At the moment, users of IE8, still the most popular version of the Internet Explorer browser worldwide, are being sent to unsecure search on Google. The move to send users to Google regular servers instead of secure servers is related to Google seeming to work through how it deals with people still using the older […]
Googler Pierre Far has found a Google Easter egg that opens up “Unlimited free Google searches” for everyone. According to Far’s Google+ post, doing a Google voice search for, “Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right” on his Android phone prompted the voice response, “Cheat mode unlocked, unlimited free Google searches.” According to Search […]
Lukewarm may be overstating it. If Twitter sentiment is any gauge, the SEM world has not exactly embraced Google’s new Keyword Planner, which as of yesterday officially replaces the Keyword Tool. Looking at tweets over the past 7 days, “Keyword Tool” yields a sentiment score of 59 on Topsy.com compared to just 45 for “Keyword […]
One of the more interesting aspects of Google’s recently released “How Search Works” interactive infographic were the live examples of spam that were recently removed. The features allows users to see live spam that was recently removed (once they clicked through the disclaimer that offensive material may be included.) Just 4 days later our own RustyBrick (the […]
Google prepared — and briefly was showing — a special logo in honor of today’s near miss with Asteroid 2012 DA14. However, the company removed that out of respect, following the meteor explosion over Russia. Below, you can see the logo — or “doodle” as Google calls them — that was intended to run today […]
Search engines continue to go old school, encouraging people to “tag” content in a way that makes it feel like it’s 1999 all over again. Today, Bing makes another push in that direction, making content you tag with “Bing Tags” more visibile. Honestly, I feel like this tagging crazy is simply Google and Bing falling […]
Another source of Google search referrer data appears lost. Searches through Google that happen in Apple’s Safari browser search box in iOS 6, Apple’s latest mobile operating system, no longer pass along search terms to publishers. For those unfamiliar, “referrer” data is information a browser passes along to a publisher about the last page you were […]
A Tweet this morning from @BerianReed, head of search marketing of AutoTrader UK, uncovered some potentially deeper integration between Google Search and Google+. Reed spotted a new option in the results that showed up next to the URL, a “Share” link. Upon hitting the button, users are prompted to share directly to Google+ from the results pages. […]
It’s not your imagination. Google is showing a new “Latest Posts” section for some Google+ pages and profiles alongside its regular results, in the space where ads have traditionally resided. The format allows people and brands on Google+ to occupy more of the top-half of the search results page. Google told us about the change: […]
The adCenter team recently released some features aimed at improving Advertiser Time-Efficiency. These features are live right now, though they may not be officially announced at the time this post is published. During a recent trip to adCenter headquarters, Eric Enge was able to get some insight into these new features, and what we can […]
Wolfram|Alpha (W|A) is launching a new fee-based service named Wolfram|Alpha Pro. In today’s highly competitive environment, you may wonder why W|A would ask people to pay for what many think should be free. Read on: you may decide to willingly open your wallet when you see what’s available. Since Wolfram|Alpha launched in 2009, I’ve often […]
I’ve written that Google has plenty of public data to allow parts its new Search Plus Your World feature to be inclusive of rival social networks like Facebook and Twitter. Now, those networks are proving that true, through a new “Don’t Be Evil” tool that lets anyone leverage Google’s own results to see this. The tool […]
For Christmas and the holiday season, Google has a new musical logo out that plays Jingle Bells and ends by wishing “Happy Holidays.” The special logo, or “doodle” as Google calls them, starts out with an all-white background: Push any note, and the logo lights up with the Google name as Christmas lights: As you […]
You can no longer search for articles from specific authors in Google News. As Barry Schwartz reported this morning on Search Engine Roundtable, using the author: firstname lastname command at Google News brings up no results now, and Google has disabled it on purpose. If you think it has something to do with the rel=author […]
Here we are, five months after Panda and the only publicly confirmed Panda recovery stories are those that followed the Panda 2.3 update. This is notable because this particular update was one in which Google took actions to help restore some sites that were unfairly hit by the earlier versions of Panda. Google told Barry […]
Already in Google+ and want to let others in? Google’s now allowing this. Just look to the bottom of the right-hand side of your stream. You should see an invite icon, like this: Select that, and you can invite anyone you like! About 30 minutes ago, this post covered an alternative way to doing invites […]
In this week’s Search In Pictures, here are the latest images culled from the web, showing what people eat at the search engine companies, how they play, who they meet, where they speak, what toys they have, and more.
As popular unrest has spread throughout the Middle East and led to the overthrow or ouster of governments in Tunisia, Egypt and potentially elsewhere (stay tuned), pro-democracy activists in China have also called for protests and a “Jasmine Revolution,” which is a reference to the Tunisian revolt. Ever vigilant against democratic reforms, the Chinese government […]
This week’s rumors are true: Yahoo began laying off several hundred employees today. Reuters is reporting that most of the cuts affect about 600 employees, or 4% of Yahoo’s workforce. The layoffs, as expected, will come from Yahoo’s product division. This week’s rumor mill had suggested the layoffs would hit about 650 people, or 5% […]
We publish a huge amount of search marketing and search engine-related news here on Search Engine Land. I thought it was worth a reminder on the best ways to keep up with it all. You could, of course, come back to Search Engine Land throughout the day to see the latest news articles, briefs, columns […]
Back in October, Bing announced that it uses over 1,000 signals used to determine how to rank pages. Google has typically quoted using more than 200. Game on! I predicted Google would quickly find a way to match Bing’s figure. Yesterday, it did. Google’s 200 Factors For several years now, Google has said that it […]
Google’s announced a special press event for next Wednesday on search that “you won’t want to miss.” What big news could there be? Let’s speculate — but I wouldn’t get too excited. Here’s what the invite says: We invite you to join us on Wednesday, September 8, to share our latest technological innovation and to […]
Update: Google has confirmed that this is a ranking/UI change. See statement below. Is it a test? Is it a bug? Is it a permanent change to Google’s search results? No one knows, and Google hasn’t answered our questions about it yet. What’s “it”? As Malcolm Coles describes in a blog post today, Google is […]
We don’t know yet know if it’s a test or a permanent addition, but at least some webmasters are seeing clickthrough statistics in their Google Webmaster Tools accounts. We assume this is strictly organic clickthrough data. This appears to have been noticed first by Dutch search marketer, Karel Geenen. And I’m seeing it in my […]
Earlier today, a Google PR person gave me a pair of 3D glasses at the Where 2.0 conference and said I’d need them tomorrow. Hmm, was Google Maps going 3D? Or maybe an April Fool’s joke? But helping my son with his science project tonight, I came across a possible answer — a new 3D […]
We’re getting more and more reports from readers who are seeing a “new” Google look-and-feel for its search results. This is a three column design that Google’s actually been testing for some time. That testing appears to be accelerating.
Three Google executives have been found guilty of criminal charges over a bullying video that appeared on the Google Video service. Google has responded with a blog post pledging to appeal the convictions and suggesting that they undermine “the very principles of freedom on which the Internet is built.” The video involved a youth with […]
Looking for the official Google blog post about Google deciding to to leave China over censorship? Don’t try finding it on China’s leading search engine, Baidu. It doesn’t appear to exist. Google’s post was titled “A new approach to China.” A good search engine, at least the American-based ones that I’m familiar with, will generally […]
Microsoft’s new Bing iPhone app — that’s right, you heard it correctly — is an accomplishment on many levels. Microsoft has come a long way in acknowledging the importance of the iPhone platform. And the app itself offers a terrific overall mobile search experience, particularly in maps and local. It’s available this evening in the […]
Sometime later today, a small number of Google users will see a new look to Google’s Search Options feature. If all goes well, the cleaner display may be launched across Google after the New Year. And it’s all because Google’s vice president of search product and user experience Marissa Mayer doesn’t like jazz. NOTE: Google’s […]
Something’s up with Google’s Chrome operating system. Don’t know what, but we’ll all know soon as a press conference begins at 10AM Pacific. I’m coming at your live from the Googleplex. Buckle up, and we’ll see what’s happening. You can also watch from home. Webcast info is here. There will also be related coverage developing […]
In December 2007 Google promised to develop a radically simplified version of AdWords targeted at the mass of small businesses who could not or would not take the time to set up an AdWords campaign. The working name of the program was “Simple Ads.” It was semi-formally announced at the Google Local Markets Symposium, a […]
A group of search engine optimizers have their sights set on Google Cash. No, they’re not trying to make money off that keyword or the product it represents; they’re trying to influence the natural search results to tell the public that it’s a scam. Google Cash — also known as Google Treasure Chest and Google […]
Less than a month after seeming to pull out of the search game by announcing a search outsourcing deal with Microsoft, Yahoo seems to be doing a push to prove it still has search chops. The latest are new user interface changes to search results that are now being tested. Proof that Yahoo can win […]
Microsoft and Yahoo are making it official: a deal about search. And to share the news, they’re gathering thousands of their closest friends to a press conference at 5:30am Pacific time today. Having been awake now for nearly 30 minutes, I’m just itching to get in and live blog this puppy. So come along for […]
Network World is reporting that Google has put in a claim for one million phone numbers with Level 3 Communications. The claim is presumably for the upcoming rollout of Google Voice, which is currently only available to a limited number of users. Google Voice offers users a variety of features: one phone number for all […]
Microsoft’s ad campaign for Bing took a(nother) turn for the clever tonight on The Daily Show with a new campaign called “Fast Forward.” It’s the first in a week-long run of advertising that will see Microsoft paying for several minutes of commercial time, only to air a 30-second spot in place of several ads. The […]
Our hard working news editor Barry Schwartz is taking the day off today — something he almost never does — and with good reason. Barry’s become a father for the first time! His daughter (no name yet) was born this morning. Search Engine Land readers see Barry’s name in plenty of stories, but few really […]
Google Product Search for Mobile now has barcode scanning ability. The obvious convenience factor is that, rather than typing in the name of the product you’re looking at, you can just scan the barcode and get shopping results (and information) on your Android-powered phone. Google’s announcement today explains that barcode scanning currently is at its […]
Almost an annual event, Google Searchology is a time when Google struts its search stuff in front of assorted reporters. Today’s event gets going at 10am Pacific time. I’ll be live blogging from this page, and you can also watch the event yourself via this webcast. You can also follow @google on Twitter, which will […]