The Search Engine Blog

Archive for August, 2008

Could the new Google search change the way you search? Search suggesting features aren’t new but it seems this feature is getting shoved down our throats more and more. Will this impact the way people search and change search marketing? Let the panic and fear mongering begin. Search marketing is always changing and yet it isn’t. The basic rules still apply. Provide original, valuable content that people actually want to read and make it easy to navigate.

Sphinn – 9 Ideas How Google Suggest Could Change Search Marketing

The new IE beta has been released with features that look a lot like Firefox. Yawn. Better late to the party than not at all. Like Google, IE is trying to help us “search better” by suggesting phrases similar to the one you are typing. This feature is great for correcting typos and finding alternatives, but does have some negative impact for search marketers. We’ll see how users react to it.

IEBlog

Have 0 subscribers suddenly? There are a number of posts across the Internet about Feedburner stats dropping to as low as zero ever since the ad network was discontinued by Google.

Has feedburner ever worked correctly? – Feed and Web Statistics | Google Groups

MSN has an update to their keyword tool where they claim you can “more efficiently find keywords and plan campaigns in adCenter”. Always love improvements but like with all updates, keep a cautious eye on the numbers. Remember they make money from convincing you to advertise more but must balance this with providing a useful tool that you can trust. Let’s hope there’s lots of the latter.

Updates to adCenter keyword research tools – adCenter Blog for Advertisers

For some time, a number of “experts” have recommended using keywords in anchor text to help rank better in Google. I’ve recommended writing naturally for the users benefit using keywords only if it’s appropriate. It appears that Google has changed it’s algorithm with regards to anchor text. People are reporting changes in the way Google is ranking their pages that use this technique.

Rule of thumb guys….don’t try to trick the search engines. I anticipate that Google’s new focus will soon penalize those using anchor text incorrectly….however Google decides to define incorrectly.

Google Changes Algorithm – Anchor Text Less Important

Qassia is one of those social marketing sites that is becoming too heavy handed in their attempts to purge their data. Thinking they are Google, they are requiring all users to place tags on their web sites so they can confirm that they want them listed in their engine. Now who in their right mind would go to this trouble unless it was for a listing in Google? Quite honestly, why would I stop work just to put a tag on my site’s pages for a little site that’s still stuck in a closed beta? If I didn’t manage my own sites, why would I pay someone to put the tag on the site. If they had a better system in the first place, maybe they wouldn’t attract the riff raff they are seeking to weed out. The method won’t work and only people who have serious business to attend to will be put off by it.

When I commented about this change in policy to them, I got a very rude reply that I was wasting their time with such comments. As a business, I want customer feedback. I don’t want to stifle it. There was more to their message and all of it was quite hateful. Now that’s the way every customer wants to be treated. Strange policies and rude customer server. Hey, sign me up for this treatment. No one expects a Spanish inquisition.

Bottom line, avoid using Qassia.

Photosynth lets you create 3D views of anything by stringing together a lot of photos you have taken. A terrific tool for giving someone a complete view of something you have for sale or just showing off your home decor. Have a home for sale, a bed and breakfast or high dollar merchandise for sale? This seems like a perfect solution. It requires an 8mb download, a fast Internet connection and a Windows Live account. People do have to download the viewer to see your creations, a bit of a negative, but then many will if you sell them on viewing the cool new feature.

Talk about verticle market, how about a search engine for public restrooms? Diaroogle searches for “quality public toilets from your mobile phone”. Currently it covers NYC, but they have plans on indexing additional locations. If you are on the go and need to go, then go to this site.

Diaroogle.com – The Premier Toilet Search Engine

Yahoo! buzz is now open to everyone in the US. Read here to learn how you can share content and vote on others content.

Yodel Anecdotal » Blog Archive » See it. Love it. Buzz it.

Google has a great new search tool to help identify traffic by keyword, by location. Even suggesting alternative searches. The great collector of information is sharing for free. Take advantage of it! Thank you Google.

Google Insights for Search – Search Volume: honeysuckle hill – Worldwide, 2004 – present