The Search Engine Blog

Say goodbye to a bad idea. Do you think putting your health information on the Internet is a good idea? Obviously not enough people did and just before the big FTC probe into Google, it’s shut down. What a coincidence. Read more on Google’s Blog.

It’s a cool new tool for data junkies. Check out this write-up on the new kid on the block. Google Correlate

Google has rolled out their new version of Analytics. Users will be able to switch back and forth between versions. Information on Google’s Blog here and a video here at Search Engine Roundtable.

Frustrated that your location isn’t properly shown in Google Maps? While the ability to move the marker to your location has been around for a long time, what if the location isn’t there? Or a road is missing? Now users in the US can go to http://www.google.com/mapmaker and make edits to the Google Map. Successful in other countries, Google has given users this powerful ability to help improve their map….and help people find you. For the paranoid, maybe throw them off.

It appears that Google is flexing their update muscles again. Did it impact your web site listings last time? Ready for another Farmer/Panda update? Discussion at Webmaster World.

Your AdWords campaign is losing the ability to turn on position preference. It will remain for those using it, but turn it off and you can’t have it back. It’s been around since 2006 but a Google employee told me it doesn’t work. Mmmm. It must have worked at some time. At any rate there are other ways to do the same thing and I know they work better. They just take more time to set up correctly…..but then things that work better generally do. Read more on the Google blog.

Google has added a +1 button to their search results. If you think something is cool, you can share it…including ads. Read about it on Google’s blog. There’s also a good listing of articles here.

Location targeting in Google’s AdWords now has more features that should make a lot of advertisers happy. Use physical location and/or intent to better target your audience. Read more at the Google blog.

Some people are reporting fluctuations in Google’s Page Rank scores. Marketers who understand it don’t pay any attention to these page ranks.  The rest run to underground shelters when their numbers drop. Deposit this news into the “who cares” bucket.

Google is slowly rolling out Analytics 5 to users. Personally I prefer open source programs such as Piwik, but for you hardcore Analytics users, you’ll appreciate some of the new reporting tools. The mild user will appreciate the improved speed. Screen shots are at http://www.seroundtable.com/google-analytics-v5-13137.html. Read more at Google’s Blog here http://analytics.blogspot.com/2011/03/looking-towards-future-of-google.html.