Bing Social Recommends Twitterers; Paid Search Roundup; Google Transparency Report & More Search News
Bing Social yesterday announced a new feature called People Recommendations to help searchers discover new Twitterers. Based on a search query, the feature is designed to also return “recommended” users on Twitter. Those users receive rankings, such as “Influential” or “Popular.”
So a Bing search for [search engine] returns @SEWatch as influential. Though it obviously isn’t perfect, as it returns @funnyhumour for some reason as a popular source for search engines.
Twitter also made big news this morning due to a mouseover security flaw. Twitter says it is “fully patched and is no longer exploitable.”
Search Alliance, AdSense & adCenter News
A GroupM study warns of a period of high volatility as advertisers adjust to the new paid search landscape. Cost-per-clicks for branded keywords could go 78 percent higher than current Bing.com pricing, and unbranded could go 64 percent higher during a “period of volatility” following the merger, reports Advertising Age.
In AdSense news, Inside AdSense announced ads will now match the overall style used for search results in customized themes.
Also, another instance has been found of AdWords ads exceeding character limits. Thus far, the likely cause is Google Instant.
Also, Microsoft reports that budgeting improvements are coming soon to adCenter. They promise to “minimize the daily budget overspend and deliver a more consistent, predictable spend of your budget dollars throughout the month. adCenter will now track your campaign budget spend in near real time; there will be almost no time lag between a click recorded and spend tracked. As a result, your daily spend will more likely to adhere to your budget target.”
Google Transparent
Google today introduced a new tool called the Transparency Report, which shows where governments are demanding Google to remove content and where Google services are being blocked. The U.S. has made the largest number of data requests. Google also points out that the statistics aren’t 100 percent comprehensive or accurate.
Here’s a roundup of this morning’s other top search headlines and tips from around the Web, sorted by category.
Search Industry
Net Neutrality Watchdog Group Uses Google, Facebook Ads To Attack Google – TechCrunch
Consumer watchdogs Progressive Change Campaign Committee, have bought ads through Google’s own content network and on competitor Facebook, which redirect to an open letter to Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page., urging them not to move forward with Verizon on net neutrality.
Three million businesses have gone Google: celebrating growth, innovation and security – Official Google Blog
Coming soon: mobile editing in Google Docs on Android and the iPad. Co-workers will soon be able to co-edit files simultaneously from an even wider array of devices.
Yahoo ‘owns several patents’ on Google Instant – The Register
Shashi Seth says Yahoo is working on a system that will better predict what searchers want without continuously updating search results (i.e., Google Instant).
Yandex Adds Image, Video Search To Global Search Engine –Search Engine Land
How Does Search Behavior Change as Search Becomes More Difficult? – ResourceShelf
Research paper on the behavioral signals that suggest that a user is having trouble in a search task.
Google Instant – The Third Half Of Your Brain – ClickZ
Thinking is no longer needed with Google Instant controlling your searches (by Sage Lewis).
Search Engine Optimization
Google Instant Hasn’t Changed the Way We Search, SEO Firm Claims – ReadWriteWeb
Everything You Should Know About Google Cache – BlueGlass
Search Advertising
CBS Pulls Digital Spend From AOL and MSN – ClickZ
Network decides to heavy up with Yahoo during all-important premier week.
Ad Platform Criteo Advances Display Ad Retargeting Offering – ClickZ
Allows ad buyers to tweak CPC bids to the product level, bringing display ads into closer alignment with search advertising.
Startup Transforms Annoying Captchas Into Ad Opportunity – ClickZ
Solve Media aims to address a common consumer headache while providing a new revenue source for publishers.
Analytics & ROI
4 Tips to Increase eCommerce Holiday Sales – HubSpot Blog
Their tips: write blog posts that are optimized for the long-tail of “holiday” centric keywords; develop promotional landing pages designed to target holiday traffic; send Holiday marketing e-mails and use lead nurturing; and monitor and promote your brand and products in social media with holiday keywords.
Social Media Marketing
Is Marketing Your Business on Facebook Effective? – Vertical Measures
Key takeaways from Facebook marketing campaigns for Einstein Bagels, Cox Cable, Pizza Hut, and Dolce Salon & Spa.
My first foray into sponsored tweets. FAIL. – Conversation Marketing
According to the author, “sponsored tweets rank in profitability somewhere below hiring alchemists to try to turn lead into gold.”
The Creation and Promotion of Social Content – Search Engine Journal
Generate content that makes people pay attention; make your content visible and shareable; and then track your content.
Local & Mobile Search
In-app mobile ad spend to reach $685M in 2011: study – Mobile Marketer
Sex Therapists, Good Luck Getting Into Google Maps – Search Engine Roundtable
Enriched Google online experience now available in every new BMW – Google LatLong
Ocean comes to Google Earth for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch – Google LatLong
Bing Maps Is Coming To An HP Printer Near You! – Bing Maps Blog
International Search
Google defends shrinking China market share – Associated Press
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