Subscribe - Search Engine Watch

February 12, 2008

Find Your Dream Job with the New SEW Job Boards

If you're reading Search Engine Watch, it's likely that your skills are in demand, or soon will be, if you're just starting out. To help you make the most of your search marketing skills, we've launched the Search Engine Watch Job Board. Job seekers can post an anonymous resume, view jobs, and create job alerts. Employers and recruiters can pay by the post or get a discount for buying multiple-posting packs. They can also browse resumes and only pay for the ones they want to contact.

Posted by Kevin Newcomb at 12:00 AM | Permalink

January 14, 2008

Search Engine Watch Welcomes Great New Blogger

Search Engine Watch would like to welcome a new SEO blogger to our team of search marketing and social media optimization experts.

We think of him as the F. Scott Fitzgerald of bloggers, since he's a great writer from Minnesota, too. Search Engine Watch will guarantee, though, he'll be more prolific than Fitzgerald.

I first met Marty Weintraub, president of AimClear search engine optimization (SEO) Internet marketing firm, at fund raiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, sponsored by the Internet Marketers of New York and Best of the Web before the SMX social media conference in New York.

If you spend any time online in the social search space, you'll recognize Marty by his trademark baseball cap.

Marty's battle with cancer spurred the search community to raise more than $5,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

We're pleased to report Marty just received news from the Mayo Clinic that he's winning his battle.

You can meet Marty at SearchFest 2008 where he'll present: Marketing 2.0 Issues: Online Reputation Management

I can't think of anyone with a better online -- or offline reputation. Welcome, Marty.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 12:44 PM | Permalink

December 28, 2007

Search Blogs Awards Voting Is On

Search Engine Journal's 2007 Search Blogs Awards have been posted, and the voting has begun.

The Search Engine Watch Blog has been nominated for "Best Search Industry News Blog of 2007," and the Search Engine Watch Forums have been nominated for "Best Search Engine Community/Forum." If you agree, head on over to Search Engine Journal and vote for us.

You can also share some SEW-love for our Link Love expert Justilien Gaspard, whose blog is nominated in the "Best Link Building Blog of 2007" category; or for SEW blogger and Local Search expert Michael Boland, nominated for "Best Local Search Blog" for the Kelsey Group Blog.

Andrew Goodman, conference chair for SES Toronto, is also nominated for "Best Contextual Advertising Blog" for his Traffick blog.

Even if you don't vote for us, head on over and cast your votes. What else were you planning on doing on the last workday of the year?

Posted by Kevin Newcomb at 12:29 PM | Permalink

September 24, 2007

Google's Growing Searches? FT(P) That.

Ever FTP'ed a news analysis? Transfer this to Financial Times Piffle file: "Growing Google searches for the right balance."

FT reported Google withdrew a bid for DoubleClick in 2005 "amid concerns" that cookies conflicted with "Don't Be Evil" credo. Deal-busting cookies? Does FT really believe Larry & Sergey looked in a mirror and saw the reflection of Dr. Evil?

Unnamed FT sources (Deep Search 1 & Deep Search 2, natch) offered conflicting testimony:

"However, another person familiar with (Google's) internal deliberations says that, while some executives expressed strong reservations about the impact on privacy, this was not the main reason the deal was called off."

What's worse, FT buried the "minority opinion" in the virtual black box of a grey sidebar.

We still don't know whether BrinPage scotched playing DARTs under the glare of spotlight tags. The FT cop-out (misleading lede?) may leave a bad taste in readers' mouths. In a prescriptive news"paper" analysis, ambiguity can be a bitter pill to swallow.

The smart money: Cookies crumble real deal?

Don't Be E-tarded.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 10:32 AM | Permalink

September 17, 2007

DCLK: Google's Double Data Dealing Digital Destiny?

Released today, "Google's DoubleClick Takeover: Double Data-Dealing" is Jeff Chester's latest polemic against the proposed $3 billion merger with DCLK. As the FTC moves closer to a decision on the deal, the executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy hosted a press conference showcasing privacy advocates.

"No piracy of privacy" groups EPIC, US PIRG and other GOOGOpponents also discussed (advocated) challenges to the merger and restrictive remedies the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) might impose to protect (what's left of) Internet privacy and preserve (what's left of) online competition.

Of course the Right might say there's nothing left of Jeff Chester, executive director of The Center for Digital Democracy (CDD) and frequent contributor to The Nation. Antitrust and consumer privacy issues don't warrant fear mongering.

Chester's recently published book, "Digital Destiny: New Media and the Future of Democracy" (The New Press, 2007) presupposes the existence of U.S. democracy and, in turn, its presumed demise. Some may argue that new media and search engines foster faith in democracy's digital resurrection. If so, those lucky few weren't invited to today's piracy of privacy party.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 1:07 PM | Permalink

September 14, 2007

SEW Blog Ranks #3 in AdAge Power 150

Allow me to toot our horn for a moment.

Search Engine Watch has been ranked #3 in the AdAge Power 150, a ranking of the top English-language media and marketing blogs in the world.

I'm very proud of the work that we've done this year. Our team of bloggers has done a great job of consistently churning out top-quality work. Thanks to all of you, and congratulations.

The list uses objective data from Google; Bloglines and Technorati, as well as subjective "Todd Points" from marketing executive and blogger, Todd Andrlik. Each blog can get up to 15 Todd Points (we got 11), which Andrik gives for sites with frequent, relevant, creative and high-quality content. The use of audio, video and graphics is also heavily weighted in the Todd Points.

OK, so the Google data is toolbar Page Rank, which many would argue is not exactly "data" as much as an "estimate." But counting Bloglines subscribers and Technorati links has some comparative value, at least.

With an overall score of 69, we came in just behind Micro Persuasion, also with 69, and Seth Godin, with 70 points. Just behind SEW with 68 points were Online Marketing Blog, Pronet Advertising, and Search Engine Land.

It seems search marketing blogs are kicking some butt compared with more general marketing blogs, but that's no surprise, given the high quality of blogs in our space. Other search blogs on the list include Marketing Pilgrim (#8), SEOmoz Blog (#13), and Search Engine Guide (#31). Our sister site ClickZ made the list at #46.

Congratulations to all the blogs on the list.

Posted by Kevin Newcomb at 10:38 AM | Permalink

July 23, 2007

New Look, New Awards

Good morning, and welcome to a new look for ClickZ and Search Engine Watch, as well as a new twist on ClickZ's annual Marketing Excellence Award.Since both ClickZ and Search Engine Watch celebrate 10th anniversaries this year, we reassessed. Both sites have grown considerably in both size and complexity over the years. That's why we've updated the look and feel, and hopefully made both sites (along with their respective newsletters) more usable and navigable.And because 10 years is such a milestone in this nascent industry, we wanted to mark it with our annual awards, too. Rather than have you readers select the best products and campaigns of the past year, just this once we're expanding the scope to look at the first 10 years of interactive marketing and advertising. In October, we'll confer 10 awards in 10 categories to those products, services, businesses and people who have made the most significant contribution to the industry overall -- the ones that got it all started, so to speak.And as usual, our readers have a big say in who those winners will be. Please nominate your candidates.We can't wait to see your choices!

Posted by Rebecca Lieb at 9:26 AM | Permalink

June 7, 2007

And now a few words from Kevin Ryan, VP, Global Content Director, Search Engine Watch and Search Engine Strategies

Greetings everyone, I'm very happy to announce that I have joined the team here at Search Engine Watch and Search Engine Strategies. Everyone has been asking what my role will be and what plans I have for SES and SEW. These are excellent questions with no easy or quick answer (but I’ll give it a shot.)

My mission is to guide, direct and assist the tremendous team here in the continued development of the Search Engine Strategies and Search Engine Watch resources. Over the coming months I’ll be spending a great deal of time working with our teams around the world to provide the best possible content for everyone engaged in search.

The industry we refer to as “The Search” has grown faster than anyone could have predicted and the need for quality information and guidance has never been greater. In other words, our world is changing and we're going to change with it. In order to be the guiding force in this industry, it will take a village.

Of course, this means you.

The Search Engine Watch and Search Engine Strategies contributors, speakers and advisors have helped define standards in the industry and kept the world at large informed about search. The world (as it is) owes you a debt of gratitude and I'd like to invite you to come along with me as we bring about the next evolution of search.

Search marketing knowledge isn’t just for the precious few who have unlocked the secrets. There are many people out there struggling to get their arms around search disciplines—no easy task in an industry that is constantly evolving— that touch every aspect of marketing, advertising and the pursuit of knowledge. Indeed, search is the entry and delivery point for all things interactive.

It is an exciting time to be in the world of search marketing and I couldn’t be happier to be helping out with such a great group of people. Keep an eye out for enhancements to the Search Engine Strategies and SEW experiences. Of course, if you have any suggestions, I would love to hear from you!

Posted by kevinryan at 7:00 AM | Permalink

June 5, 2007

SES Speaker Exclusivity Rumors Untrue

In most cases, I'd rather let rumors lie and let them fall by the wayside. But I think it's important to clarify something on behalf of our Search Engine Strategies team.

According to Rand Fishkin, there are rumors about SES planning to require speakers to sign an exclusivity agreement, so that speakers at SES would not be allowed to speak at other shows like SMX or Webmaster World.

Let me assure you that Incisive Media (parent to both SEW and SES) has no such plans. There have not been, nor will there be any plans to institute any kind of exclusivity agreement for speakers at any of our events.

Hopefully, this will dispel any rumors, and put the idea to rest.

UPDATE: Here's the deal: there is a clause in the SES speaker guidelines (put there by Danny Sullivan) requesting them not to speak at a competing conference for two weeks before or after their appearance at SES. There is nothing in the contract, or anywhere else, saying that anyone who speaks at SMX will be banned from speaking at SES. That was the implication of the rumors, and that is just not the case.

Posted by Kevin Newcomb at 11:44 AM | Permalink

May 22, 2007

Changes at SEW: Moving Over Yonder

It's been a really interesting year here at Search Engine Watch. I'm happy to say traffic to the site is strong, if not at an all-time high, due to the fantastic work of our bloggers, expert columnists, and SearchDay contributors. News Editor Kevin Newcomb deserves much of the credit for those areas as well, since joining the site in January.

For those reasons, I'm also sad to say, my last day as editor of Search Engine Watch is this Friday, May 25.

It's been terrific being a part of SEW for three years, from launching the discussion forums in 2004, to bringing the local SEW Live! networking series to five cities, and expanding my editorial duties over the last year, including the recent launch of SEW Experts.

But, I am leaving the site and the daily editing duties in the hands of a capable staff, and wish them the best of luck. I'm also happy to announce that Rob Kerry (aka, evilgreenmonkey) is going to be resurrecting my former role as the SEW Forums Editor, which became a part of my role as Editor, but started to get lost alongside my expanding duties on the rest of the site.

What's next for me? I'm joining a start-up in the travel vertical based here in Salt Lake City, founded by a few people with long-time search industry experience. After years of agency work and freelance consulting, as well as my time at SEW on the editorial side, I'm looking forward to being the in-house director of online media, managing the content development strategy and online marketing programs for vacation rentals at zonder.com.

The timing is fantastic, as I now get to practice what I preach, particularly as I'm still programming our first SES Travel event in Seattle, WA, July 26-27. It's shaping up to be a great event, with a ton of buzz from speakers and prospective attendees, the agenda will be posted shortly, and stay tuned to the SES blog for further announcements on the program. I hope to see many of you at that event and others in the SEM conference circuit.

Meanwhile, Search Engine Watch is in the process of upgrading the site, adding contributors and new staff, so you can expect some announcements on that front soon.

Posted by Elisabeth Osmeloski at 3:13 PM | Permalink

April 24, 2007

SEW Experts: On Paid Links and Keyword Management

Today's Search Engine Watch Experts columns tackle the topics of paid links and keyword management.

In his au Natural column, "Should Paid Links Influence Organic Rankings?" Mark Jackson asks the question that's being debated around the industry.

In his Big Biz column, "Mission Possible: Managing Millions of Keywords," Aaron Shear offers advice on managing large PPC campaigns.

Posted by Kevin Newcomb at 11:15 AM | Permalink

February 8, 2007

Welcome New SEW Bloggers

I'd like to extend a warm welcome to our two new Search Engine Watch blog correspondents, Eric Enge and Grant Crowell. Both names are likely familiar to our readers, since both gentlemen have written articles for SearchDay, and have been around the SES circuit for years.

Eric Enge is president of Stone Temple Consulting, located near Boston. He will focus on issues like link building, Web analytics, and vertical search. He is also a co-founder of Moving Traffic, the publisher of City Town Info and Custom Search Guide. You've also likely seen some of our posts linking to interviews on his excellent Stone Temple Blog.

Grant Crowell is CEO and creative director of Grantastic Designs, a full-service SEM and design firm outside of Chicago. He has an extensive professional graphics background, along with years of professional experience in the fields of public relations and publications, including private enterprise, state government projects, and non-profit organizations. Grant will share some blogging duties on multimedia and search with Amanda Watlington, and also focus on other general search topics.

Posted by Kevin Newcomb at 12:11 PM | Permalink

January 8, 2007

Amanda Watlington Interview

Lee Odden at Online Marketing Blog has a terrific interview with Amanda Watlington, principal at Searching for Profit and the SEW blog's resident expert on topics that include multimedia search, podcasting and social media. Lee asks Amanda about search, PR, blogs, social media and Second Life, among other things. Definitely worth a read.

Posted by Kevin Newcomb at 9:49 AM | Permalink

December 7, 2006

Another Introduction

This is a quick introduction to let you all know that I've been asked to help out as a blogger on Search Engine Watch. My name is Kevin Newcomb, and I've been covering search marketing, among other things, over at ClickZ News for the past few years.

I'll be doing my best to keep things updated here, while continuing my duties at ClickZ, until Rebecca and Elisabeth's plans fall in place.

Feel free to get in touch with me with any news you may have at kevin.newcomb [at] incisivemedia.com.

Posted by Kevin Newcomb at 5:54 PM | Permalink

Moving Forward with Search Engine Watch

Hello, everyone.

For the past five years or so, I’ve had the very great honor of moderating dozens and dozens of sessions at Search Engine Strategies conferences in cities around the world. In that respect, I’ve come to know search, and the search community, much more deeply than I ever would have in my role overseeing The ClickZ Network. ClickZ covers search to be sure, but also interactive marketing’s many other aspects.

Over those years, I’ve also had the privilege of working with Chris Sherman and Danny Sullivan. Both are respected colleagues as well as friends. I’ll miss them. Search Engine Strategies, while part of The ClickZ Network, always functioned quite autonomously under Danny’s supervision. Our sites have enjoyed a very collegial, if separate, existence.

Now, things have changed. Danny and Chris have moved on to a new venture in which I wish them the very best of luck and good fortune. It’s a very daunting honor to be charged with the future of Search Engine Watch — Danny’s not-so-little baby — as editor-in-chief. It’s a change fraught with emotion and sentiment; for many of you readers, as well as for Elisabeth Osmeloski (who’s remaining with the site) and I. It’s a situation reminiscent of (but in many ways, even weirder than) taking over the stewardship of ClickZ was six years ago, when that site’s founders moved on.

Today, ClickZ is thriving. I’m confident Search Engine Watch will, too, due in no small part to its legions of devoted and intensely engaged readers. My role here is to shape the editorial direction of the site going forward, mostly from behind the scenes. I have no plans to become a SEW byline. I’m no slouch when it comes to search, but I also know enough about search to recognize that others know far more about it than do I.

Presently, Elisabeth and I are relying on the SEW community for feedback, suggestions, ideas and proposals. We're looking for new contributors. We want to help this great source of news, information, opinion and community grow, and perhaps become even better.

So please weigh in and let us know what you want and need from SEW. You can shoot us an e-mail at NewEra [at] searchenginewatch.com, or if you happen to be at SES Chicago this week, collar either one of us — we’re very much around.

Looking forward to working with all of you, Rebecca

Posted by Rebecca Lieb at 11:27 AM | Permalink

November 30, 2006

November 2006 Search News Recap Posted

The latest edition of my monthly Search Engine Report newsletter is now online, recapping top stories in search from the past month. You can read it online or receive it via email for free by signing up here.

If you're a Search Engine Watch member, the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has also been posted. That newsletter carries more items than the Search Engine Report newsletter and goes out twice per month.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 2:27 PM | Permalink

Goodbye Search Engine Watch & Best Wishes!

Today is my last day with Search Engine Watch, with me heading to my new digs at Search Engine Land tomorrow. I wanted to wish Search Engine Watch all the best going forward, plus help readers understand some of the changes that are happening. To do that best, I thought I'd go all the way back to the beginning, to the birth of Search Engine Watch.

In case you missed it, My Decade Of Writing About Search Engines from earlier this year covers how I got into reporting on search engines in the first place. Information posted as part of my web development work in 1996 expanded and relaunched as Search Engine Watch on June 9, 1997 (that's it in the image above). It rapidly drew more attention and traffic, in no small part due to Eric Ward's fantastic way of getting news around.

Later that year, I was approached by Meckermedia (then renamed Internet.com, INT Media and Jupitermedia) about buying the site. I decided to sell to them on November 19, 1997. It meant the site could grow and I could stay firmly focused on the editorial development, which is my passion. I stayed on, contracted to be editor.

Two years later, the first companion conference to the site was held, Search Engine Strategies in San Francisco on November 18, 1999. I produced the content for that event as a contractor and have since continued to produce the major shows in the US, as the series has grown.

Last year, both the site and the conference series were sold to the current owner, Incisive Media. For 2007, we didn't agree on contract renewal terms, which resulted in me last August announcing my departure from both SEW and SES.

I'm happy to say that further talks resulted in me staying on to do SES show in the US in 2007. I will chair the SES New York 2007 event, then cochair the San Jose show and take part in Chicago at the end of 2007 as a speaker and moderator.

Search Engine Watch was a different matter. I felt it was better for me to go off on my own, which is what I'm going to do. In some ways, I'm leaving my baby behind. But the baby's pretty grown up now!

I joked with my managing editor Elisabeth Osmeloski that I'll likely become one of the top traffic referral sources to Search Engine Watch, since I'll be mentioning stories I've done in the past over here. But it won't be only past stories that I'll be referring to. If there's good content on Search Engine Watch, I'll be mentioning it and talking about it, just as I've always done for any web site even if it might have been seen as a competitor to SEW by some.

As I said earlier this year:

Whatever I do, I've tried to make it a hallmark to always to be inclusive of content, people, web sites or organizations that will help my readers, even if I might technically be competing with them. Whatever I end up doing, you can expect I'll still be pointing at Search Engine Watch as appropriate and wish those that remain a part of it the very best.

That remains the case!

My goodbye is less tearful because writers I've worked with day-in and day-out are joining me at Search Engine Land. Barry Schwartz (he told me to say goodbye to everyone), Phil Bradley (despite having a name that doesn't end in S), Bill Slawski, Jennifer Slegg, Brian Smith and Greg Sterling will be writing with me from December. Chris Sherman joins us in January. I'm naturally thrilled to continue working with them.

Elisabeth, who I mentioned already, stays on here at Search Engine Watch as managing editor and is working on plans with Incisive to take the site into its new life without me at the helm, a new generation for Search Engine Watch. She'll be along later with a post of her own on this.

I am saying a sad goodbye to my days administrating and moderating the Search Engine Watch Forums. In just over two years, an incredible community has sprung up over there, with nearly 15,000 members.

Earlier this week, I said a private goodbye and thank you to the hard-working moderators that have nurtured the community over this time. I'll share part of that to underscore what I said earlier about being inclusive:

I have absolutely no intention of going over to the new place with any type of "us versus them" type of attitude. I've always tried to be inclusive of good content and communities regardless if they might be seen as competitive to SEW. At SEL, I plan to continue the same. If there are good discussions here, I'm going to be pointing at them. If there are good opportunities for the mods with SEW, I honestly want the best for you. By no means do I want anyone thinking that staying on here, or perhaps doing other things with SEW, is somehow something I won't like or perhaps "disloyal" in any way. I don't know if anyone was even thinking like that -- but if so, don't!

That's pretty much it. I'm going to finish my last day doing a bit of blogging, do my last monthly newsletter, then I'm giving Elisabeth a virtual hug and dropping my keys off at the virtual door.

Any comments, please feel free to add them to this thread at the Search Engine Watch Forums, Best Wishes, Search Engine Watch!

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 8:30 AM | Permalink

November 22, 2006

Thanksgiving Programming Note

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the United States, and Happy Thanksgiving to all celebrating! Barry and I will be off the blog because of the holiday, so there will be no postings from us or a daily search headlines recap. Barry may be back to do light postings and/or headlines on Friday, unless he takes my advice to relax and take that day off as well! I'll be back on Monday.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 3:47 PM | Permalink

Mid-November 2006 Search News Recap Posted

If you're a Search Engine Watch member, the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has been posted. It recaps top stories in search from the first part of this month.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 3:17 PM | Permalink

November 14, 2006

Program Note: Danny & I Are In Vegas

Danny is currently on a plane to Vegas and I am already in Vegas. News here will probably be much slower than a normal week. Also, I think I will be including more items in headlines as opposed to blogging them individually. Finally, if you want to keep up what is going on at the WebmasterWorld PubCon conference, Chris, Donna and I will be providing live coverage from the event. Our coverage schedule is Search Engine Roundtable for updates throughout the day.

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 10:27 AM | Permalink

November 7, 2006

October 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 9:01 PM | Permalink

October 23, 2006

Netscape's Jason Calacanis Keynoting SES Chicago

I'm very happy to announce that Netscape general manager Jason Calacanis will be doing keynote conversation for SES Chicago 2006. This will happen from 9-9:45am on Tuesday, December 5. Just over a year ago, Jason sold the Weblogs Inc. blog network to AOL. Since then, he's been revitalizing the Netscape brand by transforming it into a social news site. Detractors have called Netscape a Digg clone and got incensed when he offered to steal away top Digg contributors with cash. Undeterred, he said spreading the wealth would benefit everyone. That includes perhaps rewarding bloggers with links rather than cash for finding stories. Is the rise of social media just a bubble or the beginning of a massive change on how we consume media? Will citizen journalists put professional publications out of business? Often controversial, always outspoken, Jason will share thoughts on these and other issues.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 11:35 AM | Permalink

Renewing With Incisive On SES

I'm breaking away from my vacation briefly to pass along news that I've reached an agreement with Incisive to continue with Search Engine Strategies for another year. I'll be chairing the SES NY 2007 show, co-chairing the SES San Jose 2007 and participating in the SES Chicago show. Here's the announcement:

Incisive Media and Danny Sullivan announce today that both parties have signed an agreement to continue to work together to produce the market-leading Search Engine Strategies series of conferences and exhibitions.

The SES event series was founded by Danny Sullivan and Jupitermedia in 1999 and became rapidly established as the leading worldwide forum for marketers, agencies and webmasters to learn about the latest developments in search engine optimization and marketing. Since Incisive Media’s purchase of Search Engine Watch, the ClickZ Network and SES in August 2005 the events have continued their expansion with double digit growth in attendance at the major US locations and the successful launch of several conferences – both in new geographies (including China) and vertical and local search sectors.

In August this year Danny Sullivan, who has always been independent contractor, announced his intention to step away from an active involvement in SES at the end of 2006. Since this point both parties have remained in contact and today announce that an agreement has been reached to extend this relationship through 2007.

Speaking about the news today Danny Sullivan said “I very much look forward to working with Incisive Media on the SES events next year. The search industry loves gathering together at them, and I glad to continue as a part of that.”

Tim Weller, founder and CEO of Incisive Media stated “Search is a dynamic growing global industry. We have the market leading brands, excellent content, and a rapidly growing community in the search market. We wanted Danny to be involved going forwards, so I’m delighted that he will continue to do so”.

Incisive Media will make further major announcements about our plans for expansion of activities in the search marketing space at the Search Engine Strategies Chicago event, December 4-7 2006.

For more from me, see my post on my personal blog, News On My Plans For Next Year. My last day on Search Engine Watch remains November 30, and I plan to continue writing on my own through a new search blog, plus do an event or two of my own.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 11:29 AM | Permalink

October 19, 2006

Heading On Vacation

After I post the daily search headlines next, I'm officially on vacation for the next two weeks. Barry Schwartz will own the blog, so to speak, in that he'll be doing most of the posting while I'm away. I'll still be poking at stuff for the SES Chicago conference, if you're a speaker or waiting to hear back from me on that. Other than that, I'm off to California with my family, to remind my boys where Daddy's from....

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 2:23 PM | Permalink

October 18, 2006

Mid-October 2006 Search News Recap Posted

If you're a Search Engine Watch member, the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has been posted. It recaps top stories in search from the first part of this month.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 1:27 PM | Permalink

October 5, 2006

Light Posting On Friday, Oct 6, 2006

Barry Schwartz is off for Sukkot tomorrow, Friday, October 6 -- and I'm away at the Frankfurt Book Fair. So the SEW Blog might have light posting!

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 8:03 PM | Permalink

October 4, 2006

September 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 1:15 PM | Permalink

September 21, 2006

Flickr/Zooomr/Photo Sharing Marketer Wanted

I have exactly one spot left for a speaker at our SES Multimedia event happening in October in Los Angeles. I'm looking for someone who generates traffic via Flickr, Zooomr or other photo sharing sites to do a 15 minute presentation for our Images & Search Engines panel. I don't need someone to talk about spider-based search engines. I'm covered on that front. Interested? Read the general speaking and pitching instructions here. Then get in touch by next Tuesday, September 24. The instructions say that all sessions are closed. That's true -- except for this one particular spot. So if you're a fit, interested, let me know.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 11:05 AM | Permalink

September 20, 2006

Mid-September 2006 Search News Recap Posted

If you're a Search Engine Watch member, the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has been posted. It recaps top stories in search from the first part of this month.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 9:59 AM | Permalink

September 8, 2006

Where Are The Mobile Search Marketers?

I'm generally swamped when I do a call for speakers for any SES event. There's no end of people who want to talk about paid listings, conversion tracking and so on. But man -- no one is biting for my Mobile SEO panel as SES Multimedia & Mobile this October. I've seen this occasionally before -- a panel simply might be too ahead of the market. Maybe everyone's talking the mobile search talk but no one's doing the walk. If you are, prove me wrong and make a pitch. Details here, and I'm taking them through next Wednesday.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 10:41 AM | Permalink

September 6, 2006

August 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 2:02 PM | Permalink

September 4, 2006

Speakers Wanted For SES Multimedia & Mobile Edition 2006

I've still got openings on a few panels for our SES Multimedia & Mobile Edition 2006 show this October in Los Angeles. In particular, I'm looking for those involved with mobile SEO, though I also have a space on our video SEO, image SEO and possibly the podcast SEO sessions. More details are here. Pitches are being taken through Thursday, September 7 (IE, get them to me before Friday, September 8).

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 2:44 PM | Permalink

August 29, 2006

Stepping Down From Search Engine Watch

I'm leaving Search Engine Watch as of December 1, given that its owner Incisive Media and I have been unable to agree on terms to renew my contract. I'm also leaving the Search Engine Strategies conference series at the end of this year. Leaving Search Engine Watch on my personal blog Daggle explains my reasons for departing in more detail. I won't get all mushy and sad to say goodbye to readers yet, since I'm still planning to work just as hard as ever for Search Engine Watch through the end of November. I have no news on who will be taking over, but I or someone else from Search Engine Watch will keep you informed as Incisive makes those plans.

Postscript Barry: I wanted to sum up all the news on this topic. So I wrote at my blog the Reaction from the Search Community on Danny Sullivan's Departure. I warn you, it is pretty detailed.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 6:30 AM | Permalink

August 24, 2006

Slower Posting Through Monday

I'm away on a long weekend break from now through Monday, and Barry's taking some more time on Friday and Monday, as well. So there will be posts, but perhaps not as much as usual. Then again, the search weather has been fairly sunny, so we encourage you to take some time off and for all news makers to have a good rest.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 6:06 AM | Permalink

August 23, 2006

Mid-August 2006 Search News Recap Posted

If you're a Search Engine Watch member, the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has been posted. It recaps top stories in search from the first part of this month.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 5:48 PM | Permalink

August 2, 2006

July 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 9:46 AM | Permalink

July 20, 2006

Mid-July 2006 Search News Recap Posted

If you're a Search Engine Watch member, the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has been posted. It recaps top stories in search from the first part of this month.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 12:13 PM | Permalink

Mid-July 2006 Search News Recap Posted

If you're a Search Engine Watch member, the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has been posted. It recaps top stories in search from the first part of this month.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 12:13 PM | Permalink

Mid-July 2006 Search News Recap Posted

If you're a Search Engine Watch member, the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has been posted. It recaps top stories in search from the first part of this month.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 12:13 PM | Permalink

Mid-July 2006 Search News Recap Posted

If you're a Search Engine Watch member, the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has been posted. It recaps top stories in search from the first part of this month.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 12:13 PM | Permalink

July 18, 2006

Search Engine Watch Server Change

About a year ago, Incisive Media purchased Search Engine Watch from Jupitermedia. Part of the purchase meant that Jupitermedia would continue to host Search Engine Watch for a year. With that time up, we're finally moving. This is a heads-up that the change is happening.

The Search Engine Watch Forums (http://forums.searchenginewatch.com) already moved about two weeks ago. It was pretty painless and not noticed by most people.

The main Search Engine Watch site (http://searchenginewatch.com) is being moved right now. I was just told that our DNS was changed. That means over the next day, people will be invisibly sent to the new servers hosting our content, rather than the old Jupitermedia-hosted ones.

If all goes well, you won't notice the move. It should happen automatically for you. At the moment, the content on both sites is the same and will stay that way until tomorrow, at which point everyone really should be sent automatically to the new site.

How do you know if you are at the new site? Scroll down to the search box in the left-hand column. If you see an option to search and sort "results in date order," you're being routed to the new site (note that on the Search Engine Watch Blog -- http://blog.searchenginewatch.com -- the search box is yet again different).

How also to know? Chances are things will break. We have a lot of redirections in place, and we're checking to make sure that everything is working fine. But inevitably, something will go wrong.

Spotted a bug, a problem? Use this form and let us know, and we'll get it solved.

Finally, the Search Engine Watch Blog hasn't switched yet. That will happen in a few days, and I'll post a notice there, when it does.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 1:29 PM | Permalink

Search Engine Watch Server Change

The Search Engine Watch Forums (http://forums.searchenginewatch.com) already moved about two weeks ago. It was pretty painless and not noticed by most people.

How also to know? Chances are things will break. We have a lot of redirections in place, and we're checking to make sure that everything is working fine. But inevitably, something will go wrong.

Spotted a bug, a problem? Use this form and let us know, and we'll get it solved.

Finally, the Search Engine Watch Blog hasn't switched yet. That will happen in a few days, and I'll post a notice there, when it does.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 1:29 PM | Permalink

Search Engine Watch Server Change

The Search Engine Watch Forums (http://forums.searchenginewatch.com) already moved about two weeks ago. It was pretty painless and not noticed by most people.

How also to know? Chances are things will break. We have a lot of redirections in place, and we're checking to make sure that everything is working fine. But inevitably, something will go wrong.

Spotted a bug, a problem? Use this form and let us know, and we'll get it solved.

Finally, the Search Engine Watch Blog hasn't switched yet. That will happen in a few days, and I'll post a notice there, when it does.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 1:29 PM | Permalink

Search Engine Watch Server Change

The Search Engine Watch Forums (http://forums.searchenginewatch.com) already moved about two weeks ago. It was pretty painless and not noticed by most people.

How also to know? Chances are things will break. We have a lot of redirections in place, and we're checking to make sure that everything is working fine. But inevitably, something will go wrong.

Spotted a bug, a problem? Use this form and let us know, and we'll get it solved.

Finally, the Search Engine Watch Blog hasn't switched yet. That will happen in a few days, and I'll post a notice there, when it does.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 1:29 PM | Permalink

July 5, 2006

June 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 3:51 PM | Permalink

June 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:51 PM | Permalink

June 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:51 PM | Permalink

June 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:51 PM | Permalink

July 3, 2006

Off For The Fourth Of July

Due to the Fourth Of July holiday in the US tomorrow, most of the Search Engine Watch Blog staff will be off and not posting. See you when we get back on the 5th, and a Happy Fourth to our American readers who are celebrating!

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 5:23 PM | Permalink

Off For The Fourth Of July

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 5:23 PM | Permalink

Off For The Fourth Of July

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 5:23 PM | Permalink

Off For The Fourth Of July

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 5:23 PM | Permalink

June 21, 2006

Mid-June 2006 Search News Recap Posted

If you're a Search Engine Watch member (thanks for your support!), the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has been posted. It recaps top stories in search from the first part of this month.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 3:10 PM | Permalink

Mid-June 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:10 PM | Permalink

Mid-June 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:10 PM | Permalink

Mid-June 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:10 PM | Permalink

June 7, 2006

May 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 3:33 PM | Permalink

May 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:33 PM | Permalink

May 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:33 PM | Permalink

May 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:33 PM | Permalink

May 29, 2006

Mazeltov Barry & Yisha! If all seems quiet from hard-working chief news correspondent Barry Schwartz, that's because he's off on his honeymoon. Barry married Yisha yesterday, concluding the engagement he started with a wedding proposal on Ask last year. Congrats from all of us at Search Engine Watch to the happy couple! If you'd like to send your best wishes, pop by our Search Engine Watch Forums thread, Rustybrick Getting Hitched This Weekend!

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 11:01 AM | Permalink

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 11:01 AM | Permalink

May 25, 2006

Phil Bradley Our New Searching Correspondent; Jennifer Slegg Picks Up Paid Search Coverage

Search Engine Watch has always had two main audiences: search marketers and searchers. We want marketers to understand how to reach an audience through search engines. Equally important, we want that audience -- the searchers -- to know how to search better and to be kept informed of great new tools and features.

Having Gary Price on board was a huge help in better serving our searcher audience, since his background was as a librarian -- you know, those human search engines that have helped people for thousands of years. Our readers know that Gary left us earlier this year. Now I'm happy to say that a librarian has rejoined the ranks of Search Engine Watch -- Phil Bradley.

Phil's background is as a librarian, and he's been blogging and speaking about search resources for years. Now he comes aboard here as our searching correspondent. He'll be posting items related to searching the web, new search engines and searching resources, all from the perspective of searchers who use these tools. Welcome, Phil!

Meanwhile, our very first correspondent Jennifer Slegg is now going double-barreled with a new title: paid search & contextual ads correspondent. Jen was previously our contextual ads correspondent, but now she's also going to post on paid search and search advertising issues in general, such as with today's great post on the coming of dayparting to Google AdWords.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 9:40 AM | Permalink

Phil Bradley Our New Searching Correspondent; Jennifer Slegg Picks Up Paid Search Coverage

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 9:40 AM | Permalink

Phil Bradley Our New Searching Correspondent; Jennifer Slegg Picks Up Paid Search Coverage

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 9:40 AM | Permalink

Phil Bradley Our New Searching Correspondent; Jennifer Slegg Picks Up Paid Search Coverage

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 9:40 AM | Permalink

May 24, 2006

Mid-May 2006 Search News Recap Posted

If you're a Search Engine Watch member (thank you!), the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has been posted. It recaps top stories in search from the first part of this month.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 11:10 AM | Permalink

Mid-May 2006 Search News Recap Posted

If you're a Search Engine Watch member (thank you!), the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has been posted. It recaps top stories in search from the first part of this month.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 11:10 AM | Permalink

Mid-May 2006 Search News Recap Posted

If you're a Search Engine Watch member (thank you!), the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has been posted. It recaps top stories in search from the first part of this month.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 11:10 AM | Permalink

Mid-May 2006 Search News Recap Posted

If you're a Search Engine Watch member (thank you!), the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has been posted. It recaps top stories in search from the first part of this month.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 11:10 AM | Permalink

May 23, 2006

Get Our Search Headlines On Google!

I'm on a campaign to get more people to try our new subscribed link service at Google. It's easy and free. Just click here to subscribe and you'll get headlines from us related to search at the top of Google search results pages like this:

More about our service is covered here. Like ours? You can find those from others here and here, with the latter being a place where you can submit your own or learn more about making them.

But hey! Don't forget to subscribe to ours!

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 3:53 PM | Permalink

Get Our Search Headlines On Google!

More about our service is covered here. Like ours? You can find those from others here and here, with the latter being a place where you can submit your own or learn more about making them.

But hey! Don't forget to subscribe to ours!

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:53 PM | Permalink

Get Our Search Headlines On Google!

More about our service is covered here. Like ours? You can find those from others here and here, with the latter being a place where you can submit your own or learn more about making them.

But hey! Don't forget to subscribe to ours!

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:53 PM | Permalink

Get Our Search Headlines On Google!

More about our service is covered here. Like ours? You can find those from others here and here, with the latter being a place where you can submit your own or learn more about making them.

But hey! Don't forget to subscribe to ours!

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:53 PM | Permalink

May 11, 2006

And We're Back....

Sorry if you were trying to reach Search Engine Watch earlier and couldn't connect. All of the Jupitermedia-hosted sites (they still host us, though we are now owned by Incisive) went down. Nope, I don't know why yet. I'll postscript later if I have a chance.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 3:54 PM | Permalink

And We're Back....

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:54 PM | Permalink

And We're Back....

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:54 PM | Permalink

And We're Back....

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:54 PM | Permalink

May 5, 2006

New SEW Blog Correspondents: Greg Sterling On Local; Detlev Johnson On News & Barry Becomes A Married Chief!

If you've read about local search over the past few years, you know the name Greg Sterling. Greg was a long-time Kelsey analyst who covered the space and went out on his own last month. Greg's now going to be posting here on local search items. Welcome, Greg!

And if you've read about search marketing in general, you've come across Detlev Johnson's name. Former moderator of the famed I-Search mailing list, Detlev jumped back into the world of search mailing lists by launching SearchReturn last year. Detlev's now coming aboard here to help give Barry and I a hand on those occasions when we both need to be away, as well as continuing to fill in for me occasionally on the Daily SearchCast.

And and....speaking of Barry, you might recall he gained his own little slice of search history by making the first known wedding proposal via search engine last year. Yisha said yes, and Barry's going to be taking some time off later this month to get hitched.

I call on everyone who knows Barry to berate him if he dares to show his virtual face online when he should be on his honeymoon. Barry's a web addict, but I hope he's not going to sneak looks online via his Treo during his honeymoon!

Barry's also got a bit of history/fame in being the only person I know where if you type in his name plus the words wedding registry -- barry wedding registry -- the first result on Google will lead you over to his gift registry. That's due to a case of search engines accidentally trying to buy him stuff, as he explains more here.

Well for Barry, we have a sort of wedding gift. He's now Search Engine Watch's chief news correspondent, rather than being simply a plain old ordinary news correspondent. Barry did ask if he could be called "Superman," which of course he is, but I didn't think the title (like Superman himself) would fly.

As a reminder, if you're trying to keep track of our SEW family, it's pretty easy. Visit the Search Engine Watch Staff page! Eventually, I'll get us all in a group photo :)

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 2:15 PM | Permalink

New SEW Blog Correspondents: Greg Sterling On Local; Detlev Johnson On News & Barry Becomes A Married Chief!

As a reminder, if you're trying to keep track of our SEW family, it's pretty easy. Visit the Search Engine Watch Staff page! Eventually, I'll get us all in a group photo :)

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 2:15 PM | Permalink

New SEW Blog Correspondents: Greg Sterling On Local; Detlev Johnson On News & Barry Becomes A Married Chief!

As a reminder, if you're trying to keep track of our SEW family, it's pretty easy. Visit the Search Engine Watch Staff page! Eventually, I'll get us all in a group photo :)

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 2:15 PM | Permalink

New SEW Blog Correspondents: Greg Sterling On Local; Detlev Johnson On News & Barry Becomes A Married Chief!

As a reminder, if you're trying to keep track of our SEW family, it's pretty easy. Visit the Search Engine Watch Staff page! Eventually, I'll get us all in a group photo :)

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 2:15 PM | Permalink

May 3, 2006

April 2006 Search News Recap Posted

The latest edition of my monthly Search Engine Report newsletter is now online, recapping tops stories in search from the past month. You can read it online or receive it via email for free by signing up here.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 3:07 PM | Permalink

April 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:07 PM | Permalink

April 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:07 PM | Permalink

April 2006 Search News Recap Posted

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:07 PM | Permalink

April 19, 2006

Mid-April 2006 Search News Recap Posted

If you're a Search Engine Watch member, the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has been posted. It recaps top stories in search from the first part of this month.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 3:18 PM | Permalink

Mid-April 2006 Search News Recap Posted

If you're a Search Engine Watch member, the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has been posted. It recaps top stories in search from the first part of this month.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:18 PM | Permalink

Mid-April 2006 Search News Recap Posted

If you're a Search Engine Watch member, the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has been posted. It recaps top stories in search from the first part of this month.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:18 PM | Permalink

Mid-April 2006 Search News Recap Posted

If you're a Search Engine Watch member, the latest edition of Search Engine Update newsletter has been posted. It recaps top stories in search from the first part of this month.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 3:18 PM | Permalink

April 18, 2006

Bill Slawski Joins SEW Blog As Patents & Search Research Correspondent

Bill Slawski's done a great job exploring what various patents might reveal about how search engines operate on forums and at his own SEO By The Sea blog. So it gives me great pleasure to welcome him to the SEW Blog as our new patents and search research correspondent. He'll be keeping readers here abreast of new patents and what insights they might give, as well as interesting search research. Occasionally, he'll also post news about search acquisitions, as well. Welcome, Bill!