What's Obscene? Google Could Have an Answer from the New York Times documents a case that is underway in the US legal system where Google Trends was brought in to determine the morality of what is sexually explicit content. The case is about a Florida-based porn web site that the state wants to prove is obscene. But the defense attorney argues his client's web site is "obscene" because Google searches show that communities in Florida do indeed look for this material -- making it "normal" rather than exceptional. For example, Google Trends will be used to show more people search for "orgy" th [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Strategy | Google: Legal | Search & Society: General | Stats: Search Behavior

Search marketing campaigns for business-to-consumer websites need to address the issues of trust in the brand name as well as confidence in making a purchase. Third party validation and "wisdom of the crowds" mentality rule the day. This week's infographic illustrates various pieces of content that can be created and optimized in order to build B2C credibility: Graphic by Elliance, an eMarketing firm specializing in results-driven search engine marketing, web site design, and outbound eMarketing campaigns. The firm is the creator of the ennect online marketing toolkit. The Search Illust [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Other | Infographics | Search Illustrated

The Symbian mobile software is already what Google Android aspires to be: the world's dominant smartphone operating system (it runs Nokia smartphones, among others). But it isn't free, or I should say wasn't free until today. Nokia announced that it was buying the shares of Symbian that it doesn't own -- the licensing company was founded in 1998 by Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia -- in order to make it a free and open-source software platform. The software will be contributed to a foundation that will provide a royalty-free license to members. Carriers Vodafone, NTT DoCoMo, and AT&T, as well as Sa [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile | Google: Mobile | Search Engines: Mobile Search Engines

Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Search Biz: Fear On Madison Avenue, Google Now A "Froe," Microsoft's Avenue A Says GooHoo "Good News For Advertisers" & Yahoo Planning To Double Headcount In IndiaIn a bit of irony, Microsoft-owned Avenue A/Razorfish's search VP Matt Greitzer said that the recently announced Google-Yahoo paid search pact "is going to be good news for advertisers." Greitzer subsequently qualified (or might have been asked to qualify) his early enthusiasm for the deal by s [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Other | SearchCap

In a bit of irony, Microsoft-owned Avenue A/Razorfish's search VP Matt Greitzer said that the recently announced Google-Yahoo paid search pact "is going to be good news for advertisers." Greitzer subsequently qualified (or might have been asked to qualify) his early enthusiasm for the deal by suggesting that it could result in higher prices for advertisers. While a number of search marketers have celebrated the Google-Yahoo deal, traditional ad agencies are expressing increasing concern and discomfort about Google's growing power in the broader advertising marketplace. For example, ad giant [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Search Biz

Last Tuesday afternoon, I got a phone call from a director at Yahoo Small Business who asked if I wanted to testify in front of Congress at a hearing of the US House of Representatives' Committee on Small Business about search marketing. Now less than a week later, I'm speaking before Congress about the benefits for search marketing for small businesses! The committee needed a witness that had a good search marketing experience to balance out the panel of witnesses, some of whom had been banned from Google. The committee wanted a full range of witnesses, all with different experiences [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | SEM Industry: General

Google has best reputation in U.S., airlines fall: survey from Reuters reports on a recent Harris Interactive study that showed (PDF) Google is the number one company ranked for corporate responsibility in America. Google took over the number one spot from Microsoft, who is now ranked number ten. Here is the top 10: GoogleJohnson & JohnsonIntel CorporationGeneral MillsKraft FoodsBerkshire-Hathaway Inc.3M CompanyThe Coca-Cola CompanyHonda Motor Co.Microsoft Robert Fronk, senior vice president at Rochester, New York-based Harris, said: The ratings they get focus on how they treat their emp [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Strategy | Google: Business Issues | Google: Marketing | Stats: General | Stats: Popularity

Chris Bowers is trying to push in certain articles into the Google search results for a search on [john mccain]. His goal is to "Google Bomb" these articles into the search results before Labor Day. ComputerWorld has a write up on his efforts. But as Danny described in the past, this type of Google Bomb is likely something that Google cannot fix. There are nine articles Bowers is trying to Google Bomb to the top of the Google search results. Here is a listing of them and where they currently rank now for searches on both [john mccain] and [mccain]. (1) John McCain Votes to Filibuster Mi [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEO | Google: General | Google: Web Search | Link Building: General | Link Building: Link Bombs | Search & Society: General

I was saddened to hear one of my favorite comedians, George Carlin, passed away Sunday. Clearly he touched many people. A quick look at Google Trends shows searches related to him have spiked up as well as for his famous "seven words you can't say on TV." Among the things people are seeking: george carlin seven words you can never say on tv george carlin 7 words george carlin site youtube.com As for those words you can't say on TV, they've long since passed as being taboo for television. On the internet, people will say anything, of course. So of those seven famous [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Search | Google: Trends | Search & Society: General

Google Video has introduced related searches and suggestions in a horizontal layer just below the search box. These suggestions broaden or alter the scope of the original search query. It's a way to drive additional volume and page views on Google video. However, YouTube accounts for 98 percent of video viewing on Google-owned properties, according to comScore. Source: comScore (4/08) [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Video | Google: YouTube & Video | Search Features: Query Refinement

The Google Webmaster Central Blog announced that they now have APIs for developers and webmasters to tap into. You can now access some of the data you see in Google Webmaster Tools through an API. API features currently include: -- Managing Sites -- Retrieve a list of your sites in Webmaster Tools -- Add your sites to Webmaster Tools -- Verify your sites in Webmaster Tools -- Remove your sites from Webmaster Tools - Working with Sitemaps -- Retrieve a list of your submitted Sitemaps -- Add Sitemaps to Webmaster Tools -- Remove Sitemaps from Webmaster Tools You can learn more at the Google [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEO | Google: Webmaster Central

Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Search In Pictures: New Yodelers, Sergey In Space & Ask.com's Got Milk In this week's Search In Pictures, here are the latest images culled from the web, showing what people eat at the search engine companies, how they play, who they meet, where they speak, what toys they have, and more.... Google Trends Comes To Web Sites: Trends For Web SitesGoogle has launched a major addition to Google Trends named Trends for Web Sites. Trends for Web Sites extends [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Other | SearchCap

In this week's Search In Pictures, here are the latest images culled from the web, showing what people eat at the search engine companies, how they play, who they meet, where they speak, what toys they have, and more. Yes, it is true, Sergey is going to outer space, for real: With the max exodus at Yahoo, these are the only new Yodelers around: Ask.com does a 'Got Milk' ad...well, kind of... Hey, even interviewers get special parking at Google: The good old times at Yahoo, back in May 2008: [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Other | Search In Pictures

Google has launched a major addition to Google Trends named Trends for Web Sites. Trends for Web Sites extends Google Trends by enabling you to search for web site addresses, as opposed to just searching for trends by keyword. R.J. Pittman, Google's Director of Product Management, told me that by entering a domain name into Google Trends, Google will return traffic, search, and geographic visitation data for that site. Trends for Web Sites will show sites related to the domain name you entered. It will also show searches that are correlated to the domain name, and if you are logged into Go [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Search | Google: Trends

Google has a special logo up today in honor of the summer solstice, AKA the first day of summer. The solstice is when the "Earth's axis is most oriented toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun to reach its northernmost and southernmost extremes," according to Wikipedia Danny is actually out at Stonehenge for the solstice, and those who want a taste of it should see his Tips For Summer Solstice @ Stonehenge 2008 post on his personal blog, Daggle. [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Consumer | Google: Logos

Next week, we have another doubleheader for our sister company, Search Marketing Now. On Tuesday, join Gord Hotckiss and James Lamberti for a webcast on "Search as a Strategic Planning Tool." How can you use search to better understand your customer demographic or to size your market opportunity? How can you use search to gather competitive intelligence? Then on Wednesday, Greg Sterling will look at the current landscape of local search, and how brand marketers can take advantage of this evolving channel, in a webcast titled "National Brands Marketing Local." Search Marketing Now webcasts ar [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Other | SMX & DMD Alerts

As SS Yahoo appears to be sinking, let me be the contrarian about her future. I admit, I find it as hard to believe as anyone that Yahoo has much life left in it after all the executive departures this week, plus the latest news of Delicious founder Joshua Schacter going. But since Yahoo's leadership has done a piss-poor job making people believe there's hope, I'll step up and give it a swing. Buck Up Little Yahoos! First of all, WTF? Seriously, what the hell is going on? How did Yahoo become such a loser company in anyone's mind other than the idiotic investors who usually don't seem to know [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Yahoo: Business Issues

The Google News Blog announced that they will be running limited tests on the Google News portal and search engine. Google did not specifically let us know what they are testing within Google News. If you see any weird search results or weird interface changes at Google News, please let us know. How can you let us know? Blog it, Sphinn it, or email us. [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Content | Google: News

Did you miss the Google Webmaster Help Group Chat that took place last night? If you did, no need to worry, I was able to record the audio and export the full Q&A transcript, with well over 300 questions answered by Googlers. You can find the audio recording and downloadable Q&A transcript at the Search Engine Roundtable. Please do note that Google will be attempting to post the official recording, presentations, and chat sessions at the Google Groups thread, but until then, you can get the unofficial recording over there. It would be great if someone went through the huge Q&A transcript [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEO | Google: Webmaster Central

Are we watching an awkward transition at Yahoo or something more like a collapse? To declare my biases openly, I hope it's the former. Yahoo and Google need strong competitors to keep them on their toes. But what's happening at Yahoo certainly does not look good. The company has gone through several "reorgs" in the past year and it appears there's another one coming. The impending reorganization seems, paradoxically, both a driver of the recent executive departures and a response to it. Techmeme has lots of gossip and discussion about the Yahoo employee exits. In particular, TechCrunch repor [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Social | Yahoo: Business Issues | Yahoo: Delicious | Yahoo: Employees