The Wall Street Journal reported this weekend that Google is planning to combine a number of its products (internally developed and acquired) into a suite of tools and services aimed at small business marketers: Google plans to have its newest small-business service—which at one point it was calling Business Builder—up and running as early as July, said a person familiar with the matter. The project combines several products and services aimed at small businesses under a single banner. It is based on a mix of internally developed software and recently acquired technologies that the compa [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEM | Google: AdWords | Google: Google+ | Google: Maps & Local | Google: Partnerships | Google: Place Pages

Google has had what it has called "comparison ads" for some time, but these comparison units are getting a new look in Google’s search results beginning today. Google hopes the change will better explain to searchers that comparison listings come from companies it has a commercial relationship with. It also highlights how three Google search products now seem to largely operate on a paid inclusion basis. Google was once a vocal opponent to paid inclusion programs. "We’re changing the design layout of our hotel, flight, credit card and bank account results, which help users complete acti [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEM | Features: Analysis | Google: AdWords | Google: Partnerships | Search Ads: Paid Inclusion | Search Marketing: General | Top News

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

Mozilla released its annual report (PDF) yesterday and reports came in that 98% of the foundation's revenue comes directly from search partners, including Google, Microsoft and Yahoo. Mozilla said it earned $121.1 million in revenue in 2010, up 19.3% from 2009's $101.5 million. Even with the growth of Google Chrome, Mozilla increased revenues through this model in 2010; will it in 2011? Mozilla said: The majority of Mozilla's revenue continues to be generated from the search functionality included in our Mozilla's Firefox product through all major search partners including Google, Bing, [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Content | Firefox | Google: Business Issues | Google: Partnerships

Sina Replaces Google Search Engine On Portal from the Wall Street Journal reports Google has just lost a major search syndication deal with one of Chinese largest portals. In 2007, Sina Corp partnered with Google, where Google would power the news, ads and search results for the huge Chinese portal. That deal has ended and now Sina dropped Google's search results in favor for their own. The search deal between Sina Corp and Google ended this month, so Sina built their own search technology, which sorts search results under categories such as news, blogs and music. "While we can't [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Business Issues | Google: Outside US | Google: Partnerships

Google has implemented changes to Google Partner Search -- the index where advertisers can find certified agencies to manage their AdWords campaigns -- to make it easier for the two parties to get in contact. The company has now added the ability for advertisers to fill out a form on the agencies' profile page on Google, which is then forwarded to the agency as a lead. Previously, advertisers had to go to the agencies' web sites themselves and search for contact information. Agencies will have a lead management interface, where they can keep track of incoming communications and act upon [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEM | Google: AdWords | Google: Partnerships

Earlier this week Apple introduced its long-awaited in-app subscription service for publishers. As part of that arrangement Apple wants its standard 30 percent cut of iTunes/app revenue. However it threw a bone to publishers by allowing all revenue from subscriptions initiated outside the iTunes environment to be kept by publishers. Many publishers are now angry that Apple wants part of their subscription dollars and wants to get between them and their customers (once again). Almost like a predator lying in wait, the very next day Google pounced and announced One Pass, an open system in wh [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Retail | Features: Analysis | Google: Business Issues | Google: Checkout | Google: Marketing | Google: Mobile | Google: Other | Google: Partnerships

So you or your child has already conquered the annual school science fair? And you've even dominated at the regional and state levels, too? And you're thinking to yourself, "We need a real challenge. Competing against Johnny down the block was too easy." Well, Google has something just for you: the first Google Science Fair. Any student from 13 to 18 years old can enter, no matter where you call home. The only requirements are a computer, Internet access, and a web browser (because you'll begin by building and submitting the science project online). Registration is open until April 4th. [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: General | Google: Other | Google: Partnerships

Google has famously undertaken a high-profile initiative to show users where they can buy products offline in local stores. It has also launched a very non-traditional (for Google) shopping site, Boutiques.com. There have been additional improvements in the Google Product Search destination site, including more product-browse capabilities. Then there are product listing ads, which expanded to all US advertisers last November. In other words, across the board in product search/discovery and product-related advertising, there's considerable activity going on at Google. You can now add to all [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Retail | Google: Maps & Local | Google: Partnerships | Google: Place Pages | Google: Product Search | Google: Web Search | Top News

Satellites have long been used for good and ill but never before have they been marshaled to help prevent human rights abuses and political violence -- before they happen. But that's the aim of a project that involves the UN, Google, Harvard and a non-profit organization called Not On Our Watch, co-founded by US actor George Clooney. The objective of what's being called "The Satellite Sentinel Project" is to monitor and thereby prevent anticipated violence expected to coincide with a vote in Sudan about whether to split the country into two: north and south. The project is the brainchild o [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: General | Google: Other | Google: Outside US | Google: Partnerships

Google and MySpace just have announced they have renewed their search and advertising deal. The multi-year agreement will expand on their current relationship and give MySpace access tot Google's web search and search ads, as well as access to Google's Display Network and DoubleClick Ad Exchange. Google will continue to power the search results on MySpace, as well as the search ads on the site. The new part of the agreement is Google powering some of the display ads on the site. "We’re thrilled about renewing our partnership with Google. Their best-in class technology will continue [...]

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

Last week it appeared that hotels reviews site TripAdvisor was blocking Google from showing its content on Places Pages. TripAdvisor never confirmed that it was doing so and Google attributed the absence of TripAdvisor reviews on Places to a technical problem. However what you might call "circumstance evidence," as well as comments made by TripAdvisor CEO Stephen Kaufer to the Wall Street Journal this weekend, seem to confirm the site's displeasure with Google: "Google does seem to be chasing us and I don't like it one bit," said Mr. Kaufer, adding that he has been negotiating with G [...]

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

The subject of "Google Me" has been discussed and debated and picked apart at length already. It's already tired and the "product" hasn't even launched. A new round of rumor and speculation has emerged from Quora (and TechCrunch). The supposed internal-testing name for Google Me was reported to be "Emerald City" but is now actually, supposedly, "Emerald Sea." But wait, it could also be called "Google + 1" and be a toolbar or browser extension that will try and duplicate the function of Facebook's Like. It's a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma -- or rather that was Russia. H [...]

Related Topics: Channel: SEO | Google: General | Google: Labs | Google: Orkut | Google: Partnerships | Google: Social Search

Japan's Fair Trade Commission has given its approval to a partnership that allows Yahoo Japan to use Google search results. According to Reuters, Japan's FTC has promised to monitor the alliance for possible violations of the country's anti-monopoly laws. Yahoo Japan, which is controlled by Softbank with Yahoo Inc. as a minor owner, announced in July that it would use Google's search results instead of Yahoo's (and then Bing's when that partnership was implemented over the summer). Days later, Microsoft announced its intention to challenge the Google-Yahoo Japan deal. As a minority owner, [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Outside US | Google: Partnerships | Microsoft: Outside US | Yahoo: Outside US | Yahoo: Partnerships | Yahoo: Search

Google Signs Pact With European Patent Office from the Wall Street Journal reports, Google has made a deal with the European Patent Office to gain access to over 1.5 million patent documents. The deal involves Google using their machine translation technology to help the European Patent Office translate the 38 member countries patents. The EPO will benefit in that they will have translated patents and help pave way for a single pan-European patent system. Google will benefit in that they will use the knowledge to better improve their machine translation technology and Google will [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Outside US | Google: Partnerships | Google: Patents

Over the past week, there has been many rumors that Google would be making a buy-out offer to Groupon, the popular local deals site. Those rumors have heated up this morning, with Vator.tv reporting the deal has closed, with Google buying Groupon for $2.5 billion. Google or Groupon has yet to confirm the deal but these rumors seem to be pretty legit. TechCrunch documented tweets between Andrew Mason, CEO and founder of Groupon and Google's M&A lead Neeraj Arora in September possibly talking about deals between the two companies. VatorNews said their insider details come from an unna [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Local | Google: Business Issues | Google: Partnerships | Groupon

GTVHub reports that Google TV is now being blocked by Viacom. Shows such on popular networks such as Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, and Nickelodeon are not viewable via the Google TV. Previously, ABC, CBS and NBC blocked Google TV and so did Fox many of those channels returned to Google TV soon after. Viacom, which has a long history with battling Google over YouTube, has surprisingly not blocked Google TV until now. Now, if you try to access any of the Viacom channels, you will see a message that reads: Sorry, this content is unavailable for your device. For more stories on this n [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Video | Google: Business Issues | Google: Partnerships | Google: TV

TechCrunch reports Facebook has removed the Gmail option of finding friends on Facebook. If you go to the find friends section on Facebook, you will find options to find your friends via Skype, AIM, Windows Live Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL, Comcast, MSN, sbcglobal and verizon.net, but you won't see Google's Gmail as an option: This doesn't come as a surprise to many. Earlier this month, Google changed their terms of service to force Facebook to either open up more of their information or have to drop Gmail as a friends find option. Here are more of the related stories below to track this [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Social | Facebook | Google: APIs | Google: Business Issues | Google: Partnerships

Google has announced a partnership with Verizon to have Google TV Ads power some of the ads on the Verizon FiOS TV network. The ads should begin showing in "early 2011" and be seen by about "35 million households, or almost one-third of all US cable and satellite homes." To learn more about Google TV Ads, see google.com/adwords/tvads. Mark Piesanen, Director of Strategic Partnerships for Google TV Ads said, "Like Google, Verizon cares deeply about the evolution and future of TV advertising. Together we're thrilled to establish this partnership to offer great inventory and access to your [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Video | Google: AdWords | Google: Partnerships | Google: TV

Continuing on from Danny's Facebook: You’ve No Right To Export Email Addresses , it appears Google has upped the ante. ReadWriteWeb noticed that when you try to export your contacts to Facebook, Google gives you a big warning. This warning stems from Google recently changing their terms of service of their contacts API to prevent Facebook from using it without allowing Facebook users to export their data. Yesterday, Facebook began allowing you to export the names of your friends, but nothing all that useful. Google's response is a new warning page having you think twice before exportin [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Social | Facebook | Google: APIs | Google: Business Issues | Google: Partnerships