Google says DMA changes in EU resulted in worse degradation of search quality ever
Google said "the changes mark the largest reduction in quality of service at the world's most popular internet search engine in its 29-year search history."
Topic: Vertical search
Google to change European search results to show comparison sites
Some vertical search features may show up less in Europe, such as Google Flights.
This day in search marketing history: March 24
Google’s top 3 search ranking factors, plus: Google Maps blocks abusive business profile edits, Google penalties and more.
This day in search marketing history: February 14
Google Webmaster Tools comes out of beta, plus: Chrome's personal blocklist, AdWords video ads and quality score updates and more
Google Hotel search showing free listings in results
Google opens the door to more hotels by offering free hotel listings, separate from paid results.
How verticalization and zero-click will impact local search in 2020
In the coming year it will be interesting to see how Google balances the priority of verticalization against the growing popularity of Google Maps as the first choice among searchers.
Google verticals, machine learning and no-click searches expected to have the biggest impacts on SEO
Survey also finds that SEOs think government investigations are least likely to impact the industry.
Report: Google showing fewer video and image boxes in the search results
Were you getting traffic in Google from video carousels or image carousels? There was a change that might impact you.
Findera search engine helps recruiters find talent, sales find leads
The San Francisco-based startup’s new offering is free, enables multi-attribute searches and covers 130 million professionals worldwide.
SearchCap: Bing crypto ads, AdWords scripts & vertical search
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Bing is latest to ban cryptocurrency adsMay 15, 2018 by Ginny Marvin The updated financial product and services policy will take effect in June. Pause underperforming ads with this updated AdWords […]
Google again showing third-party reviews in local results
Program has been in place since 2016 and involves direct, opt-in integration.
Yext begins to verticalize local business listings syndication with ‘Yext for Food’
Moves seek to provide enhanced data with more vertically specific attributes to various consumer search and discovery points.
Report: EU responding to Google antitrust search-quality defense with new objections
Supplementary statement reportedly being filed to enable European Commission to address Google's defense against claims of abuse of market position.
SearchCap: Local Marketing, Content Marketing & A Reader Survey
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the Web. From Search Engine Land: Global Content Marketing for Enterprise — September 24 Webcast Sep 14, 2015 by Search Engine Land Technologies, tactics and tricks for gaining market share with exceptional content. 14 Billion Reasons You […]
Graphiq Search: FindTheBest Becomes Knowledge Graph Engine
The world’s most extensive “knowledge graph” may not be at Google. Vertical search site FindTheBest (FTB) has rebranded and relaunched as Graphiq, a data visualization or knowledge graph search engine. Using a huge volume of data sources, automation and human editorial oversight, the company says that it has created “the world’s deepest and most interconnected Knowledge Graph, featuring 1,000 collections, 1 […]
SearchCap: New SEO Periodic Table, Bill Tancer Interview & More
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: The Periodic Table Of SEO Success Factors: 2015 Edition Now Released Three new elements join the table: Vertical Search, Direct Answers & HTTPS. Mobile & Structured Data among factors that get […]
Problems & Solutions: Analyzing The EU’s Antitrust Charges Against Google Over Shopping Search
The EU has raised four concerns about how Google has dominated shopping search. A close look at each charge and possible fixes that might emerge.
Yelp Joins Effort To Undo Current Google-EU Antitrust Settlement
Yelp has been an increasingly vocal critic of Google for several years. Now it has joined a group of companies opposing the European Commission’s current antitrust settlement proposal with Google. Originally Google and Yelp were partners. Google unsuccessfully tried to buy Yelp for a rumored $500 million a year or so before the company went […]
Google Comparison Ads Under Fire In UK
The UK financial services industry regulator Financial Conduct Authority is taking a closer look at Google Comparison Ads. UK price comparison sites have complained that Google is unfairly competing with them by placing its own “product” at the top of search results. Comparison Ads, which operate on a CPA basis, are one form of AdWords. Below […]
Google Publishes Full Text Of EU Antitrust Agreement
This afternoon on its European Blog, Google’s General Counsel Kent Walker exposed the full text of the company’s third-proposed and tentatively accepted antitrust settlement agreement with European Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia. Almunia previously declined to make the full agreement available. The document, dated January 31, 2014, is quite long (embedded below) and contains extensive examples of […]
Where Yahoo Might Again Compete In Search: Mobile
Kara Swisher on Friday broke the news that Yahoo was working on two internal (no longer) secret initiatives to get Yahoo back into organic and potentially paid search and thereby separate from Microsoft. Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has been critical of the Search Alliance with Bing and its impact on her company. The Search Alliance […]
EU: Google Antitrust Concessions “Unacceptable” As Second Study Condemns “Rival Links”
European Union competition commissioner Joaquin Almunia announced Friday in a Spanish radio interview that Google’s second round of concessions in its current antitrust settlement proposal were “unacceptable.” The main obstacle to settlement is still Google’s treatment of competitors and its “own content” in “vertical search” results. Almunia was directly involved in negotiating the original settlement proposal […]
Sponsored Study Argues Google’s “Rival Links” Don’t Drive Enough CTRs To Rivals
Google’s original antitrust settlement proposal, negotiated with the European Commission, was attacked by Google competitors and critics as being a token concession to competition. Anti-Google lobbying group FairSearch.org sponsored a consumer study that argued Google’s presentation of three “rival links” to competitors in search results did little to drive traffic to competitors’ websites. In September Google presented a […]
SearchCap: The Day In Search, May 8, 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: AdWords Ad Group Mobile Bid Adjustments Roll-Out Starts Today Google announced that ad group-level mobile bid adjustments will start rolling out today and continue over the next couple of weeks in […]
Why Vertical Search Is Threatening Google’s Reign
Until recently, Google has dominated search. It has been the main stomping ground for consumers looking to buy products, visit sites, or conduct research. However, the nature of search is changing, especially on mobile devices. My own search behavior is a prime example. As a frequent traveler, I go straight to Kayak.com to search for […]
Google Wins Vertical Search Antitrust Case In Germany
In a German case that could have broader antitrust implications in Europe, Google defeated a petition for an injunction brought by a German online weather trade group, Verband Deutscher Wetterdienstleister. The case is interesting because it involves a private antitrust action against Google and directly addresses the “search bias” argument made by Google critics. The […]
Google’s New European “Antitrust” Search Results: Here’s What They’ll Look Like
I’ve found documents associated with the Google-EU settlement proposal that offer mock-ups of how the new, regulated SERPs will look. It’s very interesting and greatly clarifies the settlement terms and how they will be implemented practically. These mockups look quite different (and less “disruptive”) than what I imagined. There are three basic scenarios: where Google […]
EU Goes Public With Google Antitrust Proposals, “Market Test” FAQs
The EU released documents this morning that detail Google’s antitrust settlement proposals and explain the Competition Commission’s position on various aspects of the investigation. First here’s what the EU says Google has proposed: Google offers for a period of 5 years to: (i) – label promoted links to its own specialised search services so that […]
Is Google’s Antitrust Settlement Offer To Europe Dead On Arrival?
The European Union has “accepted” Google’s formal antitrust settlement proposal — subject to “market testing.” As a practical matter, that means EU Competition Commissioner Joaquín Almunia is circulating it among Google’s critics and competitors for reaction. However, there has already been plenty of (negative) reaction based on the information that came out last week in […]
Google (Finally) Gives EU A Formal Settlement Proposal As UK Mapping Rival Files Anti-Competitive Suit
Google has formally submitted its antitrust settlement proposal to the EU. Wait, didn’t that happen weeks ago? Apparently, it did not. While the parties have been talking for months (seems like years), Bloomberg reported today that Google had “formalized” its settlement proposal to avoid potential fines and other penalties. EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia is now […]
Microsoft “Research” Discovers The Obvious In Renewed Anti-Trust Attack On Google
Did you know that the higher a site is listed in search results, the more traffic that site is likely to receive? If you’re a search marketer, or anyone with a dose of common sense, you do. But Microsoft had research conducted to yet again prove this point, in an attempt to influence the ongoing […]
Google Adds Publisher Opt-Out Tool For Shopping, Flights, Hotels & Local Search
Don’t want your content to be included in many of Google’s vertical search services, such as Google Shopping or Google+ Local? Google’s got a new tool for that, a result of its agreement earlier this year with the US Federal Trade Commission over anti-trust charges. Announced on the Google Webmaster Central Blog, the new tool […]
Open Letter To EU Competition Commissioner Exerts Pressure For Tougher “Vertical Search” Settlement With Google
Late last week, a group of Google critics, rivals and complainants sent an “open letter” to EU competition commissioner Joaquín Almunia asking him to focus on the “vertical search” or “search neutrality” dimensions of the Google antitrust case. The letter says, essentially, that of the “four areas of concern” raised by the EU over Google’s business practices, this […]
Google Flight Search Takes Off Around The Globe
Google’s flight search tool had been limited to a few markets in the US. As such, it was of limited value. But last week, the company expanded flight search internationally to include 500 airports outside the US. (See postscript below below for correction.) Flight search can also be used by people in other countries — […]
Europeans Taking Sweet Time In Resolving Antitrust Case With Google
Google’s antitrust case in the US concluded in January, much to the dismay of companies that had been agitating for tough action by the FTC. It was seen as a near total victory for Google. Rivals quickly turned their attention to Europe in the hope that, unencumbered by some of the legal issues that inhibited US regulators, it […]
EU Antitrust Chief: Google “Diverting Traffic” & Will Be Forced To Change
While saying he’s “still investigating,” the head of the European Union’s antitrust regulatory body has told the Financial Times that he’s convinced Google is “diverting traffic” and that it will be forced to change its results. From the FT interview: “We are still investigating, but my conviction is [Google] are diverting traffic,” Mr. Almunia told the […]
Flights, Hotels: Google Is Improving Its Travel Search Tools
Following its acquisition of travel software provider ITA, Google’s flight and hotel search products have offered isolated useful features but have largely failed to live up to Google’s promise of “innovation.” Consumers have mostly failed to notice Google’s travel innovations so far as well. There are now indications that Google’s travel sites and content are becoming more […]
Report: FTC Likely To Abandon “Vertical Search” Antitrust Claims Against Google
There are now enough indications to suggest that any antitrust settlement between the FTC and Google — and the FTC would much prefer to settle than test its case in court — won’t involve “vertical search.” An earlier Reuters report, probably resulting from an internal FTC leak, suggested that vertical search wasn’t the core of […]
SearchCap: The Day In Search, October 25, 2012
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Deconstructing The Google EMD Update Well, it’s official – no more free lunch for EMD, now that the Google EMD Update has launched. It worked well, for a long time. A […]
Report: Majority Of FTC Commissioners Want Antitrust Action Against Google, But Vertical Search Might Not Be Issue
Reuters is reporting that majority of those on the US Federal Trade Commission believe an antitrust case should be brought against Google. But if action comes, it doesn’t seem likely to involve Google being found to “favor” its own “vertical” search engines like local or shopping over competing ones. Apparently four of the five FTC commissioners […]