SearchCap: Google Penalty, AdWords Website Call Conversions & Pigeon Fears

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 Launches Ability To Track “Website Call Conversions” In AdWords
  Today, Google launched a what’s likely to become a popular new feature for many AdWords advertisers. Website call conversions allow advertisers to track calls that occur after a user arrives on a web site from an ad click. A code snippet dynamically inserts a Google forwarding number on the website after a user clicks on […]
• Worried About Pigeon? Just Keep On Truckin’
  Pigeon has rocked the local SEO world. How should we respond to Google’s new local search algorithm update?
• Google Targets Two European Link Networks Yesterday Morning
  Over the weekend, Google has sent out mass link penalty notifications throughout Europe for those sites partaking in specific link networks with the goal of manipulating their rankings in Google. Google’s Johannes Mehlem posted on Twitter that Google has “taken action on one European and one German linking network.” We have taken action on one […]
• HubPages Acquires Squidoo: Content Migration To Begin Within A Few Weeks
  Seth Godin, the founder and owner of Squidoo, announced the social content platform, has been acquired by HubPages. Squidoo was founded back in 2005, where users can create “lenses” of topics and content. Back in 2007, we did a Q&A with the founder and then in 2011 Panda hit, which reportedly had an impact on […]
• The Ultimate “Back to School” Sale – Save with SMX East Early Bird Rates
  Enroll in SMX East and your search marketing campaigns are certain to make the grade. The SMX East program covers the 3 “S”s – SEO, SEM, social media marketing – ensuring you drive more traffic, conversions and sales from your internet marketing efforts. Focused on paid advertising? We’ll help you master the new ad formats, […]
• Study: Consumers Increasingly Turn To Mobile & Varied Media Combinations In Last Mile
  If you thought people started their shopping on mobile then turned to their laptop or desktop to close the sale, you’re mistaken. How consumers are negotiating the last mile of the purchase process.
• Lessons Learned from the Evolution of Spam – Tips to Staying Ahead of the Email Deliverability Curve – August 21 Webcast
  Digital Marketing Depot presents “Lessons Learned from the Evolution of Spam – Tips to Staying Ahead of the Email Deliverability Curve” on Thursday August 21 at 1 PM EDT. Join speakers Autumn Tyr-Salva and Jose Santa Ana of Message Systems, as they illustrate how email marketers must first understand the history of spam along with […]

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

• Google Lets Advertisers Track Phone Calls Generated From Websites
• Amazon “Buy It Now” Link Shows Up Directly In Editorial Of Bezos-Owned Washington Post
• Google Wins Patent-Infringement Appeal Against Vringo
• How Hyperlocal Mobile Advertising Changes Everything
• New Twitter Test Notifies Users Of Nearly Everything, Including Other Folks Faves & Follows
• Yahoo Acquires Anti-Ad Blocker Startup ClarityRay
• The Ultimate “Back to School” Sale – Save with SMX East Early Bird Rates
• 5 Steps To Turn Your Organization Into A Digital Analytics Pacesetter

Search News From Around The Web:

Industry

• Mr. Google Goes to Washington, Bloomberg View
• Google Seeks New Customers: Kids, The Information
• Tweetstorm: Rupert Murdoch Says Google Is Worse Than the NSA, Re/code

Local & Maps

• Google Updates Review Policy Help Files and Review Flagging Form, Mike Blumenthal
• More Directions in Google Search for Mobile, Google Operating System

Link Building

• 7 Things Any Marketer Should Know About Links, Search Engine People Blog

Searching

• Through the Google lens: search trends August 8-14, Official Google Blog
• Google Birthday Doodle Shows Your Age In Seconds, Search Engine Roundtable

SEO

• Local SEO Ranking Factors:On the Case!, CanuckSEO
• 4 Crucial Ingredients for a Successful SEO Strategy, State of Digital
• My Domain Name Expired & It Took A Month To Return In Google, Search Engine Roundtable
• Top 10 YouTube Video SEO Tips, The SEM Post

SEM / Paid Search

• Expect Accountability From Your PPC Agency, PPC Hero
• Google AdWords To Ban Paintball Guns & Other Dangerous Weapons, Search Engine Roundtable
• Reaction to AdWords Close Variant Changes, SEER Interactive
• The Real Impact of AdWords Close Variant Changes, PPC Hero

Search Marketing

• Google’s Richer Content Worries Some Advertisers, Wall Street Journal