Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web.
From Search Engine Land:
- Facebook Questions Opens To Limited Public Release
Long expected, Facebook’s new Facebook Questions service is now being offered. It allows Facebook users to specifically ask question to and get answers from others in Facebook’s now 500 million strong community.
The service just went live at 1pm Pacific Time today, and we’re working on a detailed look at all the features. That will be […] - The Algorithm Ate My Lunch: Responding to Catastrophic Ranking Changes
One of the most unpleasant situations an in-house SEO can face is a major search engine algorithm change that results in a massive downward shift in rankings. Some webmasters have reported search engine traffic losses of up to 90% as a result of Google’s “Mayday” update, and similar catastrophes have been attached to every algorithm […]
- What Do Caffeine And Mayday Mean For B2B Marketers?
Most of you have heard about Google Caffeine which launched last month and the algorithm update made in
May, nicknamed Mayday. For many B2B sites the algorithm change resulted in a loss of rankings and
traffic. Now that several weeks have passed, marketers are wondering how these
changes affect their website and what changes (if any) they should make. This column offers
practical advice for B2B marketers regarding these recent Google updates. - Blekko: New Search Engine Lets You “Spin” The Web
Did you think the search engine wars had devolved into a fight between only Google and Bing? Think again. New challenger Blekko is stepping into the fray, opening to limited beta testing today. It offers a compelling way to “slash the web” and put a particular spin on your search results.
Blekko isn’t a Google-killer. Nor […] - Couponing Websites For Competitive Branding Campaigns
Have you ever tried to use a PPC campaign to steal customers from your competitors and failed? If so, consider trying a campaign on Google’s display network in conjunction with your search campaign. It might just deliver the results you’re looking for.
After running a successful PPC campaign for some time, it can be difficult […] - The Anatomy Of A Great Social Media Landing Page
Unlike its counterpart, the social media landing page isn’t focused getting on one action from a visitor; it has to manage four different kinds of conversion. Do your social landing pages manage all four?
- Google Talking With Game Makers About New Social Gaming Site: Report
Nary a week goes by this summer that we don’t hear more rumors about Google’s interest in online games, social networking, and/or some combination of the two. Tonight, the Wall Street Journal is quoting unnamed sources that say Google is talking with “several makers of popular online games” to have those games included on a […]
- Search Dominates Social Media When Shopping Online: Study
A new study about the buying habits of computer and consumer electronics shoppers shows the importance of search to the online shopping process. Search engines, in particular, are relied on much more heavily than social media — but the study also speaks to the importance of on-site search boxes.
The report — which can be downloaded […] - Daydreaming About Paid Search: How About Airtight Ad Groups?
My best daydreams come on summer afternoons when the sky is full of big fluffy clouds in a deep blue sky, and there is a refreshing summer breeze to keep me cool. Next week, I plan to enjoy plenty of that when we take our family vacation at Twin Lake Villa, an idyllic, and […]
- Goodbye Yellow Google AdWords Background & Hello Purple Backgrounds
Google has begun rolling out a new background color for the AdWords listings on Google’s search results. The new color is a pale purple, as opposed to the current pale yellow. Google has been testing the pale purple since May of this year and last week we have seen it ramp up in […]
- Want To Speak @ SMX East? Here’s How
The agenda is live, and we’re now accepting submissions to speak at Search Marketing Expo – SMX East 2010. To increase the odds of being selected, be sure to have read the agenda. Understand what the sessions are about. Ensure that your pitch is on target to the show’s audience and the session. Please also […]
- The Google Sewage Factory, In Action: The Chocomize Story
Google’s CEO Eric Schmidt has quite famously been on record many times talking about how the web is full of garbage. It’s a cesspool out there, he’s said. Today, a short fast look at how his own company pollutes the web.
Right now, one of the “trending topics” on Google is the word “chocomize,” as you […]
Search News From Around The Web:
Applications & Portal Features
- Email delivery issues resolved, Yahoo! Groups Blog
- Google Checkout Fraud (Mostly Auto): Just Be Careful, Search Engine Roundtable
- Is Google Watching You? New Plugin Will Let You Know [APPS], mashable.com
Business Issues
- Google’s Chief: Facebook Not a Competitor, Wall Street Journal
- Search And Dating Dollars Help Boost IAC Revs, paidContent.org
Link Building
- Prioritise Your Link Building to Increase Traffic Fast, dailyseotip.com
Paid Search & Contextual
- Google Readies Audio Ads For Streaming Music Service, MediaPost
- Advanced Google AdWords is Now Available in Kindle Format, Brad Geddes
- Discover v201003: Learn from the past with the Bid Simulator, AdWords API Blog
- Introducing the Google Mobile Ads Blog, Inside AdWords
- New Google AdWords Certified Profile Links Not Working, Search Engine Roundtable
- Switch to the new version of AdSense for search, Inside AdSense
SEM Industry
- Expert Search Engine Optimization Interview with Dana Todd, Vertical Measures
SEO & SEM
- 5 Things You Need to Know to Succeed With Bing, Search Engine Journal
- How to Re-Purpose Your Content to Optimize it for Traveling Season, Search Engine Journal
- Manipulating Ad Sitelinks in Adwords, Vertical Leap Blog
- Sliced Images? Can You Optimize Them For Image Search?, Search Engine Roundtable
- The Clueless, but “Whitehat”, SEO, Sugarrae
- The Trada Model: Crowd-sourcing paid search?, Rimm Kaufman
Social Media
- Optimize Your Social Media Pages for Top Rankings – 5 Easy Things You Can Do Right Now, Search Engine Guide
- 100 million Facebook pages leaked on torrent site, THINQ.co.uk
- Discovering Delicious Favorite Tags feature, delicious blog
- Facebook Community Pages: How to Protect Your Brand and Strengthen Your Facebook Presence, blueglass.com
- Social SEO Success – 4 Social Media Marketing & Optimization Tips, Online Marketing Blog
- Will adding my Twitter feed to my website increase my PageRank?, YouTube
Video, Music & Image Search
- Calling all Logitech and Google TV Fans!, BLogitech
- Google Drops Report Offensive Images From New Image Search, Search Engine Roundtable
Web Analytics
- How to Benchmark in Analytics, SEOmoz
Recent Hot Items From Sphinn, Our Social News Sharing Site:
- Mobile Advertising and the Rise of Coupons – Mobile is firmly establishing itself as a crucial advertising channel, and the companies who aren’t utilizing it look set to be left behind. More than two thirds of the population are in possession of a mobile phone, and it’s obvious to see why the direct nature of mobile advertising is so appealing to businesses. Mobile coupon usage looks set to explode too, with the two biggest players on the internet – Google & Facebook – strongly backing QR codes.