Getting rid of supplemental results November 1, 2005

 

Firefox extension shows contextual SEO information November 1, 2005

 

From the Search Engine Roundtable:

"Basically, you install a firefox extension and then mouse over links, the little contextual pop up shows you inlinks via Google, Yahoo and MSN, plus the ranking of the site based on that anchor text."

Neat Firefox Extension Shows Contextual SEO Info

 

AdWords ads at the top of the search results November 1, 2005

 

A number of developers have been discussing how to get your Google AdWords ads at the top of the natural search results.

In the past Google used to sometimes display two of these ads, but this recently changed to three.

The bottom line is that there's no black magic involved. There are two factors:

Click through rate (CTR). Cost per click (CPC).

If the CTR and CPC are high enough, Google deem the ad relevant and profitable. This is the basic principle behind the whole AdWords system.

Relevant. Profitable.

Try it for yourself. Choose two keywords from your account. One with a very high CTR, one with a very low one. Raise the bids on these to a significantly higher level and wait and see what happens.

Will it work every single time? No, but usually it will.

Never forget that the very heart of all things that Google do is based on relevance and profit.

Search for Shareware Marketing- our ad should be in first place, above the search engine results.

Help Centre: Why does my ad not appear at the top of every search results page?

Help Centre: How can I make my ads appear above the search results?

 

Windows Live and Office Live November 2, 2005

 

From Microsoft's PressPass:

"Microsoft Corp. today previewed two new Internet-based software services - Windows Live and Microsoft Office Live - designed to deliver rich and seamless experiences to individuals and small businesses. The new offerings combine the power of software plus services and are compelling enhancements to the Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office products. In particular, Windows Live helps bring together all the elements of an individual's digital world while Office Live helps small companies do business online."

Microsoft Previews New Windows Live and Office Live Services

Contrary to popular belief, these are not hosted versions of Windows or Office.

ClickZ News have a good roundup of what's what:

"Microsoft is taking online applications like instant messaging, blog hosting and Web-based e-mail out of MSN and into a new ad-supported offering called Windows Live. MSN will continue as a programmed content network with links to the Windows Live services."

Microsoft Goes Live with Live.com Portal Plans

 

Back to books for Google November 2, 2005

 

From the BBC News:

"Google is resuming its controversial project to digitise millions of books and make them searchable on the net.

The search giant is pressing ahead with its plans despite growing legal pressure from publishers and authors."

Google restarts online books plan

 

RSS and Syndication Buttons November 2, 2005

 

SEO Black Hat (stop choking) have a good tutorial on adding RSS and Syndication buttons to your blog.

Tutorial: Adding RSS and Syndication Buttons to Your Blog

 

Online shopping under the influence; UK style November 2, 2005

 

According to Netimperative, a growing number of Brits are shopping online while under the influence, resulting in the spread of a new syndrome.

Sigh.

"Customer experience firm Conchango found that 7% of Britons know someone who has shopped online while under the influence. "

Well have you seen the weather over here??

"The survey also found that 6% of all Britons know someone who has shopped online in a state of undress."

And that's abnormal? Must go now. Getting cold.

Brits prone to drunken online shopping binges

 

Google Network Outage November 3, 2005

 

The Google network has been having quite serious performance issues, and the forums are buzzing with angst!

Google Network Outage

 

Yahoo! Update - again November 3, 2005

 

From the Yahoo! Search Blog:

"We will be making changes to the ranking of our index tonight. I would expect that this update will be mild and quick compared to recent ones but will impact the ranking of some sites."

Fourth Weather Report: Yahoo! Update Tonight

 

Jagger 3 Update November 3, 2005

 

Matt Cutts is reporting that Jagger 3 is not yet visible.

So more is yet to come.

Oh good.

Update on Jagger 3: Still a few more days

 

Happy World Usability Day November 3, 2005

 

From the Usability Professionals' Association:

""Why doesn't this work better? Why can't they make this easier?" World Usability Day, November 3, 2005, is for all the people who've ever asked questions like these.

This worldwide series of events, organized by The Usability Professionals' Association, will promote awareness of the benefits of usability engineering and user-centered design, Earth Day style."

Excellent. It's all going to start changing today!

World Usability Day: 3 November, 2005 - Making it Easy

 

Going to Brussels November 3, 2005

 

There will be no blog postings on Friday the 4th and Monday the 7th, as I will be attending the European Shareware Conference in Brussels.

Back on Tuesday the 8th.

 

Bye-bye Grokster November 8, 2005

 

From the BBC News website:

"File-sharing group Grokster has agreed to halt distributing its software to settle a long-running copyright case launched by the entertainment industry."

Grokster quits file-sharing fight

 

Visual Studio 2005 November 8, 2005

 

Paul Thurrott looks at Visual Studio 2005:

"Today, Visual Studio 2005 is a thoughtfully-designed and professional developer environment that bridges a number of technologies somewhat effortlessly, giving developers unprecedented capabilities for creating Windows applications, Web services, Web applications and sites, and other software projects. Of course, it took Microsoft much longer than expected to deliver this product suite. Microsoft tells me that's because the level of integration they're offering throughout all of the Visual Studio products, and with SQL Server, is particularly audacious."

Visual Studio 2005

 

Yahoo Search Marketing Lowers Minimum Deposit November 8, 2005

 

The Search Engine Roundtable are reporting that Yahoo Search Marketing (aka Overture aka GoTo) have lowered the minimum deposit requirement from $30 to $5.

Yahoo Search Marketing Lowers Minimum Deposit To $5

 

Google's Personalization (Personalisation) Patent November 8, 2005

 

From seomoz.org:

"Google's Personalization Patent (warning: unreadable) got some press when it was released two weeks ago. Sadly, I wasn't able to review it at that time, but Michael Nguyen at Social Patterns has done a spectacular job."

Personalization of SERPs Patent Reviewed

 

Inflating Alexa Ranking November 9, 2005

 

From the Search Engine Roundtable:

"There are still many out there that look at Alexa for popularity figures. But as most of you know, the figures are pretty poor estimates of actual popularity and traffic rank.

A DigitalPoint Forum thread named Shock for Alexa Lovers goes through varies methods to inflate your alexa ranking. Some may work, some may not."

Ways to Inflate Your Alexa Ranking

 

Rosa Parks on Halloween and Daylight Saving - jack-o-lantern and other costume ideas November 9, 2005

 

"Pulling together interesting search trends and patterns requires Google's human and computing power together. Search statistics are automatically generated based on the millions of searches conducted on Google over a given period of time - weekly, monthly, and annually. With some help from humans, and a pigeon or two when they have time, these statistics and trends make their way from the depths of Google's hard drives to become the Google Zeitgeist report."

It's good to know what people are searching for, right?

Google Zeitgeist

 

Inbound link strategies November 9, 2005

 

From ClickZ Experts:

"Google's ongoing attempts to curb search result manipulation by way of link popularity appear to have reached fruition with its latest algorithmic update.

The good news is by link dampening, filtering, and, in some cases, penalizing sites that purchased or sought out low-value incoming links en mass, Google has finally instituted a way to make search results for highly competitive terms more relevant.

The bad news is some legitimate businesses always seem to have their search positions washed away by improved results. If your results have been affected by the latest Google update, don't despair. You can do much to move out of a bad-link neighborhood into a better one."

Inbound Link Strategies: Movin' On Up

 

Windows Vista Longhorn FAQ November 10, 2005

 

ActiveWin have updated their FAQ on Windows Vista. After many discussions at the European Shareware Conference on this subject, it appears that a lot of developers simply don't know much of the information that's out there.

Frequently Asked Questions - Windows Vista "Longhorn"

 

Playgrounds vs Games November 10, 2005

 

From the BBC News website:

"A man widely considered to be one of the most imaginative and creative figures in the world of video games has bad news for his fans.

And he believes children should spend more time in the physical world and less time wrapped up in the virtual world of games."

Katamari creator dreams of playgrounds

 

The end of Jagger is nigh November 10, 2005

 

Matt Cutts is rounding up the beginning of the end of the Jagger update.

Jagger winding down

 

Screw the sandbox November 10, 2005

 

From seomoz.org:

"Google has been asking for this. SEO has a new angle and Jim (of Webuilpages) is the pioneer. No longer is domain registration part of smart SEO - it's all about buying an old domain and changing as little whois info as possible - preferrably just getting the login info for the registrar."

Those who attended my SIC and/or ESWC sessions on Search Engine Optimisation may remember that I predicted this. It's nice to be right, even if no-one else remembers.

Screw the Sandbox the Jim Boykin Way

 

Google Advertising Metrics November 11, 2005

 

Google have published some freely available advertising facts and figures for different industries. The idea is to convince you that Google AdWords is the right solution for you.

The information is a little on the sparse side, but it's a nice idea.

And they're right. Google AdWords is the most effective means of pulling in targeted traffic at a cost effective rate. Try it for yourself - without pain!

For Your Industry

 

Search Engine Patents (not Google) November 11, 2005

 

The Search Engine Roundtable have uncovered a list of search related patent applications, coming from Microsoft, Yahoo, Overture and others.

Interesting.

Large Listing of Search Patent Application, Not from Google

 

Google Publication Ads November 11, 2005

 

"Google Publication Ads enables you to place ads in print publications, allowing your advertising to reach an audience that's targeted to the demographics and topics you choose.

Publication Ads is currently in a pilot phase. If you've been invited to participate, it's easy to place an ad."

Aren't you just dying to see more?

Broaden your advertising horizons. See your ads in print.

 

Persuading customers to move from phone to email November 11, 2005

 

An interesting article on seomoz.org looks at the pros and cons in moving your customers from the phone to email:

"I'm someone who prides myself on being available by phone - I actually have the number here at SEOmoz go to my personal cellphone, and have been known to conduct business calls on Saturday, Sunday, evenings, etc. The upside is the personal connection people feel with me and the company, the downside is that it can't go on forever. As the site has been growing in popularity, I've been coping with more and more calls, occassionally to the detriment of my personal life."

If you've tried to contact me in the past, you'll probably know that I'm a big fan of email.

In an ideal world, I'd like to talk to every single company interested in using our services on the phone. However the reality is that a lot of companies approach our company who are merely dipping their toes into the idea of using our services.

There's nothing wrong with that, but a call like that can easily last 45 minutes to an hour, and often there's little or nothing to show for it.

By email, however, the process takes about 5-10 minutes at the most, and we both have a written record of our communication.

If you are a small company with limited resources, then you don't want to be losing your work hours to time-consuming and/or fruitless phone conversations.

And if you respond quickly to email enquiries and requests, then everyone should be happy.

Email leaps across the time zone barriers, provides written records and lets you keep on top of your schedule.

Make the transition.

Shifting Customers from Phone to Email

 

Web evolution November 14, 2005

 

From the BBC News website:

"Internet giant America Online (AOL) has announced plans to launch a free online television service by early next year."

AOL to launch online television

 

Ignorance Isn't Bliss in SEO November 14, 2005

 

I really like Mike Grehan, and he consistently hits the nail right on the head:

"SEM Newbie: I understand you need to put a certain number of characters in a title tag.

Me: What's your product?

SEM Newbie: Ink.

Me: Try three characters, then.

SEM Newbie: Oh no, the guy we spoke to said 60 characters.

Me: OK, you can spell it in Welsh. They usually have very long names for things."

Ignorance Isn't Bliss in SEO

 

A bad day for web analytics firms November 14, 2005

 

Last March Google acquired Urchin, a website analytic tool with a fantastic reputation. Today they made it freely available.

Use of the software is free for any website with less than 5 million page views per month. Need more than that? Then all you need is an AdWords account. It's that simple.

I'll be trying out the new version later this week, but have worked extensively with Urchin in the past, and have always been suitably impressed.

Considering the fact that an account would have cost you $199 per month only a few days ago, this is an incredibly useful and powerful free gift, with no strings that I can see.

Why are Google doing this? Because they have faith in the returns generated by their AdWords system. Urchin simply lets their customers see just how useful and beneficial AdWords can be.

It's an inspired move, and we all gain. All except the developers of other web analytics solutions.

Does this mean that traditional local analysis of your server logs is a thing of the past? I don't believe so.

Applications such as ClickTracks and Web Log Storming still offer unique advantages, but will now have to (a) make you realise this, and (b) step up the pace of their development.

Interesting times lie ahead.

Introducing Google Analytics. Sophisticated. Easy. Free.

 

Search for qualified Google Advertising Professionals November 15, 2005

 

"Given that the new Google third party policy and best practice funding has a specific requirement for two Google Advertising Professionals (GAPs) within a company to run campaigns, which is actually a good thing in terms of recognition of the effort individuals and companies invest in getting qualified; wouldn't it be worth knowing just who is a Google Advertising Professional (GAP)?"

whoisaGAP

I think so, but I'm biased.

At this year's European Shareware Conference in Brussels, there was a great deal of talk about Google AdWords. As there should be. I ran a presentation on the subject, and after asking for a show of hands, I was astonished at how few attendees were actually "actively" using AdWords.

Of the companies who were, the majority felt unsure as to how effective their efforts actually were, and again, this surprised me.

If you're not yet using Google AdWords then what are you waiting for? Set aside a couple of hours, go to the Google AdWords Help Centre and setup your account. You're losing sales by not doing so.

If you are using Google AdWords but aren't convinced that your ROI is (at the very least) reasonable, then either schedule a few hours to explore the Help Centre, or take a look at our Google AdWords Management package.

One way or the other, if you're selling online, you need to be actively handling your Google AdWords account. Failure to do so is guaranteed to be throwing sales away.

Start making more money.

 

Initial Urchin feedback November 15, 2005

 

24 hours after Google's not so surprising announcement, and the dust is starting to settle. If truth be told, the reactions that I'm hearing aren't quite what I expected.

Some developers are excited. When powerful software that can save you money is made freely available, there are obvious reasons to be happy.

Some developers feel sorry for the other web analytic developers. I feel for them too, but I don't think that this will have as much of an impact on their sales as you might imagine.

Some developers are unclear as to what's being given away, and what strings may bind them. In short, they're giving away everything for free.

If you have less than five million page views per month, there's nothing to pay.

If you have more than five million page views per month, you just need to open a Google AdWords account and it'll remain free. With a one-time fee of $5, I think that would be money well spent.

However the most common reaction that I hear is concern over privacy.

Privacy has become a massive issue on the web today, partly because of all the companies who have abused their access to information, and partly because of paranoia.

Personally I'm not a follower of the "aluminium foil on the head brigade". I don't think the government is spying on me, I don't encrypt emails to my Grandmother, and I don't have a self-destruct button on my PC.

But there is a lot to take in here. Google already have access to many of my personal emails, they know what I search for, I use their toolbar and desktop search tool, and now I'm about to (possibly) start using Urchin on some of our websites too.

Is this too much?

Personally I trust Google. I don't believe they're out to get me, and I don't believe they want to screw me over. But I do still like to have control over my information, and as anti-paranoia as I am, this is starting to feel like one step too far.

The ball is in Google's court now. Reassure me.

 

Google Base Launched November 16, 2005

 

Never one to sit around for too long, Google have now launched the beta of Google Base:

"Google Base is a place where you can easily submit all types of online and offline content that we'll host and make searchable online. You can describe any item you post with attributes, which will help people find it when they search Google Base. In fact, based on the relevance of your items, they may also be included in the main Google search index and other Google products like Froogle, Google Base and Google Local."

Personally I'm more than a little intrigued by the Report bad item link next to each of the results. Could this be a sign of things to come?

Help the world find your content

 

The Day/s after Urchin November 16, 2005

 

The Search Engine Roundtable are reporting that around a billion people signed up for their free Urchin accounts, and then installed the code to get it running. Since then, all they've seen is a "waiting for data" message:

"Folks are getting tired of it and it happens often when Google does something this outrageous. Gmail, Google Maps, Keyhole and so on."

I don't see the problem. You get what you pay for. And as the service has just launched, there are bound to be teething issues.

As a general rule of thumb, when Google launch something new, I prefer to let other people be the guinea pigs. It's often a good idea to sit back and wait a few days.

Google Analytics Having Issues: Reports Not Displayed

ClickZ News are also watching the dust settle:

""The Google Analytics announcement is a tsunami that will wipe out the lower-end tools and lift all higher-end tools after a short flood of delayed sales cycles," Sterne told ClickZ News.

Sterne thinks that lower-end Web analytics tools cannot compete with a free offering from a premium brand. High-end providers will benefit overall from increased awareness and an expanded market, as long as they offer the right services to differentiate themselves."

Google Analytics: Rising Tide, or Tsunami?

 

AdWords interface enhancements November 16, 2005

 

I've just been working with some of our clients' Google AdWords accounts, and have noticed that Google have quietly introduced some quite nice enhancements.

Inside campaign settings:

• A new bidding section for choosing between budget optimizer and manual bidding.

• Networks lets you choose Google search, Search network, Content network and Content bids. The latter allows you to set separate prices for search and content sites, even if they are in the same campaign.

My tip: If you need the extra flexibility, setup separate campaigns for search and content. This will give you far greater control.

Inside ad groups:

• You can now pause an ad group from here.

• Default bid price and adjustment is more prominent.

Analytics:

• A new tab within the control panel makes setting up and usage of Urchin even simpler.

My advice would be to wait until the initial rush has settled, and other people have run into the inevitable problems before you have to.

 

Microsoft to go AdWare? November 17, 2005

 

From the NewsFactor Network:

"Microsoft is considering the possibility of free, advertising supported versions of its applications, including Windows.

An internal research paper prepared for an executive brainstorming session recommends looking into delivering software such as Works, Money, and Windows free of charge, supported by advertising revenues."

Microsoft Considering Ad-Supported Windows

 

Google Base Confusion November 17, 2005

 

The rumours only started three weeks ago, but Google's Google Base is already up and running.

But a lot of people don't seem too clear on what it is and how it can be used. Myself included.

The Search Engine Roundtable have a good roundup of some forum threads.

Google Base Goes Live

 

All Hail Matt Cutts November 17, 2005

 

Matt Cutts seems to be on his way to becoming a legend in his own right.

The Search Engine Roundtable have an interesting Q & A style interview with him, covering issues such as Google's attitude towards SEO, the sandbox, duplicate content, ageing delay and more.

Matt is exceptionally cagey, but it's still worth a read.

Coffee Talk with Senior Google Engineer : Matt Cutts

And a discussion in the SEO Chat Forums picks out the main items from the PubCon Q & A:

"1. He confirmed that Google is now actively identifying reciprical linking strategies, 3-way linking strategies and purchased links, both programatically and by human intervention. He did not say exactly how they were handled, but he made it clear that those links, once identified wh=ould not be very valuable. He specifically suggested that is was silly to think that Google does not keep track of sites selling links. He suggests that if you go down the road of buyng links, know that you will likely be buying something of little or no value.

2. He confirmed that humans manually went through every Jagger spam report and manually removed MANY spam sites.

3. He stated unequivically that Google does not and in fact cannot manually add or raise the ranking of a site by hand, but that they can and do manually penalize and/or remove sites for legal reasons or spam.

4. He stated that thinking Google won't notice 3-way linking as easily as reciprical linking is silly."

Matt Cutts at PubCom

 

Does your website suck? November 18, 2005

 

It's almost impossible to look at your own website objectively.

This is why our website review package is so popular, and why the "Websites that work" talks that I have given at a number of conferences have been so well attended.

Perhaps you lack the time and inclination to ensure that your website is all it can be - but at the very least, you should make sure that it is not absolutely awful. A quick and easy way to do this is to take a look at some websites that officially "suck" - they may not provide you with any inspiration, but at least they make it clear what you should never, ever do.

"The Daily Sucker features current examples of sites that have accessibility, usability, and regular design problems -- including ugliness."

Is your website one of the Daily Suckers?

 

Google Print Renamed November 18, 2005

 

Google's Print Service has now been renamed to Google Book Search.

I'm seeing it on the bottom of the page for my search results, but don't know if this is standard or testing.

Will the new name calm the critics of the scheme? Probably not. But it does help users understand the service.

Clear communication with your users. Whatever next?

Google Book Search

 

Taming ads - Google style November 21, 2005

 

From CNET's News.com:

""Without intending to do so, the company set in motion multilateral disarmament by telling its first advertisers in 2000: text only, please. No banner ads, no images, no animation. Just simple words, which would go either at the very top of the page, above the search results or, alternatively, as the experiment evolved, at the far right. These "sponsored links" had to conform to strict limits on length and aggressiveness in punctuation and phrasing. If you wanted to claim in your ad that you were the "best," you had to display the third-party authority that authenticated the claim."

How Google tamed ads on the wild, wild Web

 

Pricing November 21, 2005

 

From Seth Godin's blog:

"Pricing is a very effective signaling device, no doubt about it. People (and businesses) assume that good stuff is worth more. People pay for stuff on eBay for stuff based on the velocity of the auction instead of the innate value of the item. Real estate brokers warn you that a house that doesn't sell right away is hard to sell because people look at a house that's been on the market for a few months differently. All irrational and all based on signaling."

On pricing

 

Google Analytics subscriptions suspended November 22, 2005

 

From Computerworld.com:

"Google Inc. has temporarily shut the door of its Google Analytics hosted service to new users after the company was unable to keep up with demand once it began offering service for free last week."

This surprised me greatly, as Google usually seem to have this sort of thing under control.

What's even worse is the some people who did manage to sign up are not yet seeing all of their data.

Google Analytics subscriptions suspended

 

A Blast From the Past November 22, 2005

 

Call me naive, but I really did not think that anyone bothered with hidden keywords anymore. As Jill Whalen puts it:

"Hiding keywords is just so 1995 and really just dumb!"

Seeing as it's still coming up, I suppose it's worth saying again: don't hide keywords! It's very unlikely to help, and could get your entire site banned from Google.

Just say no.

Hidden keywords - never a good idea

 

Google open up Content Bidding November 22, 2005

 

From SEObook.com:

"A while ago in SEM2.0 Andrew Goodman mentioned that Google was enabling separate content bids. JenSense just posted on the topic from the publisher perspective.

Google was intentionally slow to roll this feature out and makes the feature a bit hard to access, because they would prefer to automate the process using smart pricing and get you to buy as much advertising as you can afford.

Put another way, Google thinks that they algorithmically can determine the value of an ad better than you can estimate it."

Personally I prefer to separate search and content campaigns for better control and flexibility, although this can mean that Google are balancing between the two campaigns if you're using the same keywords. Not ideal.

Google AdWords Opens Up Content Bidding

 

Google Base to power New Froogle Local November 23, 2005

 

From MarketingVOX News:

"Google is already taking advantage of Google Base, using not only information submitted by local merchants but also a third-party database of national product inventory, organized by locality, to launch a local version of its Froogle shopping service."

I'm glad someone knows what it is, and how to use it.

Google Base to Provide Info to New Froogle Local

 

PageRank on the move (again) November 23, 2005

 

Google PageRank Update 11/22

 

Google to reenable inactive content ads? November 23, 2005

 

From SEObook.com:

"The Google AdWords system uses all the keywords in your Ad Group to help match your ads with relevant content network sites. In some cases, keywords which have proven ineffective when triggering your ad for search turn out to be very effective when triggering content impressions. In other cases the keyword is simply useful as context in helping the system determine the overall subject areas of your ads.

How they can have such a large network and then just randomly announce that effective now things are changed?"

Google to Reenable Inactive Content Ads

 

A White Hat Approach to Web 'Cloaking' November 23, 2005

 

From internetnews.com:

"Dipsie aims to make the invisible visible -- to search engines, at least.

Dcloak, a beta service that went live today, is a sort of white-hat cloaking service that translates hard-to-index Web content into easily searchable pages.

The Dcloak Beta is an automated, self-service offering that can be used by advertisers, search engine optimization consultants and Web site managers. It offers a mix of optimization and semantic analysis techniques that can be used to optimize the content of Web pages so that they'll seem more relevant to search engines, thereby driving the page higher in lists of search results. "

A White Hat Approach to Web 'Cloaking'

 

Google = The Internet November 23, 2005

 

The fact that the use of search engines is continuing to grow does not exactly come as a surprise. As this survey states, fifty-one percent of Web-using Gen-Xers between the ages of 29 and 40 use a search engine on a typical day, and Google Web Search had
75 million unique visitors last month.

It is no wonder that a number of German computer users thought the entire Internet was down when they couldn't use Google.

SEO not worthwhile? Clearly, it's as worthwhile in Germany as it is in the rest of the world.

Google outages worry German users

 

Keyword costs on the rise November 24, 2005

 

From DMNews:

"Search advertisers paid more for keywords and clicks in the third quarter, according to a new report from Performics, the performance-based marketing division of DoubleClick, New York.

Cost per click rose from $27 on average in July to $30 in September, according to Performics' Third Quarter Search Trend Report, which tracks search marketing campaigns."

Keyword Prices Rise in Q3; Ranking Positions Drop

Search Trend Report DoubleClick Q3 2005 (PDF file)

 

Seeing Little Green Phones? November 24, 2005

 

So far, we've not seen it for ourselves, but apparently Google is testing a new product - the Google Click-To-Call. In brief, this works by showing searchers a little green phone icon next to certain AdWords listings. By clicking on the phone, you can dial the advertiser in question. Google connects you, but your number is never displayed to the advertiser.

Of course, this would only really be of interest to large enterprises with plenty of staff to answer calls. But I wonder whether it's going to take off. Will people be comfortable with giving Google their phone number? That remains to be seen.

Google Tests Click-To-Call AdWords

 

Understanding Search Engine Patents November 24, 2005

 

From searchenginewatch.com:
"Search related patents provide insight into what's going on in search engine algorithms, and search marketers who understand these "rules of ranking" are better positioned to win top position in search results.

Despite the early hour, the "Patent Files" session at SES San Jose was filled with bleary eyed algorithm chasers, the curious, and those looking for a "Reader's Digest" interpretation of math-filled search patents. Experts from different disciplines offered a well rounded interpretation of the recent proliferation of search related patents."

Understanding Search Engine Patents

 

Inactive content ads no more November 24, 2005

 

Until recently, keywords disabled within an Ad Group were disabled from the search and content networks alike.

Not any more.

From the Google Help Centre:

"The Google AdWords system uses all the keywords in your Ad Group to help match your ads with relevant content network sites. In some cases, keywords which have proven ineffective when triggering your ad for search turn out to be very effective when triggering content impressions. In other cases the keyword is simply useful as context in helping the system determine the overall subject areas of your ads.

This is why keywords that are marked inactive for search may occasionally still generate impressions, clicks and charges for you on the content network."

Ten out of ten for spin.

But is this really such a good idea? The quality of a campaign's keywords within the content network has always been a lot more flexible, to put it mildly. But this may well prove to be a step too far.

Relevance lies at the heart of all things Google, but within AdWords is as important to the advertiser as it is to Google.

The rules appear to be changing. My advice would be to watch your content ads carefully.

Why do 'inactive for search' keywords remain active for content?

 

Product placement, keyword placement. November 25, 2005

 

There's an interesting article on the BBC about product placement in films. Described as a form of "stealth advertising", product placement is all about the subtle promotion of real products in films. When you see the hero zooming past in a BMW, or the heroine gulps down a big glass of Coca Cola, it's not by coincidence. Those companies have paid dearly to have their products featured on the big screen alongside famous actors.

Personally, I don't mind product placement as long as it remains reasonably discreet. After all, what would James Bond be without his "I want one of those" cars? But there is a limit. I don't want hobbits dragging around PowerBooks, and I really don't care for the
exaggerated zooming in on the latest Nokia model that seems to become more and more common. But when product placement is so subtle that you only notice it if you look hard, I don't think it makes any difference.

This is where I see a parallel with the use of keywords when you are optimising a website for the search engines. Please don't talk to me about formulas, density or percentages - to me, correct keyword placement is all about using your keywords in a way that makes sense and is non-intrusive. If you can read a text and immediately point to the keywords that are being targeted, something needs to change. Like product placement, keyword placement is all about subtlety. Use your keywords - don't rub them in the face of your visitors.

Oh, and this entry - optimised for the phrase "product placement", of course.

Could you feel sorry for an ad man?

 

Google running ads beneath SERP results November 25, 2005

 

From the Search Engine Watch Forums:

"Well this late evening before Turkey Day here in the U.S. I was cruising my competition in the Google SERPs and come across another Adwords test this time with three ads on top a full assortment on the right and two ads on the bottom. Just like Yahoo SERPs."

Google running ads beneath SERP results now - Very Yahooish (with screenshots)

 

Google reaching for the sky November 28, 2005

 

From the BBC News website:

"Google may already be dominant on the web but now it is stretching its wings to the physical world as well.

Google Space, at Terminal One of London's Heathrow airport, will allow people to log onto the net and check e-mail while they wait for flights."

Google extends searching offline

 

The next browser war begins November 28, 2005

 

From PCWorld.com:

"Browser competition hasn't been this fierce since the mid-1990s, and the fight is becoming even more intense as Microsoft, Mozilla, and Opera ready new versions of their software for release.

With version 7 of Internet Explorer, Microsoft's developers have seriously overhauled the browser, giving it popular features such as tabbed browsing, as well as improved security, thus closing the gap between it and its rivals. But even though the new iterations of both Firefox and Opera bring mostly incremental changes, that's still enough to keep them ahead of IE."

Browser Face-Off

 

AdWords vs. adCenter - it's all about personalisation November 28, 2005

 

From ClickZ Experts:

"I also talked with MSN's Xu Jingyi. Microsoft has its advanced technology center in Beijing, where staffers were tasked with a brief to out-do Google and Yahoo! on the PPC front. Jingyi has been slaving away with her team building, testing, and upgrading MSN's new ad platform.

I asked both women what they thought would set MSN apart from Google's AdWords product. They immediately focused on years of profiling, user behavior, and data mining. In short, they know a heck of a lot more about their audience than Google knows about its own."

AdWords vs. adCenter: The Personalization Factor

 

Windows Vista vs. Mac OS X "Tiger" November 29, 2005

 

From Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows:

"Microsoft claims that Windows XP and, by extension, Windows Vista, were architected for security, thanks to their NT roots. That claim is, however, bogus. Windows NT was designed in the pre-Internet days, and though the system's architecture is extensible, modern Windows versions are further hobbled by the inclusion of the buggy and insecure IE Web browser and other design mistakes. In short, Windows is a house of cards that seems increasingly incapable of handling today's demands.

Mac OS X, meanwhile, was truly designed for excellent security, thanks to its wonderful UNIX roots and clean architecture. And OS X, for whatever its worth, benefits from its relatively small market share, compared to Windows: Because the OS X user base is so small, few hackers ever bother to try and attack the system. Windows, meanwhile, is a minefield of constant hacks and attacks."

Windows Vista Beta 1 vs. Mac OS X "Tiger" (Part 2)

 

Google's robots.txt November 29, 2005

 

A quick look at Google's robots.txt file shows some interesting directories.

/microsoft

/reader

 

Google--what you get for $400 a share November 29, 2005

 

From CNET News.com:

"Search giant Google is hardly just about search anymore. Its engineers are dabbling in dozens of projects, ranging from digitizing books to mapping your neighborhood. With a stock price topping $400 per share, a market cap of more than $100 billion and a war chest nearing $7 billion, Google is the "it" tech company of the moment. The search giant posted record revenue of $1.58 billion for the third quarter, up nearly 100 percent from a year ago. Certainly, Google's roots are in search, but the Mountain View, Calif., company is expanding its offerings at such a rapid clip that news headlines can barely keep up."

Google--what you get for $400 a share

 

Black Hat PPC Management November 29, 2005

 

This one is for "interest only". Don't even think of implementing these techniques. But it makes for interesting reading:

"Black Hat PPC management is the art of getting around stupid rules and restraining guidelines to gain a competitive advantage over your competitors in PPC engines."

Here we go.

The Art of Black Hat PPC Management

 

Search engine blind test November 29, 2005

 

I clearly remember taking the Pepsi test. That was a long time ago, but of course the concept still exists. Somewhat predictably, the latest version deals with search engines. Like me, you might head straight to Google every time you need to look something up. But do they really offer the most relevant results? Or might MSN or Yahoo actually provide you with what you're looking for? With the search engine blind test, you get a chance to reconsider where your search engine loyalties lie.

For the record, I picked the Google result every time.

The Search Engine Experiment

 

Merchant Secrets for Driving Conversion - Part 1 and 2 November 30, 2005

 

From smallbusinesscomputing.com:
"The concept of "conversion" is one that online merchants live and die by. An online store's conversion rate, which is the percentage of site visitors who make a purchase, is the figure that determines that store's bottom line.

But for all the focus on conversion rates, many merchants note that the concept is ill defined, and in truth, it's not always an accurate predictor of an e-tailer's success."

Merchant Secrets for Driving Conversion - Part 1

Merchant Secrets for Driving Conversion- Part 2

 

Accidense? November 30, 2005

 

From MakeYouGoHmm.com:

"Something odd I've noticed about Google Adsense ads (and keep in mind that we are Adsense affiliates) is that some ads have a significant amount of clickable white space. Some ads have more white space than text. I think this can, and does, lead to accidental user clicking. How much accidense, I don't know.

Have you accidentally clicked on this white space on some website or in Gmail? To better illustrate this issue I took ads from another website and cropped out the site name, because the site and placement really isn't unique and I'm not trying to pick on any specific site or affiliate. You can surf around various blogs and websites with Adsense ads containing a white background with black text and find the same thing rather easily, so there is no need for me to link this up."

Accidense?

 

Who's afraid of the big bad Google? November 30, 2005

 

The New York Magazine features an interesting article about the copyright lawsuit between the Association of American Publishers and Google. Although the story itself holds few surprises, the are some fascinating parts:

"No matter how the publishers' lawsuit ultimately unfolds, it has already provided the most vivid evidence to date of a seismic shift in the business Zeitgeist: from unalloyed Googlemania to gathering Googlephobia. The signs are everywhere. In France, Jacques Chirac has ordered his minions to gin up a French and German search engine - on the grounds that Google is (wait for it) a tool of U.S. cultural imperialism."

The article goes on to quote Jack Romanos, the CEO of Simon & Schuster, venting about the search engine giant:

"One minute they're pretending to be all idealistic, talking about how they're only in this to expand the world's knowledge, and the next they're telling you that you're going to do it their way or no way at all." Romanos went on, "We bent over backwards in negotiations, but they showed no interest in what we had to offer. They had a holier-than-thou attitude that hasn't done them any favors."

So it's definitely happening - the favourite child is beginning to fall out of favour. I can't wait to see how it will all unfold.

Gathering Googlephobia

 

Rule #5 November 30, 2005

 

Everyone's linking to Evan William's Ten Rules for Web Startups, and for good reason. The co-creator of Blogger knows what he's talking about.

My personal favourite is #5 - Be User-Centric:

"Better to iterate a hundred times to get the right feature right than to add a hundred more.[...]

The point of an API is so developers can add value for users, not to impress the geeks. Don't get sidetracked by technologies or the blog-worthiness of your next feature. Always focus on the user and all will be well."

Words to live by.

Ten Rules for Web Startups