THE CONCEPT

The concept is simple. The Internet's ability to deliver sales without the aid of traditional media has arrived. The ability is based on connectivity - not content. The connectivity in the Non-linear Internet Marketing world is measured by a calculation called Page Rank or PR. Rage Rank is a formula that works totally independent of Search Engines but is, in actuality, one of the variables involved in the SE algorithms.

Page Rank is a measurement that is much like the Saffer-Simpson hurricane scale. Because the Internet is so large, we need a way of compartmentalizing the vast quantities of websites in order to make distinctions that will ultimately determine the value of a website in terms of Internet Marketing. That value quantifies the site's potential for connectivity. Connectivity is the delivery of eye-balls and, as you now know, eye-balls equal money.

This has sprung up mostly from the SEO world. Search Engine Optimization is a booming industry and those who do it well are making a lot of money because they are literally making or breaking client companies by consistently locating those companies on the top of pertinent searches on sites such as GOOGLE, YAHOO and MSN.

Search Engine algorithms are complex but they have fundamentals that are easily understood. By now, everyone understands the term "key words." Key words are the words people type in that determine the rankings of a search. Those same words need to be present in pre-determined ways in pre-determined concentrations on each web-site in order for the SEO to take effect at all.

After key words, in order of importance to the Search Engines, are meta-tags. Meta-tags are like invisible key words in the sense that they are not visible to the naked eye but are electronic keys to the content on a site. They enable the Search Engine go-bots to move much faster and still provide an accurate assessment of the content of any given site.

Every web-designer knows about key words and meta-tags. There is no longer an advantage in having these two variables present in any given site. There is, however, a disadvantage in not having them on a site.

Third in the hierarchy of Search Engine "have-to's" are hits. Hits can be best understood as a measurement of activity on a site. It's similar to every mouse click represents a hit. A lot of hits tells the Search Engines that a site is popular once a visitor gets there and that's important in determining the value of a site vis a vis someone looking for a site that will fulfill their needs.

The problem with hits is a catch 22. It's hard to get more hits without a higher ranking on the Search Engines and it's hard to get a higher SER without more hits. Hits is a result of a popular website, not a cause.

That leaves the fourth criteria: Links. As a result of the advantage of key words and meta-tags being neutralized and hits being more a result than a cause, Links has rocketed in importance. So much so that an entire industry called Link Farms has been born.

Link Farms typically offer to mine and manage 100 links (more or less) for about $1500 a month and $5000 down. There are literally hundreds of Link Farms springing up all over because it is a business that has high residual income potential and requires a mostly automated process.

So, what Tops In America offers is a massive linkage among Tops In America pages and Members and other companies that can total within a year in the tens of thousands of links. And we offer it to Members for only $250 a month, packaged in a Tops In America Top Ten list that is easy to find and easy to move through. By comparison, to be one of the Landscapers in Texas City, Texas on the Local Yahoo which could potentially contain every landscaper in Texas City is $57 a month. Tops In America offers the branded Top Ten list for the entire city of Houston for only $250 a month. (Texas City is a city of about 50,000 people)

Every Member on every Top Ten in every city and state rotates up one position every three days. This way, all ten Members in each Top Ten Network move through all ten positions every 30 days. The memberships are sold in twelve-month intervals and during the sign-up process, Members are informed that the hits are not expected to start until month six. This is to control expectations. The site refreshes itself automatically with the update of any new information.

TOPS IN AMERICA or something like it was inevitable. Right now we are first to market. We are like McDonald's in the 1950's. We recognize that the Internet is a great big place and that a team of "companies" focused on a single goal can create economies of scale otherwise unobtainable.

No single McDonald's Franchisee can afford a spot on the Super Bowl at $2.4 million per 30 seconds. However, create a business model that spreads to thousands of franchisees and all of a sudden all Golden Arches stand out and an individual franchisee can share in the expense and reward of appearing on the Super Bowl.

Tops In America recognizes that most businesses are fighting the Internet Visibility battle alone. Directories, keywords, listings, etc., are not paying off. The goal of the Internet is to dominate. You do so by being first. Tops In America is like a huge Cruise Liner with thousands of people on board that comes along side a man in an inter-tube in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and says, "Come on board! We can move across and around this ocean a lot faster than you can!" We are creating a powerful Internet marketing team of businesses from all over the country. It is literally an Internet inside the Internet… because the current Internet is too big.