SearchCap: The Day In Search, October 1, 2013

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

From Search Engine Land:

• Maps Roundup: Google Avoids Waze Antitrust Fight, Scout Social Mapping, deCarta Route Patent

  Google spent just over $1 billion to take Waze away from Facebook, Apple or Nokia and Microsoft. It equally sought the real-time driver feedback that Waze crowd-sourcing provides. Given the size of the transaction the US FTC got immediately involved to bring antitrust scrutiny to the acquisition. Now Bloomberg reports that the FTC is unlikely […]

• Google: Webmaster Tools Reporting To Return To Normal Within In Coming Days

  Google’s Webmaster Tools search query reports are very delayed right now, but Google tells us that they “expect reporting to return to normal in the coming days.” This is a “bug” in how Google shows webmasters search queries that drive traffic a site. The reporting tool stopped showing data on September 23rd. This came shortly […]
• Yosemite National Park Gets A Google Logo To Mark Its 123rd Birthday

  Today’s Google logo celebrates the Yosemite National Park, which congress established as a national park on this date in 1890. The logo includes a collection of badges with “Google” front and center on a yellow badge featuring the park’s famous Half Dome Mountain. A John Muir Trail (JMT) badge is included along with others to […]

• Are You Setting The Right Link Building Expectations?

  In the world of search and online marketing, we talk a lot about the evolving landscape, particularly when it comes to link building. Tactics that work one day can stop working with the switch of a Google button. Tactics that you think are legit can suddenly be deemed a “link scheme.” On top of that, there’s so […]

• A PLA Investigation:The Case Of The Hot Pink Wedge Pump

  The takeover of the formerly-free Google Shopping by Product Listing Ads (PLAs) is less than a year old. With any new online marketing channel, you would expect some kinks in the system — i.e., some idiosyncratic behavior that is unexpected — and PLAs are no exception. This article delves into a very specific problem within an […]

• Google Launches ‘Estimated Cross-Device Conversions’ In AdWords, First Stage Of New ‘Estimated Total Conversions’

  Today, Google launched estimated cross-device conversions in AdWords. It’s the company’s first step in providing advertisers with conversion insights that reflect the real-world impact of their campaigns. The new conversion type is the first to roll-out as part of the new Estimated Total Conversions, which will eventually include phone calls and in-store visits. Estimated cross-device […]

• New Google Antitrust Offer A “Significant Improvement” Says EU

  After Google’s competitors loudly complained about the company’s antitrust settlement proposal, which displayed three “rival links” to alternative’ search results, European Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said it would take new “concessions” for Google to successfully settle its antitrust case with Europe. Google has now reportedly made those concessions. Almunia characterized Google’s updated settlement offer, submitted last […]

• After Blocking Keywords In Referrers, Now Google Stops Sharing Through Google Webmaster Tools – A Bug?

  Last week, Google moved to send all searches through Google SSL Search, setting up the ultimate end of keyword data passed along via referrers non-advertisers. Now, Google’s official alternative channel for this information — Google Webmaster Tools — has also stopped sharing the data, most likely due to a bug. A Bug Or An Intentional […]

Recent Headlines From MarTech, Our Sister Site Dedicated To Internet Marketing:

• Pinterest Gets Control Of 100 Domains, Wins $7.2 Million In Cybersquatting Case
• Thinking Inside The Boxplot
• Operation Greener Grass: Why Aren’t SEOs Up In Arms?
• Google Debuts AdWords Cross-Device Conversion Estimates, Phone and In-Store Conversions Coming
• Google Analytics Android App Gets Complete Redesign For Mobile Devices
• Facebook Graph Search Gets Granular, Now Includes Posts & Status Updates

Search News From Around The Web:

Industry

• Major Milestones for Bruce Clay and BCI, BruceClay.com

Searching

• A Google Glass App Knows What You’re Looking At, MIT Technology Review

SEO

• Google’s Hummingbird Update: Should You Be Concerned?, Wired
• 6 Ways to Explain Google’s (not provided) & Hummingbird to Clients, Luna Metrics
• Alternative Google Keyword Data Sources, blog.intrapromote.com
• Expanding Your Skillset in the SEO Industry is Critical, AuthorityLabs
• Keyword Magic, or How I Learned to Be an SEO (again), SEO Theory
• Video: Expanding your site to more languages, Official Google Webmaster Central Blog

SEM / Paid Search

• 9 Tips for Improving Cost-Per-Lead, PPC Hero
• AdWords introduces cross-device tracking, Estimated Total Conversions, 3qdigital.com
• Optimizing Google Product Feeds, ppcchat.co
• Tips, Tricks and Best Practices for Automated PPC Rules, www.clixmarketing.com
• Why PPC is a CFO’s Best Friend, Even in Lead-Gen, Avalaunch Media

Search Marketing

• 3 Search Engine Marketing Predictions for Google Glass, 3qdigital.com
• The Truth about Call Tracking Numbers and Local Search Placement, blog.acorn-is.com
• Vertical Search Works Unveils FeaturePlay, New Content Discovery Platform, Business Wire