensure that it would be |
| MC: Gimpsy is highly selective when it comes | | | | nearly impossible to use a script to submit |
| to site acceptance. It will only accept sites | | | | sites to Gimpsy. Only hand-submit works. |
| for which the question "what can I DO here" | | | | Then, we make it very clear that we are very |
| is relevant. If the answer is 'reading', the | | | | stringent in our Editorial process and we |
| site is not accepted, irrespective if the | | | | will NOT tolerate spam. So far, I can't say |
| information if of the highest quality and the | | | | that it has been a major problem. |
| content is the most authoritative in the | | | | |
| field. Some Site Owners find it very hard to | | | | DW: You do offer a paid option as well. What |
| accept. | | | | are the advantages of using the paid option |
| | | | as opposed to the free option. |
| DW: OK, but how does this help the searcher? | | | | |
| | | | MC: Our approach to the paid option is to |
| MC: By insisting on accepting only sites that | | | | provide maximum value for money. Thus, we do |
| provide online activity, the user gets a | | | | not just promise (with a full money back |
| unique search experience at Gimpsy - 100% | | | | guarantee) that a decision will be taken |
| relevant results! Just browse any category at | | | | within 72 hours, but we also offer additional |
| Gimpsy and it will become obvious. For | | | | benefits too. For example, every site |
| example, Buy > clothes > uniforms > sports or | | | | accepted through the paid option is promoted |
| Learn > how to > use the Internet or Order > | | | | to a prime position for 90 days. |
| personalized > songs & videos, they all | | | | Interestingly, every one knows how important |
| present the user with a list of sites where | | | | it is to rank high in the Search Engine |
| the desired goal can be achieved - online, no | | | | result page, but they don't think that the |
| 'ifs', 'ands' or 'buts'. A great insight into | | | | same applies to directories! Our internal |
| the variety of areas included in Gimpsy can | | | | statistics show that nearly 70% of all the |
| be seen at the Category of the week page, | | | | referrals went to sites listed in the first |
| that holds all the categories that were | | | | 10 places. Thus, a paying site will not only |
| nominated in the past. | | | | be included faster, indexed by Search Engines |
| | | | sooner and enjoy a higher PageRank, but is |
| DW: In your publications you keep emphasizing | | | | likely to get many referrals too. |
| the 'Natural Language' search method. Why do | | | | |
| you think that Gimpsy will succeed where | | | | In addition, we also provide 90 days free use |
| giants like Ask Jeeves have failed? | | | | at the Strongest Links site, which in itself |
| | | | is worth nearly as much as the current |
| MC: Gimpsy is the only general purpose | | | | submission rate of $40. |
| directory where you can enter a 'normal' | | | | |
| English phrase and get relevant results. For | | | | DW: Besides the paid submission option, are |
| instance, try entering 'buy sport uniform', | | | | there any advertising opportunities on Gimpsy |
| 'learn how to use the Internet' or 'order | | | | and if so, how do they work? |
| personalized song'. As I said, you just tell | | | | |
| Gimpsy what you want to DO online - and it | | | | MC: Here, too, we have chosen a unique model, |
| will show you which sites provide that | | | | which we believe is the best for users, Site |
| service. For more examples, see where the | | | | Owners and Gimpsy. It works as follows: |
| last 15 Natural Language queries are kept. | | | | |
| | | | Every category has a limited number of prime |
| DW: It's easy to see that every site in the | | | | positions, to be auctioned on a monthly |
| category 'Learn > how to > use the Internet' | | | | basis. |
| would be relevant to any user interested in | | | | |
| that activity, but surely not all sites in | | | | Site owners can submit a sealed bid for one |
| 'Order > fast food' would be. After all, a | | | | of the available places. |
| New York based pizzeria will not deliver | | | | |
| their freshly baked pizza to Chicago. How do | | | | On the 1st of the month, all the bids are |
| you overcome the geographical restriction? | | | | opened and ranked according to the bidding |
| | | | sums. |
| MC: We just take it into account. Any user, | | | | |
| even if not registered with Gimpsy, can set | | | | The 1st place goes to the highest bidder, |
| his/her 'Preferences', which include the | | | | second place to the next one and so forth, |
| selection of their 'Location'. Once the | | | | until all the available places have been |
| location is chosen, Gimpsy will show only | | | | taken. |
| sites that are relevant to that location! No | | | | |
| other global Search Engine or directory is | | | | All other sites are randomly reshuffled. |
| able to deliver localized search results | | | | |
| anywhere near the accuracy of Gimpsy. | | | | That's it. The winning sites will enjoy a |
| | | | significant boost in visitors - without any |
| DW: But how can you tell? | | | | additional payment. |
| | | | |
| MC: As part of the editorial review of every | | | | DW: Is Gimpsy's mission to be different in |
| site, the Editor is asked to determine the | | | | every aspect? Why not use Pay Per Click (PPC) |
| site's 'Coverage'. In other words, to answer | | | | like everyone else? |
| the question: Which areas in the world are | | | | |
| being serviced by the site? It is a common | | | | MC: I see you want to extract some venom from |
| experience among the non-USA Internet users | | | | me... OK, then :). We do not believe in the |
| to find a great site that has just the right | | | | PPC model - it is a recipe for dishonesty. |
| merchandise and the right price. Only after | | | | Every day thousands of Site Owners are losing |
| placing the order and entering the Credit | | | | vast amounts of money to PPC engine owners, |
| Card details they discover the 'so sorry - we | | | | paying for non-existing 'users'. I am not |
| only ship within the USA' notice. You will | | | | saying that all the PPC owners are blatantly |
| never have such an experience at sites found | | | | cheating, although some certainly do, and I |
| at Gimpsy. | | | | have experienced it myself. The problem is |
| | | | that the PPC system makes it so easy for |
| DW: That must be very time consuming! | | | | competitors to harm each other, by using |
| | | | either automated scripts or employing an army |
| MC: Indeed it is. I have nothing but | | | | of 'clickers' from India, as was recently |
| admiration to the amazing work that our | | | | revealed. They get paid, the PPC owner gets |
| Editors do. Being a Gimpsy Editor is far from | | | | paid and only the Site Owner is left with a |
| easy and requires a lot of training and | | | | hole in his pocket. I believe that the Gimpsy |
| dedication. That is one of the reasons that | | | | model is superior and hope it will become a |
| we do not use volunteers. | | | | blueprint for others too. |
| | | | |
| DW: Can you explain how the "My Gimpsy" | | | | DW: What are your future plans for Gimpsy? In |
| feature works? | | | | other words, where do you see Gimpsy in a |
| | | | year from now? |
| MC: This section is for users that wish to | | | | |
| make the most out of the directory. Following | | | | MC: Gimpsy's Mission Statement states: Gimpsy |
| a simple registration process (in fact - VERY | | | | will be the definitive guide to the World |
| simple), they gain access to an online form | | | | Wide Web virtual city. This encapsulates our |
| that allows them to communicate directly to | | | | desire to be the first choice for every user |
| the Gimpsy Team. Most importantly, perhaps, | | | | that wants to do something online - and |
| is the access to the 'Favorites' facility. As | | | | doesn't know which sites provide it. |
| the name suggests, you can add sites to your | | | | Thousands of people are bookmarking us every |
| 'Favorites' collection, similar to your | | | | month, and the trend upwards is unmistakable. |
| browser's Favorites. Unlike the browser, when | | | | I expect that trend to continue - and to gain |
| you select a site from Gimpsy to be added to | | | | momentum. We may not fulfill the mission |
| your Gimpsy favorites, it retains its | | | | statement in a year - but we intend to enjoy |
| classification in your private collection! | | | | every moment of the journey! |
| For example, say you found a great site in | | | | |
| the category 'Buy > home & garden > pool & | | | | DW: Many thanks for your detailed response. |
| spa > sauna'. If you decided to keep it in | | | | |
| your favorites, it will be entered there | | | | MC: The pleasure is all mine! |
| under the same categorization. Even if you | | | | |