June 8, 2008 - June 14, 2008
Google Mobile Search Feels the Need for Speed
Mobile is the wave of the future and accessing the web is increasingly becoming a must for mobile phone users. Smartphone sales are up and the iPhone is hot! But the internet is not as fast on your phone as it is on your laptop. That's why Google's news about an update to mobile search will come as welcome news to many.
Writing on the Google Mobile blog, Software Engineer James Watts explains:
"When you navigate to google.com in your browser, we cache the homepage on your phone. If you bookmark this homepage, then returning to Google using the bookmark is almost instantaneous."
iGoogle has also been improved for mobile. Start by going to iGoogle on your computer, and choose which widgets you want to access on your phone. Again, bookmarking iGoogle on your phone helps it load faster.
Related Reading:
Google Releases Study on Mobile Search Query Suggestions
Google's New Wifi Push Will Drive Mobile Search
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 13, 2008, 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Google Website Optimizer's Technology Partner Program Shows Compatible CMS
Google Website Optimizer has launched the Technology Partner program, which shows which CMS platforms are compatible with their JavaScript-based testing tool.
Website Optimizer can still be used on CMS platforms not listed in the program, but the certified CMS partners come with documentation and support.
Jon Stona of the Website Optimizer team, wrote on their blog, "We see this program as a win for CMS providers and website-owners alike. CMS platforms of any size can offer their customers a powerful A/B and multivariate testing solution, which might have cost them millions of dollars to develop internally."
What do YOU think of the Technology Partner program? Useful or useless? Let us know in the comments.
Related Reading:
Testing Landing Pages Includes Testing Best Practices
Testing Applies to Widgets and Accessories, Not Just Landing Pages
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 13, 2008, 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Live Search Cashback Now Available for ebay "But It Now" Products
In an effort to boost its search game, Microsoft recently announced its Live Search Cashback program which rewards those who make purchases as a result of Live Search ads with cash rebates. Now, eBay is part of the program, but in a more streamlined way.
When searching for a product, you'll now see a cashback gleam next to eBay paid search ads. You'll be able to get cashback on "Buy It Now" products directly through eBay instead of going through the cashback site.
Live Search says that doing cashback this way requires some coding with partner merchants, but it hopes to offer more advertisers like this in the future.
What do you think of this new cashback offering? Has cashback changed the way you search? Share your experience in the comments.
Related Reading:
eBay Wants To Team Up With Yahoo And/Or Microsoft To Compete Against Google?
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 13, 2008, 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Google's Related Searches Fresher Than Ever
Google has announced that their related search suggestions are now extra fresh. Writing on the Official Google Blog, Rajat Mukherjee, Group Product Manager, Search and Adam Westall, Software Engineer said, "Recently, we improved our algorithms to process new information faster, and the result is quite tangible -- you should now see fresher suggestions for queries on current topics of interest."
They gave several examples. One is the iPhone. Now, if/when you search for the iPhone you'll get a suggestion for the iPhone 3G, announced this week. This suggestion should come as a surprise to no one informed about the relationship the search engine has with the fruit.
Other examples include:
1. Searching for tomatoes and getting a suggestion about the recent salmonella situation
2. Searching for us open and seeing a US Open Golf Tournament suggestion
3. Searching for kung fu and getting a tip about the Kung Fu Panda movie (which my kids loved, btw).
I personally could not duplicate the results for any of these examples in Firefox, but I could in Internet Explorer.
What are you seeing when it comes to Google related searches? Let us know in the comments.
Related Reading:
Google Finally Copies Microsoft, Adds 'Related Searches' to Google News
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 13, 2008, 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Two dozen search blogs buzzing about SEM conference
If you're getting ready to go to Search Engine Strategies Toronto next week – or still on the fence about whether to attend SES Toronto June 16-18 – then check out the buzz from more than two dozen search blogs that has been leading up to the SEM conference.
If fact, the buzz in Canada has been louder this year than the one coming from the periodical cicadas that emerge every 17 years from underground haunts on Cape Cod. (Hey, I'm not making this up. Just read “Cape is again abuzz” from The Boston Globe.)
What Google calls “the buzzing blogger community” has been blogging about the speakers who will be speaking at Search Engine Strategies Toronto. I should know. I was among the first bloggers to start buzzing about “Why search engine marketers should attend SES Toronto 2008.”
But, I haven't been alone.
More than two dozen other search blogs joined the chorus. Here's a list of the posts about next week's SEM conference that I was able to find today – and I'm sure that I'm missing more:
An Analytic Approach to SEO and PPC
Entrevue - Eric Morris de Google Canada
Search Engine Strategies (SES) Toronto
Speaking Schedule for June: Millennial Financial, DM Days & SES Toronto
Interview with Eric Morris from Google
Portrait Québecois des moteurs de recherche
Search Engine Optimization - Toprank's CEO shares tips and Tricks
Interview: Jane Motz Hayes on SEO and Usability
SES Toronto 2008: Interview with Jill Whalen on SEO Donts, Myths, and Scams
Metamend Speakers at SMX Advanced and SES Toronto
Mission Critical for Non-Profits to Make the Search Connection
My interview with Matt McGowan, VP of Marketing - Incisive Media
SES Toronto - Combine Professional Development with Family Fun
SEO Myths with WestJet's Lyndsay Walker
Urban Mapping to Speak at SES Toronto 2008
Is There A Need For More Search Conferences In Canada?
So, “the buzzing blogger community” has really been abuzz about the SEM conference that gets underway on Tuesday, June 17, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (South Bldg.), in Toronto, Canada. It's not too late to register to find out what all this buzz is about for yourself.
Posted by Greg Jarboe on June 13, 2008, 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Jerry Yang Opens Up About Google Deal, Keeping Yahoo Independent
Jerry Yang has opened up about the non-exclusive search advertising deal with Google with a post over at the Yahoo! Anecdotal blog.
Yang started off by writing, "It's no longer a rumor." Considering Yahoo! issued a press release regarding a test of Adsense last April, I'm not sure rumor is the right word here, but let's move on.
Yang justified the deal by saying the move is part of Yahoo!'s open strategy:
"WebMD sells their audiences on Yahoo!, Yelp can customize how their local search results appear using Search Monkey, advertisers and publishers will buy and sell in an open marketplace with our upcoming AMP! from Yahoo!, and we're now opening our paid search results to Google."
Then, Yang offered assurance that Yahoo! wasn't exiting the paid search biz, but is instead positioning themselves better within the marketplace:
"As search and display continue their convergence, it puts Yahoo! in a better position to innovate and compete aggressively with Google and others for ad dollars."
One sentence stood out above all the rest.
"An independent search business is critical to our future."
Shareholders could grab onto that statement as a sign that Yang was never interested in selling to Microsoft, something Carl Icahn has been saying as part of his proxy board campaign.
Google also wants an independent Yahoo, per statements by CEO Eric Schmidt earlier this week. Though, we would assume that's for different reasons.
Of course, in order to make money from this deal, Yahoo needs to get eyeballs to their site and searches need to be conducted. But their numbers are falling in U.S. search queries, so they're going to have to do a lot more than a Google deal to save themselves.
Yang seems to understand this, "It is, of course, just one step. We'll continue to look at all of our alternatives to advance our strategies and enhance growth and profitability." But he doesn't have much time to prove himself before the August 1 shareholder meeting.
What do you think about Yang's statements? Is comparing Google to WebMd and Yelp like comparing apples and oranges? Did his blog help or hurt him with shareholders? Sound off in the comments.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 13, 2008, 10:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Google Confirms Yahoo-Google Deal on Friday the 13th
Google's official spin on the Yahoo-Google search deal portrays the pact as a technology play. Yahoo will have access to Google ad technology under the terms of the agreement.
Yahoo stated to Microsoft yesterday that an independent search business is critical to its future. We're puzzled how a partial outsourcing of search ads to Google would somehow ensure its independence.
If anything, the Google deal will weaken Yahoo's position in the search marketplace and likely lead to a defection among software engineers.
Our agreement to provide ad technology to Yahoo! 6/12/2008 03:28:00 PM Posted by Omid Kordestani, Senior VP, Global Sales and Business DevelopmentToday, we announced a non-exclusive advertising agreement that will provide Yahoo! with access to our AdSense for search and AdSense for content advertising programs on their U.S. and Canadian web properties. In addition, we will work to enable interoperability between our respective instant messaging services allowing users better, broader communication online.
We are proud of the advertising technologies we have built, which show users a relevant ad whether they are searching for a specific item or browsing the internet. This arrangement extends those benefits to Yahoo! and its many users, advertisers and publisher partners. We currently provide similar services to sites like AOL and Ask.com as well as many other partners, and we work closely with all of our partners to ensure that our partnership drives their long term success.
Why did we make this agreement? Quite simply, we think it is good for users, advertisers and publishers. By offering Google's industry-leading technology to Yahoo!, the whole system becomes more efficient, and everyone benefits:
* Consumers will see more relevant ads when they are looking for information and browsing the web. And with interoperability between IM services, users will have easier access to even more of their contacts.
* Publishers currently in the Yahoo! Publisher Network will benefit from Google's advertising technology, potentially increasing the revenue they earn from their sites.
* Advertisers will have new ways to reach their target customers online more efficiently.
We also think this is good for competition. The truth is, this kind of arrangement is commonplace in many industries, and it doesn't foreclose robust competition. Toyota sells its hybrid technology to General Motors, even though they are the number one and number two car manufacturers globally. Canon provides laser printer engines for HP, despite also competing in the broader laser printer market. Google and Yahoo will continue to be vigorous competitors, and that competition will help fuel innovation that is good for users.
It is important to say what this agreement is not:
* This is not a merger. Rather, we are merely providing access to our advertising technology to Yahoo! through our AdSense program.
* This does not remove a competitor from the playing field. Yahoo! will remain in the business of search and content advertising, which gives the company a continued incentive to keep improving and innovating. Even during this agreement, Yahoo! can use our technology as much or as little as it chooses.
* This does not prevent Yahoo! from making similar arrangements with others. This arrangement is not exclusive, meaning that Yahoo! could enter into similar arrangements with other companies.
* This does not increase Google's share of search traffic. Yahoo! will continue to run its own search engine and advertising programs, and the agreement will not increase Google's share of search traffic.
* This does not let Google raise prices for advertisers. Google does not set the prices manually for ads; rather, advertisers themselves determine prices through an ongoing competitive auction. We have found over years of research that an auction is by far the most efficient way to price search advertising and have no intention of changing that.
We have been in contact with regulators about this arrangement, and we expect to work closely with them to answer their questions about the transaction. Ultimately we believe that the efficiencies of this agreement will help preserve competition.
The Internet is a healthy, competitive environment where content creators, advertisers and users come together to access information, communicate and create new business opportunities. We think this deal extends these benefits -- it's good for users, advertisers and publishers and good for the industry.
Posted by Kevin Heisler on June 13, 2008, 9:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
CNN.com Beats Google in News Video Search
A year after launching a comprehensive search offering, CNN.com beat out Google when it comes to searching for news, according to a survey conducted by ROI Research for DoubleClick. 57% of the 500 participants surveyed said they search CNN.com for news while 53% say they search Google. Here are the top ten sites, with the percentage of participants who use them for news search:
- CNN - 57%
- Google - 53%
- MSNBC - 41%
- Yahoo - 40%
- MSN.com - 31%
- Foxnews.com - 25%
- YouTube - 22%
- Google News - 18%
- Aol.com - 15%
- Google Video - 14%
And just how successful are those searches?
- One-third of respondents find a relevant news video for their specific query on their first search Almost/Every time.
- One-third of respondents find the most up-to-date news video for their specific query on their first search Almost/Every time.
When video pops up in a search result for a news story...
- 36% of respondents are Very Likely to click on a video that is listed on a search engine results page while searching for a news story.
- 35% of respondents are Very Likely to watch a news video that is embedded in a news article that they are reading.
Would participants like to see more or less video in their news search?
- 33% agree or strongly agree that they would like to see more video in search results
- 47% are neutral
- 20% disagree or strongly disagree
How much online video news are participants consuming?
- 51% watch 1 hour or less per week
- 49% watch 1 hour or more per week
When it comes to local news, 79% of respondents use Search. Here's how they query:
- 42% use a local news station name in their search query
- 31% use a city name in a query
- 17% use a zip code
- 12% don't search any differently
- 21% don't use search to find local news
If you liked these numbers, then check out the following:
PR News survey finds online video is underutilized
AP, Microsoft Joint Venture Video Platform
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 13, 2008, 9:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Yahoo Google Deal: Yahoo Adds AdWords Search Deal
Yahoo signed a new advertising deal with Google that will face antitrust scrutiny during the next 90 days or so. The deal, which will not be executed until regulatory review is completed, will allow Yahoo to display some ads sold by Google.
U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI), chairman of the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee, issued the following statement in response to the announcement by Google and Yahoo:
"We will closely examine the joint venture between Google and Yahoo announced today. This collaboration between two technology giants and direct competitors for Internet advertising and search services raises important competition concerns. The consequences for advertisers and consumers could be far-reaching and warrant careful review, and we plan to investigate the competitive and privacy implications of this deal further in the Antitrust Subcommittee."
The benefit to Yahoo? An estimated $800 million in annual revenue come come through improved monetization of search. For now, the deal is limited to search. Google and Yahoo are looking at ways to expand the partnership, most likely into display advertising.
Yahoo will determine how Google's ads are displayed. Yahoo's pitching the agreement as part of its "open strategy" but it's a clear indication that Yahoo Panama failed to deliver.
Yahoo President Susan Decker called the pact "a bridge" that will help the company create a unified display and search business. Yahoo said either party can end the agreement in the event of a change in control. If that happens in the next 24 months, Yahoo would be penalized with a termination fee of $250 million, less some of the revenue Google had earned through the deal.
Full text of the agreement after the jump:
Yahoo! to Strengthen Competitive Position in Online Advertising Through Non-Exclusive Agreement With Google
Agreement Advances Yahoo!'s Open Strategy; Enhances Ability to
Compete in Converging Search and Display Marketplace
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jun 12, 20 -- Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO), a leading global Internet company, announced today that it has reached an agreement with Google Inc. that will enhance its ability to compete in the converging search and display marketplace, advancing the company's open strategy. The agreement enables Yahoo! to run ads supplied by Google alongside Yahoo!'s search results and on some of its web properties in the United States and Canada. The agreement is non-exclusive, giving Yahoo! the ability to display paid search results from Google, other third parties, and Yahoo!'s own Panama marketplace.
Under the terms of the agreement, Yahoo! will select the search term queries for which - and the pages on which - Yahoo! may offer Google paid search results. Yahoo! will define its users' experience and will determine the number and placement of the results provided by Google and the mix of paid results provided by Panama, Google or other providers. The agreement applies to paid search and content match and does not apply to algorithmic search. The agreement also applies to current partners in Yahoo's publisher network.
Yahoo! CEO and co-founder Jerry Yang said, "We believe that the convergence of search and display is the next major development in the evolution of the rapidly changing online advertising industry. Our strategies are specifically designed to capitalize on this convergence -- and this agreement helps us move them forward in a significant way. It also represents an important next step in our open strategy, building on the progress we have already made in advancing a more open marketplace."
"This agreement provides a source of funds to both deliver financial value to stockholders from search monetization and to invest in our broader strategy to transform display advertising and advance our starting point objectives with users," said Yahoo! President Sue Decker. "It enhances competition by promoting our ability to compete in the marketplace where we are especially well positioned: in the convergence of search and display."
Agreement Provides Attractive Economics and Enhances Search Monetization
Yahoo! believes that this agreement will enable the Company to better monetize Yahoo!'s search inventory in the United States and Canada. At current monetization rates, this is an approximately $800 million annual revenue opportunity. In the first 12 months following implementation, Yahoo! expects the agreement to generate an estimated $250 million to $450 million in incremental operating cash flow.
The agreement will enhance Yahoo!'s ability to achieve its goal to grow operating cash flow significantly, while at the same time providing flexibility to continue to invest in ongoing initiatives such as algorithmic search innovation and search and display advertising platforms. It gives Yahoo! complete flexibility to continue to use its Panama paid search results.
Significant Benefits Will Flow to Users, Advertisers, Publishers and Employees
Users will also benefit from Yahoo!'s ability to invest incremental operating cash flow in ongoing improvements to its search services, building upon recent major innovations such as Search Assist and SearchMonkey. Advertisers will continue to benefit from multiple marketplace alternatives including Panama, Google and others. Publishers will benefit from a winning combination of distribution, monetization and services to help them grow their businesses. The financial benefits will enable Yahoo! to broaden the scope of its investments and initiatives, enhancing Yahoo!'s ability to offer attractive career opportunities to its employees.
Terms of the Agreement
The agreement will enable Yahoo! to run ads supplied by Google's AdSense(TM) for Search and AdSense(TM) for Content services next to Yahoo!'s internally generated paid search and algorithmic search results. Yahoo may also run Google-supplied ads on non-search Yahoo web properties, as well as on current members of its partner network. The agreement has a term of up to ten years: a four-year initial term and two, three-year renewals at Yahoo!'s option. It applies to Yahoo!'s operations in the U.S. and Canada only. Advertisers will continue to pay Yahoo! directly for clicks served by Yahoo! from Yahoo!'s Panama and Content Match marketplaces. Advertisers will pay Google directly for each click on Google paid search results appearing on Yahoo! owned and operated network or certain affiliate sites. Google will share a percentage of such revenue with Yahoo!.
In addition, Yahoo! and Google agreed to enable interoperability between their respective instant messaging services, bringing easier and broader communication to users.
The agreement allows either party to terminate the agreement in the event of a change in control of either party. The agreement also requires Yahoo! to pay a termination fee if the agreement is terminated as a result of a change in control that occurs within 24 months. The termination fee is $250 million, subject to reduction by 50 percent of revenues earned by Google under the agreement.
Although Google and Yahoo! are not required to receive regulatory approval of the deal before implementing it, the companies have voluntarily agreed to delay implementation for up to three and a half months while the U.S. Department of Justice reviews the arrangement.
Goldman, Sachs & Co., Lehman Brothers and Moelis & Company are acting as financial advisors to Yahoo!. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is acting as legal advisor to Yahoo!, and Munger Tolles & Olson LLP is acting as counsel to the outside directors of Yahoo!.
Yahoo! will host a conference call to discuss the agreement with Google at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time today. To listen to the call live, please dial 877-391-6847 (reservation number 70308474#). A live audiocast of the conference call can be accessed through the Company's Investor Relations website at http://yhoo.client.shareholder.com/index.cfm. In addition, an archive of the audiocast can be accessed through the same link. An audio replay of the call will be available following the conference call by calling 888-286-8010 (reservation number 84138579).
Posted by Kevin Heisler on June 13, 2008, 7:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Yahoo, Google Collaborate on Search Ads. Apocalypse Expected Soon.
In what must be one of the seven signs of the apocalypse, Yahoo and Google have agreed to extend the advertising tests they participated in last month to a broader-scale distribution partnership.
Under the agreement, Yahoo would outsource a portion of its search ad inventory to Google, and potentially to other providers in the future. Yahoo now has the option to display Google ads alongside its own natural search results and other Web properties in the U.S. and Canada.
Yahoo will select the search term queries and the pages where Google AdSense for Search or AdSense for Content ads will be shown. The deal does not affect Yahoo's algorithmic search.
Yahoo expects the deal to improve monetization of its pages, potentially adding $800 million in annual revenue. In the first 12 months following implementation, Yahoo expects the agreement to generate an estimated $250 million to $450 million in incremental operating cash flow.
The open bidding system will likely utilize the abilities of Yahoo's Right Media Exchange software to deliver those third-party ads on Yahoo's search results. Such a deal could still include spurned suitor Microsoft, which could also allay regulatory fears that Google is getting even bigger than it already is. To play nice with regulators, the two have agreed to delay implementation for up to three and a half months to give the U.S. Department of Justice time to review the arrangement.
The agreement has a term of up to ten years: a 4-year initial term and two 3-year renewals at Yahoo!'s option. Financial terms between the two companies were not disclosed. Either party will have the option of terminating the agreement in the event of a change in control of either party, but if Yahoo initiates it within the next 24 months, it will owe Google a termination fee is $250 million, subject to reduction by 50 percent of revenues earned by Google under the agreement.
The two-week test in April reportedly affected about 3 percent of Yahoo search queries, and only applied to search traffic from yahoo.com in the U.S. and did not include Yahoo's publisher network or other partners.
As an additional token of newfound camaraderie, Yahoo and Google agreed to enable interoperability between their instant messaging services.
Posted by Kevin Newcomb on June 12, 2008, 6:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Yahoo on MicroHoo: Stick a Fork In It - We're Done
MicroHoo is dead. RIP Microsoft-Yahoo. Today Yahoo made the official announcement that they've concluded discussions with Microsoft. The possibility of a full acquisition or a partical acquisition are nil.
What's more, Yahoo indicated that an independent search business will be critical to its strategic future and would not be in the best interests of Yahoo! stockholders. That casts doubt on the veracity of the TechCrunch rumor.
Full Text:
Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO) today announced that discussions with Microsoft regarding a potential transaction -- whether for an acquisition of all of Yahoo! or a partial acquisition -- have concluded. The conclusion of discussions follows numerous meetings and conversations with Microsoft regarding a number of transaction alternatives, including a meeting between Yahoo! and Microsoft on June 8th in which Chairman Roy Bostock and other independent Board members from Yahoo! participated. At that meeting, Microsoft representatives stated unequivocally that Microsoft is not interested in pursuing an acquisition of all of Yahoo!, even at the price range it had previously suggested.With respect to an acquisition of Yahoo!'s search business alone that Microsoft had proposed, Yahoo!'s Board of Directors has determined, after careful evaluation, that such a transaction would not be consistent with the company's view of the converging search and display marketplaces, would leave the company without an independent search business that it views as critical to its strategic future and would not be in the best interests of Yahoo! stockholders.
Yahoo! remains focused on maximizing value for stockholders by continuing to execute on its strategy of being the "starting point" for the most consumers on the Internet and a "must buy" for advertisers. The online advertising industry is projected to grow from $40 billion in 2007 to approximately $75 billion in 2010 and the company believes it has the right assets, strategic plan, Board of Directors and management team to capitalize on this growth opportunity.
UPDATE: Microsoft has issued a response:
"In the weeks since Microsoft withdrew its offer to acquire Yahoo!, the two companies have continued to discuss an alternative transaction that Microsoft believes would have delivered in excess of $33 per share to the Yahoo! shareholders. This partnership would ensure healthy competition in the marketplace, providing greater choice and innovation for advertisers, publishers and consumers."As stated on May 3rd and reiterated on May 18th Microsoft was not interested in rebidding for all of Yahoo!. Our alternative transaction remains available for discussion."
Posted by Kevin Heisler on June 12, 2008, 3:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Google-Yahoo Search Partnership Today?
Google and Yahoo may announce a partnership this afternoon at 4:30pm EST / 1:30pm PST. At least, that's the rumor coming from TechCrunch. Of course, this is the same rumor that the Wall St. Journal published on May 2, 2008.
There's no question a Google-Yahoo partnership would throw a wrench into Microsoft's merger plans to create MicroHoo. Billionaire investor Carl Icahn's efforts to oust the current Yahoo management would also be derailed.
We're skeptical there's a billion dollars in cost savings through a Google-Yahoo search partnership. In the short term, it's a Yahoo win.
In the long term, a search partnership would turn Yahoo into just another portal.
Posted by Kevin Heisler on June 12, 2008, 2:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Google's Schmidt Talks Yahoo, Newspapers, 'Don't Be Evil', and iPhone
Yesterday, Google's CEO Eric Schmidt was interviewed by Ken Auletta on stage at a San Francisco event hosed by Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications. Schmidt offered up insight on a variety of issues. Let's dig in.
Yahoo
An independent Yahoo would be better for innovation and competition, in Schmidt's opinion. He feels that Microsoft has delivered products such as Windows that limits the choice of consumers.
Newspapers
Schmidt said that Google has a 'moral imperative' to help newspapers, who've lost money in recent years to online publishers, who often provide their content for free. DoubleClick will be a part of the effort, though specific details were not revealed.
Of course, newspapers haven't traditionally been Google's biggest fan. A Belgian newspaper group has been going after Google for years for indexing their site.
'Don't be Evil'
The famous mantra is misunderstood, says Schmidt. Instead, the phrase was designed to facilitate internal conversations about corporate ethics, but most people interpret it as an absolute moral stance.
iPhone
Schmidt said that a "vast majority of searches" performed on Google via mobile phones are generated on iPhones. But since Google is preparing its own mobile platform, Schmidt has been excused from Apple board meetings a couple of times. He said that Android will "likely be quite different" from the iPhone.
via InfoWorld, USA Today, Reuters, and MarketWatch
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 12, 2008, 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Kayak.com Launches Display Ad Platform
Travel search site Kayak.com has announced the launch of a targeted display advertising platform. The platform was developed by SideStep.com, which Kayak acquired in December 2007.
Kayak says display advertisers will be able to target a variety of search criteria, similar to existing text ads offered through the Kayak Publisher Network. Examples of search criteria are:
- Destination
- Origination
- Trip dates
- Length of stay
- Specific airline/hotel/car brands and car type
Three ad sizes will be available, which are in line with IAB standards:
- 180x150 pixels
- 160x600 pixels
- 300x250 pixels
Kayak and its affiliates generate 200 million ad impressions per month on air, hotel, and car search results pages. Currently there are over 30,000 text placements from more than 2,000 brands on the Kayak Publisher Network.
"Our advertisers have repeatedly told us that display ads can communicate travel services in a way that text ads cannot," said Steve Hafner, Kayak.com co-founder and CEO. "Yet we know that some consumers dislike these ads and find them distracting. I believe we've found the right balance by allowing our registered users to suppress or view them, whichever they prefer."
Related Reading:
What Matters Most to Travel Search Marketers in 2008?
Online Advertising Shifting from Branding to Direct Response
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 12, 2008, 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Yahoo! Partners with Coupon Inc. for Mobile Coupons
Yahoo! and Coupons Inc. are launching a mobile coupon platform. Coupons Inc. is a leading online coupon distribution network and has relationships with 800 brands. The mobile network will immediately be available to all brands within the network.
“We see mobile coupons as a natural extension of our leading digital marketing platform and a way to turn coupons into a strategic marketing vehicle that delivers value,” said Steve Boom, Senior Vice President, Mobile, Yahoo!. “Our global reach, leading position in mobile advertising and the ability to deliver the right offer to people, coupled with Coupons, Inc.'s leadership in coupons, creates a unique opportunity to define and catalyze the market for mobile coupon promotions. When consumers get a coupon they want it's not seen as an ad – but a gift.”
While the mobile coupon market is relatively new, the strategy is expected to be a fruitful source of revenue for mobile publishers.Recent data from Hitwise shows that traffic to coupon websites is up 56% from 2007. Yahoo! and Coupon Inc. are hoping that translates to mobile.
“Coupons, Inc. has been innovating coupon technology for a decade. Mobile coupons are a logical next step in the industry's evolution, and we continue our commitment to drive interactive coupons with our new mobile initiative,” said Steven Boal, CEO of Coupons, Inc. “By partnering with Yahoo!, we will extend our customers' reach to a new generation of consumers — especially teens and young adults — in a medium that best fits their lifestyles.”
What do you think of this partnership? Are mobile coupons going to be lucrative? Let us know in the comments.
Related Reading:
Local Search at the Pump
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 12, 2008, 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Google Custom Search Creates New Developer Guide
Google Custom Search has created a new developer guide, which is now available at the Google Code site. The guide was built from scratch with a new organization, search box, and navigation. There's also more pictures to break up an otherwise monotonous document (what's useful isn't always what's exciting).
The new developer guide also digs into background information and complex information as well as makes suggestions to help you on your way.
With the new guide, users can now search across multiple APIs. Google Custom Search fuels the search on the Google Code website.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 12, 2008, 9:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Will FriendFeed Change the Face of Search?
Earlier this year, I wrote about FriendFeed's new search feature and how it was a powerful tool for finding conversations about your brand. I've used the site a little more, and I know it's a great way to find user-generated content as well. Now, Steve Rubel is weighing in on the discussion over the power of FriendFeed's search, saying it could disrupt traditional search methods.
Rubel suggests that the real power lies in searching among a network of trusted friends. He says there will be a whole advertising strategy built around it, which he dubs social contextual search advertising. Rubel thinks this is where Facebook and Google are headed as well.
Really, all FriendFeed needs to do is sell contextual ads for this to happen. But FriendFeed is a long way off from disrupting search or changing search ad models. And is that the true mission of the social aggregator?
One of the best things about FriendFeed and all social sites is discovery of new things. It's difficult to search for things you're not aware of, making discovery more powerful than search, in my opinion.
Even so, FriendFeed needs to figure out ways to help its users manage all the noise. When you're tracking a bunch of people who are all sending their blogs, social bookmarking votes, Tweets, etc. to FriendFeed, it gets a bit overwhelming. The new "rooms" that have been created are helpful and so is the hide feature, but tagging friends would be even better.
Plus, FriendFeed needs to watch the mobile space carefully. The attention economy will be streamlined even further and all the noise will be a distraction.
Finally, sites like FriendFeed and Twitter are all primarily used by internet marketers, bloggers, web developers, and other tech power users. Search appeals to the masses for obvious reasons, but social media sites have yet to prove staying power (Friendster, anyone?).
What do you think the future of search and social media are? Will social media overtake search or is Google here to stay? Let it fly in the comments.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 12, 2008, 8:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Yahoo! to Integrate Right Media and AMP Ad Management Platforms, But When?
Yahoo! is planning to combine their AMP and Right Media ad management platforms, reports Zachary Rodgers over at ClickZ. The question is when, and the answer is vague at best.
The AMP platform is expected to launch in Q3 but only to newspaper consortium partners. But it could take longer to integrate Yahoo!'s BlueLithium Network and the Yahoo! Publisher Network.
Still, display advertising is where Yahoo really shines over Google. Despite its recent DoubleClick acquisition, display ads aren't something Google really "gets" yet.
Read Zachary Rodgers full post on Yahoo's ad management integration plans on ClickZ.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 12, 2008, 8:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
SEW Experts: Think Links from New Sites Have Little Value? Think Again
It's often assumed that new sites haven't earned enough trust in Google to pass real value. But if you flatly skip over links from new sites, you're losing out on immense opportunities. In today's Link Building column, "Think Links from New Sites Have Little Value? Think Again," Justilien Gaspard advises link builders to think of it as investing in the stock market by looking for undervalued, or unnoticed, sites that have a high likelihood of rising in popularity.
Posted by Kevin Newcomb on June 12, 2008, 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
SEW Experts: Live Search Cashback vs. Google: A Case Study
It's an interesting marketing concept, but how do the Live Search results measure up to Google, the de-facto search engine standard? In today's Building Brand Equity column, "Live Search Cashback vs. Google: A Case Study," Erik Qualman performs a test of product-based queries on each finds the results promising, but mixed.
Posted by Kevin Newcomb on June 12, 2008, 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Say Au Revoir to French E-Mail
Email has finally been banned in France. That doesn't mean you'll be forced to use IM, SMS or Twitter to communicate online.
It just means French email no longer exists under the name "email."
Email is now "courriel."
Search Engine Watch was way ahead of the curve reporting on the upcoming ban. ClickZ's Kate Kaye blogged about French e-mail on the SEW Blog back in June of 2006.
The original plan was to replace email with "courrier electronique" (electronic letter), while a start-up would be known officially as a jeune pousse (young plant).
We haven't heard whether jeune pousse has caught on yet.
Posted by Kevin Heisler on June 11, 2008, 2:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Yahoo Exec Set to Bail?
Yahoo's Jeff Weiner, Network Division Executive Vice President, is rumored to be leaving the company after a month's long paternity leave, according to Kara Swisher. Weiner is reportedly tired of all the drama caused by the failed Microsoft acquisition and Carl Icahn's proxy board. Weiner may become an executive in residence at a Silicon Valley venture capitalist firm (he wouldn't be the first to do so).
Four Senior Vice Presidents are rumored to be the most likely candidates to fill Weiner's shoes.
- Front Door and Network Services' Tapan Bhat
- Brad Garlinghouse, who heads Yahoo's communications and communities arenas
- Media Group head Scott Moore
- Yahoo Search's Vish Makhijani
A fifth option is not to replace Weiner at all and to re-organize the company structure once more.
What would you do? Leave now or wait in case the severance plan is enacted. Tell us in the comments.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 11, 2008, 12:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Yahoo! Says Severance Plan Unlikely to Cost $2.4 Billion
In a series of letters, Carl Icahn has been giving Yahoo's Board of Directors a hard time about a severance plan that would be enacted if a "Change of Control" occurred at the company. He claims the plan would would cost $2.4 billion, making an acquisition or change of board of directors very costly.
But Yahoo has filed an FAQ with the SEC defending the severance plan and attempting to explain why the $2.4 billion number is unreliable.
- The severance plan would only take place if a Change of Control occurs.
- Voting in Carl Icahn's board at the shareholders meeting would trigger the plan, and the closing of an acquisition deal with Microsoft would trigger the plan.
- Yahoo cannot retract the plan until 30 days after the abandonment of a potential Change of Control, including an announcement of Change of Control. Essentially, Icahn himself made a termination of the severance impossible by announcing the proxy board so soon after Microsoft abandoned its bid.
- Yahoo's compensation consultant did not call the severance plan "nuts." He called the idea that 100% of Yahoo employees would use the plan "nuts."
- Icahn got the $2.4 billion number from a shareholder lawsuit filed in the state of Michigan. Using the same assumptions as the lawsuit, Yahoo says the number would be closer to $845 million if 30% left and $514 million if 15% left. This is all based on a $35 per share stock price. Icahn is urging Yahoo to sell for $34.375.
- The plan would be enacted for employees who were fired without Cause or those who left for Good Reason. Cause is used by companies to fire employees who aren't doing their job. Good Reason could be used if an employees salary or bonus target was decreased substantially, if they were relocated further than 35 miles from their current office, or if there was a big change in an employee's duties and responsibilities.
And what about the "poison pill" characterization by Icahn? Here's what the FAQ had to say about that:
The term “poison pill” is widely understood to refer to stockholder rights plans which work by allowing existing stockholders (except the acquiror) to buy more shares at a substantial discount to the then current share price of the target if the acquiror purchases above a specified level of stock of the target (usually 15%) without the consent of the target's board. As a result, this substantially dilutes the acquiror's holdings and makes the acquisition much more expensive. The Plan, which is designed to preserve the value of Yahoo! during a period of uncertainty, has no such purpose or effect.
What do you think of Yahoo's FAQ? Are they really looking out for their employees or are they trying to prevent an acquisition or a proxy board takeover? Sound off in the comments!
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 11, 2008, 10:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Google's Greenberger Ties Obama, McCain Victories to Adwords Spend
More than any previous election, search advertising will influence the vote of the presidential election. Google, in its ever-present planning for the future, planned for this shift when it employed Peter Greenberger as part of its sales team. Greenberger's job is to convince candidates that advertising on Google search is essential to political success. Recently, ClickZ's Kate Kaye interviewed Greenberger for his insights into the 2008 election.
Reading Greenberger's statements, you get the idea that spending on search ads will make or break the election. He attributes the success of John McCain and Barack Obama to their paid search campaigns. Greenberger also points out that Hillary Clinton was inconsistent in her Adwords campaign, dismantling it for the last two quarters of 2007 and starting it up again only after the New Hampshire primary.
Of course, polls during those times showed Clinton with a substantial lead. It wasn't until after the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries that a tight race was clear. Some political analysts have suggested that the ultimate difference between Clinton and Obama was that Clinton's campaign was focused on a top-down strategy while Obama's strategy was more grassroots, building from the ground up. Looking at campaign strategies in that light, it makes sense that Obama would engage a response-directed campaign. But Greenberger's job is to persuade the candidates that Adwords is the chicken and not the egg.
Greenberger also talked about how Obama used geotargeting during the Texas primary and how John McCain is ahead of the game in the use of video ads. Read the full interview with Google's political ad guy, Peter Greenberger, over at ClickZ
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 11, 2008, 9:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
New Version of Google Trends Released
Recently, changes to Google Trends have been noticed, and today Google is finally announced a new version of the tool on the Official Google blog. The latest version includes a numeric metric dubbed 'relative scaling' and the ability to export trends data.
With relative scaling, the numbers will not provide exact data, but will give you ballpark of how certain terms are trending. Here's how Heej Hwang of the Google Trends team explained relative scaling:
You'll notice a number at the top of the graph as well as on the y-axis of the graph itself. These numbers don't refer to exact search-volume figures. Instead, in the same way that a map might “scale” to a certain size, Google Trends scales the first term you've entered so that its average search volume is 1.00 in the chosen time period. So in the example above, 1.00 is the average search volume of vanilla ice cream from 2004 to present. We can then see a spike in mid-2006 which crosses the 3.00 line, indicating that search traffic is approximately 3 times the average for all years.
The export function offers two options: relative scaling or fixed scaling. Fixed scaling is data scaled to a specific timeline.
Previously, users noticed the removal of the ability to view trends hourly.
What do you think of the new Google Trends? Give us your thoughts in the comments.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 11, 2008, 9:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Sergey Brin: Astronaut or Cosmonaut?
Sergey Brin, Google's co-founder, is planning a trip to outer space in 2011, according to a report in the New York Times. Space Adventures flies wealthy explorers on Russian Soyuz rockets to the International Space Station. The Virginia-based company plans to buy a Soyuz flight all its own in 2011, with the option of buying more.
At the Explorers Club in NYC, Space Adventures is expected to announce that Sergey Brin will be one of two passengers on the flight. Brin made a $5 million investment in the company that will serve as a deposit on a future flight.
Brin said in a Space Adventures statement, “I am a big believer in the exploration and commercial development of the space frontier, and am looking forward to the possibility of going into space.”
His company is a sponsor of the Google Lunar X Prize, a $25 million competition to land an unmanned craft on the moon.
Posted by Kevin Heisler on June 11, 2008, 9:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Microsoft Launches Beta Release of SearchTogether Plugin
Three months ago, Microsoft announced three projects they were working on to enhance the search experience. One of those projects, SearchTogether, has been launched into beta. SearchTogether is a free Internet Explorer plugin that allows groups to collaborate on search. The plugin displays a sidebar in the IE Browser and features:
- Group query histories
- Split searching
- Page-level rating and commenting
- Automatically-generated shared summaries
- Peek-and-follow browsing
- Integrated chat
Here are some ideas from Microsoft on how to use the plugin:
- Business colleagues can perform joint research and share information on projects.
- Students can likewise collaborate on group reports and assignments.
- Friends often work together to find entertainment opportunities or housing.
- Families can SearchTogether to jointly plan vacations or find medical information for a loved one
What do you think of the plugin? Are you going to give it a try? Let us know in the comments.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 11, 2008, 9:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
SEW Experts: Carl Icahn Can't Save Yahoo
Last week's public exchange between Icahn and Yahoo management is just the latest round of treating symptoms while ignoring the illness. As is often the case when corporate spats go public, lots of questions remain in the minds of searchers, search marketers, Yahoo shareholders, Microsoft employees, and the general public. In today's Searching for Meaning column, "Carl Icahn Can't Save Yahoo," Kevin Ryan explains that it's not the poison pill that's killing Yahoo, it's short-term thinking.
Posted by Kevin Newcomb on June 11, 2008, 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
SEW Experts: Uncovering Site Problems for Landing Page Optimization, Part 1
How do you find problems with your landing page hidden in your test results? Instead of waiting only for good news, filter it out instead. In today's By the Numbers column, "Uncovering Site Problems for Landing Page Optimization, Part 1," Tim Ash shows you that the key is to accentuate the negative, focusing on problems and things that are askew.
Posted by Kevin Newcomb on June 11, 2008, 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Lauren Bernat Google YouTube Wii-Fit Social Media Sensation
The LA Times and the UK Telegraph beat us to the punch on this video search engine sensation. We didn't want to be left out of the loop now that Lauren Bernat has become one of Google Trends hourly "Hot Trends" and Dugg by thousands.
The LA Times reported that Giovanny Gutierrez, director of Interactive Media at Tinsley Advertising in Florida, recorded his girlfriend, Lauren, playing the Wii Fit hula hoop game. When he posted it on YouTube, the video scored 500,000 views and racked up a monstrous 9,000 Diggs.
Gutierrez has said that even though he works at an advertising firm, the video wasn't a viral ad for Wii, even if it really should have been.
"She loves Wii Fit" he told the Times, and "looks hot doing it."
How did she react when she found out that he'd posted the video without telling her, and that hundreds of thousands of Wii fans were now drooling over her?
"She was FURIOUS," wrote Gutierrez, who said she "called me on the phone screaming her head off and then hung up on me."
"But now [she] finds herself actually laughing about it and enjoying her 15 minutes of fame as the Wii Fit girl. It's just crazy how it's blown up."
The sensational social media Wii Fit search engine video after the jump:
Here's the video of Lauren Bernat filmed by her boyfriend, entitled "Wii Fit - Why You Should Buy It For Your Girlfriend."
Posted by Kevin Heisler on June 10, 2008, 5:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Google Favicon Bookmarks the Best Internet Research
Google has a new favicon for the first time in 8.5 years. A favicon is the small icon you see in your browser next to the URL or in your bookmarks list.
While the reviews on the change have been mixed, Google designers went through more than 300 versions of the favicon to determine the best one.
Here are the ones that didn't make the cut. Let us know if you think favicons on this grid beat the "small g" that Google chose.
Posted by Kevin Heisler on June 10, 2008, 3:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Google Maps Adds Richer Data to Search
Adding richer data to search results is a bit of a trend, and now Google Maps is jumping on the bandwagon. The Google LatLong blog has announced the addition of richer data to its search results. The data includes photos, reviews and a "more info" link that opens an "info window" that features more data.
Below is a screenshot of a search for pizza in Raleigh, NC. If you have a local business, you'll want to add your company to the Google Maps Local Business Center in order to show up in the results.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 10, 2008, 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Google Continues to Dominate US, UK Searches in May 2008
Google continued its dominance over the U.S. search market in May, grabbing 68.29% of all searches in May 2008, seeing increases both month-over-month and year-over-year, according to Hitwise. Both Yahoo and MSN saw decreases from April 2008 and May 2007. Yahoo! saw 19.95% in May 2008, down from 20.28% in April and 20.89% last May. MSN was at 5.89% this may, down from 6.26% last month and 7.62% in May 2007. Ask.com, on the other hand, saw increases. They were at 4.23% last month, up from 4.17% in April and 3.92% in May 2007.
In the UK, Google's dominance is even bigger, grabbing 87% of searches in May 2008. That's a 12% increase year-over-year. Yahoo! saw 4.09%, a 2% increase. MSN got 3.72%, up 2% and Ask.com saw 3.07%, up 6%.
Related Reading:
comScore releases U.K. search rankings for April 2008
Nielsen Online Releases April 2008 U.S. Search Rankings
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 10, 2008, 10:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Social Networking the UK Continues to Rise
Social networking is a hot topic this year and the numbers continue to rise in the UK, according to new data released by eMarketer. In 2007, 11 million UK internet users visited social networking sites regularly. Also, in 2007, 27% said they had created a social network profile, but in 2008, already 60% of survey respondents said they had created a profile.
The ad spend for social networks in the UK is projected to rise a whopping 77% despite ongoing concerns over how to monetize social media. By 2012, social network ad spend is expected to have increased 148% over 2008, reaching £285 million ($533 million). This year, an estimated £115 million ($225 million) is expected to be spent on social network ads.
The UK is ahead of the rest of Europe when it comes to social network spending, making up 68% of the market.
Related Reading:
Social Networking on Mobile Phones is Hot in the UK
YouTube, Wikipedia, Facebook: Most Popular Social Media Sites in UK
Consumers Ok with Social Ads, But Rarely Find Them Targeted
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 10, 2008, 9:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Online Ad Spend Intact Despite Weakening Economy
Though the economy has been a source of financial pain in some industries, the first quarter of 2008 saw online advertising remaining quite intact. According to new data released by IDC, total revenue increased by 23.9% to $7.1 billion in the first quarter. That was up from $5.7 billion in Q1 of 2007.
IDC projects online advertising to continue growing at a rate of 15-20% this year despite their expectation for ad spend across media to decline by 7%. IDC anticipates online advertising to double over the next five years.
"What happens is that the current economic crisis puts pressure on advertisers to save money and find more effective marketing channels," said Karsten Weide, program director, Digital Marketplace and New Media at IDC. "Effectively, the crisis accelerates the shift of advertising budgets from traditional media into new media."
Related Reading:
Search Spend Seems Healthy Despite Slowing Economy
How to Survive a Recession ... In Search
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 10, 2008, 9:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
McCain to Use Google to Choose Vice Presidential Candidate
Republican presidential candidate John McCain joked to a small crowd of supporters that he was using Internet search engine Google to research his list of potential vice presidential candidates for his ticket.
"You know, basically it's a Google," Mr McCain said, to laughter, when asked how the selection process was going during a 10,000 dollar per person lunch in Richmond, Virginia. "What you can find out now on the internet - it's remarkable."
We tend to agree with ClickZ's Kate Kaye, who interviewed Google political guru Peter Greenberger who concluded Hillary Clinton's campaign was hampered by its failure to use search advertising consistently throughout the primary season, as both the Obama and McCain campaigns did.
We like the fact that McCain calls Google "a Google" as opposed to President Bush who referred to the search engine giant as "the Google." It proves he's much more Internet-savvy.
So who might be on McCain's short list of candidates?
Based on a Google search for "vice president" there's the obvious choice:
US House approves prolonged protection for Vice President Cheney - 13 hours ago
WASHINGTON, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The US House of Representatives passed a legislation on Monday to prolong the protections for Vice President Cheney
Then there's Condoleeza Rice, who's actively campaigning for the slot according to ABC News:
Political Radar: Dan Senor: Condoleezza Rice Is Pursuing the VP Spot
If you don't like Dr. Rice for Vice President, then you are a liberal ...... The Republicans who think that Condi is qualified to be VP or President have to ...
blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/04/dan-senor-condo.html -
We like the dark horse candidates found on the bottom of Page One:
Blog Search
Brian Schweitzer for Vice President - The Creature Politic - 20 hours ago
Arianna Huffington for Vice President - Financial Post - Diane Francis - 17 hours ago
Vice President - Flimsy Sanity - Jun 8, 2008
Posted by Kevin Heisler on June 10, 2008, 8:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
SEW Experts: The Big Picture -- Well-Rounded SEM for SMBs, Part 2
There are many different elements a small business can use to put together a well rounded online marketing campaign. When it comes to marketing your small business, the key is keeping your mind open to the possibilities -- you never know where the next big thing will be. In today's Small Business Search Marketing column, "The Big Picture -- Well-Rounded SEM for SMBs, Part 2," Carrie Hill looks at tactics for branding, reputation management, social networking, viral marketing, images, and videos.
Posted by Kevin Newcomb on June 10, 2008, 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
SEW Experts: SEO Competitive Analysis
Ranking reports don't mean nearly as much as they once did. Search engine rankings change regularly, are different on various data centers, and won't generate traffic to the Web site, much less generate leads and sales.In today's Organic Search Engine Optimization column, "SEO Competitive Analysis," Mark Jackson suggests that marketers should instead be focused on reports that mean something, like a competitive SEO analysis.
Posted by Kevin Newcomb on June 10, 2008, 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Yahoo! AMP! plus Full Text: Yahoo Proxy Statement
There are no surprises here except perhaps the branding of Yahoo's new advertising platform as "AMP!"
Dear Fellow Stockholder:The vote you will cast for directors at Yahoo!'s August 1, 2008 annual meeting is the most important for stockholders in our history.
We believe that the reelection of our current board is in the best interests of Yahoo!'s stockholders. Under the leadership of the current board and management team we are executing on our strategy to create value that is gaining traction. In addition, in responding to Microsoft Corporation's proposal to acquire the company and exploring strategic alternatives, Yahoo!'s board has been focused on one central goal: how best to maximize stockholder value. In this regard, you should know that we have at all times been open to a transaction with Microsoft if it offers our stockholders full and certain value. We write to ask you to support our slate of highly qualified and capable directors standing for reelection.
You are probably aware that Carl Icahn proposes to replace our entire board of directors with his hand-picked slate. Mr. Icahn has no credible plan except to sell the company to Microsoft -- despite the fact that Microsoft has publicly indicated that it has no current interest in such a transaction. Given Microsoft's stated position of not wanting to acquire Yahoo!, the election of Mr. Icahn's slate could result in substantial erosion of stockholder value.
We Urge You To Act Now To Protect Your Investment By Rejecting Mr.
Icahn's Slate
And By Voting For Our Board Today, By Telephone, Internet, Or By
Signing, Dating,
And Returning The Enclosed WHITE Proxy Card.
Last year, after making changes in management, our board oversaw an intensive review by the new management team, led by Jerry Yang, of Yahoo!'s business and strategy. The result was a more focused strategy, a more streamlined company and a significant acceleration of specific initiatives to capitalize on the fast-growing online advertising market. As part of that strategy, we made a deliberate, disciplined decision to make investments that would generate greater long-term value for stockholders.We started from a great place. Yahoo! is clearly a one-of-a-kind asset. We're a leader in search, a pioneer in mobile advertising, and the clear leader in display advertising -- where we see the greatest growth opportunity in online advertising. With more than 500 million monthly users worldwide, many best-in-class technology platforms, and strategically unique Asian assets, we are well-positioned to capture growth in an online advertising market that is projected to grow from approximately $40 billion in 2007 to approximately $75 billion in 2010.
The key is the knowledge and experience to execute with this unique asset. We believe that successfully executing on our strategy of being the "starting point" for the most consumers on the Internet and the "must buy" for advertisers will enable us to generate double-digit growth in operating cash flow and will lead to improved stockholder returns.
Our recent financial results, coupled with a number of strategic acquisitions and a string of significant product rollouts demonstrate that we are executing on our strategy:
-- We're continuing to see benefits from last year's rollout of Panama, our new search monetization platform that is helping to close the monetization gap.
-- Our acquisitions of Right Media, BlueLithium, Zimbra, and Maven Networks have all helped advance our core strategies.
-- We are winning new business partners and expanding relationships with existing partners -- WPP, Wal-Mart, CBS, and more than 770 newspapers now in our newspaper publisher consortium.
-- Soon, we will roll out our new advertising management platform -- AMP! from Yahoo! -- that will enable us to offer advertisers and publishers an extraordinarily simple, seamless way to market over the Internet, helping us further our goal of becoming the "must buy" for online advertising.
Our Board Is Committed To Maximizing Stockholder Value.
Our board carefully evaluated Microsoft's original offer and determined that it substantially undervalued our company and was not in the best interests of our stockholders. Over the ensuing months, we engaged in serious discussions with Microsoft, including numerous face-to-face meetings, some of which included one or more of our independent directors. During this period, our board was fully engaged, meeting more than twenty times to review the status of the discussions with Microsoft and to consider other available alternatives to maximize stockholder value. At all times, our board and management have made clear that they have been open to entering into any transaction, including a sale to Microsoft if it valued the company fairly and offered our stockholders certainty that they would receive that value, an important consideration given the likely lengthy regulatory review process before a deal would be approved.Our board also explored and continues to explore a variety of other ways to maximize stockholder value.
Carl Icahn Has No Credible Plan To Create Value.
Mr. Icahn's only plan for Yahoo!, if his slate is elected, is to hope that Microsoft -- which withdrew its acquisition proposal more than a month ago and has since publicly reaffirmed that it is not now interested in a full acquisition -- can be persuaded to come back to the table and agree to acquire our company. But this is not a strategy.In our opinion, Mr. Icahn and his slate are not the right individuals to guide Yahoo! as a standalone company.
Our current board has the independence, the experience, the knowledge, and the commitment to navigate the company through the rapidly-changing Internet environment, execute on our initiatives to capitalize on the fast-growing online advertising market and to deliver value for Yahoo! and its stockholders.
The future of Yahoo! and the value of your investment are in your hands. We ask you to vote for your highly qualified and dedicated directors today. If you have questions about voting your WHITE proxy card, please call MacKenzie Partners, Inc. Toll-Free at (800) 322-2885.
Thank you for your support.
Roy Bostock Jerry Yang
Chairman of the Board Chief Executive OfficerPosted by Kevin Heisler on June 9, 2008, 4:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
New 3G iPhone 2.0 Gets Loopt
Social Search may be the killer app for the new 3G iPhone 2.0 release.
Loopt launched its native iPhone social search app onstage at WWDC, Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference. The free application will connect users with their friends by using location technology built in to the iPhone, Like Google Maps, Loopt will drop pins onto a map showing users where their friends are.
CNET reports that Loopt also offers other social-networking features, such as calling, texting, and sending invitations to meet up. The example used was seeing if any friends are in your area for lunch. Once you have located friends, you can send them an invitation for lunch, and if they agree, you will be one touch away from directions to their location. As Sam Altman from Loopt put it, "You will never have to eat alone, or at a bad restaurant again."
Posted by Kevin Heisler on June 9, 2008, 3:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
User 927: U Are What U Seek: Search Engine Drama
"User 927" - subtitled "U are what U Seek" - is the first drama inspired by search engine keywords such as Mange, human mold, and white camellia. Not to mention the bizarre combination of "dying Elmo." First noted in the blog Consumerist back in April, User 917 is a thriller about cyberstalking, search engines, and the way information is obtained, manipulated, and released in our wired world
The Associated Press published an interesting article today about a theatre production based on AOL keywords that were released inadvertently by AOL and posted on the Internet. In the play, the keywords are clues to finding a missing person.
"User 927" is a new production in Philadelphia that combines fact with fiction to tell the story of a disappearance from a small Midwestern town. It's the story of a mother and her teenage daughter who move from Brooklyn, N.Y., to fictional Osterville, Ind., in search of a simpler life. The story's central clue is the real-life online search log of an AOL subscriber — identified only as User 927 — that was released to the public two years ago in a well-publicized privacy faux pas.
Brat Production also produced "A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pagaent" - unrelated to the ongoing Google-YouTube controversy pitting Anonymous versus Scientologists.
AOL released some 19 million search requests made during a a three month period by more than 650,000 subscribers. The logs were intended to help academic researchers, but they were posted on a public site.
User 927 has never been identified publicly. Not surprisingly, no one has claimed credit for being User 927.
Posted by Kevin Heisler on June 9, 2008, 12:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Google Expands 3D Cities to Europe
Last week Disney World, this week Google Earth has expanded its 3D program to select countries in Europe. And with gas prices (and jet fuel!) higher than ever, many Google Earth users may use the apps to virtually wander the streets of their dream vacation destinations.
The European program is open to local governments in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands. Google hopes that those governments will upload local data in the hopes of displaying 3D visuals of their cities.
Related Reading:
Google Launches Google Earth API and Browser Plug-in
Google Releases Updates to Google Earth; Includes Street ViewPosted by Nathania Johnson on June 9, 2008, 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Google Opens Location-Aware Application to 3rd Party Developers
Last year, a Google maps for mobile upgrade included the "My Location" feature. It allows users to find out where they are even if their phones don't have GPS. Now Google is opening up the application to 3rd party developers.
My Location uses cell phone towers to approximate the location of a cell phone user. Writing on the Google mobile blog, Zhengrong Ji and Ravi Jain of the Google mobile team explained:
"If the phone has GPS, the Maps application on the phone sends the GPS coordinates along with the cell ID to the Google location server. Over millions of such updates, across multiple phones, carriers, and times, the server clusters the GPS updates corresponding to a particular cell ID to find their rough center. So when a phone without GPS needs its own location, the application on the phone queries the Google location server with the cell tower ID to translate that into a geographic location, i.e., lat/long coordinates."
Gears for Windows Mobile and Android already have location APIs, and Google says they expect to see the My Location API implemented on the Apple iPhone applications as early as this month, as Apple launches their highly anticipated store for iPhone apps.
Related Reading:
Google Patent Details Mobile Search PlansPosted by Nathania Johnson on June 9, 2008, 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Yahoo's Call for Search Developers: Bad Timing?
In the midst of preparing for a proxy board fight brought on by Carl Icahn, the Yahoo! Search team has put out a call for new employees. A recent post on the Yahoo! Search blog implores, "We're looking for the brightest technical minds in the business to help us build the next generation of search."
The timing is curious. Any developer that's paying attention must be wondering if signing on with Yahoo will ultimately have them at Microsoft. Or perhaps have them out the door in a "last hired first fired" scenario resulting from inevitable staff cuts that follow most mergers and acquisitions.
On the flip side, Yahoo is needing to show its strength more than ever if Jerry Yang and the current Board of Directors hope to come out victorious at the August 1 shareholders meeting. Then again, their call for developers may be part of the strategy. Visiting the Yahoo! Jobs page feels like a tour of the latest talking points in the quest to remain independent.
Visitors are greeted with a big image demonstrating just how many people are using Yahoo:
Not so sure the "Think Purple" appeal is going to go over well with the male-dominated pool of software developers, but to each his own.
Then the site is peppered with these gems:
"With 1 out of every 2 people online visiting Yahoo!, we need some seriously big thinkers to fill these positions. Are you up for the challenge?"
"It would take 7,000 years for all the photos on Flickr to be developed at a one-hour photo!"
What do you think of Yahoo's recruitment of developers for its search team? Bad timing or marketing to shareholders? Sound off in the comments.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on June 9, 2008, 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Google Webmaster Central Blog Addresses Duplicate Content Issues
Over at the Google Webmaster Central blog, Search Quality Team member Sven Naumann is tackling the issue of duplicate content. Naumann says there are two primary types of duplicate content, within a domain and cross-domain, and offers up tips in how to deal with each.
Within a Domain
This type of duplicate content is when the content from one page appears on other pages with your site. In this case, most webmasters or site owners usually have a preference as to which page they want to rank. Naumann offers up the following tip, "Include the preferred version of your URLs in your Sitemap file. When encountering different pages with the same content, this may help raise the likelihood of us serving the version you prefer."
Cross-Domain
Cross-domain duplicate content is when content from your site appears on other site, usually through syndication or blogs that scrape content. When it comes to syndication, asking your partners to link back to your page is a good way to help Google know that your site is the original source. As for scraped content, Naumann insists that Google is good at knowing what's scraped and what's real: "You shouldn't be very concerned about seeing negative effects on your site's presence on Google if you notice someone scraping your content."
Still, once in a while, scraped content may rank higher than your page. In such an instance, Naumann suggests the following:
- Check if your content is still accessible to our crawlers. You might unintentionally have blocked access to parts of your content in your robots.txt file.
- You can look in your Sitemap file to see if you made changes for the particular content which has been scraped.
- Check if your site is in line with our webmaster guidelines.
Wrapping up, Naumann assured webmasters and SEOs that, "In the majority of cases, having duplicate content does not have negative effects on your site's presence in the Google index. It simply gets filtered out."
What do you think about this duplicate content post on the Google Webmaster Central blog? Does it line up with your experience in dealing with duplicate content. Share your thoughts in the comments.
Related Reading:
Adam Lasnik comments on Spam Complaints and Dupe Content
Large Enterprise SEO: Content DevelopmentPosted by Nathania Johnson on June 9, 2008, 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Marchex Consolidates Ad Platforms
Marchex has announced the consolidation of its local ad platforms into one solution which is being called Adhere. The new platform will offer CPC ads on 200 partner sites as well as Marchex's own network of 100,000 generic and local domains.
Marchex is touting 2 major benefits for the change:
- It enables national advertisers to efficiently fulfill their online budget in the same manner as they purchase offline advertising; namely national, spot and local in a single media buy.
- It provides small- and medium-sized businesses the opportunity to reach local customers directly through Marchex's OpenList and reach national customers through premium, vertically focused publishers.
Along with the consolidation announcement comes news of new partners joining Marchex's content network:
- IDG – Publishers of PC World, CIO Magazine and Macworld
- Ziff Davis Enterprise – Publishers of eWeek, CIO|Insight and Publish
- Banks.com – covering banking, loans, investing, insurance, taxes, real estate and autos
- RealtyTrac – an online marketplace for foreclosure properties
- AmericanTowns.com – a national network of community-based websites where people can find & share local information for every town in America
- YourStreet.com – Indexes and maps thousands of articles, blogs, and conversations down to the street level
- Lat49 – an online ad network providing local and brand advertisers with delivery of geo-targeted and contextual ads across a network of online maps
- HelloMetro – city level information on local history, attractions, real estate, jobs, Yellow Pages, White Pages and local resources
Related Reading:
Marchex Shows How to Cash In on Local Search
Marchex's Local Advertising Branches Out into Mobile MarketPosted by Nathania Johnson on June 9, 2008, 9:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Q&A with June Li, Founder and Managing Director of ClickInsight
With SES Toronto coming up June 16-18, 2008, we interviewed June Li, the founder and managing director of ClickInsight. June will be one of the speakers at the “Giving Credit Where It's Due: Which Campaign Sold What?” session, which will be held on Wednesday, June 18, from 4:00 to 5:15 p.m.
June has over 20 years of e-business, marketing, manufacturing, logistics and sales experience. She is also an associate instructor for the web analytics program at the University of British Columbia, as well as an instructor for a web analytics course at the University of Toronto Professional Learning Centre, Faculty of Information Studies.June has spoken and moderated at the Emetrics Summit and is a contributing writer to OneDegree.ca and the AIMS blog.
Q. You founded ClickInsight, a business that creates successful strategies for clients to multiply their online leads and sales. Can you provide SEW readers with a sample of some of your latest Web analytics projects? What is the latest “buzz” in the field of Web analytics?
A. We use web analytics to help businesses accelerate their results from marketing initiatives. Almost all of our business breakthrough projects involve an analysis of search marketing, either organic or paid. And since Canada is a net exporter of goods and services, with the Canadian dollar as strong as it is, there's been increasing interest in using search to get more qualified leads. Cold calling is such a probability game, why not attract the buyers who are need your goods and services and are looking for what you have to offer?
Analytics is a necessity for defining baselines for improvement. Businesses that have not optimized their site for search or are not using paid search should look at their organic search keywords using their web analytics system. What searches are driving traffic to their site? More often than not, the search keywords include just the company name in some way. This means only the people who already know about your organization are coming to your site, and you're not reaching new prospects. And if you are getting generic, non-branded searches, don't stop there? You may not be visible to your target market, and unless you drill down to see who your visitors are, you won't know what you're missing.
What's the latest buzz? Social media measurement and mobile analytics. Both have great linkages to search and positioning on the search results page.
Q. How does your company make use or not make use of Google analytics?
A. We and many of our clients make use of Google Analytics (and other tools) to assess the impact of marketing and site changes. We want to see whether our changes have the intended impact on where our visitors are coming from, what's driving them to our sites, and what's not. Google Analytic's new benchmarking availability is interesting and has definitely triggered some very interesting discussions. We also use Google Analytics to mine and analyze onsite search to see what people think you should have on your website. Perhaps what they're looking for isn't present or is difficult to find.
But Google Analytics can't tell you what might work better. So we also use and recommend Google Website Optimizer for testing alternate options and 4Q (4Q.iperceptions.com) to “listen” to the voice of the customer. Without listening, you won't have the insight on what might be improved or the reason why people behave as they do on your site. And if this still doesn't provide what you need, surveys and usability testing might be next.
Q. What got you fascinated about Web analytics to begin with? Did you ever suffer any of the experiences that so many of your clients come to your company for to help solve?
A. Since I started with web analytics on the client side, I'm quite familiar with the issues companies have managing web analytics data, reports and analysis.
Without analytics, you're guessing as to what's happening on your website and with your online marketing initiatives. And who can afford to guess, particularly now that we're seeing the economy slowing down and in Canada, coping with a stronger dollar. Web analytics won't solve everything (it's not magic and it's not perfect) but you're much better off with the insights analytics can provide than none at all. Web analytics practices continue to evolve, integrating with data mining and expanding to include social media and mobile analytics.
Q. What excites you about Search Engine Strategies Toronto? What do you look forward to most?
A. This will be the 4th Search Engine Strategies I'll have attended in Toronto, and they get better every time. Last year, I was happy to see there was much more discussion “beyond the click” and about landing page conversion, the money-making “value event”. I'm sure this year will bring yet another advance in the community.
SES is a great place to gauge the pulse of the search community, where businesses are at with search, learn what leading organizations are doing, and have fun discussions about the current myths of search and what the crawlers are up to now, where they're going next.
Q. You teach a Web Analytics Training course at the University of Toronto. Do you plan to draw upon any of it for your presentation at SES Toronto?
A. Absolutely. The Web Analytics training course at the University of Toronto is an introductory course intended to help those who need to show value from website content understand not only the technical basics but also the management and organization pre-requisites for success. Key to using web analytics is a clear understanding your goals. Only then can you set up your analytics plan to properly (and sanely) assess performance and progress towards attaining your goal. I'm really looking forward to the panel I'm on. We're tackling the topic of Multi-Channel Measurement. Goal setting is critical to ensuring you don't drown in multi-channel data and can actually make sense of what you're measuring.
Q. Put on your prognosticator helmet: What is the future of Web analytics? Say over the next 10 to 20 years?
A. 10-20 years? We're having problems with 2-3 years! Web analytics will become “analytics”. With new online and integrated technologies proliferating, the tools to measure will evolve, perhaps not fast enough but they'll evolve. For sure things will get more complicated, and that's what keeps it interesting and fun!Posted by Greg Jarboe on June 9, 2008, 8:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
SEW Experts: Google Mobile Advertising: Start Now!
Mobile advertising revenue is expected to dwarf current ad spend on search and content networks. In today's Content Advertising column, "Google Mobile Advertising: Start Now!," David Szetela breaks down the dynamics of mobile search advertising as an essential starting point to creating great mobile content ad campaigns.
Posted by Kevin Newcomb on June 9, 2008, 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Download Day 2008: Mozilla Looking To Set World Record
Mozilla is looking to set a world record for the most downloads in a given day when it launches Firefox 3. They are using all the various social media to get the message out. With all the plugins this user friendly browser has available it is hard to ignore.
"We want to set a Guinness World Record for the most software downloaded in 24 hours. With the backing of our community and your help we know we can make it," they state on the site set up for the effort.
Hey they are also looking to give away T-shirts, so go sign up and join the party.
Posted by Frank Watson on June 8, 2008, 10:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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