SearchCap: The Day In Search, December 7, 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 Goggles Search By Images

  Google Goggles, which I wrote about this morning, is actually now live at google.com/mobile/goggles. The Google Mobile Blog announced it, saying:
  In a nutshell, Goggles lets users search for objects using images rather than words. Simply take a picture with your phone’s camera, and if we recognize the item, Goggles returns relevant search […]

• Google Launches Real Time Search

  So finally, we’ve got Google Real Time search, as the company has announced. Below, I’m doing a quick hit on what’s it is, how to use it and how it compares to that last Google real time search thing you may recall hearing about.
  How do you get it? It’s rolling out over the next few […]

• Citysearch Brings Twitter & Local Search Together

  There’s been a lot of talk lately about the inevitable collision of local search and social media, and specifically how social conversations are impacting the local search space. Reviews have been a part of local search for years, and sites like Citysearch, Insider Pages, Yelp, and others practically created and/or perfected the local-directory-with-consumer-reviews model.
  Today, more […]

• Liveblogging The Google’s Web Search “Evolution” Event

  Live from the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, I’ll be liveblogging what Google has dubbed “an inside look at the evolution of Google search.” As it turns out, it’s the unveiling of Google’s new Real Time Search, shown above, as well as search by voice and search by picture improvements for mobile.
  Real time search […]

• Yahoo Goes Hollywood With New Video Search Refiners

  Building on its previous travel and music search refinements, Yahoo has now announced new refinements for TV shows and actors.
  The new feature acts similarly to what Yahoo’s done in the other verticals. Now, when using Yahoo Video Search to find TV shows, searchers will get a series of refinements in the left-side column that offer […]

• Google’s Personalized Results: The “New Normal” That Deserves Extraordinary Attention

  On Friday afternoon, Google made the biggest change that has ever happened in search engines, and the world largely yawned. Maybe Google timed its announcement that it was personalizing everyone’s search results just right, so few would notice. Maybe no one really understood how significant the change was. Whatever the reason, […]

• Register for SMX West Today and Save – Lowest Rate Expires this Week

  Back in the 1800s, heading to the untamed West promised adventure, challenges and opportunity. The same can be said for Search Marketing Expo – SMX West … minus the covered wagons!
  Attend SMX West March 2-4 in Santa Clara and become be a more effective, innovative and inspired internet marketer. Register by this Friday, December […]

• Yahoo Introduces “Ad Interest Manager”: Allows Opt-In And Out Of Behavioral Targeting

  Yahoo has introduced what it’s calling “Ad Interest Manager.” It’s a new kind of privacy and advertising dashboard for consumers where they can opt-out of behavioral targeting or, alternatively, indicate to Yahoo what they’re most interested in. Here are the features according to the press release out this morning:
  Yahoo!’s new Ad Interest Manager tool:

  Provides a […]

• 7 Incredibly Valuable But Underused Free Tools For PPC Marketers

  Most people think software tools for paid search campaigns are big, complex suites of software that include everything but the kitchen sink. But there are other more focused tools that can help advertisers maximize the effectiveness of their paid search campaign. Here are seven really valuable free tools that are commonly overlooked.
  Tools to help increase […]

• Google Goggles: Image Triggered Search

  When I was watching the CNBC Inside the Mind of Google, Google revealed a ’secret’ project under the cover at Google named “Google Goggles.” Google Goggles is new search feature Google is working on that allows searchers to take a picture and ask Google, what is this picture about. Basically a way to […]

• Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt, Now On Twitter @ericschmidt

  The buzz from last nights social media space was that Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt, has joined Twitter. You can find and follow him @ericschmidt.
  His first tweet was a link to his interview with CNN’s Fareed with Google CEO Eric Schmidt where he said:
  CNN GPS with Fareed Zakaria on Nov 29th, starts around minute […]

• Can Your Business Achieve Landmark Status In Google Maps?

  In August of this year, Google quietly began incorporating small, clickable areas within Maps, for parks, landmarks — and yes, even some businesses. These clickable “landmark icons” appear for any kinds of searches, even simple address searches. For a business, what does it take to achieve “landmark” status?

• The Decisive Advantage Of Optimizing For The Long Tail

  The long tail is something that has been written about many times, by many people, including this article by me on Search Engine Land. In spite of all this coverage, the great majority of publishers (that I’ve encountered at any rate) aren’t aware of what I call the “decisive long tail advantage.” This […]

• Google Creates Local “Favorite Places,” Connects Online And Offline With Mobile Barcodes On SMB Window Decals

  Google is using a range of strategies to engage local, small businesses and get them to claim and update their information through the Local Business Center (LBC). In a provocative new effort, Google has identified 100,000 “Favorite Places” based on “how many times Google users looked for more information about those businesses.” Right now this […]

• Climategate: Just How Popular Is It, According To Google?

  Is Google part of a conspiracy to keep the general public from learning about the “Climategate” scandal? Believers continue to point at the odd comings-and-goings of Climategate as a search suggestion on Google as a sign that the search engine is trying to foist its own political views about global warming […]

• Google Now Personalizes Everyone’s Search Results

  Beginning today, Google will now personalize the search results of anyone who uses its search engine, regardless of whether they’ve opted-in to a previously existing personalization feature. Searchers will have the ability to opt-out completely, and there are various protections designed to safeguard privacy. However, being opt-out rather than opt-in will likely […]

• Yahoo, Microsoft Close Search Deal

  It’s somewhat ceremonial, but also an important milestone: Yahoo and Microsoft have announced the finalization and execution of the search deal that was first announced in late July.
  The companies issued this statement:
  “Microsoft and Yahoo! believe that this deal will create a sustainable and more compelling alternative in search that can provide consumers, advertisers and publishers […]

• SES Chicago ‘09: Day One Live Blogging

  The first day of SES Chicago 2009 is now just about complete. Below is some of the live blog coverage of the conference that I found throughout the day.

  Customer Insights via Search Engine Tools from SES Chicago ‘09, Search Engine Roundtable
  Ghost Blogging, Tweeting, Content Production – Ethical? Does It Matter? from SES Chicago ‘09, […]

Search News From Around The Web:

Applications & Portal Features

• Does Google Even Understand What News Is?, GigaOM
• Sometimes eight screens are better than one, Google LatLong

Business Issues

• Aardvark Mulls Over A $30 Million Offer From Google, TechCrunch
• After Decade Of Decline, AOL Faces Rough Road Of Return, Wall Street Journal
• Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales joins Hunch’s Board of Directors, blog.hunch.com

Local, Maps & Mobile

• Google Phone To T-Mobile?, TmoNews
• When sources disagree: borders and place names in Google Earth and Maps, Google Public Policy Blog
• New Search Categories Added To MapQuest.com!, MapQuest Blog
• Google Maps – New abuses via Wikipedia landing pages?, Mike Blumenthal
• Microsoft Partners with Navteq for Streetside Photos, Bing Maps Blog
• Yelp finds you food on Android, CNET Blogs

Link Building

• Link Builder’s Toolkit: Saving Time on Writing an Email Pitch, Search Engine Journal
• Linkfromdomain – a linkbuilding tip for use at Bing.com, SEOmoz

Paid Search & Contextual

• Scotland Yard crackdown exposes Google’s flaws, Econsultancy
• Search for Ads in the Ad Review Center, Inside AdSense

Searching

• Climate tools for Copenhagen and beyond, Official Google Blog
• Web searches for religious topics on the rise, Penn State Live
• Wrong Local News in Google News? Here is Why., Search Engine Roundtable

SEM Industry

• Pajama Day at Cuil, Cuil Blog
• 25 Must Know Websites for SEO in 2010, SeoUnique Blog

SEO & SEM

• How a Search Engine May Choose Search Snippets, SEO By The Sea
• Your site’s performance in Webmaster Tools, Official Google Webmaster Central Blog
• How a Google Penalty Can Make Your Site Stronger, Search Engine Guide
• Google Chrome SEO Toolbar Extension, SEO Book
• Google Custom Search Engine Sitemaps Display Bug, Search Engine Roundtable
• Google Patent Granted on Duplicate Content Detection in a Web Crawler System, SEO By The Sea
• SEO: Theory in Action, David Naylor
• SEOs Freak Out: Google To Personalize All Search Results, Search Engine Roundtable
• The SEO guide to Google personalized search, huomah.com
• Tweetglide vs Twitter For SEO, andybeard.eu

Social Media

• Facebook to Enhance User Safety Through Formation of Global Advisory Board, Facebook
• Social Media Marketing Snake Oil, Search Engine Journal
• Social Networking and Forums take over Search Engines in New Zealand, Hitwise

Web Analytics

• Holiday Bonus: More Great Features, Google Analytics Blog