SearchCap: The Day In Search, June 11, 2009

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 Images Quietly Adds Creative Commons Filter
  

  A couple weeks after Yahoo Images added the creative commons search filter, Google quietly added their own to Google Image Search. The option is not available in the user interface, but you can set the filter by adding a parameter to the URL. For example:

  Public Domain Images: Add &as_rights=cc_publicdomain to the URL Creative Commons Attribution Images: [...]

• Translation: A New Instant Answer From Bing
  

  The Microsoft Translator Blog announced that translation is now an instant answer in Bing, Microsoft’s new search engine. Here are some examples:

  Google added limited translation as a OneBox over a year ago. But it seems like both Yahoo and Ask.com do not have smart answers for translation. Hat tip to LiveSide for spotting this.

• Google AdWords Testing “Opportunities” Tab?
  

  The AdWords Expert Blog noticed that for one of his AdWords accounts Google is testing a new tab in the AdWords interface named “opportunities.” The new tab seems to include “ideas” for adding new campaigns, keywords and ad groups to your Google AdWords campaign. Here is a picture of the new tab:

  Do note, adding the [...]

• Can The SEO Industry Switch To A Pay-for-Performance Pricing Model?
  

  The currency of the SEO industry is, and has always been, “dollars for hours” — in other words, the traditional consulting model that is in use at accounting and law firms around the globe. Just think of what would be possible if it were to change to something more tied to the value being delivered! SEOs [...]

• Do SMBs Still Need The Middleman To Advertise?
  

  Having worked in the local search space for a while, I am often asked how is it that SMBs are so slow in adopting self-serve systems in their online advertising. And indeed, in the age of Internet advertising, when anyone can purchase keywords on search engines, is there really a need for a middleman anymore? While [...]

• Video Search Face-Off: Bing vs. Google
  

  Is there anything more visually appealing than Microsoft’s new search engine, Bing? The engine greets you with spectacular landscape images, complemented by a wealth of historical information and interesting facts. These compelling bits of information also lead you to other areas within Bing, such as the video results page. The Bing homepage is a great place [...]

• New Google Webmaster Tools Now Live For All Users
  

  In addition to the new Change of Address feature, Google has also announced that the new Webmaster Tools interface is now live for all users.

  Content has been re-organized inside Webmaster Tools and the interface has been changed dramatically. The dashboard, for example, now shows Top search queries, Links to your site, Crawl errors, and Sitemap [...]

Search News From Around The Web:

Applications & Portal Features

• Yahoo Adds Social Media Updates to Yahoo Mail, Yahoo Mail Blog

Business Issues

• Massive Layoffs Coming To MySpace – 25% Or More May Be Cut, TechCrunch
• No Company Vacations for Googlers This Year, Valleywag
• AOL Buys Two Local Startups, Including One Backed By CEO Armstrong, paidContent.org
• Google Builds Golden State Bridge, Reuters
• Google Sued Again for Trademark Infringement–Soaring Helmet v. Leatherup.com, Eric Goldman
• Yahoo Spends $90,965 Per Day On Google Ads, Business Insider

Local, Maps & Mobile

• Local Business Information and Store Locations, Google Base Blog

Link Building

• SMX Advanced Pagerank Sculpting and Javascript Linking, Michael Gray
• Unintentional Reciprocal Links Are Natural Links, Search Engine Roundtable
• Using Viral Email To Build Links, Link Spiel

Paid Search & Contextual

• How to Get Ready for the New Interface, Inside AdWords
• Online Advertising In Europe: 2008 Was Tough, 2009 Will Be Worse, TechCrunch
• Yahoo Giving Out $20K in Search Marketing Credits, WebProNews

Searching

• Wolfram|Alpha Toolbars, Widgets, Gadgets, and the Like, Wolfram|Alpha Blog
• bing and your browser, Bing Community
• Lycos To Relaunch Search Services In Europe, For Whatever Reason, TechCrunch
• Microsoft Bing helps you choose between Mac and PC, Macworld

SEM Industry

• IMC Stockholm, Swedish Meatballs and New Friends, SEOmoz
• SMX London – Converting Paid Traffic & Search Engine Stats, Marketing Pilgrim

SEO & SEM

• 30 Advanced SEO Tactics, Techniques and Resources (55 Links), SEOptimise
• An Update on Sitemaps at Google, Official Google Webmaster Central Blog
• Best Of Breed SEO Blogger Firefox Plugin Collection, andybeard.eu
• Known issue: Gadgets, Sitemap submission and Change of Address problems, Webmaster Help Forum Announcements
• Twitter SEO: 4 Simple Tips to Help Your Twitter Profile Rank, Search Engine Journal
• Why do big brands rank so well?, YouTube

Social Media

• Are You Limiting Yourself On Twitter? Start Connecting!, Solid Cactus
• Facebook Launches Usernames But Stumps Sabbath Observers, Search Engine Roundtable
• Facebook Vanity URLs: Journalists Don’t Have To Wait In Line, TechCrunch
• Optimization for Social Media Integration, Web Optimist

Video, Music & Image Search

• Advanced Search Options in Picasa Web Albums, Google Operating System

Web Analytics

• Track Yahoo! Search Marketing Campaigns and More with Urchin 6.6, Google Analytics Blog

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

• Keyword Research Tools: Are They Accurate?
• UK Brands Setting a Prime Example of How Not to Market Yourself Online
• Are PPC Ads Now Counting in Google Organic Backlinks?
• Bad WordPress Permalink Advice?
• Using Viral Email To Build Links
• Google Says Quality is Dirt Cheap, Don't Hire Copywriters
• Vanessa Fox Video: Diagnosing What's Wrong with Your Website
• Shark Spotted on Google Maps in Sydney!
• The Facebook Vanity URL Fiasco
• The Top Ten Reasons Your SEO Sucks
• The Do’s And Don’ts Of Online Reputation Management
• StumbleUpon’s Su.pr is Really… Super
• 7 Reasons Why I Suck at Blogging, and What I’m Going to Do About It
• PageRank Calculation – Null Hypothesis
• Aaron Kahlow Interview: 2009 Online Marketing Summit Comes To Portland June 29th