March 2007
Mar. 31, 2007 at 11:59pm
March 2007: Search Engine Land's Most Popular Stories
Below are Search Engine Land's 10 most popular stories from March 2007:
By Danny Sullivan 
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Mar. 31, 2007 at 10:55pm
The Matt Cutts Blog Gets Hacked
The Dark SEO Team has had a bit of a beef with Google's Matt Cutts from back in 2005 over URL hijacking. Looks like they've pulled a prank on him today. Matt's blog is down, hacked -- and archives wiped out as well. Matt has posted previously to this about the site being slow (post gone, but you can see his Twitter comment here) and heading offline through Monday, so you might be seeing the screen above for awhile.
FYI, be sure to check out CuttsCon, that I posted about earlier.
By Danny Sullivan Permalink 17
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See Related Stories In: Google: Employees, Google: Parodies, Search & Society: April Fool's
Mar. 31, 2007 at 10:14pm
Matt Cutts & CuttsCon
Goodness knows Google's Matt Cutts is popular at conferences. I've seen him swamped by people at them. In fact, so many people surround Matt wherever he goes that I nicknamed them "Cuttlets" last year and wondered if they'd ever form a formal fan club. Well, turns out they've done more than that. Fans of Matt are assembling for the first ever CuttsCon later this year -- and Matt will be there, as well. Appropriately, it will be in his native state of Kentucky. I've never been to Kentucky, but I guess I've got an excuse now!
By Danny Sullivan Permalink 4
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Mar. 30, 2007 at 3:21pm
SearchCap: The Day In Search, March 30, 2007
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web:
By Barry Schwartz Permalink 0
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Mar. 30, 2007 at 2:20pm
Search In Pictures: Google Offices, Yahoo Parties, Ask.com Anniversary
This week I had an idea for a new column, possibly weekly, where I tracked the search industry through images uploaded to Flickr. Although we don't have an official name for this column, I thought I'd tag this as a BETA release and see how it goes. So sit back and let me run you through this week in search, brought to you via Flickr!
By Barry Schwartz Permalink 2
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Mar. 30, 2007 at 1:11pm
eTools.ch: A "Swiss Army" Meta Search Engine
I'm generally not a big fan of meta search technologies—I prefer to go directly to the search service I feel will likely give me the best response for any given query, rather than sifting through the aggregated results from several engines.
But recently, developer Stephan Schmid invited me to kick the tires on his Switzerland-based meta search engine eTools.ch, and after playing around with it a bit I came away impressed.
By Chris Sherman Permalink 0
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Mar. 30, 2007 at 12:04pm
Searcharazzi: DoubleClick on the Block...Performics too?
With the Google Phone rumors quashed this week, Searcharazzi was pleased to get a taste of this schematic of a semantic visual search engine purportedly by Nokia. More on that from SEL’s dedicated local and mobile gurus.
In the interim, we would be remiss to omit the big rumor of the week: DoubleClick is reportedly in talks to be acquired by Microsoft for $2.5 billion. Now that’s some nice coin for private equity firm Heller & Friedman. It’s also some nice firepower for Microsoft in its uphill battle against Google.
While doubters suggest that the price tag is a bit stiff, Searcharazzi has another burning question: what would happen to Performics? As a friend of Searcharazzi said “agencies are supposed to be engine-neutral.” Sounds like a spin-off to us.
Unlike many SEMs with over-the-top valuation expectations, Performics is one of the few that could command top dollar on the market place. After all, an acquirer would be picking up the largest generator of SEM dollars, as well as the SEM’s reportedly hush-hush “special deal” with Yahoo! Once again, this would probably not bode will with Microsoft.
Assuming that Performics is indeed put on the block, just who might pick it up? Chances are, the valuation would be too high for any other SEM, outside of a capital raise or a merger. This leaves us with the big guns, most notably public agencies or a private equity play. Recent nominees include private equity firm General Atlantic, long rumored to be orchestrating a massive roll up, as well as aQuantive.
Let’s open this up for comment. Assuming Microsoft successfully acquires DoubleClick, what will happen to Performics? And if Performics would go on the block, just who might the best suitor be?
By Searcharazzi Permalink 2
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Mar. 30, 2007 at 11:22am
Thanks For The Link, Mainstream Media -- Now Let's Have More!
I've been publishing online about search for nearly 11 years now. My work, or my comments, have been quoted in mainstream publications on the topic of search for virtually the same time. Much more often than not, those references never include a live link back to my web site, not from the websites of those same mainstream publications where links are totally possible.
Over the years, I've watched others in similar situations get upset about this. For me, it wasn't a big of a deal. I was glad to be mentioned, and not getting links from mainstream publications just seemed part of the territory. They don't link. But earlier this month, something different happened. I got a live link from a New York Times article. Seeing the traffic made me want more.
By Danny Sullivan Permalink 13
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Mar. 30, 2007 at 10:30am
The "Is Google Too Powerful" Question Raised Once Again
Is Google Too Powerful? from BusinessWeek is a fresh look at an old topic on Google's continued growth and power. A key part of the BusinessWeek's article:
Googlezon, GoogleWorld, just plain Google—whatever you call it, it's scaring the wits out of everyone from the power lunchers of Hollywood to Madison Avenue ad moguls to Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. Now, after years of hand-wringing and thumb-twiddling, some of them are pulling out the heavy artillery and firing one round after another on the Googleplex, the company's headquarters in Mountain View, Calif.
By Barry Schwartz Permalink 6
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Mar. 30, 2007 at 10:20am
Top 12 Ways To Win Friends & Write Magnetic Headlines
As a consultant who specializes in social media, I've learned one of the most powerful tools in gaining readers is the title or headline of your stories. Crafting a title that grabs someone's eye, gets them to stop scanning and pay attention to your story rather than reading another one is a critical first step. Were you scanning your feed reader when you came across this article and saw something called a "Top 12" list? Did it make you pause, make you wonder if somebody made a typo? Isn't it supposed to be a "Top 10" list?
People have been doing top 10 lists for thousands of years, ever since someone named Moses walked down from the top of a mountain with a 10 top list of "thou shalts" people have used lists. It's a proven technique.
By Michael Gray Permalink 2
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Mar. 30, 2007 at 10:05am
YellowPages.com Launches YP411 Text Messaging Service
This morning AT&T's YellowPages.com announced the launch of text messaging through YP411 (97411). Business name or general yellow pages (category) lookups plus city or zip return up to three listings. This service helps round out YellowPages.com's mobile offerings, which now include WAP, SMS and enhanced directory assistance through 1-800-YellowPages (still in limited markets).
By Greg Sterling Permalink 0
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Mar. 30, 2007 at 10:02am
Google Under Fire For Showing Pre-Katrina New Orleans Images; Others Doing The Same?
Google goes back to pre-Katrina maps from USA Today reports that Google Maps has changed their satellite imagery of New Orleans to show pre-Katrina images, getting some local residents angry and wondering if there's some type of cover-up in the works. However, it's unclear if these are pre-Katrina images or not -- and the situation's just as confusing with mapping services from other search engines.
USA Today writes:
Google's popular map portal has replaced post-Hurricane Katrina satellite imagery with pictures taken before the storm, leaving locals feeling like they're in a time loop and even fueling suspicions of a conspiracy.
Scroll across the city and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and everything is back to normal: Marinas are filled with boats, bridges are intact and parks are filled with healthy, full-bodied trees.
"Come on," said an incredulous Ruston Henry, president of the economic development association in New Orleans' devastated Lower 9th Ward. "Just put in big bold this: 'Google, don't pull the wool over the world's eyes. Let the truth shine.'"
Barry Schwartz and I thought we'd take a deeper look, to see what Google was doing compared to the other search engines. Since the Lower 9th Ward is mentioned, we looked at 1616 Caffin Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117, which is in that area. From what we can tell, Google's not alone in showing pre-Katrina images.
Google Maps
By Danny Sullivan Permalink 3
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See Related Stories In: Ask: Maps, Google: Maps & Local, Microsoft: Live Search Local, Search Engines: Maps & Local Search Engines, Yahoo: Maps & Local
Mar. 30, 2007 at 9:26am
Cash Bonus Incentives For Yahoo & Google Executives
A Yahoo SEC filing shows some of Yahoo's executives are eligible for a cash bonus incentive of up to $1 million each year throughout 2009. News.com points to a Google SEC filing that shows that some of Google's executives are eligible for a cash bonus incentive of up to $4.5 million in 2007.
Yahoo executive Susan Decker received a $850,000 bonus, Yahoo's Farzad Nazem received a $700,000 bonus , and Yahoo's Michael Callahan received a $200,000 bonus plus a salary increase for 2007 to $360,000.
By Barry Schwartz Permalink 0
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Mar. 30, 2007 at 7:25am
The Critical First Second & The Area of Greatest Promise
Last week on Just Behave, I talked about the importance of consideration sets in search; how we tend to slice off three or four top listings in our consideration set at the beginning of our interaction with the search results page. Today I want to talk about another concept, no less important, that looks at the very first second of interaction with the search results page. I've referred to it in the past as the Area of Greatest Promise.
By Gord Hotchkiss Permalink 2
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Mar. 29, 2007 at 2:41pm
SearchCap: The Day In Search, March 29, 2007
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web:
By Barry Schwartz Permalink 0
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Mar. 29, 2007 at 1:12pm
Feed & Information Overload? Read SearchCap!
I was talking to someone recently who felt overwhelmed by all the search news that happens when they're out of-touch while traveling. They'd fire up Google Reader after getting back, only to have hundreds of posts to read through. I suggested they read our SearchCap newsletter. A few weeks later, they said it made a huge difference in keeping up. So, I thought it was worth a quick reminder. We put so much time and energy into SearchCap, and it can help anyone feeling the pressure of information overload. Here's more about it and why it's useful.
SearchCap goes out toward the end of each day. You can see an example by looking at yesterday's here.
We list all the top stories from Search Engine Land at the top, with short summaries. These are stories where we either have original, in-depth content from our own work or where we feel something's happened that deserves extra attention.
After Search Engine Land stories, we list stories from across the web about search. These are organized into topics. We get these stories by reading and monitoring literally hundreds of feeds, then pulling out posts we think are noteworthy.
By Danny Sullivan Permalink 2
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Mar. 29, 2007 at 10:08am
AdSense Publisher View Of Google Pay Per Action
Last week Google launched Pay Per Action in beta version for some AdSense publishers and AdWords advertisers. I logged into my Google AdSense account this morning, and noticed that my referrals section was redone to allow me to start placing Google Pay Per Action referrals on my site.
Below I will take you through a screen by screen view of Pay Per Action from the Google AdSense publisher side of things.
By Barry Schwartz Permalink 6
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Mar. 29, 2007 at 9:27am
Yahoo Adds API Web Services For Yahoo Mail
Yahoo has announced the availability of the Yahoo Mail Web Service. This new offering will allow developers to use API protocols, via SOAP or JSON-RPC, to connect to the Yahoo mail platform.
By Barry Schwartz Permalink 0
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Mar. 29, 2007 at 9:18am
Google Claims To Investigate All Authenticated Spam Reports
A Google Webmaster Central Blog post on spam reporting claims that all authenticated spam reports are reviewed by a Google representative.
An authenticated spam report is a spam report filed within the Google Webmaster Central tools section. Spam reports filed via the unauthenticated spam form are not all reviewed, but Google says "a large fraction of those are reviewed."
By Barry Schwartz Permalink 0
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Mar. 29, 2007 at 9:00am
Social Media Marketing for Small Business
While some in the search marketing industry debate the linkability of even the most unsexy Web sites—and by "unsexy", they often mean "small business"—there's an important element missing from the discussion: return on investment.
The Investment: No one debates that an investment is required; viral marketing through social media demands a big chunk of your time, your money, or both. But we've already established, in What's So Different About Being Small?, that time and money are two things many small businesses have in short supply.
The Return: No one debates that there are legitimate returns from social media marketing. These returns often come in the form of a short burst of traffic and/or an increase in links. That can improve your search engine visibility, but small businesses, in particular, still have to ask: Is the return greater than the investment of time and money?
