July 9, 2009
Bing's Search Engine Share on the Rise, Has a Long Way to Go
Hitwise has released their search engine share data for the month of June 2009. This is significant because it's the first month that Microsoft's Bing.com has been around. Of course, it essentially took over for Live.com, so there are a few factors to look at.
Now, normally we wouldn't look (or even get) the week-by-week data. But that is quite possibly the most significant for this particular month. As you can see, Bing saw growth every week in the month of June.
But when you average the weeks together, Microsoft search engines still saw a slight loss year-over-year. This contrasts the data from the less authoritative Statcounter, which was released July 1.
Still, it's no doubt who's still sending traffic by way of search referrals: Google.
Perhaps overall search referrals would be higher if only searchers could really find what they're looking for. The keyword length is on the rise, possibly indicating that searchers really have to do a lot of work to find what they're truly searching for.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on July 9, 2009, 4:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Google Adds My Location to Desktop Version of Maps
Google Maps for Mobile users have had access to a feature called My Location that does exactly what you would think: marks your current location. Now, the desktop version of Google Maps has access to that feature.
You've got to be using a compatible browser. So, if you haven't upgraded to Firefox 3.5 or Chrome 2.0 (or any browser installed with the current version of Google Gears), then it's time to get your download on.
Then when you load Google Maps, look for a teeny tiny new box between the zoom in/out bar and the compass circle. Click that box and you'll be prompted to give permission to share your location.
My Location seemed to figure out that I was in the greater metropolitan area of Raleigh, NC, but there was no indication via the famous blue circle that the feature had worked to find my general location. It certainly couldn't pinpoint the location of the public library whose Wifi I'm currently schlepping. Google uses nearby Wifi points to determine location, but the LatLong blog did say it may not be able to provide one every time. Though, I'm always flabbergasted when new tech like this doesn't work in such a high-tech area as the Raleigh-Durham area.
Were you able to get a more precise location detection from Google Maps? Do tell in the comments.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on July 9, 2009, 2:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
StumbleUpon's Su.pr is Now Available to All; Update SU, Twitter and Facebook Simultaneously
Last month, StumbleUpon unveiled Su.pr, a tool that shortens URLs but also enables the submission of links to StumbleUpon while also offering the option to simultaneous update Twitter and Facebook.
Now, Su.pr has been made available to anyone. To access it, you must become a registered user of StumbleUpon. You'll also need to authorize Twitter and Facebook to use the tool, if you plan to use the simultaneous updating. (And seriously, why wouldn't you?)
Like other URL shortening services, you can see how many times the link has been clicked on, which is highly valuable.
Especially useful is the bookmarklet that you can use to make the process of submitting to three different social networks at the same time even easier.
Now, all I need is for someone to make a Su.pr Greasemonkey script for Google Reader so I can reduce the step of clicking the links I want to share to open in a Firefox tab. Who's game?
Posted by Nathania Johnson on July 9, 2009, 2:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Social Network Ad Spend to Dip in 2009, Pick Back Up in 2010
eMarketer has released projections showing social network ad spending taking a dip in 2009. They attribute the decline to difficulties over at MySpace, as they try to maintain a presence in a niche being taken over by Facebook and the yet-to-be monetized Twitter.
"The expected rebound in spending will come as more companies focus on creating and implementing an overall social marketing strategy," says Debra Aho Williamson, eMarketer senior analyst and author of the new report, Social Network Ad Spending: A Brighter Outlook Next Year. "And it is a clear indication that the experimental phase of social network marketing is finally drawing to an end."
However, the downturn isn't expected to become a trend. Instead, it will be a blip on an otherwise steadily increasing interest in social network advertising. Should Twitter introduce advertising, social network ads will probably take on a life of their own.
"Facebook, once a distant second to MySpace, has outperformed its rival in nearly every measure of usage--and is on track to surpass MySpace in ad spending by 2011," says Ms. Williamson.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on July 9, 2009, 1:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
SES San Jose Offers Sessions for Veteran Search Engine Marketers
Last week, I said "SES San Jose Offers Conference Sessions for First Time Attendees." This year's Search Engine Strategies conference offers lots of sessions for veteran search engine marketers, too.
SES San Jose 2009 can cover both ends of the spectrum because it has five concurrent tracks. So, whether this will be your first show or the fourth SES event that you've attended in 2009, you'll find tons of new content worth learning.
For example, sessions oriented toward advanced marketers include:
• Search: Where to Next sums up what the future holds for the search industry with a veteran panel of industry insiders.
• The Next Wave for Online Video presents the importance of optimizing for video search and looks into tactics for copywriting, keyword research and more.
• Don't Call it a Comeback: Semantic Technology and Search focuses on the reality of true semantic technology and the recent application of the "Web 3.0" tag.
• Beyond Googling: Where Will Your Customers Be Searching in Five Years? presents a long-view look at weak signals and trends that appear to point in new directions.
• Launching a Global Website presents key issues critical to successfully developing, optimizing, and launching the global websites that meet next generation marketing goals.
• Duplicate Content & Multiple Site Issues explores the potential problems and pitfalls of running mirror sites and offers solutions.
• Landing Page Testing and Tuning discusses how to twist and tweak your landing page to covert site visitors into buyers.
• Real World Multivariate Testing helps attendees understand how landing page optimization, through multivariate testing, can quickly affect the success of any online acquisition campaign, and how simple changes to a landing pages can dramatically increase online sales.
• Ads in a Quality Score World looks at quality factors and studies how to increase the perceived relevancy of your campaigns.
• Follow the Carrot: Cool Mobile Apps examines the effect of mobile applications, their usefulness from a business point of view, and where they may be going in the future.
• Images & Search Engines: Getting the Full Picture explores image searching along with image-links, geo tags and other considerations for capturing targeted traffic.
• Search Becomes the Display OS includes a discussion and case studies focusing on the idea that the only thing that can save display advertising is making it more like search.
Although I should disclose that SES is a client, I'm not the only one who thinks that there is lots of sessions for veteran search engine marketers at SES conferences. For example, Lee Odden, an SES Advisory Board member and CEO of TopRank Online Marketing, says, "Search Engine Strategies in San Jose is the epicenter of what's current and useful in the search marketing industry when it comes to advancing internet marketing knowledge. I've attended SES events for years as a delegate, speaker, moderator, and now as an Advisory Board Member. That continued investment for me and my agency staff has resulted in bottom line growth of our digital marketing consulting business by staying current with search strategies and tactics, attracting new clients and talented staff. We've gained tremendous value from SES San Jose as a source of content for our top rated blog and of course, priceless networking with search engine employees, vendors and other smart internet marketers."
And earlier in the year, Odden did an escalator pitch -- which is like an elevator pitch, only faster -- at SES New York. Check out what he had to say at SESConferenceExpo's Channel on YouTube or by watching the video below.
Lee Odden, CEO of TopRank Online Marketing, on the benefits of attending SES New York 2009
Okay, so Odden was talking about SES New York in his escalator pitch, but he could have said the same things about SES San Jose.
For more information about the largest search engine marketing conference and expo on the West Coast, go to the SES San Jose 2009 website. Register through July 24 to save up to $200 with the early bird rate.
Posted by Greg Jarboe on July 9, 2009, 11:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
