Highlights from the SEW Blog: May 14, 2007

We’ve collected all the search engine 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

• So…Should We, or Shouldn’t We?
  A debate has emerged about the importance of “the small stuff” in SEO.
• Selling or Servicing?
  There’s still a world of value SEOs can add by optimizing for users, and helping marketers understand how online viral linking can happen.

Search Advertising

• Bid4Spots Radio Ad Auction Launches in U.K.
  Bid4Spots, a competitor to Google Audio Ads, announced plans to launch an auction for remnant radio ads in the U.K.
• Google Print Ads Now in AdWords Console
  Andy Beal at Marketing Pilgrim has posted screenshots of the new Google Print Ads interface in the AdWords console.

Linking Issues & Social Media

• Social Media Marketing Do’s and Don’ts
  At Search Engine Strategies in New York last month, some top social media marketers shared the tricks of their trade.
• More Search Marketers Weigh in on Paid Links
  Li Evans has collected the opinions of 10 search marketers on buying links for clients, and on sites that sell links but don’t indicate they’re paid links.

Analytics & ROI

• From Online Research to Offline Shopping
  A new report from Accenture reveals that the majority of product research happens online, while the majority of purchases resulting from that research happen offline.
• WebSideStory Rebrands itself as Visual Sciences
  The Visual Sciences brand brings to mind higher end analytics solutions for sites with more complex needs.
• New Release of Google Analytics
  With this release, Google Analytics closes the gap between their solution and that of many of the more expensive analytics products.
• Web Analytics Shootout Data Released
  Stone Temple Consulting (STC) has released the first findings from its 2007 Web Analytics Shootout: a competitive comparison of 7 Web analytics vendors.

Mobile & Local Search

• Google Launches New “Geo” Blog
  Google has started the Lat Long Blog, focusing on Google Earth, Maps, Local and APIs.
• Event Search Engine: Oyaka.com
  Have a date in mind, go here and see what events are listed in your area.

Vertical & Specialty Search

• Exalead Enhancements to Image Search
  The French search provider has been actively rolling out new features as of late.
• Google Cleans Up Google News
  Some recent housecleaning at Google News has resulted in the removal of some controversial foreign news sources that appeared to be gaming the Google News algorithm.
• Last.fm and Music Video Search Tools
  The music video search niche is being filled by a growing number of tools for the music video enthusiast.
• Travel Search Overview: Informative or Commercial?
  We check in with the travel search engines profiled two years ago.
• Microsoft Takes Stake in CareerBuilder
  Microsoft has acquired a minority equity stake in job search engine CareerBuilder, owned jointly by newspaper companies Gannett, Tribune and McClatchy.
• Yahoo Enhances Travel Maps
  Yahoo has added some mapping features to Yahoo Travel, using AJAX to add layered images right on a Yahoo Map.
• blinkx Adds French VODEO.TV Content
  Through a partnership with VODEO.TV, a video-on-demand French language portal, video search engine blinkx has added 1500 hours of French television content to its index.
• Sphere revamps its blog search site
  Sphere has revamped its blog search site to focus more on recent activity, and surfacing related content to search queries from Sphere widget partners
• Technorati includes “Authority” ranking of blogs
  Before last Friday, Technorati’s ranking was by the number of inbound links. Now, it’s by “Authority.”
• Online Journal analyzes Belgian newspaper dispute with Google News
  The Belgian newspaper group’s dispute with Google News is a reality check for newspapers.

Small Business/Big Brand SEM

• Setting Up Search in Large Organizations
  Melanie Mitchell, VP of SEO/SEM at AOL, offers the first of a three-part series about her experience building the in-house search practice of AOL.

In-House & Outsourcing

• Setting Up Search in Large Organizations
  Melanie Mitchell, VP of SEO/SEM at AOL, offers the first of a three-part series about her experience building the in-house search practice of AOL.
• Press Releases Can Be Good, But When They’re Bad They’re Ridiculous
  Misleading press releases can make it difficult for potential SEO customers to know who to hire.

SEM Industry Issues

• News from the Google Shareholder Meeting
  Google held its annual shareholder meeting yesterday at the Googleplex.
• Search-Related Legal Updates
  Santa Clara University law professor Eric Goldman, on his Technology and Marketing Law blog, has updates on several search-related laws or lawsuits this week.
• Coverage from SEW Live — Columbus
  Our latest SEW Live event took place today in Columbus, Ohio.
• Yahoo and Microsoft: A deal made in heaven or hell?
  Do Yahoo and Microsoft really need each other? PC Magazine weighs in on the debate with dueling opinions.

Searching/Search Technologies

• Gates Plans to Spend Remaining Time Focusing on Search
  Microsoft chairman and founder Bill Gates said yesterday that he plans on spending his remaining 15 to 18 months of active duty at the company focusing on building the company’s search programs, in a broad sense.

More from the SEW Blog

• Yahoo Auctions to Bid Adieu
  June 16 will see the closing of Yahoo Auctions in the US and Canada.
• User-Generated Videos On Your Domain?
  Encouraging your visitors to share video content on your domain seems like a natural progression, yet today we all equate video sharing with the portals.

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.

• Microsoft’s Strategic Account Summit: Wooing Advertisers, ClickZ
• Dissecting Google’s Supplemental Index, ClickZ
• MyBlogLog to Rebrand and Make Significant Changes, David Dalka
• We need better statistics…, Scobleizer
• More domains, more search, Information World Review
• The search engine that really hits the spot
• All “friends” aren’t created equal! (why we need better relationship marking in social networks), Adam Lasnik
• When Google Goes Temporarily Insane, Search Engine Land
• Search Engine Friendly is NOT Search Engine Optimized, Search Engine Guide
• Recapping SEW Live: Columbus, Search Engine Guide
• Internal Departments & Your SEO Firm – A Play, Search Engine Guide
• Yahoo Plans New Name and Features for MyBlogLog, Marketing Pilgrim
• Matt Cutts of Google Comments on “-950 Penalty” as “Over Optimization Penalty”, Search Engine Roundtable