Power to the people!  Sites like Digg, Reddit, Propeller and Mixx have become popular social news sites due to the community driven aspect that fuels them.  Traditionally these news sites offer "digital democracy" that entices users because they themselves are able to determine what is (and isn’t) news.  However, a different form of social news not only exists, but flourishes: "editorial social news." Editorially driven social news allows users to submit articles for consideration, but content is chosen by editors who handpick it from a wide selection of submissions.  While this may n [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Social | Search & Social | Social Media Marketing

Last Thursday, I talked with Twitter cofounder Biz Stone on a variety of issues about Twitter but especially focused around search. In the interview, he discussed: how Twitter may redesign its home page to better reposition itself as a sharing and discovery service; how discovery might be enhanced by perhaps by allowing people to share "groups" of friends with each other; how the Twitter ecosystem of third-party software and services have helped people have "patience" with the service by adding features it couldn't yet develop; the importance of SMS and more. The Hotness Of Real Time [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Social | Features: Analysis | Top News | Twitter

Today is Memorial Day, so please expect lighter then normal coverage here. I have [...]

Related Topics: Ask: General | Channel: Consumer | Google: Logos | Microsoft: Bing | Top News | Yahoo: General

Google has recently made two big changes regarding trademark usage within AdWords. One is a shift in the number of countries where trademarked words are allowed as keywords. The other is how trademarked words are allowed in ad copy within the US. Google’s trademark policy has been rehashed in several large media outlets. Unfortunately, most of them got it wrong. So to clarify, here is a rough overview of the current AdWords trademark policy for the US, UK, Ireland, and Canada: Any trademarked term can be used as a keyword Any trademarked term can be used in ad copy If the trademar [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEM | Google: AdWords | How To: PPC | Legal: Trademarks | Paid Search

One of the most important SEO decisions you make is the selection of your content management system (CMS). Your CMS can make SEO easy, or, in some cases, make SEO virtually impossible. Here are 14 crucial elements you should verify in a CMS before you commit to using it. 1. Control over titles, H1 headings and meta descriptions. In this day and age it may shock you that there are CMS' that don't allow you control over these basic page elements, but sadly, they exist. Worse, the vendors of these systems often charge exorbitant fees to fix the job as part of a customization project. Simpl [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEO | Industrial Strength

Get your free copy of The Advanced Guide to Improving Quality Score and you'll learn about 4 key topics: Quality Score Defined The Value of Quality Score Separating Quality Score Myth From Fact Tactical Steps to Improve Your Quality Score After reading our white paper, you'll have concrete steps to boost your Quality Score, reduce your CPCs and improve your paid search ROI. Get Your FREE Copy of The Advanced Guide to Improve Quality Score. Get your free copy of Click here! [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Other | Sponsor Messages

Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Yahoo Helping Newspapers Sell More Ads OnlineHere’s a change of pace: Some newspapers are making money online and crediting a search engine with making it happen. AdAge writes about the Yahoo-Newspaper consortium, and cites multiple cases where individual papers or newspaper groups are using Yahoo’s ad targeting technology to increase online-only ad sales. The consortium has sold an estimated $50 million in [...] Is Your Web Site Credib [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Other | SearchCap

Here's a change of pace: Some newspapers are making money online and crediting a search engine with making it happen. AdAge writes about the Yahoo-Newspaper consortium, and cites multiple cases where individual papers or newspaper groups are using Yahoo's ad targeting technology to increase online-only ad sales. The consortium has sold an estimated $50 million in Yahoo inventory so far, with about 150 papers using the platform and 350 more on the way. But what's most impressive is some of the individual reports from happy newspaper people: Scripps newspapers report a 30% jump in online [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Display | Yahoo: Business Issues | Yahoo: Display Ads | Yahoo: Partnerships

In Lance Loveday’s Just Behave column the other week on Designing For The Subconscious Mind, he described his experiences when showing two different web site pages to an audience a half second apart. He then asked the participants which web site they’d prefer to do business with. The "professional" and "credible" page won over the "small time" and "cheap." As Lance pointed out, nobody said, "I don’t have enough information to make that judgment." I’m willing to bet in that particular setting, those who wanted more information felt too intimidated to ask, but his quick test is stil [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Content | Search & Usability

We've known for some time, based on a number of studies from Microsoft, Yahoo, SEM firms and ad networks, that an online ad campaign that includes both display and search performs better than one that features only display or search. In another version of that same theme, Yahoo recently said that it was using search queries as part of its larger behavioral targeting efforts across its display network. In other words, search queries become part of the targeting data that inform what display ads are shown to users thereafter. Display advertising has been battered in this recession despite ple [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile | Features: Analysis | Yahoo: Mobile & Go | Yahoo: Partnerships | Yahoo: SmartAds

Brian Ussery noticed Google has changed the way you can share your SearchWiki notes in the search results. If you are logged in to Google and you have notes on search results, you can share those notes with friends. Here is how: (1) Search on the query at Google and the results should show up with a link at the top to "share these notes": (2) Click the link and a URL will show up in a text box, copy and paste the link and send it to a friend: (3) Here is a preview of that result for you to see: [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Consumer | Google: Personalized Search | Google: SearchWiki | Top News

I had a nice interview with Twitter cofounder Biz Stone today on a wide-range of issues. Some I did on video, and I'll post everything tomorrow when I finish some trimming and editing. But I couldn't resist putting out this clip now where he advises everyone that in case of an earthquake, seek cover first, Twitter later (though I suspect he might do the opposite!). [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Social | Twitter

Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Live Search? Kumo? Bing? Put Your Questions To Microsoft’s Dr. Qi Lu At SMX AdvancedDr. Qi Lu, the leader of Microsoft’s search efforts, will be keynoting on day two of our upcoming SMX Advanced conference in Seattle. And both he and we want to hear what questions you have about Microsoft and search. Dr. Lu’s keynote will include a presentation — possibly to announce Microsoft’s new search engine — as [...] An In [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Other | SearchCap

Dr. Qi Lu, the leader of Microsoft's search efforts, will be keynoting on day two of our upcoming SMX Advanced conference in Seattle. And both he and we want to hear what questions you have about Microsoft and search. Dr. Lu's keynote will include a presentation -- possibly to announce Microsoft's new search engine -- as well as a Q&A session afterward with Danny Sullivan. We're welcoming your questions and input to help Dr. Lu put together his presentation and help Danny direct the question-and-answer session. Let us and Dr. Lu know what's on your mind either by leaving a comment on [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Features: General | SEM Industry: Conferences

Many people don't realize that Search Marketing Expo is just one part of Third Door Media, the company that's also parent of Search Engine Land, Search Marketing Now and Sphinn. Chris Elwell, today's featured SMX insider, is president of Third Door Media, and provides the business expertise and acumen to keep our different businesses thriving. Who better, then, to coordinate the Business Track for SMX Advanced? Chris' experience with search predates the web and the advent of search engines, and in this Q&A talks about how he's approached pulling the Business Track together why it's unique a [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | SEM Industry: Conferences | Top News

If you visit Ask.com today, you will see what looks like a huge ad, in form of what is called (I believe) a skin ad, engulfing the home page. The ad, at least to me, shows a sign of desperation for Ask.com to raise ad dollars. While Google would rarely ever show an ad, even a text ad, for a third-party on their home page, Ask.com makes a full page ad. At the same time, the ad is cool in that many of the mouse hovers lead to search results, with Ask.com's Smart Answers, similar to how Live.com does hotspots. Here is a picture: I am curious on your take. Do you like these types of [...]

Related Topics: Ask: Promotions | Channel: Industry

This had been reported before, but Google CEO Eric Schmidt acknowledged that Google had looked at investing in or buying a newspaper in an interview in London with the Financial Times: FT: Would you ever consider buying a newspaper; they’re cheap right now? ES: We’ve actually looked at this and we’re trying to avoid crossing the line between the infrastructure and technology that Google provides and the content that our partners provide. There is a line and we’re trying to stay on our side it. Schmidt thinks that charging for news won't work online. He cited a few exceptions for " [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Acquisitions | Google: Business Issues | Google: Partnerships

MobileCrunch noticed Yahoo has added voice search capabilities to their Yahoo One Search iPhone App. I spent a few minutes testing it out and I have to say, that is does an okay job. I didn't conduct enough tests to really compare it against Google's iPhone voice search feature. They are both different in how they work. First let me show you Yahoo's voice search for a test on [who is barry schwartz]: Step 1: Click on the "Press + Speak" button to activate voice search: Step 2: Speak when button turns red and then tap it again when you are done talking: Step 3: The button [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile | Google: Voice Search | Search Features: Search By Voice | Yahoo: Mobile & Go | Yahoo: Search

Google Operating System reports Google Images is testing a new type of image search refinement technique, on a result by result basis. The example and screen capture provided in the blog post shows how Google is showing results for flowers. Under some of the flower images, Google is showing refinements for other searches that searchers can try. For example, under a yellow flower, Google says, "Also try [yellow flower]" and under a picture of a rose, Google says "Also try [rose flower]." Google even goes as far by depicting a decorative flower. [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Consumer | Google: Images

Many savvy advertisers are making strides in attracting their target audience with online videos. They are utilizing popular video sites such as YouTube and Hulu to engage and connect with consumers. This is an extremely smart strategy since 78 percent of the total U.S. Internet audience views online videos, according to March’s comScore Video Metrix. The entertainment industry, for example, is using advertisements on YouTube’s home page to create hype for new movies such as "Transformers 2 Revenge of the Fallen." The example below is a great illustration of how the industry can use eye [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Video | Video Search