June 13, 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)
