SearchCap: The Day In Search, December 30, 2010

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

From Search Engine Land:

• What Every Search Marketer Needs To Know About Web Security

  All too often web site security is somebody else’s problem. It shouldn’t be. If you work on websites, you should know the basics of web security. The more popular a site becomes, the more value it accrues, the more likely it is to become a target. As you apply search marketing techniques to a site, […]

• Yext Takes Google Tags Idea Across Web

  Local advertising provider Yext has spearheaded the launch of a Google-like “tags” product that receives distribution across a vast array of local sites including Yelp, Yahoo, Mapquest, Superpages, Topix, Patch, Citysearch and others. It’s being characterized as an “anti-Google alliance.” That’s not exactly correct. As a practical matter it gives advertisers a way to run […]

• Facebook: Most Popular Search Term & Most Visited Website in 2010, Hitwise Says

  Facebook passed Google as the most-visited website in the US in 2010, according to a new end-of-year report from Experian Hitwise. And not only that, but Facebook was also the most searched-for keyword of the year, too, just as it was a year ago. In fact, Hitwise says four of the top ten most popular […]

• One Ex-Googler Leaves Obama’s Administration

  Andrew McLaughlin, one of several former Google employees who joined the Obama admninistration, resigned last week as Obama’s number two tech expert. The news was first reported last week by Politico, which says McLaughlin was leaving to launch two start-ups. USA Today, however, reports today that McLaughlin isn’t sure what his future plans will include. […]

Search News From Around The Web:

Business Issues

• Delicious In Purgatory, TechCrunch
• Actually, Groupon Already Closed Half Of That Billion Dollar Round, TechCrunch
• Big sale: Groupon discloses $500 million investment, Fortune’s deals blog
• Google Files Unredacted Brief in Rosetta Stone v. Google Appeal, Eric Goldman
• Google’s PageRank Patent Becomes Non-Exclusive In A Year, Search Engine Roundtable

Local, Maps & Mobile

• Google could compete head-on with Verizon, AT&T, CNN Money
• Hello, my name is: 9649e796e8b23900dc9629a18f2d47306430e62f, Boy Genius Report

Link Building

• 27 New Link Building Resources: the Social Signal, Local Citation and Media Engagement Edition for 12/17-12/30, Ontolo
• Second index update in December 2010, blog.majesticseo.com

Paid Search & Contextual

• Increase Your Adsense Earnings With Different Sizes and Placement, Michael Gray
• Large Google AdWords Advertisers Liking New Agency Support Changes?, Search Engine Roundtable

SEM Industry

• The Value Of An SEO Event/Conference In Israel, Search Engine Roundtable

SEO & SEM

• Google Keyword Tool Mysteries, Search Engine Journal

Social Media

• Most Influential Topics of 2010, klout.com
• Would Twitter Be Liable For Links To Infringing Material?, TechDirt
• 4 Creative Twitter Uses in 2010, Small Business SEM
• Court To AFP: Pics Aren’t Free Just Because They’re On Twitter, paidContent.org
• Top 10 Shares in 2010, AddThis Blog

Other Items

• Google Korea’s Yoon 윤동주 (Yun Dong-ju) Logo, Search Engine Roundtable

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

• How to Use Blog Commenting as a Networking Superweapon – In many cases, the first step to connecting with an influential blogger is by contributing quality comments on his/her blog. Very underrated (and over-spammed) tactic, but this article shows how to do it the right way.
• LBS Is about Brand Engagement Too – Greg Sterling nicely summarizes an impressive case study and explains why (from the article) "LBS is about building a relationship with a brand or company as much as one-off transactions."
• Breaking Down the Mormon SEO Strategy – (submitted via Twitter by @justinrbriggs) Here's an interesting look into how the Mormon church has successfully adopted SEO practices since 2007.