Yeah, I know. It's not "weekly" because I didn't post last week due to the holiday. Next week and the following week, two more holidays will keep Barry and me offline on Fridays so we'll see a big recap (from me) in three weeks from today.
Now for the big news for the last two weeks...
Google, Yahoo September '07 Update
Forum members reported that a September 2007 Yahoo Update may be underway since rankings are fluctuating. Has anything changed for you or have things returned to the norm?
And by the way, what's with Google's update and the spam from China within the search results?
Google is Testing Grouped Results, Search Suggestions
Some people have seen a brand new Google SERP: one that includes Google grouping results that fit in a category together while pushing the more diverse results to the second page. They are also testing out a variation on Search Suggestions for URLs. I haven't seen either of these but they sound interesting. Will it work?
Google Webmaster Tools Gets Landing Page, Internal Page Facelift
Google Webmaster Tools has been busy lately. They changed the landing page and then they changed the interface. Things are getting... different.
By the way, if you leave the Google Webmaster Tools team, you could be worth $30 million. My next stop: Google. Then I will sell my soul to a venture capitalist. But I up my ante to $50 million. New York is more expensive than Seattle, you know. (Sergey and Larry, can I get a handout?!)
We're cooler than Philipp
Nathan Weinberg didn't think so, even though we broke the story, so I am just making that clear. :) Google has an AdWords Chat with a Specialist feature, and it's fast. Better than email if you're looking for a quick solution.
Microsoft in Hebrew means "Microsoft"
Microsoft has launched a translation tool for foreign languages. I don't really run into the need to translate words very often but would love feedback on how this is doing.
Google Time is Back!
Once, there was time. Then, time was dropped. It's back, my friends, as Barry reports that Google has the time again. Whew!
Google Mobile Ads Return, Gadget Ads Surface
With iPhones and more widespread mobile web surfing, it's no surprise that Google is launching mobile ads yet again. A beautiful AdSense for Mobile screenshot tour has been compiled by Barry, and if you're looking to advertise on the mobile market, hop on.
Google also announced gadget ads that are more interactive. Some advertisers are ecstatic, but users aren't as enthusiastic. I would find Flash games fun though, especially if they show up on sites that I visit for work related purposes so that it actually looks like I'm working.
A Cleaner Google
Google is trying to remove RSS links from the search results. I found that highly annoying so all I have to say is "Huzzah!" (Actually, I was thinking about saying "score," but then I thought about my BFF Lisa and realized that she'd like it if I honor her in my recap.)
A Dirtier Google
Okay, no, this isn't a dirtier Google, but Google is concerned that traffic exchange programs are bad. Therefore, yes, BlogRush may be bad for the health as indicated by the Google AdSense team. It's also incredibly overrated. Get rid of it!
PageRank Update? Stop Asking!
There is no forthcoming PageRank update, according to Matt Cutts. This begs the question: will my SearchStatus Firefox extension be rendered obsolete? Time will only tell (but hurry it up, dammit!) And yes, if you're still wondering, the lack of Google PageRank in Google Webmaster Tools may really mean something. Who knows. I want to find out though (again, hurry up!)
Yahoo! Overture RIP
The Yahoo! Overture tool is dead, according to reports and yours truly. Thanks to Jon West for spotting this before we did. We were offline, after all. ;)
Yahoo Mash Born
With every end comes another new beginning. So Overture died. But in its place we see the emergence of Yahoo! Mash, a social network for keyword research people. Okay, so they're not at all related. But still, Yahoo! Mash looks kind of neat. However, it's really like another Facebook. The best part is when I get to kill people's mash pets.
Yahoo Widget Badges
Yahoo has also come out with widget badges that give you more functionality for your website. Some will show real time traffic, others will show weather, and others are just purely for fun.
Save the Date: September 26 for MSN 2.0
It's only 5 days away, my friends: MSN 2.0 will debut with personalized results, social networking, and more. We're already seeing the beginning. Can't wait.
Rob Kerry is My Boss
I quit RustyBrick and now Rob is my new boss.
Okay, I'm kidding.
As a mod at Sphinn, however, Rob Kerry is somewhat my boss... he has left Search Engine Watch Forums and gone to Sphinn to take over. I'm not sure how good I feel about having an evil green monkey as a superior.
Holidays and Themes
We celebrated Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, last week, which is why there was no Roundup last week. Then, we talked like pirates (well, I didn't, but maybe you did) for International Talk Like a Pirate Day. A few other holidays are forthcoming: Yom Kippur (tonight!), Succot, Shmini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah. That's why you won't see a lot of me in the upcoming days. I hope you're enjoying the fun look to Search Engine Roundtable.
By the way, here's a heads up on the theme for Yom Kippur:
Cool stuff. :)
