Writing for the web June 1, 2005

 

Worthless Shady Criminals: In Defense of SEO June 1, 2005

 

I like Danny Sullivan, in fact I like him a lot. But I wish he'd get his head around SEO.

Yes, there are a lot of "SEO experts" out there who are utterly clueless as to what they're doing, charge high fees, and often do more harm than good.

But there are also a lot of SEO companies out there who know what they are doing, only use legitimate and 100% safe techniques, and help their clients achieve high levels of targeted traffic.

The title from Danny's article is from three other articles:

Seth Godin: The problem with search engine optimization

Anil Dash: Nigritude Ultramarine

Danny himself: SEO criminals

"How did SEO become synonymous for many people with tricking search engines through bogus links, comment spam, and other unsavory tactics?"

Good question. Partly through articles like these, I'd have thought.

Danny goes on to write about so-called CSEO - content-based SEO.

Huh?

Generalising SEO as devious, dangerous and unsavoury is as ridiculous as labelling anyone sending more than five emails a day as a spammer.

Come on. Start seeing what real SEO is about.

Mycroft Computing Case Study - search engine optimisation in practice

Whirling Dervishes Case Study - genuine search engine optimisation

 

AdSense Tools June 2, 2005

 

If you've been working with your Google AdWords account for some time, you may have overlooked some of the useful tools included.

Log in to your account, and under Campaign Management go to Tools:

Keyword tool - for keyword research.

Campaign negative keywords/sites - manage negative keywords and sites at a campaign level.

Traffic estimator.

Ads Diagnostic Tool - find out why your ads aren't showing.

Disapproved ads - which ads have been disapproved and why.

Conversion tracking - which ads are working.

Find and Edit MAX CPCs - update single or multiple CPCs throughout your whole account.

Change Keyword Matching Options.

Find and Edit Keywords.

These tools offer great methods of saving time and increasing your ROI.

Software marketing has never been so easy!

 

Henk van Ess's Search Bistro June 2, 2005

 

"It's one of the best kept secrets of Google. It's a mystery on Webmasterworld. Also in Europe (France) they don't know what to expect from that odd URL http://eval.google.com.

Click it and you get ...nothing. The site reveals itself only if you have the proper login and if you use a network known by Google.

Residues of Eval.google are found on the web, but the full content of the mystery site has never been published before.

Here it is: the real story about Eval.Google. They use... humans!"

Google Secret Lab, Prelude

 

Microsoft moves on digital negatives June 3, 2005

 

From Publish.com:

"Opinion: The decision to simplify the importation of images in the Raw format in future operating systems should please both photographers and developers.

You have to hand it to Microsoft. When it wants to, it certainly can make things happen. It can even make peace happen."

This is good news for digital enthusiasts, and great for anyone wanting to develop image processing software.

Microsoft Moves Adroitly on Digital Imaging

 

Office to use XML June 3, 2005

 

The BBC News website are reporting that all files created by users of Microsoft Office 2006 will be formatted with XML.

"The XML style formatting will be introduced with Office 12 which is due to be released in the second half of 2006.

However, Microsoft is due to start giving developers more details about the changes this year. Attendees at the Tech-Ed 2005 conference will be the first to get more information."

Microsoft adopts web file styles

 

Google's Deep Throat Speaks June 3, 2005

 

GoogleGuy is well known on the WebmasterWorld.com forums as someone who clearly works for Google, and is willing to share a fair amount of insider knowledge.

There is more solid information in this discussion than you're likely to find in ten others put together.

Well worth a read.

Google News

 

Google Sitemaps June 6, 2005

 

ClickZ News (and the rest of the web) are reporting on Google's new program:

"The Sitemaps program aims to optimize Google's crawling activities, leading to better search results, and to give site owners more input into how their sites are crawled.

The process involves a site owner creating and posting an XML file on the site's server describing which pages on the site should be indexed, when those pages were last updated, how often they're updated, and how important each page is relative to others on the site.

Google created an open-source tool, Sitemap Generator, to assist in the process."

My gut instinct is that most well laid out sites don't really need this, and I can only imagine the sort of demand that the new system will be under. But it can't hurt either.

Google Unveils Sitemaps Tool

Google Sitemaps link

 

Google info for webmasters - advanced questions June 6, 2005

 

Google appear to have updated their advanced questions for webmasters.

Subjects include how often Google will crawl your site, how to migrate to a new IP address, what is "results prefetching" and more.

Advanced Questions for Webmasters

 

Google Spam Guide revealed June 6, 2005

 

Henk van Ess's Search Bistro continues to carve out a name for itself:

"Here's the posting you've all been waiting for: the full spam guide of Google.

It's one year old, but 80% of the contents is still used by the human raters of Google. A rare look into the minds of search engine engineers."

Although a little out of date, this is truly fascinating.

Google's Unknown Spam Recognition Guide

 

Hot Web Analytics Topics From Jim Sterne's eMetrics Summit June 7, 2005

 

From ClickZ News:

"Last week, I attended the eMetrics Summit in Santa Barbara, CA. I spoke and helped facilitate a number of round tables. For readers on the other side of the pond, the summit's European version takes place this week in London.

In one session, all conference participants were divided into discussion groups and asked to identify the top 10 Web analytics problems for the group. After an hour, each table nominated a representative to share their items.

The following is a master list that outlines the 22 issue themes that came up:"

Hot Web Analytics Topics From Jim Sterne's eMetrics Summit

 

Title tag is back? June 7, 2005

 

From Henk van Ess's Search Bistro:

"Go away, you sensation seekers. Back to normal blogging here. You all know by now that metatags don't improve your rankings - not anymore. Only solid content should. But does it? Here's what I found out by accident: the Tag is Back..."

Did it ever go away?

I hope that Henk isn't running short of good content already.

The Tag Is Back

 

Longhorn FAQ June 8, 2005

 

ActiveWin have a nice Longhorn FAQ page, covering the release date, system requirements, WinFX, AERO, Avalon, Indigo, Metro, developer info and more.

Longhorn Frequently Asked Questions

 

Broadband Population Stats June 8, 2005

 

From ClickZ Stats:

"Broadband reached 32 million households, just below half of residential online accounts in 2004. That figure is expected to grow to 88 million, or 78 percent, by the end of 2010."

Broadband Population Growth Continues

 

Google "Weather Update" June 8, 2005

 

From the Search Engine Roundtable:

"Here's the advice that I'd give now: take a break from checking ranks for several more days. Bourbon includes something like 3.5 improvements in search quality, and I believe that only a couple are out so far.

The 0.5 will go out in a day or so, and the last major change should roll out over the next week or so. Then there will still be some minor changes after that as well."

Google Provides "Weather Update" for Bourbon

 

Surprisingly surreal support June 9, 2005

 

I'm a little tight for time this morning, so thought I'd share a screenshot from a chat I had with McAfee a while ago.

This is supposed to be live support. The idea is that it's a benefit to the consumer. Not an exercise in pulling their hair out.

Sorry for the size of the image, but in my opinion it's priceless.

 

$1 amnesty for pirated software June 10, 2005

 

From the BBC News website:

"Ministers said Microsoft had agreed an amnesty under which a token sum of one dollar will be paid for every computer found to be using illegal software."

Sorry, this only applies in Indonesia.

$1 amnesty for pirated software

 

MSN Search Toolbar does tabs June 10, 2005

 

From the MSN Search Weblog:

"You asked for it, we told you it was coming and now it's here! Happy to let you know Tabs are now available as part of the MSN Search Toolbar with Windows Desktop Search."

How responsive.

Tabbed browsing is here!

 

Consumers suspicious of sponsored links June 10, 2005

 

Penn State Live have an in interesting article on sponsored links, and why many online shoppers fail to take the bait:

"While study participants rated 52 percent of the organic results as "relevant," searchers described 42 percent of sponsored links as "relevant" even though both sets of results were identical.

That 10-percent spread reflects a significant degree of bias against sponsored links, Jansen said."

Consumers suspicious of sponsored links

 

Search engine disclosure June 10, 2005

 

From ClickZ Experts:

"The Internet, and the search engines themselves, are creating an environment in which people expect transparency. The "conversations" increasingly taking place on corporate blogs and on corporate Web sites herald a potential new relationship between companies and consumers.

Why sully that potential openness and honesty by engaging in an advertising relationship that confuses, rather than enlightens?"

Disclose, Already

 

Yahoo Web Browser? June 13, 2005

 

From InsideBayArea.com:

"Yahoo Inc., owner of the most-visited Web site, may consider developing its own Internet browser to help attract more users and advertisers to its Web sites, Chief Executive Officer Terry Semel said."

I have to admit that the battle of the search engines isn't going quite as I expected. But all parties involved are quietly getting their strategies lined up.

Interesting times lie ahead; I'm sure of it.

Yahoo eyes own Web browser

 

Money Making in Trash June 13, 2005

 

From Duct Tape Marketing :

"The greatest example of the power of money making words can be found in the National Enquirer!

You know - the "trash magazine" that supposedly no one ever buys."

The Power of Money Making Words

 

What Search Engines Know and You Don't June 13, 2005

 

From ClickZ Experts:

"Undoubtedly, SEO as we currently understand it is about to go through some major changes.

I'm sure the search engines will help shed more light on changes they're already incorporating, so we don't end up going through systems and processes that really don't add a great deal to search marketing endeavours."

What Search Engines Know and You Don't

 

Gahoo!Yoogle June 13, 2005

 

Simultaneous search through Google and Yahoo.

Gahoo!Yoogle

 

IE7 attacks spyware June 14, 2005

 

CNET's News.com are reporting that the next version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer will be built to resist hijacking by spyware and "other malicious software".

IE7 being developed to resist spyware

 

Smaller AdSense June 14, 2005

 

From MarketingVOX News:

"Google released a new, smaller form of AdSense text ads (via SearchEngineLowdown) in a variety of vertical and horizontal sizes.

The ads display just one short title for each ad, often consisting of only one word each, which may put further strains on the copywriting skill requirements that have already reached haiku-level difficulty."

Google AdSense Out in Smaller Sizes

 

Predictive Models Part III June 14, 2005

 

ClickZ Experts are now running the third in their series on predictive models:

"I haven't yet seen a situation in which using a valid predictive model didn't improve response rates.

It still surprises me to find marketers (and there are many) who don't use modeling to their full advantage."

Using Predictive Models, Part 3

 

Microsoft vs. Adobe June 14, 2005

 

ITP.net are reporting that Microsoft is taking the fight to Adobe, with their sights firmly set on Photoshop, Illustrator and Adobe's PDF file format.

Interesting.

No-one can dispute the might of Microsoft's abilities and budgets, but it's going to take more than an (even) astronomical budget to knock Photoshop off their pedestal.

In much the same way that Windows has become the operating system of the home, Photoshop is the undisputed "only choice" for designers, digital artists, photographers and publishers alike.

I'm intrigued to see what Microsoft are going to do. Once again the consumer should sit back and enjoy.

Microsoft takes on imaging might of Adobe

 

Microsoft mulls music June 15, 2005

 

The BBC News website are reporting that Microsoft may be considering developing a subscription-based online music service.

Microsoft mulls online music move

 

Google Bundles Software with WinZip June 15, 2005

 

BetaNews are reporting that Google have begun bundling their Google Toolbar and Desktop Search tool with the ever-popular WinZip archive utility.

"Google did not respond by press time to inquires about whether such a distribution approach could be seen as questionable from a company that boasts its ability to "make money without doing evil.""

And rightly so. Evil? Get a grip!

Google Bundles Software with WinZip

 

Google Expands CPM Network June 15, 2005

 

From MarketingVOX news:

"Google yesterday opened up its CPM-based ad network model to more of its AdWords publishers.

While the move gives more momentum to its effort, and begins to approach a critical mass of available sites for advertisers, the pricing model has been Googletized just enough to make it incompatible with major advertisers' other CPM-based efforts."

Google Expands CPM Network

 

Google Sitemap - Is there a real benefit? June 15, 2005

 

The Search Engine Roundtable are asking the big question. Is it worth it?

The classic comment, from one of the thread's participants:

"For a static site with little changes, SiteMaps is a useful as tits on a Bull"

Google Sitemap - Is there a real benefit?

 

Making Google Sitemap Simpler June 16, 2005

 

From SoftwareMarketingResource:

"Google has added a page that links to programs that support Google's sitemaps API."

Struggling with Google's Sitemaps?

 

Great Site Ranking in Google The Secrets Out (again) June 16, 2005

 

From Buzzle.com:

"Google have recently filed a US patent which reveals a great deal of how they rank your web site. Some of it you could never of guessed..."

Worth a read, but bear in mind that is yet another "Google Secrets Exposed" scenario.

Take with a pinch of salt, but interesting nonetheless.

Great Site Ranking in Google The Secrets Out

 

Readers Migrating to Online News June 17, 2005

 

From MarketingVOX News:

"More than one-fifth of web users who read newspapers prefer online to offline editions, Reuters reports, citing a new study from Nielsen/NetRatings."

Nielsen Study: Readers Migrating to Online News

 

Adobe shares dip as it plays safe vs. Adobe makes a great impression in Q2 June 17, 2005

 

Make up your own mind.

From the BBC News website:

"Shares in US software firm Adobe fell 6% in after-hours trading after it unveiled worse-than-expected profits and made a cautious quarterly forecast."

Adobe shares dip as it plays safe

From OVUM News:

"Last night, Adobe announced excellent results for its Q2 2005 (which ended on June 3). The software company, which has a wide range of document and imaging products such as Photoshop and Acrobat, generated product licence revenues of $486m, up 21% on the $403m achieved in the same quarter last year."

Adobe makes a great impression in Q2

 

Dell considers Apple? June 17, 2005

 

From ZDNet UK:

"Michael Dell would be a 'switcher' to the Mac OS, hypothetically"

Dell founder thinks differently about Apple

 

Verity Uses Shareware Model June 20, 2005

 

From the Software Marketing Resource:

"Taking a page from Google Inc.'s low-price playbook, Verity Inc., an enterprise search and analytics software company, will by the end of the week extend the free trial period for its Verity Ultraseek application from 30 days to one year, according to sources requesting anonymity."

Verity Uses Shareware Model

 

Up to 40m credit cards 'hacked' June 20, 2005

 

From the BBC News website:

"A computer hacker may have broken into more than 40 million credit card accounts, US company officials say."

Reassuring your customers has never been so important.

Up to 40m credit cards 'hacked'

 

Yahoo speculation June 20, 2005

 

From the Search Engine Roundtable:

"I was checking some of my awesome rankings in Yahoo! this morning (kidding, of course) and I noticed Yahoo! has been messing with the titles they use"

Yahoo! Directory Titles Gone?

From the seomoz.org blog:

"It seems Yahoo! is allowing searcher to click the "block" link and remove a result from their searches in the future. This feature is then removable in a similar way by clicking "unblock site" in the results."

Yahoo! Block

 

Union of Search Engine Spammers? June 20, 2005

 

From ClickZ News:

"ASES has one rule: "We do what is necessary to rank our site for keywords that it does not deserve to be ranked for." Among its stated acceptable practices for artificially lifting a page's search ranking are FFA cloakers, multiple links to unrelated sites, sneaky redirects and single pixel .GIFs with alt-tag keywords "stuffed to the max.""

Search Engine Spammers Unite

 

File-sharing the Microsoft way June 21, 2005

 

From the BBC News website:

"Microsoft researchers in Cambridge, UK, are developing their own peer-to-peer file-sharing software.

Codenamed Avalanche, the program makes it easy to share content by dividing files such as software, audio or video, into chunks, much like BitTorrent."

File-sharing the Microsoft way

 

RustySearch Results 10,000 Mark June 21, 2005

 

From the Search Engine Roundtable:

"We are a bit shy from the 10,000 mark of rated search at The Search Engine Relevancy Challenge (a.k.a. RustySearch), but since I am off to the conference tomorrow, I thought I conclude this phase of the test.

Here is a snapshot in time for you with 9,981 rated searches completed to date. Total searches placed at RustySearch is 14,000+, of which, 9,981 were rated."

RustySearch Results 10,000 Mark

 

Financial Times SEO tricks June 21, 2005

 

From the New York Times:

"The Financial Times took a bit of heat last week for something on its Web site that, initially, nobody could read - nobody, that is, except Web search engines."

The Missing Link, Found on Paper's Site

 

Journalists use blogs! June 21, 2005

 

From ClickZ News:

"The trend toward PR agencies setting up blog-specific practices got a boost this week, as a new study found that more than half of journalists use blogs in the course of their work."

Study Bolsters Blog-Related PR Practices

 

Association of Independent Software Industry Professionals June 21, 2005

 

Susan Pichotta has officially launched the Association of Independent Software Industry Professionals (AISIP):

"AISIP is an association for people who work in the independent software industry.

We are professionals who strive to provide top-quality products and services to our customers while aiming for excellence within our industry.

Our focus in AISIP is to assist each other in the issues that face us, from marketing to software protection to website design to customer support."

With an increasing number of people feeling disillusioned with the squabbling and stagnation of the ASP, people have been talking about setting up such an organisation for some time.

Despite only being a few days old, the organisation is already gaining members, and their newsgroups are already filled with informative and thought-provoking content.

With an annual cost of only $24 per year, the organisation offers absurdly good value for any person working in the software industry.

I would like to wish Sue and the new organisation the very best of luck, and urge anyone interested to join without hesitation. If you can't risk $24, then it's time to start asking yourself some serious questions.

Association of Independent Software Industry Professionals

 

Wikitorial collapses June 22, 2005

 

From the BBC News website:

"US newspaper, The Los Angeles Times, has temporarily ended its short-lived trial which gave readers the chance to edit its editorials on its website.

It was suspended after it was bombarded with inappropriate material. But the paper said it might try the idea again."

Paper's 'wikitorial' trial halted

 

Microsoft acquires Sybari Software June 22, 2005

 

From ITSecurity.com:

"Microsoft Corp. today announced the completion of its acquisition of Sybari Software Inc.

Originally announced Feb. 8, the acquisition of Sybari adds a critical security component to Microsoft's efforts to help enterprise customers become more secure.

As a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft, Sybari will continue to offer enterprise protection products for the Microsoft(R) Windows(R) platform."

Microsoft Completes Acquisition of Sybari Software

 

SEO Seasonal Search Shifts June 22, 2005

 

From ClickZ Experts:

"PPC campaigns beauty is their fluidity, a quality organic search engine optimizers envy because algorithmic winds change with little warning.

Like picnic-goers seeking shelter from a sudden summer storm, organic optimizers are flooded with torrents of clients seeking to regain top positioning when major algorithmic changes occur."

Seasonal Search Shifts and SEO

 

Software patent loopholes June 22, 2005

 

Silicon.com are reporting that a key vote on the software patent directive has "not only left loopholes in the legislation intact but may have even widened them".

Software patent loopholes have grown, say campaigners

 

Websites alienate Firefox users June 23, 2005

 

From the BBC News website:

"One in 10 UK websites fail to work properly on the open source Firefox web browser, a study shows.

While most people still use Microsoft's browser, Firefox is slowly making inroads.

Its share of the browser market grew to 8% in May, up from 5.59% at the beginning of the year, according to US-based analysts NetApplications. "

Websites alienate Firefox users

 

Hackers switch aim to Security Software June 23, 2005

 

From the Linux Pipeline:

"Hackers are switching targets, a research firm said Monday, as they look for new vulnerabilities. Rather than focus on operating systems, Windows in particular, they're going after the very security software that's supposed to protect PCs.

"We should be sounding the alarm," Jaquith urged. "We should be telling the security vendors, 'We know there's not a big problem at the moment, but we want to make you're aware of it.'"

And working on it."

The Latest Hacker Challenge: Security Software

 

Longhorn Raw Image Support June 23, 2005

 

Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows has an interesting article on the forthcoming support for Raw images in Longhorn:

"In Longhorn, the end user wins because most Raw image formats will be natively supported right in the operating system, regardless of their skill levels. Pro users, of course, will continue to migrate to more complete solutions such as PhotoShop, so Adobe isn't left in the cold.

And camera makers can continue innovating with new Raw image formats but be assured that by providing a Longhorn codec that those formats will be more broadly available to third party software products."

Longhorn Raw Image Support

 

Google admit that electronic payment product is in the works June 23, 2005

 

From MarketingVOX News:

"AP Google CEO Eric Schmidt on Tuesday that Google has an electronic payment product is in the works, but he denied recent reports that it is preparing to directly compete with eBay's PayPal payment service, reports the Associated Press."

Google CEO Confirms Payment Tool; Says Won't Challenge PayPal

 

Being early is the same as being wrong June 23, 2005

 

An intriguing article on the BBC News website looks at the story of Joe Kraus, the founder of Excite.

"Lesson number one from Excite is about timing in a technology business.

"Being early is the same as being wrong," says Mr Kraus.

Lesson number two is all about the power of the internet, and it wasn't at all obvious to the people who rushed to exploit the new medium when they discovered it, which sort of tells us that innovators normally get only some of it right.

Lesson two says: the internet is a new sort of market place that needs new business plans to make it work."

Lessons from Silicon Valley

 

Super Session: Search Engines and Webmasters June 24, 2005

 

The Search Engine Roundtable have an excellent write-up of one of the WebmasterWorld 2005 sessions.

Participants included Rahul Lahiri (Vice President of Search Product Management AskJeeves), Eytan Seidman (Program Manager, MSN Search Microsoft), Tim Mayer (Director of Product Management Yahoo! Search) and Matt Cutts (Software Engineer Google).

Super Session: Search Engines and Webmasters

 

Software piracy is normal June 24, 2005

 

From the BBC News website:

"Campaigns to persuade people to stop downloading pirated games or software from the internet are not working, a report suggests.

Two UK university researchers found that people did not see downloading copyrighted material as theft."

Software piracy 'seen as normal'

 

Unwritten Internet Rules June 24, 2005

 

ClickZ Experts are running a nice article on the unwritten rules of the internet:

"In the Internet's early days, when people were trying to create momentum on a Web page, it was necessary to instruct people what to do and where to do it. So, the "click here" hyperlink was born. It's overstayed its welcome.

People know what to do when they see a hyperlink. Telling them to "click here" is equivalent to placing road signs every couple of yards that read "Stay on the road."

Unwritten Internet Rules

 

The missing posts June 28, 2005

 

My apologies for the lack of posts yesterday. Karin and I finally got married this weekend, so thought we could enjoy at least one day off!

 

File-sharing companies held responsible June 28, 2005

 

"The US Supreme Court has ruled that file-sharing companies are to blame for what users do with their software.

The surprise ruling could start a legal assault on the creators of file-sharing networks such as Grokster and Morpheus."

File-sharing suffers major defeat

 

Google Video June 28, 2005

 

"Our mission is to organize the world's information, and that includes the thousands of programs that play on our TVs every day. Google Video enables you to search a growing archive of televised content - everything from sports to dinosaur documentaries to news shows."

About Google Video

 

Activation, "Shrink" and the Price of Software June 28, 2005

 

From InfoWorld:

"Software publishers keep telling us that product activation actually is an effective method of fighting piracy.

But, if that's true, one thoughtful reader would like an answer to a question: why isn't any of the money the publishers are presumably saving being passed on to customers in the form of lower prices?"

Activation, "Shrink" and the Price of Software

 

Japanese Vs. American Web Sites June 28, 2005

 

From ClickZ News:

"Japanese and American Web sites differ in more ways than language; a Forrester Research study, "How do Experiences as U.S. and Japanese Sites Compare?," grades the differences in site design from the two countries."

Japanese Vs. American Web Sites

 

Phishing pair jailed for ID fraud June 29, 2005

 

From the BBC News website:

"A UK-based American citizen has been jailed for six years after stealing up to £6.5m through identity fraud.

Douglas Havard, from Dallas, Texas, made fake credit cards with stolen bank details as part of a global syndicate.

The scam relied on phishing - by which online account holders are induced to give away their personal details."

Phishing pair jailed for ID fraud

At risk of repeating myself, online security risks and web-based fraud are serious external threats that affect anyone selling online. The more you reassure your visitors, the more of them will become your customers.

 

From IT-Director.com: June 29, 2005

 

"Confusion and uncertainty may be the current hallmarks of the European Union but at least uncertainty has been removed from the so-called software patent directive.

The EU Parliamentary drafting committee has rejected amendments to restrict the ability of enterprises to register patents and gain protection of software forms of invention."

Sanity prevails over EU software patents

 

Google Earth - Explore, Search and Discover June 29, 2005

 

Want to know more about a specific location? Dive right in -- Google Earth combines satellite imagery, maps and the power of Google Search to put the world's geographic information at your fingertips."

And it's free!

Google Earth - Explore, Search and Discover

 

Google's New Personalization Tech Has Ad Implications June 29, 2005

 

From ClickZ News:

"Google unveiled an experimental personalized search technology in its Labs unit today. It has the potential to impact the way paid search ads are targeted.

Google Personalized Search uses people's search histories and click behavior to tailor Web search results. If a user searches "bass," for example, the technology would look at his search and click history to decide if music- or fish-related results are most appropriate."

Google's New Personalization Tech Has Ad Implications

My prediction? Watch this one go belly up fast.

It isn't often that I point a finger at Google, but they should never overlook the importance of privacy. Bad move.

 

Anti-spam proposals get the nod June 30, 2005

 

From Silicon.com:

"An internet standards group approved two "experimental" anti-spam proposals, sidestepping a controversy dividing Microsoft and its email competitors.

The Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG), a division of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), said it would publish two competing and overlapping sets of documents that define ways of confirming email senders are who they say they are."

Anti-spam proposals get the nod

 

Google Video Player Hacked June 30, 2005

 

From I.T.Vibe:

"Jon Lech Johansen, popularly known as DVD Jon due to a piece of software he wrote that was able to circumvent DVD encryption mechanisms, has released an update to the Google Video software which many are labelling as a hack."

Google Video player 'hacked'

 

Media Intelligence Forecasts Increase in U.S. Advertising Spending for 2005 June 30, 2005

 

From Business Wire:

"Advertising spending is expected to grow a moderate 3.4 percent to $145.3 billion(1), according to TNS Media Intelligence (TNS MI), the leading provider of strategic advertising and marketing information.

Internet expenditures are forecast to increase by 7.6 percent after two years of double digit growth in advertising spend."

Media Intelligence Forecasts 3.4 Percent Increase in U.S. Advertising Spending for 2005

 

Can moving server improve rankings? June 30, 2005

 

From the Search Engine Roundtable:

"A thread at IHelpYou Forums named Server Location resides in the Google Forum, but in reality, it applies to all major search engines. The question the member asks is, would it improve rankings in Google.com if he moved his server from the UK to the US?"

Move Server to Improve Rankings?

 

New E-mail Laws May Catch Marketers Off-Guard June 30, 2005

 

From ClickZ News:

"E-mail marketers may be surprised to discover they need to comply with new laws taking effect in Michigan and Utah on Friday.

The "Child Protection Registry" laws, meant to shield youngsters from adult material, affect anyone sending commercial e-mail to inboxes in those states.

"This has caught everybody by surprise. They were passed with much fanfare last July, but since then everybody has forgotten about them," said Anne Mitchell, president and CEO of the Institute for Spam and Internet Public Policy (ISIPP)."

New E-mail Laws May Catch Marketers Off-Guard