Highlights from the SEW Blog: Mar. 19, 2007

By Kevin Newcomb, Search Engine Watch, Mar 19, 2007

We've collected all the search marketing news from selected posts to the Search Engine Watch blog in the past week, along with recent search-related headlines from around the Web.

From the SEW blog:

Organic Search

• Google Provides Webmasters with More Linking Data
  Google has enhanced the reporting capabilities in its Webmaster Tools to show full phrases being used in anchor text, instead of just keywords within links to a site.
• Adam Lasnik Comments on Spam Complaints and Dupe Content
  Adam addresses the processing of spam complaints in the Google Webmaster Help group.
• Topix.net buys .com domain, worries about Google rankings
  Topix.net, the news search site owned by Gannett, McClatchy and Tribune, has bought its .com domain for $1 million, and now needs to figure out what to do with it.
• How Long Does it Take a New Site to Rank in the Search Engines?
  This case study will show the rate of adoption of a folk song research site by the three major search engines.
• Is Google Indexing Speeding Up?
  A combination of existing trust, and constantly changing content is causing Google to look at some sites with greater frequency.

Search Advertising

• Panama Ad Ranking Algo Explained
  Confused by the new ad ranking algorithm in Yahoo's Panama platform? Kevin Lee provides a good illustration.
• ContextWeb Lets Publishers Name Their CPM
  Contextual ad network ContextWeb is rolling out a new pricing model that allows publishers in its network to set their own CPM rates for their inventory.

Linking Issues & Social Media

• What Makes Good Content Great?
  Some content is good, and will contribute to a site's overall visibility in the SERPs and garner some inbound links. Great content is action-oriented, inspiring users to make a conversion.
• Marketers Increasingly Turn to Social Networks
  In 2007, as many as 48 percent of brand marketers will deploy marketing on social networking channels, up from about 38 percent who were messaging on the channel in 2006, according to a new JupiterResearch report.
• Want to Get Into Social Media? Get Vertical.
  Organic's Chad Stoller shares some tips for marketers interested in getting involved in social media – get vertical.

Analytics & ROI

• Can "Visits" Replace the Pageview?
  In an attempt to provide advertisers with a new way to measure site traffic and engagement, comScore has added a new metric to its Media Metrix reports: the visit.
• It’s More Than Visits Alone
  ComScore's new "visits" metric could become part of our tracking and selling parlance, but it doesn’t tell the full consumption story.
• John Marshall and Eric Enge Talk About Click Fraud
  The Clicktracks CEO talks about what click fraud really is, how pervasive it is, and what the search engines are doing about it.
• Brian Induni Interview about the Web Analytics Association
  The WAA plays a lead role in examining many of the basic issues in the Web Analytics industry.

Vertical & Specialty Search

• Skype Lanches v. 3.1, with Local Search Features
  The latest version of the VoIP client includes local search and social networking features.
• Has Video Search Arrived?
  It's sad but true -- we can measure the maturity of any market by the ways it gets manipulated.
• Microsoft Confirms Tellme Acquisition
  The rumors that Microsoft was about to acquire voice-enabled mobile search provider Tellme have been confirmed, with an announcement from Microsoft today.
• Google Audio Ads Expands Beta
  Google's Audio Ads team issued an invitation to advertisers to join the beta test of Audio Ads, which began in December.
• Blinkx Launches Video Search Optimization Wiki and Handbook
  Blinkx has launched a wiki-style, video search optimization site to help marketers, advertisers, and content owners maximize traffic to online video.
• Divvio - Web Content Program Guide
  Music, video and so much rich media exists online but organising it for easy access has always been a hurdle. Enter Divvio - the "TV Guide of the Web."
• Google and Microsoft Rumors: Implications for Mobile Local Search
  Rumors continue to swirl this week about a potential Microsoft acquisition of Tellme; and more speculation has surfaced on a possible Google phone.
• Google Tests TV Waters
  Google's long-awaited move to TV advertising is underway, with a small test of AdSense ads on cable TV in California.
• Google's Local Business Center: Solving the "Last Block Problem"
  Letting business owners define their location on a block addresses a little known problem, showing a step in the right direction to improve data quality.
• Google News adds feature from Google Blog Search
  If mainstream media keep adding blogs, and A-List bloggers keep becoming columnists for mainstream media, what is the difference long-term between news search and blog search?

Small Business/Big Brand SEM

• IAB Issues Guidelines for Lead Quality
  The IAB's Lead Generation Committee has published a practical set of guidelines to assist advertisers in measuring lead quality.
• The Webification of SMBs
  Drawing business owners online with the promise of a free and easy Web presence is the first step in getting them to become advertisers or subscribers to other online services.

In-House & Outsourcing

• Difficult SEO Clients
  There's no such thing as the perfect SEO client, but everyone knows that some are more difficult than others.

SEM Industry Issues

• Google to Anonymize Server Logs
  In an effort to put users at ease and eliminate some privacy concerns, Google will begin anonymizing server log data after 18-24 months.
• Search Share of Digital Spending Slips
  According to Avenue A | Razorfish's third annual Digital Outlook Report yesterday, search spending by AARF grew 17 percent overall, but search spending as a percentage of total billings dipped slightly from 31 percent in 2005 to 28 percent in 2006.
• The press failed to see "search" as a kind of journalism
  A new report from Journalism.org finds that the press is no longer the gatekeeper over what the public knows, and search is part of a new kind of journalism.

Searching/Search Technologies

• Q&A With Ask.com's Gary Price
  Gary talks about his role at Ask.com, some of Ask.com's latest products, and the relationships between search engines and librarians.
• Lenovo to Pre-Load Windows Live Toolbar
  Microsoft announced its first major distribution deal for Windows Live services, including desktop access to the Windows Live portal and a pre-loaded Windows Live toolbar on Lenovo's computers.

More from the SEW Blog

• Google Goes on Acquisition Binge
  Gapminder's Trendalyzer data display technology and in-game ad technology from Adscape Media are now part of Google's repertoire.
• Yahoo Puts Addition on Brickhouse
  Looks like Yahoo's getting serious about its new Brickhouse internal incubator. It has hired seasoned entrepreneur Salim Ismail to run the unit's operations.
• Viacom Sues YouTube, Google for $1 Billion
  It had to happen sooner or later. Viacom is suing Google via YouTube for $1 billion for massive copyright infringement.
• Did-It's Wise Lands at Right Media
  Former Did-It CEO Bill Wise has been named president of Remix Media, a division of ad exchange Right Media.
• Yahoo!, AT&T Issue Joint Release To Stop Speculation
  The two issued a release amid media speculation about the value of their partnership.

Search Headlines

We report the top search marketing news daily at the Search Engine Watch Blog. You'll find more news from around the Web below.

• Dupe Content Penalty a Myth, but Negative Effects Are Not, Natural Search Blog
• SEO Bloggers Step Away From the Keyboard, Graywolf's SEO Blog
• Graywolf Puts the Smackdown on SEO Bloggers, SEO Scoop
• 'Microsoft sucks', says top blogger, Times of London
• Improving the Odds of Connecting with Your Target Market, Out of My Gord
• Marriage of SEO & Accessibility Prevents Lawsuits, Increases Visibility, Reality SEO
• New Google Paper on Near Duplicate Documents, Cre8tive Flow
• SEOs - Don't Neglect Your Hardware, Performancing
• Putting a Value on NoFollow Links, Chris Garrett
• Move to a New Domain Without Losing Rankings (or Hair), ClickZ
• Live Twitter Search Engine Opens, Micro Persuasion
• Collarity Relevance Engine - deep dive - part 2, Web Metrics Guru
• What’s On The Minds Of Advertisers?, Search Insider
• How to Get a Double Listing in Google, Solo SEO
• Microsoft's Ballmer Calls Google One Hit Wonder, Mocks Management Skills & Criticizes At Future Growth, Search Engine Land
• 5 Distinct Characteristics of Social Media, Britopian Marketing Blog
• The Four Foundations of SEO Theory, SEO Theory