Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Google Adds Christmas & Hanukkah Decorations To Search ResultsIf you go to Google and search for variations of either [christmas] or [hanukkah], you will see Google has dressed up the search results page with holiday decorations. The Christmas version shows Christmas ornaments hanging from the top bar: The Hanukkah version shows Jewish stars across the top bar: In the past they placed these [...] Fixing The Agency Disconnect Between Search & [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Other | SearchCap

If you go to Google and search for variations of either [christmas] or [hanukkah], you will see Google has dressed up the search results page with holiday decorations. The Christmas version shows Christmas ornaments hanging from the top bar: The Hanukkah version shows Jewish stars across the top bar: In the past they placed these decorations as a border for separating the AdWords ads and the free organic results. Hanukkah started last night and Christmas is just around the corner. I still do not see any decorations for [kwanzaa] - but that might come soon. Postscript [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Consumer | Google: Logos | Google: User Interface

It is my sincere hope that at some point during the holiday season, the people who work on search at various digital agencies have had an opportunity to meet the people who work on display ads. Because the likelihood is, whether it was at the company holiday party or even over fruitcake and eggnog at the coffee machine, they haven’t worked together much. Therein lies the main challenge for the digital teams in 2012. In my experience there are digital agencies that have excellent, skilled people working on search. Somewhere in close proximity there is an excellent, skilled colleague or eve [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Display | Search & Display

Acquisio, provider of automated tools for search, display and social advertising, has acquired the ClickEquations search marketing platform from Channel Intelligence, and announced a partnership with that firm. Acquisio plans to integrate some of the search-focused functionality currently available on the ClickEquations platform. Acquisio’s existing clients will gain access to the Channel Intelligence Shopping Engines and Channel Intelligence Product Search solutions. ClickEquations clients will now be managed and supported by Acquisio and will have access to all Acquisio services. Mo [...]

Related Topics: Business Issues: Acquisitions & Investments | Channel: Industry | SEM Industry: Acquisitions

The end of the year is always a time for reflection on all of the work and effort of the previous 12 months. There has been a lot of talk in 2011 about the end of SEO as we know it. But the reality is that there will always be a need for strategy when it comes to search engine positioning and capturing audience demand. Why B2B SEO Strategy Matters It is true that what represents exceptional SEO work has definitely changed in form and function from even just a few years ago. Many of us can recall the days of sculpting webpages to gain ranking through on-page techniques. But as we move into [...]

Related Topics: B2B Search Marketing | Channel: Search

"And there is no such thing as a no sale call. A sale is made on every call you make. Either you sell the client some stock or he sells you a reason he can't. Either way a sale is made, the only question is who is gonna close? You or him? Now be relentless, that's it, I'm done." – Ben Affleck as Jim Young, Boiler Room You don't have to be a penny stock promoter to appreciate a good rallying speech about sales (you don't have to sell real estate, either). But this one hits close to home. No matter what your site does, every page closes a sale: It convinces someone to keep clicking on [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Analytics | Search & Conversion

China has historically been the land of copyright and trademark infringement of Western software, goods and other intellectual property -- and Chinese websites such as Baidu and Taobao its willing handmaidens. In February of this year the US trade authority named Baidu one of the world’s "notorious markets" because it was seen facilitating copyright infringement. Here's what the US Trade Representative said in February: Baidu exemplifies the problem of online services engaged in "deep linking," which provide links to online locations containing the allegedly infringing materials. The [n [...]

Related Topics: Baidu | Channel: Search | Legal: Copyright | Legal: General | Legal: Regulation

Did watching elected representatives debate SOPA last week without understanding some fundamentals of the internet rattle your nerves? Welcome to my world of watching the same thing happen about Google and search. In September, the US Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights held a hearing called "The Power of Google: Serving Consumers or Threatening Competition?" Yesterday, the subcommittee released a letter out of that hearing, advising the US Federal Trade Commission to investigate further -- something the FTC was already doing [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Features: Analysis | Google: Antitrust | Google: Critics | Top News

Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: RIAA Scolds Google, Wants Search Algorithm Changed To Fight Online PiracySaying that Google has a “special responsibility” to fight copyright infringement, the RIAA has issued a report card that scolds Google for not following through on promises to fight piracy. In a report card issued Monday, the RIAA takes a look back at four promises that Google made last year surrounding copyright protections on the [...] Google, Mozilla Renew Firefo [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Other | SearchCap

Saying that Google has a "special responsibility" to fight copyright infringement, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has issued a report card that scolds Google for not following through on promises to fight piracy. In a report card issued Monday, the RIAA takes a look back at four promises that Google made last year surrounding copyright protections on the web. Overall, Google gets an "Incomplete" grade. The RIAA admits that Google has "taken some modest steps" to fight copyright infringement, but spends most of its five-page report scolding Google for coming up short: " [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Critics | Google: Legal | Legal: Copyright | Top News

How Under Armour Outscores The Competition This webcast and guide discuss: Five steps to build an online marketing roadmap How Under Armour engages visitors with customized content Syncing dynamic messages across online channels Download Now! [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Other | Sponsor Messages

Google and Mozilla have struck a deal that renews their agreement making Google the default search engine in Firefox browsers. No financial terms were announced, but Mozilla's blog post says the agreement extends the companies' agreement "for at least three additional years." The renewal comes about three weeks after the previous contract expired. The two companies previously had another three-year deal that expired at the end of November. A couple quotes from the Mozilla announcement: "Under this multi-year agreement, Google Search will continue to be the default search provider for [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Content | Firefox | Google: Browsers | Google: Partnerships | Top News

Online reputation management is an important sector of the Internet marketing industry. At SEO Inc. we have been doing online reputation management since the service was invented, so we have really seen it all. Perhaps one of the most important values to have in order to be successful in this field is good study habits. Given the nature of SEO, social media and online reputation management changes everyday, so it’s vital to stay on top of current day-to-day trends. One of the most recent factors, at least in the aspect of the Google search space, is Google+ Business Pages. Why Google+ B [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Social | Search & Social

The agenda is live, and we’re now accepting submissions to speak at SMX West 2012, San Jose, CA on February 28-March 1. To increase the odds of being selected, be sure to read the agenda. Understand what the sessions are about. Ensure that your pitch is on target to the show’s audience and the session. Please also be very specific about what you intend to cover. Also, if you do not see a particular session listed, this is because there are no openings for that session. Use this form to submit your request. As you might guess, interest is high in speaking at SMX conferences. Danny, Chri [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | SEM Industry: Conferences | SEM Industry: Search Marketing Expo - SMX

It's prediction time again. Before I dive into predictions for 2012, let's take a look back at where I've been wrong and right over the years. I have a fairly good track record, and I like to take a few chances with these, rather than taking the easy way out with predictions like "links will still matter". Footer Links Get The Boot? I was quite wrong about search engines devaluing all footer link networks. As easy as these are to spot, it baffles me that some sites can achieve high rankings via this spammy tactic. Check out this amazing expose blog post from Joost de Valk. Prediction [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEO | Link Week

Year-end is a good time to review your programs to get them ready for the next year. Typically, this time of year things slow down due to the holidays you might have some time to focus on the recommendations below. Year-end Recap It is critical that you develop a year-end recap and send it out to as many people as possible. This will let then know your successes as well as challenges in the past year. You can use this to brag about the successes, which can lead to more support as well as budget. In addition, by outlining the challenges you may be able to motivate others to help and or [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEO | Multinational Search

A new Dilbert cartoon makes fun of the Google employee 20% time to work on whatever they want. As many of you know, Google has a policy to let their engineers spend 20% of their time work on anything they want. Products like AdSense came from it. But is the 20% time really all that great? The Dilbert cartoon pokes fun that although Googlers do have 20% time, they also on average work 60-plus hours per week. This is not the first time Google was featured in Dilbert, here are some of the other times: Dilbert Cartoon: Caught For Paid Links On Google Dilbert Cartoon Says "No" To [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Consumer | Google: Employees | Google: Parodies

US Senators Herb Kohl and Mike Lee are urging the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether Google unfairly favors its own properties in search results. Kohl and Lee are both members of the Senate's antitrust subcommittee -- that's where Google's Eric Schmidt testified in-person back in September on the same subject -- and have jointly signed a five-page letter to FTC Chairman Jonathan Leibowitz calling for "serious scrutiny" of Google's business practices and, more specifically, if Google's is acting anti-competitively when its own properties are positioned highly in search results. [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Antitrust | Google: Critics | Google: Legal | Legal: Regulation | Top News

Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Google Removes Author: Search From Google NewsYou can no longer search for articles from specific authors in Google News. As Barry Schwartz reported this morning on Search Engine Roundtable, using the author: firstname lastname command at Google News brings up no results now, and Google has disabled it on purpose. If you think it has something to do with the rel=author [...] Top 50 Citation Sources For UK & US Local BusinessesHere is a little Ch [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Other | SearchCap

You can no longer search for articles from specific authors in Google News. As Barry Schwartz reported this morning on Search Engine Roundtable, using the author: firstname lastname command at Google News brings up no results now, and Google has disabled it on purpose. If you think it has something to do with the rel=author movement, it seems that you're correct. Here's what a Google employee named Erik explained in the Google News help forum: The author: search operator is no longer available. For author-specific Google News content, I would recommend use of the Authorship capabilities in [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEO | Google: Authorship | Google: News | Google: Rich Snippets | Top News