Yahoo! Acquires Assets of the Inquisitor 3 Plug-in for Safari
Yahoo has acquired the assets of the Inquisitor 3 plug-in for the Safari web browser. Mac developer Dave Watanabe created the plug-in, but will not become a Yahoo! employee. Watanabe will, however, temporarily consult for Yahoo.
Inquisitor 3 aids searchers by auto-completing their search keywords and delivers results directly in the Safari browser. When users begin to type in the chrome (you know, that area where the toolbars and menus are), websites and alternative search terms pop up to assist the searcher. Yahoo says the plug-in is similar to their Search Assist-type function, but within the chrome.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on May 9, 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Related: Yahoo: Acquisitions
Free to Go: Microsoft Releases Proxy Yahoo Board
It's speculation Friday, again. And today, the analysts will be pondering whether or not Microsoft will come back for Yahoo, something they haven't been secret about hoping for. But Microsoft is throwing a wrench into those plans by releasing members of its proxy Board of Directors, prepared for a hostile takeover of Yahoo.
Good negotiating is careful business, though, so this could be another negotiating ploy. Or it could be a very real indicator that Microsoft truly is moving on. Speculate away!
Posted by Nathania Johnson on May 9, 9:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Related: Microsoft: Mergers & Acquisitions
Google Adwords Launches Landing Page Load Time on Keyword Analysis Page
Recently, Google announced that landing page load time will become a factor in determining quality score for Adwords. Today, they have launched a landing page load time metric for Adwords users.
The metric can be found on the Keyword Analysis page.
The load time factor will begin affecting Quality Score in mid-June. Need help improving your landing page load time? Google helps you out with, "How does load time affect my landing page quality?"
Related Reading:
Pimp My Site: Tweaking High Traffic Landing Pages
Google Website Optimizer Tool is Out of Beta!
Posted by Nathania Johnson on May 9, 9:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Related: Google: AdWords
Google Maps Grand Theft Auto 4 (GTA 4): Your Google Guide to Liberty City
Grand Theft Auto 4 sales topped half a billion dollars during its first week of release, earning about 5 times as much as the blockbuster movie, Iron Man. GTA 4 takes place in Liberty City, a parallel universe of New York, NY. More realistic than ever, many buildings and landmarks in the game are spot-on. The soundtrack rocks.
So how are GTA 4 fans navigating the game? Google Maps is powering the Grand Theft Auto Big Map, a wiki-style map where gamers can update places they've found in Liberty City.
The Google map has proven so popular with the GTA 4 community, moderators have posted the following message:
Note: Due to the sheer amount of submissions from all you pimps, the review process is taking longer than expected. Please do not submit the same marker twice out of fear your submission didn't go through.
Here's an example showing "Missions" and "Services" identified on the Google Map:
There's a helpful outline of the basic controls of the Liberty City Interactive Map system at GTA 'Hood. Yo'u'll also find a detailed guide to help you add new marker location points within the Liberty City Interactive Map.
If you want to explore Liberty City online, you have lots of categories to choose from in addition to "Missions" and "Services." Here's what's currently listed: Clubs, Bars, Cabaret Clubs, Strip Club, Comedy Club, Emergency Services, Police Station, Hospital, Fire Department, Missions, Start, End, Primary Objective, Secondary Objective, NPC, Steps 1-10, Most Wanted, Items, Body Armor, Health Pack, Weapons, Vehicles, Secrets, Hidden Package, Easter Egg, Funny Signs, Multiplayer: Extraction Point, NPCs, Contact Person, Pervert, Pigeon.
How detailed is the Liberty CIty Interactive Map? Here's a screenshot showing all markers:
Of course there are always GTA 4 cheats available, like this one from Playstation Insider, if you want to find the flying rats, weapon locations and half-naked zombies faster.
After the jump, a quick lesson on how to use Google Maps to add your own markers.
Click to continue reading ...
Posted by Kevin Heisler on May 9, 8:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Related: Google: Maps
SEW Experts: Yahoo Rejects Microsoft: Worst Decision Ever?
There have been some major missed opportunities in our industry; decisions that must haunt those involved. Arguably the biggest faux pas of our industry came in 1999, when Excite had the opportunity to buy Google for $1 million and refused. In today's SEM Crossfire column, "Yahoo Rejects Microsoft: Worst Decision Ever?," Frank Watson wonders if Yahoo's turn-down of Microsoft's offer could trump it?
Posted by Kevin Newcomb on May 9, 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Related: Google: Acquisitions & Investments, SEW Experts, Yahoo: Acquisitions
SEW Experts: Optimization by Numbers
In the complex world of online marketing, you will likely be asked to run several digital programs at any given time. While getting these programs off the ground can be an achievement in itself, the real challenge is campaign optimization. In today's SEM Agency Issues column, "Optimization by Numbers," William Flaiz discusses ways to keep track of what is working, and identify which channels you should invest in further or pull the plug.
Posted by Kevin Newcomb on May 9, 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Related: Analytics & ROI: Measuring SEM, SEM Tips: Outsourcing/Agency Issues, SEW Experts
SEW Experts: Black, White, and Blue all Over
The LA Times is in the midst of an aggressive online product rollout. If anyone should be able to build solid local content sites, it's newspapers. In today's Vertical Search column, "Black, White, and Blue all Over," local search expert Michael Boland outlines their efforts, noting that it's their game to lose, with a sizeable but quickly closing head start, as publishers across the country sit on their hands.
Posted by Kevin Newcomb on May 9, 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Related: SEM Industry: Business Issues, SEM Tips: Integration With Traditional Marketing, SEW Experts
Pro Intellectual Property Act Passes House
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act.despite opposition from the Department of Justice.
The act, sponsored by Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Lamar Smith (R-Texas), would allow for forfeiture of property such as computers and other equipment used by convicted copyright infringers.
While this is mainly aimed at music and movie piracy and is backed by the entertainment industry, it will be interesting if it could be applied to website content theft. If so, this could create all sorts of interesting developments for the future of the web.
Scrappers and other copyright material thieves could be risking a lot more than dropped Google listings.
Posted by Frank Watson on May 8, 8:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Related: Legal: Copyright
FBI Hot For 'Wikipedophilia'
The FBI is investigating Wikipedia's inclusion of a photograph of an underage girl on one of their information pages, WorldNetDaily reported. The company has defended their inclusion of adult content despites its ease of access for children, WND noted.
The offending photo is of an old Scorpion album cover that "depicts a naked pre-pubescent girl (appearing about 10 years of age) in a provocative pose. Her chest is completely exposed and a small crack is placed over her vagina."
There have been some complaints about the inclusion of images of graphic sexual acts - heterosexual and homosexual.
ValleyWag mentions these problems in a profile of Wikipedia's Erik Moeller, their number two who oversees content and was instrumental in the development of WikiYouth. Problem is guys you have no restrictions to the adult content on your main site. Even the porn industry requires checking age or having anyone logging in to commit to an age.
A warning before this content displays could be a good start.
Posted by Frank Watson on May 8, 3:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Related: Wikipedia
Google: Our Brain is Just Fine, Thank You
Recently, Google has been losing executives and staff to social sites and startups. This has led many to speculate that Google is losing the brainpower that built the mega company.
But the so-called brain drain is not occurring. At least, that's what Google spokesman Matt Furman told BBC news. Furman said that Google's management pool is deep. Plus, they're not want for talent with 1,300 resumes arriving at their doorstep every day.
Many Googlers have hopped over to Facebook, where they're more likely to find the startup culture that was so endearing about the Google of years past. Now Google, despite its free lunches, is a bonafide corporation, with structure and chains of command to boot. Still, those Googlers may have had a harder time landing their Facebook gigs had it not been for the presence of Google on their resumes.
Of course, Googlers-turned-Facebookers may question that move if Microsoft should really, truly buy Facebook.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on May 8, 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Related: Google: Employees
Yahoo Tests 'Glue Pages' in India
Yahoo is testing a new home page design for its search engine in India. Dubbed 'Glue Pages,' the design has a 3-newspaper look with modules reminiscent of iGoogle or some RSS newsreaders like Netvibes. However, while iGoogle widgets are all over the place design-wise, Glue Pages modules have a clean, uniform look. On the other hand, you can't drag and drop the modules or choose from a catalog of modules to customize your page. Instead, Glue Pages changes up the modules and the placement of those modules according to the keyword that is being searched.
The organic search results are in the left column. Because we're so used to paid search listings being in a sidebar, these organic listings look like sponsored results. (Don't worry, there are still 10 organic results per page.)
On a search for "cell phones," a Google blog search module (of all things!) was the top center module. But on a search for "tea," a MyRecipes.com module took center stage (and that Iced Mint tea recipe looks delicious!). Other modules include Yahoo! Answers, Flickr images, and How Stuff Works.
Glue Pages facilitates both discovery and answers, something that searchers and Web 2.0 users love. On both of my searches, however, the Yahoo! Answers module was placed at the bottom. And with the success of Answer sites over the past year (with Yahoo! Answers leading the pack), perhaps the module should be tested above the fold. But perhaps that will be part of the test in the future.
Check out the screenshots below or go and test Glue Pages for yourself.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on May 8, 9:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Related: Yahoo: Web Search
SEW Experts: Giving Links Away
There are a few ways of controlling what pages of your site share their link love. In today's Link Building column, "Giving Links Away," Sage Lewis explains the concepts of PageRank "sculpting" and siloing: two methods that use the "nofollow" attribute to control which links are counted in search engine ranking algorithms.
Posted by Kevin Newcomb on May 8, 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Related: Link Building, SEO: Blocking Spiders, SEW Experts
A Seat at the Table for Web Analytics
I just got back from speaking on a multivariate testing panel at eMetrics in San Francisco.
A conversation I had with Marshall Sponder triggered this post. Marshall was bemoaning the fact that web analysts can't even get "a seat at the table" (i.e. serious consideration) within many companies. To me this was a statement of the obvious. There are three main reasons that web analysts are not taken seriously.
Trying to do too many complicated & custom things
Data mining and analysis is pretty open-ended. A smart person can think up many ways to slice and dice the data. The very word "analyst" conjures up images of complexity. This is "rocket science" and no amount of simplified Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) on a customized dashboard for your boss will change that. If you dumb down the data too much then others may jump to the wrong conclusions. If you let them peek under the hood, then the complexity comes roaring back.
Looking in the rearview mirror
Analytics pores over data that was collected in the past. No matter how detailed or insightful it is, it can not necessarily be translated directly into actions because the conditions now may have changed significantly since the data was collected (e.g. traffic mix, seasonal factors, actions of competitors).
Not speaking the language of business
Analysts speak the language of numbers - but unfortunately not the right ones. Management only understands numbers in the context of finance. Does it make more money for us? Does it cut down costs?
So what can a web analyst do to get some respect?
1) Focus on mission-critical projects only - unless it can make a big impact on the business you should not waste your time on it. Intellectual curiosity and "what if" open-ended idea exploration should be limited to a small proportion of your time.
2) Get proactive - You should be working on actionable forward-looking activities such as landing page optimization which can actually lead to significant changes, and will not be filed away and never looked at.
3) Learn to speak in the language of finance - The only numbers that matter to your managers are the financial ones. Once you start presenting your projects and priorities in terms of their contribution to business performance you will get a lot more respect and attention.
You must reinvent yourself - instead of being viewed as a passive "analyst" you should become a business process architect who is relentlessly driven to improve the economics of your company.
If you do these things then you will be much more likely to get a seat at the table.
Posted by Tim Ash on May 7, 7:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Related: Analytics & ROI: Web Analytics
