If you needed another reason to get your location extensions set up in AdWords, Google has announced its testing new ads in the new Google Maps. AdWords search ads set with location extensions can appear directly below the search box and on the map itself. Ads without location extensions can appear below the search box only and not on the map. The screenshot below shows a Rent-a-champ Cars ad below the search box and an "ad", or sponsored listing, on the map, indicated by a red icon with a white square in it. Google announced the new version of Google Maps at the company's annua [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEM | Featured | Google: AdWords | Google: AdWords: Enhanced Campaigns | Google: Maps & Local | Google: Mobile | Top News

Google has updated  the interface for AdWords Express, Google's AdWords product designed for small businesses. Among the interface updates are a redesigned dashboard to show an at-a-glance look at ad views (impressions), clicks and calls generated as well as a pie chart that tracks monthly budget expenditures.  A new performance graph allows advertisers to compare results over time. A real-time ad creator tool now lets users see how their ad will look as they write their copy. Hovering over the icons at the bottom of the window allows advertisers to see a preview of the ad in the di [...]

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

At the Google Developer conference keynote this morning in San Francisco, one of the clear highlights was the introduction of a redesigned Google Maps experience for the PC and mobile. The New Google Maps are available now with an invitation. Already the leading digital and mobile mapping service, the various feature and UI improvements put more distance between Mountain View and its competitors. While Microsoft, Nokia and Apple offer some or even many of the same mapping capabilities, no one offers "the complete package" that Google does. The new Google Maps offer a redesigned UI, though it [...]

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

After trying to perform searches via Google SMS Search last week, many users discovered that the mobile search service had been discontinued. In the Google Web Search Help forum, a Google spokesperson wrote, "Closing products always involves tough choices, but we do think very hard about each decision and its implications for our users. Streamlining our services enables us to focus on creating beautiful technology that will improve people's lives." Google SMS  Search let users send search queries and receive results via a text to Google. Beginning last week, users received the following no [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Search | Google: Business Issues | Google: Mobile | SEO: Mobile Search | Top News

When Google first released its updated Google Search app last October, it never made the iTunes top ten and, last week, wasn't even in the top 100. But the addition of Google Now helped the app make the top ten in less than a week. Google relaunched its app last October with Siri-like voice recognition and readback, but after peaking at number 16, it started dropping down to around the 150 mark last Sunday. With Google Now being added, the app has risen up to number 10 in the most recently downloaded free apps list. Coincidentally, it also just got named the 10th most downlaoded free app [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile | Features: Analysis | Google | Google: Google Now | Google: Google Search App | Google: Mobile | Top News

For enterprise SEM practitioners looking to set budgets or otherwise anticipate their needs in the space for the months and years ahead, it's been a particularly difficult time to get a read on how the industry is really trending. Conflicting data and opinions abound; new threats to the hegemony of search, real or just perceived, continue to spring up; and, there are times when all of us may wonder just how much the numbers are actually changing and whether we should be concerned. Case in point: comScore recently showed U.S. core searches increasing 11% year-over-year to hit an all-time [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEM | Enterprise SEM | Google: AdWords | Google: Mobile | Microsoft: Bing Ads | Search Ads | Search Ads: Mobile Search | Stats: Search Behavior

Google Now for iOS and Android are almost identical in their look at feel. And aside from a few "cards," the same is true of their content. But, there are some differences behind the scenes worth noting: one of them is the fact that with its launch on iOS this morning, Google Now is available to roughly 2.5 times more people than it is on Android. Google Now for Android is only available on those devices that feature Jelly Bean 4.1 or 4.2 (4.3 is apparently coming). What that means as a practical matter is that fewer than 200 million people out of more than 750 million Android devices activ [...]

Related Topics: Apple | Channel: Mobile | Google: Android | Google: Google Now | Google: Mobile | Top News

Previously Android-only, Google's "predictive search" tool Google Now is now available for the iPhone and iPad. It's part of an updated Google Search App for iOS. Google Now for iOS had been anticipated since March, when Engadget discovered a promotional video suggesting it would make the leap. Until its release this morning, Google Now had been available exclusively on devices running Android 4.1 ("Jelly Bean") or higher. We've written multiple times about Google Now in the past. But, if for some reason you're unfamiliar with it, Google Now is the company's "search assistant," of [...]

Related Topics: Apple | Channel: Mobile | Google: Google Now | Google: Google Search App | Google: Mobile | Top News

Clearly I've broken my own resolution when it comes to not talking about responsive Web design, as I've done so for the past two months. This month, I'm taking a break so I can focus on resolution #1: giving more tactical advice on how to do mobile SEO well. Today's column will focus on mobile SEO tips for m-commerce and retail -- the topic of a webinar I’m doing this month for Mobile Commerce Daily. Tip #1: Make Pages Accessible To Mobile Searchers This tip may seem like a no-brainer in a world where at least 25% of all search traffic comes from mobile devices and 90% of consumers use [...]

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

Google announced a new Google field trial experiment for a feature they've been quietly testing named Quick View. The Google Quick View badge is found on a select number of sites when a searcher uses Google Mobile search from their smartphone. The feature is currently working for Wikipedia on searches done in English on Google.com. It basically will give you an almost instant view of the Wikipedia page when clicked on. Google says the Quick View will show you the Wikipedia page "immediately." Here is a picture: To see this yourself, you need to sign up for the field trial over [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile | Google: Mobile | Google: User Interface | Google: Web Search | Top News

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300"] Twitter Cards Image from Marketing Land[/caption] Mobile Application Search in both Apple's App Store and Google Play is frustratingly similar to general online search in the early 2000s -- and the tactics used to make them visible in search resuls also closely mirror the SEO best practices from that era. Searching for and discovering the right apps is a concern for both developers and mobile users, which may recently have been dealt a helping hand from Twitter with its App Cards. How Do Twitter App Cards Work? Currently, you need special [...]

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

Those hoping for aggressive regulation or changes in the way Google conducts its search business in Europe will likely be disappointed. A new interview with EU Competition Commissioner Joaquín Almunia hints at settlement proposals and remedies now being considered in the Google antitrust case. And, they will probably look a lot like what came out of the FTC earlier this year. The interview, published in a New York Times article triggered by the filing of a new antitrust complaint over Android, offers some insights into the state of settlement negotiations between Europe and Google. The [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile | Google: Android | Google: Antitrust | Google: Critics | Google: Legal | Google: Mobile | Google: Outside US | Legal | Legal: Regulation | Top News

Google has run up against some of India's restrictive laws in the past, most notably in the context of vague and expansive censorship rules for content and search results. A new episode involves a crowdsourced mapping contest run by the company to obtain data for Google Maps. According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Google ran a "Mapathon" contest in February and March offering prizes in exchange for information about local places, facilities and businesses: The Internet company invited amateur mappers as well as mapping enthusiasts to add local information through its Google Map Make [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile | Google | Google: Android | Google: Critics | Google: Legal | Google: Maps & Local | Google: Mobile | Google: Outside US | Legal: Regulation

The New York Times offers an interesting story about Google and the competitive landscape of mobile. The headline is "As Web Search Goes Mobile, Competitors Chip at Google’s Lead." The central idea of the article is that while Google is used on the PC equally to discover information and to navigate to specific sites, on smartphones people go directly to apps such as Amazon, Kayak or Yelp. As a basic matter, that's accurate. However, quoting Danny Sullivan, the story also acknowledges that there's still a great deal of mobile search activity, which is dominated by Google. Indeed, accordin [...]

Related Topics: Apple: Maps | Apple: Siri | Channel: SEM | Facebook: Facebook Search | Google: AdWords | Google: Maps & Local | Google: Mobile | Google: Web Search

Goodbye Facebook Nearby, hello Facebook Local Search. InsideFacebook points out that the company has renamed its mobile app feature "Nearby" as Facebook "local search."  Until late last year, Nearby was a friend-finder tool. Then it became a way to find local business recommendations. But, many users are undoubtedly still unaware of the change in functionality. The name change will help. But, Facebook will also have to make the new local search capability more prominent and do a better job of reaching out to users to get them to engage with the tool. Yet, Facebook is already on [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Social | Facebook | Facebook: Facebook Search | Google: Maps & Local | Google: Mobile | Top News

It seems people have strong feelings for or against responsive Web design. My thanks to those with open minds who responded to last month’s column on SEO problems with responsive Web design with either praise or reasonable criticism. While I answered the most common criticisms already, one recent comment from Google’s John Mueller stood out to me. When he posted Luke Wroblewski’s results of sites that have seen success with responsive Web design to Google+ with the caption #rwd #ftw, I wanted to remind Google and other responsive Web design advocates that responsive Web design, whil [...]

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

Google is apparently testing a new tablet interface, according to a video by tecnonet. He captured three different tests on the Google Tablet search interface: (1) new search tools, (2) light blue colored titles and (3) orange URLs. Here are static pictures of the color changes followed by a video showing the search tools option test. As always, Google is regularly running numerous tests to its user interface and not all of them get approved for wide rollout. Google users may see as many as 12 tests every time they do a search. Related Entries Google Testing Android/Chrom [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile | Google: Mobile | Google: User Interface

Google announced they can now tell you the name of the actors in a movie when you are unsure of the name of the actor or actress. The Google Play TV or Movies Android App specifically for U.S. based Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and higher tablet devices can give you the answer. For a person like me, where I am always a bit embarrassed when it comes to not knowing actor names or even movie names - an app like this can come in handy. This way, I can see the name of the stars in the film, what other movies they had a role in and a little bit about their history. Google will displa [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEO | Google: Knowledge Graph | Google: Mobile | Top News

This weekend the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple had paid roughly $20 million for a company called WifiSLAM. The company was an early stage startup that had raised roughly $1 million in angel investment. It appears to have had some ambitious plans, according to a company description on AngelList: We are building the next generation of location-based mobile apps that, for the first time, engage with users at the scale that personal interaction actually takes place. Applications range from step-by-step indoor navigation, to product-level retail customer engagement, to proximity-based [...]

Related Topics: Apple | Apple: Maps | Channel: Mobile | Features: Analysis | Google: Maps & Local | Google: Mobile | Search Engines: Maps & Local Search Engines

Google Commerce has released Google Shopper 3.2, an updated version of its app that includes category-specific refinements for improved search results. When searching for products, users can now filter their results by brand, store, price and other options, as well as view detailed product information, read product reviews, watch video reviews from YouTube, and see high-resolution product images in the new lightbox viewer. Google says these updates make it easier for users to find and compare the most popular products on Google Shopping from their mobile devices. Google Shopper 3.2 c [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Retail | Google: Mobile | Google: Product Search