KeywordRanking.com is the Premier Plus Sponsor for the event and we have a limited number of discount passes. Drop me an email for more info.
If you already have your ticket, be sure to stop by our booth. We'll be giving FREE site consultations to anyone who needs help optimizing their website. Stay tuned for more SES news. Andy Beal
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More Views on the Future of Search Engine Technology Eugen Wee provides an Asian perspective on what might happen with the search engines.
After reading it, I do have a better idea of exactly how busy Danny Sullivan is. He obviously cannot keep up with the interview requests and has resorted to cloning himself...
"Mr David Sullivan, editor of Searchenginewatch.com, said that search engines are looking into something called invisible tabs - specialised categories that you can click on to narrow and increase the relevance of searches."
If "David" is half as smart as Danny, there'll be no room for the rest of us. ;-) Andy Beal
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Let's Discuss Google, And Then Discuss Them Some More
The year is still young, but this article at digitaljournal.com may win the "longest Google article" award by the end of it.
While there is some interesting stuff, it's almost as if the author had been saving up 12 months of research in order to write one big article.
On a side note, you have to admire their creativity when it comes to the accompanying illustration. How they made the connection between Google and a buxom-blonde, I'll never know! Andy Beal
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January 30, 2004
Orkut Harvesting Data for Google?
Meanwhile, Jeremy Zawodny has some ideas as to why Orkut will be important to the future of Google. All of that data, being freely given!
"Let's assume that Google internationalizes Orkut and lets it run to the point that it has millions of users registered and active. That's not an unreasonable thing to expect. Then, one day down the road, they quietly decide to "better integrate" Orkut with Google and start redirecting all Orkut requests to orkut.google.com" Andy Beal
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Microsoft Admits Google is Better, Aims to Rectify
According to the Economist.com, at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, Bill Gates admitted that Google's search technology was “way better� than Microsoft's, and identified internet search as a key focus for his company.
Google's power makes it just the sort of company that Microsoft typically tries to squash. Thanks to John Battelle for the link. Andy Beal
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RSS News Aggregator For Outlook
The last few weeks, I've started to get a glimpse of Robert Scoble's life. Scoble subscribes to 1227 RSS feeds and keeps up to date on a number of issues, especially those relating to Microsoft and Longhorn.
My list of daily viewed blogs was starting to get out of hand, until I decided to download a news aggregator and simplify my life. I'm not sure how well respected NewsGator is among "hardcore" bloggers, but it appears to be the perfect solution for my needs. The handy little program works with Outlook and makes it easy to subscribe and monitor various RSS feeds. I think I'll cough-up the $29 fee once my 14-day trial is over, unless you know of a better tool I should use? Andy Beal
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SEO Guru Gets Ready to Add Staff
Best wishes to Kalena Jordan as she prepares for the birth of her baby. She'll be taking 4-6 weeks off from her blog. Rumor has it that her baby's first words will be "Google". Andy Beal
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Google Moves Datacenters
For all of you Google Dance voyeurs, you need to know that Google has moved its datacenters. Here is the list (thanks to About.com). Andy Beal
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Realistic Google Advice from Canada
While Google is currently the King of Search, there are many pretenders to the crown preparing an uprising. Canada.com reminds us not to get caught up in the Google-mania.
"While I hate to break up a great party, particularly when everyone is having such a good time, it is important not to get too caught up in the Google-mania. Anyone who thinks a particular firm or product is unassailable is mistaken." Andy Beal
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Google Declines Comment On News Story Claiming IPO Delay
According to Mark Boslet of the Dow Jones, Google is keeping quiet on a Time article suggesting the search engine company has cooled on a stock offering. Andy Beal
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Booble Lawyers Responds To Google
WebProWorld had the scoop on Google's cease and desist letter. They now have the exclusive on Booble's response.
I can see the arguments for both sides. Booble is obviously trying to capitalize on Google's reputation, but does Google honestly think that Joe Average will get the two sites confused? Andy Beal
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Paid Search Bolsters Search Engine Revenue
Fool.com reports on the recent improved earnings of Yahoo, Ask and Infospace. While the news is good for them, Fool.com holds no punches when talking about LookSmart.
"Looksmart has been in the penny stock cesspool since being dissed by Microsoft"
Google Still Under Fire Over Trademark Dispute
As previously reported, Google took a pre-emptive strike to try and prevent American Bling & Wallpaper Factory from filing a trademark infringement suit. We'll it didn't work and this week American Bling filed suite against Google. News.com has the story. Andy Beal
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Ask Jeeves Posts Strong Quarterly Numbers
Ask Jeeves posted a larger-than-expected quarterly profit as improvements to its Teoma search technology fueled traffic growth and higher revenues.
Net income from continuing operations grew to $7.6 million for the fourth quarter, from $2.9 million a year earlier. Revenue grew to $31.8 million from $20.2 million. Andy Beal
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Google Likely to Use Email for Advertising
After I predicted that Google's reason for launching an email service is so that it can display its ads, this report appears to confirm the situation. Andy Beal
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Google May Delay IPO
Although Google never officially announced that they were planning an IPO, news that CEO Eric Schmidt was quoted as saying "An IPO is not on my agenda", came as a blow to Wall Street, according to a report at silicon.com.
"Schmidt is prepared to wait until the right moment to go public. In a round of private meetings with business leaders in London, Schmidt said Google is in no rush to float because its cash position is so strong."
I may be wrong, but didn't Barrons and a whole host of other financial papers claim that Google would be forced to file an IPO because of the number of stock-option holders in the company? We all know that Google has plenty of cash and would prefer not to become a public company. The question is, will they be forced to by the SEC? Andy Beal
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January 28, 2004
Orkut Back Online
So Orkut is back online and thanks to Jason Dowdell for inviting me to join. Looks like there is a secret gathering of SEO people swelling the user numbers. Andy Beal
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InfoSpace and Yahoo Ramp Up Margins
Over at CBS MarketWatch, Bambi Franciso (which is my vote for the coolest journalist name ever), provides coverage of recent profit gains acheived by Yahoo(YHOO) and InfoSpace(INSP).
"InfoSpace reported a nearly $10 million profit in the fourth quarter. Sales jumped nearly 30 percent to $46.9 million. The fastest-growing segment, however, was search and directory. That revenue - up 48 percent to more than $28 million -- comes from advertising in the form of paid-listings provided by Overture and Google, Yahoo's paid-search technology specialists.
"In mid-January, Yahoo reported that online advertising, which includes branded and paid-search listings, leaped 178 percent in the holiday-season quarter, and gained 84 percent to more than $1 billion for last year." Andy Beal
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Google's Europe Expansion
Google's expanding again in Europe. Andy Beal
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Google Spoils Booble's Adult Party
Well, who didn't see this coming. WebProWorld.com has obtained a copy of Google's "cease and desist" letter to Booble.com. Among its contents...
"We have recently become aware of your website at http://www.booble.com (the Domain Name). This Domain Name is confusingly similar to the famous GOOGLE trademark. Your web site is a pornographic web site. Your web site improperly duplicates the distinctive and proprietary overall look and feel of Google's website, including Google's trade dress and the GOOGLE logo."
"In view of your infringement of Google's rights, we must demand that you provide written assurances within 7days that you will immediately:
1. Disable the http://www.booble.com website and discontinue any and all use of the Domain Name;
2. Take steps to transfer the Domain Name to Google;
3. Identify and agree to transfer to Google any other domain names registered by you that contain the GOOGLE or are confusingly similar to the GOOGLE marks;4. Permanently refrain from any use of the term GOOGLE or any variation thereof that is likely to cause confusion or dilution;
5. Immediately and permanently cease and desist from using the Google trade dress." Andy Beal
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Are You Getting The Most Out Of Google?
Mary Ellen Bates is today's guest writer over at Search Engine Watch. She points readers to a number of "hidden" tools available at Google. Andy Beal
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Cherish.com Launches First Free For Women Dating Site
Not strictly search engine related, but WebSourced, Inc (owners of KeywordRanking.com) are set to shake up the online dating industry.
"Cherish.com, a premier online dating site, today announced it will extend free lifetime memberships to women.
In a marketplace where many online dating sites are geared toward men, Cherish.com is being marketed to women and as such is extending females free memberships." [read press release]
Google Service Fails; A Sign Of Things To Come?
Could this be a sign that Google might not be successful in becoming more than just a search engine?
According to reports, Network Solutions has blocked Google from allowing searchers to look up domain name owners information. Apparently, the number of WHOIS queries originating from Google was getting out of hand and the service had become subject to abuse by spammers, harvesting the valuable information.
"With NSI blocking most of its Whois queries, Google pulled the feature and information about it from its FAQ after a couple of days, replacing Whois queries with ads from registrars, including NSI."
Ok, there's some hypocrisy here. Google publicly chastises anyone who run ranking reports on the Google Index, claiming that it is a drain of their server resources. Yet they seem quite happy to launch a service that has the same impact on Network Solutions. Andy Beal
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January 27, 2004
The Future of Search Engine Technology
By now you have probably read numerous articles predicting “What will happen in 2004� or “Can MSN take on Google�. While it is always worthwhile to look ahead and consider what may happen this year in the search engine industry, what about the things that we can’t quite yet predict? Instead of looking at what will happen this year, perhaps we should look at what must happen in the search engine space if Google, Yahoo and MSN are truly able to revolutionize search and enhance the user experience.
Overcoming The Lack Of Relevant Search Results
Even today, conducting a search on any of the major search engines can be classified as an “enter your query and hope for the best� experience. Google’s “I’m Feeling Lucky� button, while designed to take you directly to the number one results, could ironically be a truism for its entire search results (process?). Enter your desired search words into any of the search engines and you often end up crossing your fingers and hoping that they display the type of results you were looking for. Since the recent updates of “Florida� and “Austin�, complaints that Google, in particular, is displaying less relevant results have escalated (although mostly by those who lost important positioning that they had assumed was their right to maintain).
There is, of course, evidence that the search engines are trying to enhance their search results- so that they can better anticipate the intentions of the searcher. Search for “pizza Chicago� at Yahoo, and you’ll see that the top results include names, addresses, telephone numbers and even directions to pizza restaurants in Chicago, a great improvement on previous results. Even when you take everyone’s favorite search term example, “windows�, you can see that the search engines are at least trying to determine your intent. While Yahoo and Google still display search results saturated with links discussing Microsoft’s pervasive operating system, enter your search over at Ask Jeeves and the chirpy English butler will ask you if you meant “Microsoft Windows� or “Windows made out of glass�.
Future Search Engine Technology
Smaller search engines have also materialized over the past few weeks, each offering to improve the user experience. Grokker offers an interface that groups search results graphically, improving the way search results are segmented and displayed. Eurekster, combines the social networking elements that are used by sites such as Friendster, and provides results that can be filtered based upon what members of your group are searching. While all of these are interesting and provide a glimpse of the future of search, it will not be the small companies that change the way we search. With Google about to get an influx of cash from its upcoming IPO, Yahoo re-vamping Inktomi and Overture, and Microsoft finally jumping into the search arena, it will be these search engine powerhouses that enhance our search experience and take search engine technology to the next level.
So what is this next level? What technology is it that I speak of, that will revolutionize the way we receive our search engine results? I believe that the search results we receive in just a couple of years from now could make current search engine technology look as archaic and cumbersome as picking up a Yellow Pages book is today. However, in order to achieve this new search nirvana we, as consumers, must quell our fears and trepidations surrounding the protection of our privacy. In order for the search engines to develop technology that will be intuitive and anticipate our every need, we must first relinquish at least some of the privacy that we currently hold so dear. Let’s take a look at some of the ways that search technology could improve and you’ll soon get the idea why it will require us to cooperate with the search engine providers.
“Windows� or “windows�?
If you desire to be able to enter a term as ambiguous as “windows� and expect to see relevant results, you’ll first need to give up some personal information to the search engines. Google, Yahoo, MSN and Ask already have the means to collect an astonishing amount of information from us, by our use of their toolbars. Don’t panic, they currently allow you to disable this information gathering, and even if you do allow it, it is collected anonymously. However, with the technology already in place, why not unleash its full potential?
Let’s say I let Google track my online activities, allowing it to monitor the web sites I view and keep a log of all of the search queries I enter. This type of information could greatly improve the relevancy of the results displayed to me. For example, two years from now, I could search for “home improvement� on Google. I then find the listing for Lowes.com and visit the site. While I am at their web site, I look at a number of different pages, but I spend a lot of time in the “house windows� section, exploring the different styles and prices. Why not let Google capture all of that useful information? Then, when I go back to Google the following day and search for “windows� it would know that glass windows is more likely to be the type of product I am seeking out. Google would simply have remembered my previous searches, read the HTML and Meta data, located on the Lowes.com pages, and used this to identify the intent of my new search for windows.
While I would have to give up some of my privacy, wouldn’t it be worth it if I could save myself time and energy by having search engine results more relevant to my desire?
You’ve Got Search In Your Mail
Another area with great potential for improving search engine results will likely be developed by Google. You may have heard the rumors that Google is getting set to launch an email client that many expect will be a free service similar to Yahoo Mail or Hotmail. Currently, Yahoo does an adequate job of making search available to all of its email customers. Each page within Yahoo Mail has a search box that makes it easy for you to conduct a search that might be sparked by an email you receive. But why not take it one step further?
Google has the technology to really take advantage of search within email. Why else would it even consider entering this arena? Imagine that, in order to use a free Google email account, you allow Google to provide advertisements and track your email activities. Google could change the way that search results and ads are displayed to free email users. For example, let’s say you receive an email from your brother, the content of which, among other things, gloats about the brand new P4 desktop computer that they just purchased from Dell. As part of the interface you use to read that email, Google magically displays paid search advertising for desktop computers, including a link that will take you directly to the appropriate page on Dell.com. This information would be quite beneficial to you, as you may be interested in seeing how you too can be a proud owner of a P4 computer. Fantastic targeted advertising for Dell, as they know that if you click on the listing, they are halfway there to converting you into another satisfied customer.
This idea is so much closer to reality than you may think. Google already has the advertisers with its AdWords service boasting 150,000 users, eager to spend their advertising dollars. It also has the technology to determine which results to show you within your email interface. Google’s AdSense can provide the contextual ad technology that would scan an email’s content to determine which ads are the most relevant to display. With this technology in place, a simple provision within any Google Email Terms & Conditions would give the world’s largest search engine the necessary permission to serve up relevant ads to all users of its free email service.
We could be offered the option of paying a monthly premium in order to not have ads shown when we read our email, but if they are relevant to the content of a received message, why would we want to block them?
From Desktop to Internet
Another development in search engine technology that I can see happening would come from the development of Microsoft’s new Longhorn operating system. While I must confess that I am not au fait with the intricate workings of this project, I do know that it will likely use the search technology that MSN is developing (view the Longhorn blog).
Imagine an operating system that monitors all of your activities -- with your permission, of course. Every file, every image, word document, mp3, even e-books could be monitored by your computer as it endeavors to anticipate your every need. Not only could an integrated search engine allow you to search files located on your hard drive, but it could also use the information it has collected from these files to make your online search experience even more enjoyable.
It is quite possible that Longhorn or a future OS (Microsoft, Linux or Mac) could become intelligent enough to know that after listening to one of your favorite songs by the 80’s rock band, Heart, your consequent search online for “heart� is more likely to originate from a desire to view the band’s fan site, than that pressing need to visit the web site of The American Heart Association. Your all-encompassing search engine would perhaps be a realization of the Ask Jeeves friendly butler, ready to anticipate your every need.
To Search Where No-one Has Searched Before
When you think about the future of search, it is easy to get excited. Millions (if not billions) of dollars are going to be filling the coffers of the largest search engine providers. They have some of the smartest people in the world working to develop the next great “thing�, which will enhance the user experience and serve up better, more relevant search results. Search engine technology is still most definitely in its infancy; how it grows will very much depend upon how much information and privacy the average search engine user is willing to give up. Personally, if I can view search results that more closely match my desired results, I’m willing to give up the name of my favorite pet, my place of birth and my mother’s maiden name!
French Search Engine Benefits from Thumbshots
It looks like Thumbshots.org is helping to generate more search traffic for those search engines using the oganizations web site snapshot technology.
"Reacteur.com’s traffic increased by over 60% after the first month of integrating thumbshots in December 2003. Thumbshots are screenshots of web pages in thumbnail sizes providing users with a What You See Is What You Get preview experience. The thumbshots were provided by thumbshots.org, a non-profit organization." Andy Beal
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A Multifaceted Online News and Blog Search Tool
Over at Search Engine Watch there is information on Rocketinfo Desktop a news and blog aggregator. While the information is interesting, I can't help but feel that I have just read a sales pitch for the product. Andy Beal
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MSN Showing LookSmart Search Results, Again.
MSN appears to be showing LookSmart directory results in some instances. A search for divorce attorney, clearly shows LookSmart directory results ahead of Inktomi.
Did MSN pull the trigger too soon and switch before they were fully ready or are they testing a format for their own directory? Andy Beal
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MSN Toolbar Beta
Here is the link for the new MSN Toolbar. If you already have the Google or Ask Jeeves version, there isn't much more offered by MSN. If you use MSN Messenger or Hotmail, you will enjoy having direct access to these feature. Andy Beal
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Bill Gates Admits Microsoft Lost to Google
According to Geek.com, Microsoft CEO, Bill Gates, has admitted that they lost the search engine battle to Google.
"[They] kicked our butts," said Gates while speaking at the World Economic Forum, specifically referring to how Google.com's Open Source roots have completely surpassed all of Microsoft's attempts to insinuate itself into the Internet search engine business.
Now let's see what they can do to get back in the game. Andy Beal
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Google Takes Orkut.com Offline
The Google engineers behind the Orkut.com Web site have taken down the social network in order to make some improvements suggested by users, a Google spokeswoman confirmed on Monday. Read the story. Andy Beal
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Google Almost Ready to Announce IPO
Google has conducted its internal company-paid audit, certifying its compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley law and clearing the way for an initial public offering, nytimes.com reports.
The company is now likely to file a formal stock registration with the SEC and, if given the green light, a Google board meeting could take place as early as this week. "The public offering would most likely take place during the last week in April." Andy Beal
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January 26, 2004
Google Index Being Updated
When forum members named the last Google update "Florida", I thought it was cute. Now it appears that Google is updating its Index again and those same witty folks have decided that this one should be named "Austin" (I hope this is not a trend). Well, in any event, let me know what kind of changes you are seeing. I know that SEL's PageRank has jumped back up again and KeywordRanking.com has been showing 1600+ back links (up from about 190).
What Happened to
My Rankings, Baby? Andy Beal
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Search Engine Insight From Google Employees
Search Engine Watch has an article with links to publications written by Google employees. Andy Beal
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Can Google Save Silicon Valley?
Sfgate.com takes a look at the history of Silicon Valley and ask if Google can save the recently troubled "Valley". Andy Beal
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Google Upgrades Conversion Tracking for Adwords
Google has added new features to its conversion tracking tool, available to 150,000 Adwords advertisers.
The new options track impressions, clicks, leads and page views, as well as conversions. Andy Beal
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Microsoft Search Toolbar Takes On Google and Yahoo
Microsoft today launches its own search "toolbar" in an attempt to gain ground on Yahoo and Google, prior to the lauch of its own search engine technology later this year. Andy Beal
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January 23, 2004
The Brains Behind B2B Paid Search
eMarketer.com takes a look at the B2B side of contextual ads.
According to META Group, contextual advertising shows a lot of room for growth. Revenues worldwide will grow by 150% between 2003 and 2006.
What Does It Take To Get Top Google Rankings?
Interesting thread over at ihelpyouservices.com (thanks Kalena). Over 20,000, #1 ranked sites have been analyzed to determine what it takes to get to the top of Google.
Here are the findings:
For the top 10 results (single word queries)
Average number of words on a page: 893
Average number of keyword repeats on a page: 5.3
Average overall page keyword density: 2.1%
Average number of words in a title: 6.7
Average number of words in #1 Ranking site title: 5.9
Average number of keyword repeats in title: 0.8
Average title keyword density: 17.3% Andy Beal
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Google Tests Email Marketing
The WSJ discusses whether Google can successfully launch an email client.
"Google's foray is in ad-supported e-mail, not direct-marketing messages. The company plans to serve up advertisements that would ride along with e-mail dispatches sent by others. Google hopes the e-mail product will expand the scope of its cash cow: brief, targeted text ads. These types of ads have been a huge success in search-engine results, generating roughly $2 billion in revenue industrywide last year. Moreover, Google is seen as needing to bulk up its portfolio of services in order to better compete with giants Yahoo Inc. and Microsoft Corp. as it considers going public later this year.
However, the flirtation with e-mail advertising comes as the twin scourges of spam and scams may dent e-mail's effectiveness as an ad medium. For instance, e-mail's share of the overall online ad market was flat at 4% in the first half of 2003 from a year earlier, according to the latest figures available from the Interactive Advertising Bureau, even as search-based ads nearly quadrupled in share to 29%." Andy Beal
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Search Engine Vanity
The New York Times reports on the growing trend of people buying search engine rankings for keywords that match their name.
Charlene Li, an analyst with the technology consultancy Forrester Research, said that buying one's own name as a string of keywords "is a trend that definitely has legs, especially if their name carries some sort of brand weight."
Six months ago, I predicted this would become more and more popular when I coined the phrase "search engine vanity". Andy Beal
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Google Releases Orkut Social Networking Service More news on Google's launch of Orkut.
"Is this a sign that Google plans to use social networking for search?
"We have absolutely no idea. We're going to watch this and see how people react to it," said Google spokesperson David Krane."
Interestingly, while the site is free and open to the public, you cannot simply sign-up and join. You have to wait until someone within the network invites you. Currently only Google staff are members, but that will grow as friends and "friends of friends" get invited.
If you happen to get invited, you can make the claim that you "know a friend of a friend, of a friend, of a friend, who works for Google". Now won't that make your life complete? ;-)
Google Launches Friendster Style Social Network Site
Is this a taste of what's to come? Google has decided to launch a "Friendster" type service that allows you to create networks of friends. Named Orkut (after the staff member who lead its development), the social network site appears to be a sign that Google plans to diversify from its simple search offerings.
This is risky ground for Google. They became successful by concentrating purely on search, could this, and other new offerings, distract Google enough to allow Yahoo and MSN to take piece of the market? Andy Beal
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January 22, 2004
Adult Search Engine Making Waves
Ok, ok, I give in. I wasn't going to give the new adult search engine, Booble.com, the satisfaction of getting publicity. After all, no matter what the creators claim, they clearly are trying to mimic Google.
Be warned, this is an Adult search engine. Click on this link, only if you are over 18 and not shy. Andy Beal
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Could Trademark Disputes Hurt Google, Yahoo and Microsoft?
With many of the search engines generating their revenues from the sale of PPC advertising, anything that could hurt this revenue stream would be disastrous. Business Week reports on the growing trend that sees many companies asking (or suing) the search engines to protect their trademarks.
"In the U.S., some big companies have taken proactive steps to halt keyword advertising they deem to be against their brands' best interests. Dell (DELL ), eBay (EBAY ), and Hewlett-Packard (HPQ ) have all requested that Google not sell keywords against their names, and Google has complied.
If every trademarked company made its name off-limits for use as a keyword, it would mean significant potential for disruptions in the online-ad marketplace."
And with PPC advertising accounting for anywhere from 50% to 75% of Google's estimated $1 billion in 2003 revenues, any restrictions on trademarked terms could take a big bite out of those revenues. Andy Beal
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LookSmart selling Australian Assets
In case you wanted to know more about LookSmarts sale of its Australian assets, news.com.au has the lowdown. Andy Beal
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Top 10 Tips for Search Engine Marketing Larry Chase gives his top 10 tips for SEM without "freaking out". Andy Beal
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Could Microsoft Help You Remember That Web Site Address?
It seems that us Internet uses have a hard time opening up. Opening up our bookmarks that is. According to the New York Times, the practice of saving your favorite sites in a bookmark, while useful, leads to a folder of sites we had long forgotten.
We need help in organizing our favorite sites and we need help bad! Our bookmarks are becoming so crowded that most people prefer to rely on the search engines to find their favorite site again, rather than add it to our "favorites" and condem the page to a life of lost (web site) souls.
Could Microsoft have the answer?
"Software being tested at Microsoft Research takes a stab at solving that problem. Susan Dumais, a senior researcher with Microsoft who is also part of the University of Washington team, has helped develop a program called Stuff I've Seen. The software is designed to help people recall documents like e-mail messages and Web sites through a unified search interface. Keyword search results include related Web sites already visited, regardless of whether they have been bookmarked.
About 1,500 Microsoft employees are now testing versions of the software. It is not designed to be a commercial product, but its features could show up in the next release of Microsoft's operating system, code-named Longhorn and due out in late 2004 or 2005. "Many of the lessons learned from Stuff I've Seen will be incorporated into Longhorn," Dr. Dumais said." Andy Beal
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Eurekster Launches Personalized Social Search
Search Engine Watch has more in-depth coverage of Eurekster. Andy Beal
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Google Testing New Look (Again)
Thanks to WebProNews.com for capturing the screenshot below of Google testing a new look to its results. Notice the new look for Adwords and the addition of "Web" below the Google logo.
Google AdSense Sandbox Tool
Thinks of signing up for Google's Adsense and making a little money? Well before you do, check out the Google Adsense Sandbox Tool and see what ads Google might place on your web site. Simply enter your URL and see a sample of the ads that would be displayed for that page.
New Google Alert, a Competitive Intelligence Tool? Search Engine Watch has the scoop on the new GoogleAlert.com. This interesting tool uses Google's API to allow members to receive daily alerts if a particular search result changes.
Rumor has it, Bill Gates has signed up to receive an alert if the search results for "Microsoft antitrust" change. He's going to be busy! ;-) Andy Beal
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LookSmart CEO Steps Down, Company Halves Workforce
Things continue to look bad for LookSmart.
"LookSmart expects to reduce its headcount from 429 at the end of the third quarter 2003 to less than 200 by the end of the first quarter 2004," it said, adding it would give a more detailed update on its restructuring plans when it reported final fourth quarter results on February 5.
LookSmart recently sold its Australian assets to Telstra Corp.'s (TLS) Sensis unit and closed its U.K. operation. Andy Beal
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New Search Engine Using Social Networks
A new search engine is being launched that takes advantage of the same "social networking" technology used by dating sites such as Friendster.
According to dmnews.com, "Eurekster is the combined effort of social networking company RealContacts and search technology company SLI Systems. It claims to be the first search engine to use social networks, which gather information from a user's circle of friends and contacts, to improve search results." Andy Beal
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Google and Kelkoo Announce Contextual Search Ad Deal
Google has announced a deal with European shopping comparison site, Kelkoo.
Google will provide "contextual" ads to the shopping site, so that small text ads are automatically generated to match the product or service a user is looking for.
While this will obviously generate revenue for both companies, it does suggest that Google has no immediate plans to make Froogle available in Europe. Andy Beal
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January 20, 2004
Further Speculation on Google Email
What started as a rumor is now dominating the SEO news.
"By moving into email -- the Web's most-used program -- Google would open up a huge new market for its lucrative "sponsored links" advertising business that delivers ads tied to keywords in Web searches or on content pages, analysts said." Andy Beal
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January 19, 2004
Yahoo Establishes Yahoo Research Labs
If Google can have a research lab, then so too can Yahoo.
"[Yahoo Research Labs], a research organization focused on inventing new technologies and solutions relevant to strategic Yahoo! businesses. The group will pursue a portfolio of topics that include pay for performance search, web search, vertical businesses and platform technologies. The organization will be led by Yahoo!'s Head and Principal Scientist Dr. Gary William Flake, former chief science officer of Overture and founder of Overture Research. Andy Beal
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Yahoo Shares Fall After Disappointing Q4 Results
Accoding to Dow Jones Newswires:
"Yahoo Inc. (YHOO) shares fell over 4% after its fourth-quarter results, while in line with estimates, failed to satisfy Wall Street's heightened expectations.
"Clearly, they didn't release a blowout quarter," said First Albany Capital analyst Youssef Squali. "Some may see that as somewhat disappointing."
The Sunnyvale, Calif., company earned 11 cents a share in the fourth quarter, 3 cents ahead of year-earlier results and in-line with the consensus estimate. Revenue excluding traffic-acquisition costs came in at $511.3 million, slightly higher than Wall Street estimates.
Yahoo historically exceeds earnings expectations, and revenue typically beats estimates by a wider margin, Squali said.
Adding to the selling pressure is the need to money off the table after an impressive run ahead of the earnings report, the analyst said. Yahoo's stock has risen nearly 24% since mid-December, and hit a 52-week high Tuesday." Andy Beal
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Dogpile Search Engine and Dogpile Toolbar Receive High Honors from PC World
It seems that meta search engine, Dogpile is on the right track after getting "props" for its technology. Now, if they could just think of a different brand name, they might get even more respect. Andy Beal
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Froogle Optimization
Sumantra Roy offers advice for making your web site Froogle "friendly". Andy Beal
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Is Google Getting Ready to Launch Free Email Service?
The indiatimes.com is reporting that Google may have plans to launch an email service in an attempt to keep its web site "sticky". With Yahoo and MSN about to enter the search engine arena, Google may face pressure (especially from investors) to spread its reach and provide an email service that will also display search ads.
"Google last year purchased an e-mail management software maker and in 2001 registered the domain name googlemail.com.
Some in Silicon Valley also believe Google could be preparing to launch free e-mail to compete with offerings from Yahoo and MSN's Hotmail." Andy Beal
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January 15, 2004
What Yahoo Needs to do in 2004
Motley Fool analyzes the recent Yahoo results and plots the company's future.
"Yahoo! is still a marketing company, which means it is absolutely critical that it dominate search. This means a full-scale attack on Google. After all, estimates are that privately held Google could raise $4 billion in an IPO (Yahoo! has $2.5 billion in the bank)."
The Google Pharmacy Ad Controversy
According to WebProNews.com, Google hasn't quite weeded out the unlicensed online pharmacies who advertise on Adwords.
Carmen Catizone, executive director of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy said, "It's concerning to us that those ads are still appearing. That legitimzes those practices and confuses consumers. If those ads are still on their site we've got some discussions." Andy Beal
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LookSmart Gone from Microsoft's MSN Search
It looks like word is starting to spread; MSN is updating its search results to remove all traces of LookSmart. Andy Beal
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Espotting Media and Emap Strike Search and Content Deal
UK pay-per-click search engine, Espotting.com, today announced a deal to provide paid listings to the internet properties of Emap PLC, one of the UK's leading media companies, and publishers of titles including FHM, Smash Hits and New Woman. Andy Beal
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Reasons why Internet shoppers abandon their purchase
Not strictly search engine related, but important nonetheless. Escalate.ca has some interesting stats on why web site consumers might be abandoning your shopping cart. Thanks to Serge for the link. Andy Beal
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Microsoft Finally Drops LookSmart, Switches to Inktomi Exclusive: Microsoft has finally dropped LookSmart from the MSN.com search results. Until such time that they "fire-up" their own search technology, they will utilize Inktomi. Andy Beal
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Yahoo CFO Confirms Switch to Inktomi Results in Q1
According to news.com, Yahoo has confirmed that it will be switching its search results from Google and Inktomi.
"We've been hard at work with the assets that we've acquired to develop our (own) algorithmic search engine," Yahoo Chief Financial Officer Susan Decker said in a phone interview. "We'll be swapping that out in Q1." Andy Beal
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January 14, 2004
Yahoo profit jumps, fueled by Overture revenues
Yahoo (YHOO) on Wednesday posted a quarterly net profit that rose from a year ago, fueled by its acquisition of PPC search advertising provider Overture.
Yahoo had a net profit of $75 million, or 11 cents a diluted share, compared with net profit of $46.2 million, or 8 cents in the year-ago fourth quarter.
Revenue for 2003, excluding any Overture revenue it had to share with Microsoft and other partners, was $511.3 million, compared with $285.8 million a year ago. Revenues shared added about another $150 million.
Despite the results (analysts had expected revenue of $495.49 million), Yahoo's price fell after the markets closed. Andy Beal
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Who Will Pass Google?
More "can Yahoo kick Google's butt" news, this time from Wired.com. Their report suggests that Yahoo is in a very good position to pass Google.
"Indeed, when analytics firm Nielsen/NetRatings last measured search habits in March 2003, the company found that the number of unique visitors to Yahoo Search trailed Google by a mere 10 percent.
Additionally, when Nielsen/NetRatings looked at the number of unique visitors accessing major portals in November 2003, traffic on the entire Yahoo site actually outpaced that on Google's site, 86.8 million to 53.3 million."
Here in North Carolina, NASCAR has a big following. So to use an analogy from that sport; it appears that Yahoo is currently slipstreaming Google, waiting for the right moment to pass and take the lead. But with this close competitor in Google's rear-view mirror and Yahoo concentrating on passing Google, could MSN sneak past them all and race for the checkered flag? (Oh yeah, I'm filing that one away!) Andy Beal
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Mapping Out the Future of Yahoo and MSN
Mike Grehan takes a look at the recent acquisitions by Yahoo and promises to give his thoughts the fu
