SearchCap: The Day In Search, December 12, 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:

• Google’s Christmas & Kwanzaa Decorations Are Live For 2013
  A few weeks ago, Google added their Hanukkah decorations, but now that Christmas and Kwanzaa are just around the corner, Google has now outfitted their top bar for the special holidays. The Christmas theme can be seen on Google by searching [christmas] and the Kwanzaa theme can be seen on Google by searching [kwanzaa]. The […]
• Bing’s Knowledge Repository, Satori, Adds More Interactive Content
  Dr. Richard Qian from the Microsoft Bing Index & Knowledge Team announced some major updates to Satori, Bing’s version of Google’s knowledge graph. The updates are vast and incredibly smart, making the Bing knowledge repository a lot more useful and interactive. The new features include: Links to TED Talks when people searches return the talks […]
• Google Adds “Now” Content, Features To iOS Maps Apps
  In October, Google started adding Google Now style cards to its PC Maps. Now, Google is adding some of those same features to its iOS Maps apps. If you update Google Maps for iOS and sign in, you can now see flight, hotel, and restaurant reservations from Gmail in Maps — and then search or […]
• Survey: Majority Use Mobile Search, Find It “Harder Than PC”
  In the cross-platform, post-PC era, the big question the search industry faces is whether and how PC search behaviors are extending into mobile. The short answer is they are. Google has sponsored research that shows majorities of smartphone owners use search engines (74 percent). Yet mobile search, even voice-enabled search, is an awkward version of its […]
• 4 Recent Changes To SEO That Are Vital To Holiday Retail Strategy
  It’s the holiday season again, and while certain sectors may be winding down for a relaxing month of festivities, online sellers are revving up their retail strategy. It’s a crucial, make-or-break time of year for retailers to excel in customer service, gift-wrapping services, and, of course, search. A lot has happened in digital marketing in […]
• Google Webmaster Tools Upgrades Structure Data Markup Errors Report
  Google’s Webmaster Trends Analyst Mariya Moeva announced, on the Google Webmaster blog, a new update to Google Webmaster Tools where they now show items with errors in the Structured Data dashboard. This can help webmasters better debug issues they are having with their structured data markup. Google is showing the item-level error, but the top-level […]
• The Test Continues: Which Shopping Search Engine Finds The Best Price For A Blu-Ray?
  It’s time for our second test of how well Google Shopping and other shopping search engines find the best prices on products. For this installment, what’s the lowest price from a major retailer for a copy of “Red 2″ in the Blu-ray, DVD and digital download combo pack? Is The Featured Price The Lowest Price? […]
• 3 Components Of Geo-Targeting Excellence For 2014
  Smart use of the geo-targeting controls through Enhanced Campaigns in AdWords will prove to be the single largest opportunity for paid search marketers in 2014. Geo-targeting is nothing new. It has been a foundational element for local and regional businesses since the very early days of AdWords. What Enhanced Campaigns gives us is the ability […]

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

• Gmail Image Serving Change Should Give Email Marketing A Boost
• Pantene Ad Highlighting Double Standards For Men & Women Professionals Makes Way Around The World
• ‘Instagram Direct’ Launches, Users Can Now Share Directly With Others & Have Private Conversations
• Mobile/Location-Based Marketing Predictions For 2014 From 10 Experts
• An Expensive E-Commerce Game: Product Page Roulette
• Survey: 3 Out Of 4 Consumers Now Notice Retargeted Ads
• 9 Phrases That Can Transform A Conversation
• Microsoft Research Releases iOS, Android & Windows Phone Apps For ‘Socl’ Network

Search News From Around The Web:

Industry

• Swapping Drivers on this Long Road Trip Together, Rand’s Blog
• Man sues gov’t for harassment, blames Google’s autocomplete, CNET News

Local & Maps

• Google Maps Tip: Get The Latitude & Longitude By Clicking, Search Engine Roundtable
• The Google Places Dashboard And Listing Ownership, Mike Blumenthal

Searching

• My Month Without Google Search, koozai.com
• Why Is This Baby’s First Word “Google”?, Search Engine Roundtable

SEO

• Have a Merry Website Transition: The Complete SEO Checklist, komarketingassociates.com
• Localization for International Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Watch
• SEO Discussions That Need to Die, SEO Book
• SEO Solutions for eCommerce Duplicate Content Issues, SwellPath
• What is Google likely to clamp down on in 2014?, econsultancy.com
• White Hat SEO Experiment: Month 1, top5seo.co.uk
• What SEO Companies Can Do For You That You Probably Can’t Do On Your Own, Daily SEO Tip

SEM / Paid Search

• 6 Exciting Changes Coming To Google & PPC In 2014, PPC Hero
• PPC for eCommerce, Search Engine Journal
• Google: Watermarks in Google Shopping Images Violates Guidelines, Bill Hartzer

Search Marketing

• Google has Turned off the Lights; we have the torch, verticalleap.co.uk
• The 12 Remarkable Google Changes of 2013, Search Engine People