Highlights from the SEW Blog: Feb. 20, 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

• The 301 Redirect Headache
  Moving Web pages that have been indexed by search engines to a new URL via a 301 permanent redirect can cause a headache that must be planned for.
• Google Groups Becoming a Gold Mine for SEO Information
  Google Groups recently relaunched with a new look and feel. One of the most popular groups in the search engine optimization community is the Webmaster Help group.
• AOL Turns Up Dial on FullView Marketing
  AOL began promoting its new FullView integrated search interface, which launched in October.
• Beyond “Technical SEO”
  ‘Strategic SEO’ is not SEO at all, but competitive webmastering, which uses SEO tactics, says John Andrews.
• More Sites Hitting Google’s Supplemental Index?
  Both Aaron Wall and Andy Hagans have posted tips to get a site out of Google’s supplemental index.
• Google Revamps Sitelinks
  Google has made some changes to the way it assigns and shows Sitelinks, the list of pages included under the search results for certain sites that have a clear directory structure.

Search Advertising

• Business.com to Provide WSJ PPC Advertising
  Business.com has inked a deal to become the exclusive provider of pay-per-click advertising for the Dow Jones’ Wall Street Journal Online search pages.
• Google to Update Ad Quality Scoring
  In the next couple weeks, Google will implement a new algorithm for AdWords ad ranking, and provide advertisers with more visibility into that scoring process.
• Google to Test CPC-based Site Targeting
  Google announced plans to begin running CPC-based ads using the site targeting feature.
• Yahoo Outlines Keys to PPC Success: Test, Test, Test
  Michael Egan, senior director of content solutions, gives a run-down of the ad testing features available in Panama, and suggests that ad testing is a “must do.”

Linking Issues

• Using Google Webmaster Tools to increase your link juice
  Using Google Webmaster Tools creatively, you can increase your valid in-bound links.
• Google Webmaster Team Clarifies Nofollow
  Googlers confirm that Googlebot will not follow the rel=”nofollow” tag.

Analytics & ROI

• Are You Really Analyzing Your Paid Search Campaigns?
  What do you do when the needle won’t move anymore — when you can’t invest another dollar in your paid search program without diminishing your returns? The answer lies in the data.
• Avinash Kaushik Talks About Competitive Intelligence Tools
  The analytics guru shares his knowledge of finding value from search through analytics.
• Interview of Analytics Expert, Eric T. Peterson
  A conversation with one of the most respected names in the Web analytics space.

Vertical & Specialty Search

• Google News isn’t top dog in UK news search, either
  Last week, we wrote that Yahoo News and AOL News have larger unique audiences than Google News — in the US. So, what’s the story in the UK?
• A Step Forward For Mobile Local Search
  Nokia and Motorola announced yesterday at the annual 3GSM World Congress that they will launch their own navigation services that don’t require carrier networks.
• Google Reportedly Buys In-Game Ad Company
  Google’s on-again, off-again deal to buy AdScape is apparently on again. Google will reportedly buy the in-game advertising technology provider for $23 million.
• Yahoo’s Local Ad Options
  A look at the finer points of local ad options available in Yahoo’s Panama platform.
• ChaCha Ad Options Explored
  The human-powered search engine offers CPC-based text links or rich media display ads, all targeted by guide-defined category.
• Online Video Gets Local
  The video advertising dial is moving towards local, driven by growing amounts of affordable online ad inventory.
• HotFrog Brings Web 2.0. to U.K. Business Lookups
  Australian online directory HotFrog launched today in the UK, bringing the buzzcloud concept to directory listings.
• Krugle Partners with the Yahoo Developers Network
  Krugle, the code search engine for developers, announced a partnership to provide search functionality to the Yahoo Developer Network.
• Shopzilla Shuffles Execs, Leads Scripps’ Push Online
  Shopzilla announced Tuesday that its founding chairman and its president of two years will depart from the shopping search engine in the spring.
• Yahoo, Microsoft Get Mobile
  Yahoo and Microsoft have each launched mobile search and advertising initiatives this week.
• The Tail that Wags the News Search Dog
  Why does Google News get more press and blog mentions than other news search engines, when Yahoo News and AOL News have larger unique audiences?
• Retrevo Closes on Series B Financing
  The search engine for consumer electronics product information closed a Series B venture financing round for $3.2 million.

Social Media

• MSN Reporter — A Digg Competitor from MSN
  MSN Reporter, in beta since October 2006, has launched in the Netherlands, Belgium and Norway.
• Blogs & Social Media Drive Traffic and Search Rankings
  ClickInfluence’s Nick Wilson shares a primer from SES London on the steps companies should take to get involved in blogging and participate in social media.
• Where the Influencers Roam
  While getting the most buzz, “YOU” are not the only influencer out there. In addition to what’s happening on social sites, there are many other places where the influencers roam.
• Taggers Hitting the Mainstream
  There are enough people tagging now to (almost) call it mainstream.
• Voices of the Few
  The “voices of the few” seem to be setting the social search agenda, or at least influencing what we find on social sites.

SEM for Small Businesses

• A Conversation with Google’s Director of Print Ads
  Tom Phillips, director of print ads at Google, was interviewed last week at a VC event in New York.

SEM Industry Issues

• Another Look at the SEMPO Data
  SEMPO research committee co-chair Kevin Lee digs deeper into the findings from the groups State of Search Engine Marketing report.
• Search Marketing Is…
  How do you explain what you do to your children, nieces/nephews, or assorted acquaintances that have no idea what “SEM” or “SEO” stand for?

More from the SEW Blog

• Bill Wise Leaves Did-it
  Bill Wise has resigned his post as CEO of the paid search management agency Did-it.com.
• Keep an Eye on the Traditional
  Sometimes, success in search marketing rests on your ability to keep up with the latest cutting-edge tactics and outpace your competitors. But not always.
• Yahoo Reorg In Full Effect: Advertiser and Publisher Group Changes
  Memo outlines the departure of Panama architect (scapegoat?) Steve Mitgang, and the focus on supply, demand, and marketing channels.
• Google Slapped by Belgian Court
  Google was once again ordered to stop publishing news from a group of Belgian newspapers on Google News Belgium.
• Yahoo Builds “Brickhouse”
  A Business Week story reveals Yahoo’s internal program to get more agile. Last week’s release of Pipes represents the first fruits.

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.

• Understanding Link Reputation, Search Engine Land
• New Google Plus Box for Financial Information, Google Operating System
• If People Hate Your Writing Google Hates Your Website, SEO Book
• Lies and Half-truths SEOs pass around, SEO Theory
• Google Fixes AdWords CPC Price Gouge Bug, Search Engine Roundtable
• Quality Score Transparency: Cool, Traffick
• Web Intelligence Operations: What search engines don’t tell you, SEO Theory
• The Lisa’s Problem With Wikipedia Explained, Bruce Clay Blog
• Online Poker – Too Competitive for White Hat SEO?, SEOmoz
• Why Niche Brands Win, The Long Tail