Highlights from the SEW Blog: September 3-7, 2007

Featured posts to the Search Engine Watch blog in the past week, along with recent search-related headlines from around the Web.

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

  • Usability and SEO. Which comes First?
    The business of search engines is enhanced by having the most relevant results in their index, and this means that usability matters to them.
  • SEW Experts: Optimizing Pages for New and Improved Search Engine Users
    Mark Jackson takes a look at changes in the way people search, discussing updated methods for reaching today’s search-engine-savvy users.

Search Advertising

  • Google discusses multimedia ads in Universal Search results
    Google executives discussed the possibility of bundling image or video ads into Google Universal Search, during the CitiGroup Technology Conference in New York this past Thursday.
  • Yahoo to Acquire Behavioral Targeting Ad Network
    Yahoo has entered an agreement to acquire BlueLithium, the fifth-largest U.S. ad network, for approximately $300 million in cash.
  • Mastering Yahoo Panama
    Mona Elesseily, internet marketing strategist with Page Zero Media, just published an informative user’s guide for Yahoo Panama.
  • Don’t Sue Over Keywords
    When it comes to trademark protection, the lesson from recent court rulings seems to be ‘don’t sue over keywords.’

Linking Issues & Social Media

  • AOL announces changes to Netscape
    Netscape.com is going back to offering a more traditional news experience, with plans to move the social news site to a new URL.
  • Understanding the Paid Links Debate
    The debate over paid links is complicated. The arguments for and against the practice are often heated, with webmasters defending the practice, and search engines condemning it, in certain cases.
  • Facebook Profiles to Become Searchable
    Facebook is opening up its user profiles to be crawled by search engines, allowing limited information to be available unless users change their privacy settings.
  • Yellow Pages Provider Testing Voice-Enabled Local Search
    Print and online Yellow Pages provider R.H. Donnelley is testing a new voice-enabled local search solution, dubbed “1-800-CallDex.”

Analytics & ROI

  • Omniture Acquires Offermatica
    Web analytics company Omniture has agreed to acquire landing page optimization and A/B testing specialist Offermatica for $65 million.
  • Stone Temple Consulting Publishes Web Analytics Shootout Results
    What started as a great idea for linkbait turned into a comprehensive analysis of Web analytics packages rivaling research from the largest firms.
  • SEW Experts: 7 Tips for High Value Analytics
    Eric Enge gives you 10 key steps for maximizing your analytics investment, explaining how to overcome some of the limitations of Web analytics packages.

Local & Mobile Search

  • Superpages Gets Local Mobile App
    Idearc’s Superpages.com has launched a mobile version of its local search product, Superpages Mobile for BlackBerry.
  • SEW Experts: The Power of Link Building and Public Relations
    Justilien Gaspard offers advice for gaining links in local search while creating positive public relations opportunities.
  • Local.com Renews With Yahoo As Search Partner
    Local.com announced it is renewing its contract to have Yahoo provide its sponsored search results.
  • Google Files GPay Patent – Mobile Payment Method
    Seems Google is getting ready to launch another of their G ideas. This time it is GPay – a mobile payment method that seems similar to that already used in Europe and Asia.

Vertical & Specialty Search

  • ShopLocal Adds a Personal Touch
    The local product search site will integrate a set of social tools that let users form an identity on the site and share commentary on products.
  • SEW Experts: Will Search Marketers Change Their Spots?
    Grant Crowell shows you some ways to promote video creation services, and stand out from the pack.
  • Was Google’s AP announcement a PR disaster?
    Is it conceivable that the folks at Google didn’t realize that their deal with AP was going to generate a lot of controversy?

Small Business/Big Brand SEM

  • SEW Experts: How Search Will Save Online Advertising… Again!
    Kevin Ryan says that the credit crunch might have some casualties, but search won’t be one of them.
  • SEW Experts: Say “Bah Humbug” to Holiday Marketing Stress
    Carrie Hill tells you how to avoid holiday stress by getting a jump start on your holiday marketing campaigns.

SEM Industry Issues

  • Search Records Requests under Patriot Act Ruled Unconstitutional
    Controversial elements of the Patriot Act were ruled unconstitutional by a federal district court judge.
  • Uncle Sam Says: Thumbs Down on Net Neutrality
    The Department Of Justice (DOJ) has issued comments rejecting any Net Neutrality proposals.
  • Interview with Kevin Ryan of SES
    Now that SES San Jose 2007 is past, it seems like a good time to publish the interview Eric Enge did recently with Kevin Ryan.

Searching/Search Technologies

  • Japan Begins Government-led Search Research
    The Japanese government is leading a research initiative to help 10 Japanese technology companies shift from electronics hardware to search-related services.

More from the SEW Blog

  • Windows Live Offering Services Pack
    In a move similar to Google Pack, Microsoft is now offering a package of its services and apps through the newly announced Windows Live Services.
  • Google Reader Adds Search Box…Finally
    It’s certainly useful and all, but it just seems so un-Googley that it hasn’t had a search box before now.

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.

Taggedmobile searchPage Zero MediaSearchEngineWatchSES San Jose
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