SearchCap: The Day In Search, December 8, 2008

Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Yahoo BOSS Now Serving 100 Queries Per SecondThe Yahoo Search Blog announced that BOSS, Yahoo’s build your own search service, is now serving 10 million queries per day. That is about […]

on December 8, 2008 at 4:59 pm | Reading time: 9 minutes
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Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web.

From Search Engine Land:

  • Yahoo BOSS Now Serving 100 Queries Per Second
    The Yahoo Search Blog announced that BOSS, Yahoo’s build your own search service, is now serving 10 million queries per day. That is about 100 queries per second and according to Yahoo, who cites comScore, that is just behind Ask.com’s search volume. Note, these queries do not count as part of Yahoo’s search network, because they are technically served at third party web sites.
  • Paging Dr. Google: Will Google Replace Your Doctor?
    Can a search engine accurately diagnose health problems? Can it someday replace your doctor? Questions like this aren’t new, but the discussion has gotten a bit louder in recent weeks. Just a couple weeks ago, I reported on a Microsoft investigation of cyberchondria, when inaccurate medical information online makes actual health problems worse. On Friday, Dilbert cartoon creator Scott Adams shared a different point of view, telling blog readers how Google helped him find treatment for a speech defect known as Spasmodic Dysphonia.
  • 9 Myths of Landing Page Quality Score
    Your landing page quality affects your AdWords quality score. and quality score has a large impact on the success of an AdWords account. So, it’s important to separate the fact from the fiction about what affects landing page quality score, and to understand what you can do to improve your landing page.
  • Google AdWords Adds New Mobile Targeting Options
    Google has announced new mobile advertising options to target the iPhone, G1, and other mobile devices with full HTML web browsers. Advertisers can now create separate campaigns that are targeted specifically toward mobile searchers with smart phones. You can write mobile-specific ads and get performance data separate from your other AdWords campaigns.
  • More Yahoo Search Image Ads; Promotional Ads
    TechCrunch reported spotting a image ad that is more interactive for a search at Yahoo on eBay. Here is a picture of the ad:
  • Live Cashback Users Feel Cheated By Microsoft
    On Black Friday, Microsoft’s Live Search Cashback program went black, in short, the service went down and many shoppers were unable to use the great deals they provided with their merchants. Back then, Microsoft promised to make things right. Microsoft’s Live Search Blog posted an update explaining that they have been communicating with those customers who had issues and is sad to say, they will not be able to rerun the HP deal, where you can get 40% back on those purchases. Microsoft said, “while we were hoping to be able to do that, we are sorry to report that it will not be restarted.”
  • Do Search Engines Use Bounce Rate As A Ranking Factor?
    Your web site’s bounce rate may be a significant factor in your search engine rankings. If the bounce rate on your site is high, you could end up with lower rankings in the search engines. Correspondingly, lower bounce rates may actually offer meaningful ranking boosts. (Don’t know what a bounce rate is? Hang on—definitions below.) Don’t believe that bounce rate is a serious ranking factor? You should. A new study by SEO Black Hat shows some significant impact in a web site’s rankings as a result of significant changes in bounce rate. It is, of course, possible that the data in the study have been affected by other factors taking place at the same time, so this one study is not be any means conclusive. I speculated on bounce rate as a ranking factor back in August of 2007. The underlying fact is that search engines want quality sites in their search results. High bounce rates may be a very good indicator of a poor site experience, or worse still, a complete mismatch between the content of the site, and the search query entered by the user. This provides heavy motivation to look at bounce rates as a meaningful SEO factor, and how to minimize bounce rates in the hope of increasing your rankings.
  • What’s Ahead for Search Marketing in 2009 – Webcast, December 11
    Wondering how search will hold up in this recession? Trying to figure out where search marketing is headed in 2009? On December 11, SEMPO’s Dana Todd and Jeffrey Pruitt will join Search Engine Land’s Chris Sherman and Greg Sterling on a Search Marketing Now webcast: “Search Marketing 2008: What We’ve Learned, Where We’re Headed.” They’ll share lessons learned in 2008, and give predictions for what’s in store for 2009. Join them Thursday, December 11 at 1 PM EST. Registration is still open. Thanks for Marin Software for sponsoring this webcast.
  • Search Biz: Ballmer Talks Yahoo Deal; Google Slows Down In NC & Fires Back At Net Neutrality Critics
    In a fairly lengthy interview this morning, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer tells the Wall Street Journal that he’s still interested in a deal with Yahoo, but says there are no talks happening right now. Perhaps to get that ball rolling again, though, Ballmer says a deal “would probably be better for both us, and certainly for Yahoo, if we were to do it sooner than later.” He also reiterated that Microsoft can compete with Google without it, but outlined what he sees as the benefits of a deal with Yahoo:
  • Dear Santa, All I Want For Christmas Is A SEM Super Tool
    In The Trenches is a spotlight of tips, tricks, and news about the tools search engine marketing professionals use to give them a leg up on the competition. Today’s in-depth look: Creating a SEM Super Tool and a contest for search engine marketers: Calling all search geeks: PPC management tool vendor Marin is running an interesting contest for SEM pros. I spoke to Marc Barach, Marin’s CMO about the promotion: We’ve teamed up with Danny Sullivan and SMX to create the SMX Biggest Search Geek Contest. It’s a timed, very tough, 20 question quiz that is designed to really put search marketers through the paces and allow them to show their mettle. The program is about giving search marketers the recognition they deserve for mastering the complex and challenging world of SEM. The winner also gets a paid trip for 2 to SMX West, two conference passes and receives an on-stage award from Danny. Go check it out and win yourself a nice trip. Read on for my Christmas wishlist…

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About the author

Barry Schwartz
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Barry Schwartz is a Contributing Editor to Search Engine Land and a member of the programming team for SMX events. He owns RustyBrick, a NY based web consulting firm. He also runs Search Engine Roundtable, a popular search blog on very advanced SEM topics. Barry can be followed on Twitter here.

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