I'll start with a big thank you! It’s been a busy few months with advertisers and Google forcefully exchanging opinions back and forth on topics such as ad rotation, features needed/wanted in AdWords, and changes to keyword match types. In my column on the Google ad rotation change last month, I expressed my strong concerns about the latest changes to ad rotation (as did many other paid search advertisers and bloggers) and was very pleased that Google’s VP of Product Management, Nick Fox, announced that Google had reconsidered their actions on ad rotation behavior. First, they ex [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEM | Google: AdWords | Microsoft: Bing Ads | Paid Search

I live in Colorado, where we're experiencing an unprecedented number of wildfires this summer—reportedly, fully 50% of country's firefighting resources are currently stationed here. I'm not in any personal danger (at the moment) but like most people living here I'm closely tracking news of the fires and am very concerned for those who are at risk from the rapidly spreading flames. All wildfires are given names, usually based on where they started. One of the scariest burning right now is called the "Waldo Canyon" fire, just west of Colorado Springs. While Twitter is proving an invalu [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Local | Features: Analysis | Google: Maps & Local

Google did not just tell all of you to make your sites responsive. Actually they did, but that’s not all they said. At SMX Advanced, Pierre Far of Google announced something else as well. Responsive Web design is Google’s preferred option he said, but only if it’s best for a site’s users. You may think this is trivial, but it’s not. Just ask the sites hit by Panda and Penguin how important paying attention to users is for sustainable SEO. Google Gives Clearer Guidelines On Mobile SEO, But Still Some Questions Let’s review. In the overview of Google’s recommendations for smar [...]

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

In 2011, 2010, 2009 and 2008 Google showed their support for the Gay and Lesbian community by adding the rainbow colors to the search results. This year is no different for the Gay and Lesbian Pride month. If you search for [gay] or related keywords, Google will show the following ribbon under the search box: Related Stories: Google Adds Gay Rainbow Around Search Box Google Goes Rainbow For Gay-Related Searches Google Supports Gay Pride With Rainbow Colors [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Consumer | Google: User Interface | Google: Web Search

TechCrunch reports Apple seems to have changed how they rank apps within the App Store search results. Prior, having the keyword in your app's name would tend to work well in terms of ranking the app in the app store. Now, according to several app developers, Apple is also ranking the apps based off of download numbers and maybe even reviews. It seems as if Apple is weighing the app names and keywords less in their app store search ranking forumlas. My company has several apps in the market, and I noticed a ranking change for several of the apps. Whereas some of my paid apps that had [...]

Related Topics: Apple | Channel: SEO | Search Engines: Mobile Search Engines | Search Marketing: Mobile | SEO: Mobile Search

The video about is from the SMX Advanced show in 2012 where Danny Sullivan asked Google's Matt Cutts about nofollowing affiliate links. Matt responded that although they handle the majority of affiliate links automatically, if you are at all worried, you should nofollow those links to be careful. Here is what Matt said, if you can't watch the video above: We handle the vast majority of affiliate stuff correctly because if it is a large enough affiliate network we know about it and we handle it on our side. Even though we handle I believe the vast majority of affiliate links app [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEO | Google: SEO | Link Building: Paid Links

We're starting to see what Apple Maps will look like as well as the features it will contain, among them check-ins on Yelp. At the same time it's becoming clear how important Yelp now is in the world of local and Local SEO through its Apple relationship. Yelp has always been important. However the site is now second only to Google in terms of its importance -- if not its equal. Yelp's Huge New Visibility On the iPhone 4S Yelp provided reviews for nearby local businesses found by Siri, in a generally mediocre local search experience. Though Yelp was the source of the content (or some of the c [...]

Related Topics: Apple: Maps | Channel: Local | Features: Analysis | Google: Maps & Local | Microsoft: Bing Maps & Local | Yelp

As I have written in earlier columns, SEO is not rocket science. What the industry has labeled "Enterprise SEO" is more project management and compliance work than it is the algorithm-chasing or link-whoring that smaller institutions have to take on in order to compete in the search marketplace. [caption id="attachment_125547" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Call Me Maybe?"][/caption] In our Enterprise SEO work, we have had the good fortune of working alongside the executives and in-house teams at many of the world's biggest brands and most prolific publishers of content. Like [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEO | Enterprise SEO

Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: How To Solve The Alan Turing Google Logo PuzzleAlan Turing’s 100th birthday is today and to honor his life, Google has one of the geekiest and mathematical logos, aka Doodles, I’ve ever seen. The logo is a representation of the look and functionality of the Turing machine, a machine that was the stepping stone for modern computing. This Doodle asks you to solve [...] Advanced Excel For PPC: Using Regular Expressions To Add Dimensions [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Other | SearchCap

Alan Turing's 100th birthday is today and to honor his life, Google has one of the geekiest and mathematical logos, aka Doodles, I've ever seen. The logo is a representation of the look and functionality of the Turing machine, a machine that was the stepping stone for modern computing. This Doodle asks you to solve the puzzle by completing the Google logo in a pattern of 0s and 1s. Martin from TagSEO has an outstanding video taking you through the six steps to solve the equation. Here it is: Turing worked for Britain's Government Code and Cypher School (GCCS) responsible for G [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Consumer | Google: Logos | Top News

Regular expressions are a powerful computing tool, with near-mythical status in some programming circles (here is one of my favorite online comic series' take on the topic: http://xkcd.com/208/). This article demonstrates some useful ways to use regular expressions with PPC, by adding new dimensions to our typical Account/Campaign/AdGroup hierarchy of data. Another use for regular expressions would be manipulating URLs – perhaps in a future article… First, a quick note: Getting up to speed with regular expressions in general can be a daunting adventure. There are a lot of resources o [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Search | Search Marketing Toolbox

Google is dramatically cutting prices for the heaviest developer-users of of its Maps API to keep them from defecting to other platforms. The company has slashed prices "from US $4 per 1,000 map loads to 50¢ per 1,000 map loads." Since the new fees policy was instituted last Fall, there have been several high profile departures from Google Maps, including Foursquare and Wikipedia. (Apple bounced Google from iPhone Maps for a range of reasons, the least of which were fees.) There were rumblings about the fees and expressions of interest in alternatives throughout the developer community, [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Local | Google: Maps & Local

Google has revamped its format for AdWords that display within Maps for Mobile, in an effort to make them work more efficiently for smartphone users and advertisers. As a part of the new format, which will be made available to newer versions of Android phones today, calls to action like "get directions" and "click to call" are more prominent and clickable in more places. Additionally, a new "hyperlocal marker" shows the user how far the advertiser's business location is from where they are. Interestingly, clicking on the ad now takes the user to a framed version of the advertiser's w [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEM | Google: AdWords | Google: Android | Google: Maps & Local | Google: Mobile

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. Android On Phone: Source: Google+ Android Neon Sign: Source: Google+ Chrome Pillows: Source: Google+ Hawaii Google Street Views: Source: Flickr Twitter's #Comfort Cafe: Source: Google+ [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Other | Search In Pictures

There are a number of companies that operate in the enterprise segment offering products for fleet and mobile workforce management, such as Telenav. Now Google is getting into the game with a new product descriptively but somewhat awkwardly called "Google Maps Coordinate." (Don't they know about branding consultants?) The new enterprise tool, which will apparently cost $15 per user as an introductory offer, utilizes all the existing functionality of Google Maps, including indoor maps. It enables mobile teams to manage and share location of dispatched workers as well as see worker location i [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile | Google: Maps & Local | Google: Mobile

If there’s one task most marketers share — whether their focus is SEO, paid search, or social media — it’s collecting and interpreting data. Being able to slice and dice the data to find actionable insights is key to effective analysis. Yet, one of the biggest mistakes marketers make is trying to wrangle static data instead of taking advantage of Excel’s table formatting, which basically turns your data range into an interactive database. I hope to rectify that injustice against innocent data with this guide. Microsoft introduced table formatting in its 2007 version (2011 for M [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Analytics | Search & Analytics

Apple developers have had more than a week to play with (and learn) Apple Maps, one of the primary announcements from last week's Worldwide Developers' Conference. One Apple developer recently sent us some screenshots of the Apple Maps app, and several Apple fan sites have already posted videos on YouTube showing their hands-on tests. Some of those photos and videos are below, and should be of great interest to our readers that are invested and/or interested in local and mobile search. Keep in mind, of course, that this is a beta version of the app, and it could change before iOS 6 is re [...]

Related Topics: Apple: Maps | Channel: Local | Top News

Nathan Sauser spotted a new feedback form on Google's search results. It was a contextual pop up that asked him "How Satisfied Are You With These Results?" The responses had smily faces representing five ranges from very satisfied down to very dissatisfied. A Google spokesperson has confirmed that this is indeed a Google run feedback for aimed at getting feedback from Google searchers. A Google spokesperson said: Thanks for reaching out. As you know, we always ask for user feedback in a range of forms -- from live experiments to inviting people in to our UX labs -- in order to [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Consumer | Google: Web Search

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 Sued By Texas Attorney General To Turn Over DocumentsAccording to a report in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Google has been sued by the Texas Attorney General’s office. The Texas Attorney General is currently investigating Google’s alleged anti-competitive behavior and potential abuse of power. That investigation is essentially parallel to what’s going on at the Federal Trade Commission. The suit, filed Monday in [...] G [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Other | SearchCap

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Google has been sued by the Texas Attorney General's office. The Texas Attorney General is currently investigating Google's alleged anti-competitive behavior and potential abuse of power. That investigation is essentially parallel to what's going on at the Federal Trade Commission. The suit, filed Monday in Texas state court, doesn't claim Google is engaging in anti-competitive activity. Rather the lawsuit is seeking to compel Google to turn over documents relevant to the investigation. Google has declined to hand over the disputed [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Legal | Google: Outside US | Legal: Regulation