Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web.

From Search Engine Land:

• Spy On Competitors, But Don’t Copy Their Mistakes
  Maybe it’s just me, because I’ve spent years ingesting the Purple Cow Kool-Aid. But I can never get over the number of cookie-cutter, copycat businesses that spring up online. Choosing the exact same business model as someone else almost appears to be a favorite pastime in North America these…
• European Groups Says Search Engines Must Delete Search Data Within Six-Months
  Google, Yahoo Keep User Data Too Long, EU Group Says from Bloomberg reports that 27 EU nations privacy officials unanimously are supporting a new proposal that may require search companies to delete search data before six months. The proposal, Article 29 Data Protection Working Party, requires “valid justification” to store…
• Yahoo To Microsoft: We’re Not Opposed To Your Deal, Just Pay More
  On Saturday, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer sent a public ultimatum of sorts to Yahoo’s board: accept our offer or we’ll force it on you. Today Yahoo responded publicly to Ballmer’s letter. In essence it says: we’re “not opposed to a transaction” but pay us more….
• Yahoo Rolls Out More Details About APEX/AMP
  In articles on the NY Times and Wall Street Journal sites this morning, more details are surfacing about the intended Q3 rollout of Yahoo’s new ambitious, integrated ad platform — what President Sue Decker previously called “APEX” (advertiser-publisher exchange) and is now apparently being called “AMP.”…
• iProspect: Blended Search Resulting In More Clicks On News, Images And Video
  Since the advent of “blended” or “universal search” last year across the major engines there’s been ongoing discussion and speculation about its impact on user behavior and search marketing. Gord Hotchkiss last year wrote extensively about how blended search (on Google) has in fact shifted the user focus from the…
• Wanted! Questions For Google’s Marissa Mayer
  Later this week — on Thursday, April 10 — I’ll be interviewing Google’s Marissa Mayer, vice president, search products & user experience, as part of her keynote at our SMX Sydney show. I’m looking for your help. What burning questions do those in the search and the search marketing space…
• Search Month: March 2008 Search News, In Review
  Search Month is a monthly newsletter that recaps stories covered on Search Engine Land over the past month. It’s also available by feed here. Below, news about Search Engine Land itself, then our 10 most popular stories from March 2008, then a major story for various search topics along with…
• March 2008: Search Engine Land’s Most Popular Stories
  Below are Search Engine Land’s 10 most popular stories from March 2008:…
• Track The Olympic Torch Relay Via Google Maps
  Trying to keep up with where the Olympic Torch is headed to next? Google’s launched a nifty custom map showing you where it is, has been and is going to, along with information about each place. A custom add for Google Earth is also available, and you can embed the…
• Microsoft To Yahoo Board: Agree Within Three Weeks Or Else
  Microsoft has had enough, it seems. The company has fired off a written ultimatum to Yahoo’s board. Either conclude an agreement to be acquired by Microsoft or Microsoft will engage in a proxy fight to oust the board with one favorable to the deal. Microsoft says that despite what it…
• Report: Microsoft “Re-evaluating” Yahoo Bid
  Reuters is reporting that Microsoft may be reconsidering its bid for Yahoo in light of changed market conditions and signs of potential weakness in Yahoo’s “core business.” The article cites as sources the familiar unnamed “people familiar with the matter.” There are few details and nobody from either company comments….

Search News From Around The Web:

Applications & Portal Features

• Google Talk, Labs Edition, Google Operating System
• Translate a Google Spreadsheet, Google Operating System
• Upload Old Email to Google Apps, Google Operating System
• Google Email Uploader available, Google Apps Updates
• Giving group chat a go, Official Gmail Blog
• Gmail being throttled, blocked by some anti-spam vendors, Ars Technica
• List of Web Applications That Use Google Gears, Google Operating System
• The Frustratingly Unfulfilled Promise of Google Gears, PC World
• The Great Gmail Import & My Short Life With Web-Based Mail, Danny Sullivan

Business Issues

• Fidelity Distancing Itself From Google, WebProNews
• New Fox Interactive Group Moves Into Yahoo Center In Santa Monica, paidContent.org
• Rescuecom v. Google Second Circuit Oral Arguments, Eric Goldman
• Source: Google To Launch BigTable As Web Service, TechCrunch
• More Crappy Censorship From Your Friends at Yahoo!, Thomas Hawk
• Arts Alliance invests in Kenshoo to fund European expansion, webitpr
• Facebook to Settle Thorny Lawsuit Over Its Origins, New York Times
• Gartner lays odds on Microsoft in ads over Google in enterprise, News.com
• Google is Ireland’s internet king, ENN
• Google to Announce First Quarter 2008 Financial Results, Google
• Music industry launches suit targeting Baidu, Sohu – MarketWatch, MarketWatch
• Nielsen Agrees to Acquire Ad-Evaluation Firm IAG, Wall Street Journal
• Spock.com Pacts With Google, Plays With Ad Networks, ClickZ
• UK online ad spend to overtake TV: report, Reuters
• WebTrends Names Former Google Exec as CEO, WebTrends

Local, Maps & Mobile

• Conversation with the YPA’s Neg Norton, Screenwerk
• Updated Google Earth exposes Israeli military sites, Hindustan Times
• Yhoo Affiliate Mapspam now gone, Mike Blumenthal
• All the news that’s fit to print on a map: The New York Times in Google Earth, Google LatLong
• ANA: Yellow Pages Neglects Advertisers’ Needs, Ad Age
• EveryScape Adds New Cites, Screenwerk
• LG Telecom may adopt Google Android for 3G, TelecomTV

Link Building

• How To Expose Your Brand Without Wearing A Trenchcoat, The Link Spiel
• It’s Easier to Get Hi-Powered Links for Free Than It Is To Pay For Them, Bob Massa
• Why you should actively link out from your blog, Jennifer Slegg

Paid Search & Contextual

• Search-ad buyer: Clients spending more on Yahoo, less on Google, Valleywag
• AdWords API Coming Out of Beta, AdWords API Blog
• Paid Search Becoming A Software Idea Goldmine, SEM Geek
• A Look at Demographic Bidding for AdWords, Search Engine Watch
• A Look at Google Ad Manager Reports, Search Engine Roundtable
• adCenter Analytics – Running Basic Traffic History Reports – adCenter Analytics, adcentercommunity.com
• Are Your PPC Landing Pages Optimized for Google’s Quality Score?, Search Marketing Standard
• Keyword Match Types – adCenter Advertiser, adcentercommunity.com
• Keyword Segments within the Conversion Funnel, Shimon Sandler
• Online Commercials: Now That’s a Hard Sell, New York Times
• The "Hidden Return" Of Online Advertising, A VC
• Tips from our industry newsletters, Inside AdWords

Searching

• Finding a dream on Google Book Search, Inside Google Book Search
• French search engine Mozbot, altsearchengines.com
• Powerset Will Launch In Coming Weeks, TechCrunch
• HealthPricer Launches Re-designed Product Page, altsearchengines.com
• The Next Generation Search Engine – Cluuz, altsearchengines.com
• Yahoo Tops Google on Search Relevance with Relona, Search Engine Journal

SEM Industry

• Bruce Clay Australia Heads to SMX Sydney, BruceClay.com
• Video Recap of Weekly Search Buzz :: April 6, 2008, Search Engine Roundtable
• Elite Retreat, SEO Wife
• Elite Retreat – Day 2, Scott Hendison
• SEO Standards Debate is Back – But Something’s Missing…, SEOmoz

SEO & SEM

• The Curious SEO, Search Marketing Sage
• Using Site Search Keyword Data to Create Related Content, SEO Book
• Our New Search Engine Rank Checking Tool Has Been Updated, SEO Book
• Duplicate content: separating the penalty from the filter, News.com
• Google Site Links Broken?, Marketing Pilgrim
• Google Sometimes Not Grouping Results From Same Domain?, Search Engine Roundtable

Social Media

• My Essential Twitter Tools, Web Strategist
• Social Media Marketing is NOT a Direct Response Channel, 10e20 Blog
• Social Media Networking and ROI: How to Maximize Value and Minimize Cost, DoshDosh
• Facebook Chat Launches – Tour , Inside Facebook
• Facebook Chat Launches This Week, The Unofficial Facebook Blog
• How to (Actually) Earn Money (Now) with Social Media (Really): Part 2, Search Engine Watch Blog
• Online Reputation Management Proposals: A Guide, ViperChill
• Comcast, Twitter And The Chicken (trust me, I have a point), TechCrunch
• Sphinn & The Hidden Value of Social News Bookmarking Immersion, AIM Clear Blog
• Stumbling to Success Part II, endlessplain.com
• The Best Advice For Getting Yourself Out A PR Nightmare, BruceClay.com
• Ultimate Social Media Resource List, Jordan Kasteler

Video, Music & Image Search

• Easy Way to Add Business Videos to You Tube and Your Web Site, seoaware.com
• Joost To Undertake Major Restructure, TechCrunch

Web Analytics

• Brian Clifton – 1st Interview Since Leaving Google Analytics, Mel Carson

Other Items

• China allows access to English Wikipedia, Reuters
• Doodle: Flying Spaghetti Monster, Googlified
• Doodle: Astroboy, Googlified
• Search Engine Cartoon, SEO Speedwagon

Recent Hot Items From Sphinn, Our Social News Sharing Site:

• Ultimate Social Media Resource List
• Keyword Segments within the Conversion Funnel
• 10 SEO Questions to Ask When Hiring an SEO Expert
• Sphinn & The Hidden Value of Social News Bookmarking Immersion
• 6 Questions I Asked Aaron Wall Over Dinner – Disover the SEO Secrets He Doesn’t Share on His Blog
• Social Media Without “The Man”
• SEO Standards: Are We Really Pretending These Will Work?
• Who’s really reading social media?
• How to (Actually) Earn Money (Now) with Social Media (Really): Part 2
• SEO Aware WordPress Publishing
• Human Hardware: Dunbar’s Number
• Facebook hires away Google’s top chef
• The 5 Levels of Social Media Relationships
• Advice From a Top Digger: Social Media and Simplicity
• Why Google is Scared of Social Media
• Google AdWords Display URL Policy Reaches Local PPC Advertisers
• Ten Things You May Not Know About Facebook
• Social Media Is Where The Conversation Starts – theLisa gets her Rant on
• How Ed Dale Hammered in the Final Nail of my Twitter Coffin
• 10 Most expensive mistakes in consulting
• Google LinksTen Commandments
• The Not-So User Experience of Social Networking
• Megachart & Analysis: Google Management Changes, 2000-2008
• PPC Rocks! …but it shouldn’t be your only strategy
• Social Media Networking and ROI: How to Maximize Value and Minimize Cost
• Advanced Web Usability: 5 Important Lessons Learned From Digg

Related Topics: SearchCap

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About The Author: Barry Schwartz is Search Engine Land's News Editor and owns RustyBrick, a NY based web consulting firm. He also runs Search Engine Roundtable, a popular search blog on very advanced SEM topics. Barry's personal blog is named Cartoon Barry and he can be followed on Twitter here. For more background information on Barry, see his full bio over here. See more articles by Barry Schwartz

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