Google Social 'Layers', Google Fires Teen Stalker, Facebook/Microsoft Search Deal Rumor & More Search News

Google will begin adding “layers” of social networking features starting this fall, rather than unveiling a flashy product to compete with Facebook, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said yesterday at Zeitgeist.

“We’re trying to take Google’s core products and add a social component,” Schmidt told Reuters. “If you think about it, it’s obvious. With your permission, knowing more about who your friends are, we can provide more tailored recommendations. Search quality can get better.”

He also denied rumors about a soon-to-be-announced “huge project” (the rumored Google Me). TechCrunch also provides coverage of the Google Zeitgeist Press Lunch.

Here’s a roundup of this morning’s other top search headlines and tips from around the Web, sorted by category.

Search Industry

Google Engineer Stalked Teens, Spied on Chats – Gawker
David Barksdale, a 27-year-old former Google engineer, repeatedly took advantage of his position as a member of an elite technical group at the company to access users’ accounts, violating the privacy of at least four minors during his employment. At least four times, Barksdale spied on minors’ Google accounts without their consent, including tapping into Google Voice call logs and accessing chat transcripts and contact lists.

Facebook and Microsoft in Talks About Deepening Search Ties – All Things Digital
Unnamed sources say Facebook and Microsoft are working on a deal that would significantly expand the search relationship the pair have shared for many years. Rumor is that Facebook would allow Bing to mine data from Like buttons, a gold mine of information for search users and advertisers.

How to get a job at Google, interview questions, hiring process – Don Dodge
A look at how every step of Google’s hiring process (screening > on-site interview > interview feedback > hiring committee > executive review > compensation committee > > final executive review > offer) works, and why it works.

Google TV officially launching October 17th? – Engadget
A leaked internal Best Buy document says “the launch of GoogleTV that was planned for 10/3 has been pushed back 2 weeks.”

A Google Health update – Official Google Blog
Google Health gets redesigned and adds features — a new dashboard, goal setting, and more data tracking.

Bloomberg News Hops Aboard Yahoo Finance – Business Insider
Yahoo Finance, the most-viewed financial news sites, adds Bloomberg.com content to its portfolio.

What Yahoo’s New Hires Are Responsible For – WebProNews
Yahoo offers some details on the roles of new employees.

Yahoo Connected TV Now Available On Select Toshiba TVs – TechCrunch
Yahoo Connected TV lets users interact with Internet content and services while they watch TV.

What Would Jesus Search? – ReadWriteWeb
A sampling of search results from religious search engines, including I’mHalal (Islam), SeekFind (Christian), and Jewogle (Jewish).

Search Engine Optimization

Speed – the New Google – ClickZ
Google Instant serves as a reminder why website performance is important. Here are five tools that will assist you.

Should SEO Copywriters Worry About Word Count? – Search Engine People
Tips for dealing with length in SEO copy. Regardless of length, always remember to provide valuable, interesting content that incorporates SEO best practices.

The Anatomy and Evolution of Google Search Results Listing – BlueGlass
A look at what each Google search result listing consists of, and how it has been changed throughout the years.

How is Google finding pages which don’t have any links to them? – YouTube
Matt Cutts explains.

Search Advertising

Google D.C. Talks: 10 Things You Don’t Know About Online Advertising – Google Public Policy Blog.
Discussion — with the Interactive Advertising Bureau’s leader Randall Rothenberg and industry experts in search, display, and social advertising — will cover the basics of online advertising as well as emerging trends and interesting uses on Sept. 20.

Register for Our Free Webinar: Introduction to Advertising on Bing – adCenter Blog
Free webinar will cover bidding, budgeting, keyword selection, and copy writing techniques for Bing on Sept. 30.

What Moms Respond To From Advertisers – Marketing Pilgrim
Moms are budget-oriented, and most likely to notice ads with coupons/sales/discounts. Two charts break down August data showing the types of ads/promotions noticed online, by age, and product ads that are noticed or desired when reading “mom blogs.”

10 Facts and Trends about Contextual Advertising – Search Engine Journal
Facts and trends include: advertisement relevance software advances, message customization, video games, in-text video, billboards, viral videos, pricing, control, and behavioral advertising.

How To Calculate The Cost Per Fan On Facebook Ad Campaigns – All Facebook
Looking to boost your fan base on Facebook with your ad campaigns? This guide will show you how to figure out your exact cost per fan.

Analytics & ROI

Increase Your Productivity with the API – Google Analytics Blog
How to retrieve top organic search landing page data from Google Analytics Data Export API.

Motion Charts: A Hidden Gem in Google Analytics – Vertical Measures
Motion Charts can help you make new connections between data and spark new ideas for website improvements.

Social Media Marketing

Twitter Redesign Looks Like an Upgrade for Advertisers – ClickZ
The company hopes to increase the time people spend on the site by making it easier to view photos and videos.

Twitter is NOT a Social Network, Says Twitter Exec – ReadWrite Web
VP Kevin Thau Twitter says Twitter is transforming the nature of news.

A Comprehensive Guide to the New Digg – Social Media Examiner
A look inside the new Digg — from the first login, to submitting stories, advanced features, best practices, and more.

Link Building

Link Building 101 – The Almost Complete Link Guide – SEOmoz
Link building is tough, so plan your strategy properly, build the correct links and track the progress of your strategy.

Local & Mobile Search

Internet Founder Tim Berners-Lee Details 4 Concerns About Future of Mobile Web (Nokia World 2010) – ReadWriteWeb
Privacy, accountability, network neutrality, and the 80% of the world that doesn’t have access to the World Wide Web his top concerns.

Online Local Advertising Estimated To Grow 26 Percent This Year To $20 Billion – TechCrunch
According to BIA/Kelsey, online local advertising in the U.S. will reach nearly $20 billion this year, up 26 percent from last year. Total online advertising is only expected to grow 2 percent to $133 billion.

Nielsen Mobile Study: Facebook, Weather, Maps and Music – Marketing Pilgrim
The most commonly used apps of people on the go, users are doing more research, and ad blindness is a top concern.

IAd lacks the reach brands are looking for: Publicis exec – Mobile Marketer
Apple devices represent a minority of mobile users and aren’t for the budget-conscious.

International Search

Apple and Google Continue Smartphone Growth in Europe – ClickZ
Nokia continues to lose ground as the number of devices running Apple, Google, and RIM operating systems grow.

Facebook Won’t Prevail in China, Sohu’s Zhang Says – BusinessWeek
Chairman Charles Zhang says Facebook’s services will be “copied and learned” by domestic companies.