Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
- Weekly Search Buzz Roundup - 12/14/07: AskEraser, Google Analytics Updates, and SphinnCon Israel
The week has been interesting. It snowed and the trees are finally bare. Google Analytics came out with new features. SphinnCon Israel is planned and you should all sign up. Google wants your story about Gmail. Ask.com launches AskEraser. Yeah, let's walk through this week in search in case you haven't been caught up. I know Stoney hasn't a clue. Holidays Chanukah came and went, but the festivities are still ongoing. The search landscape changed - Google Toolbar v5 Released, Supports Gadgets and Saving Settings Online
The Google Blog announced the newest Google Toolbar. Some of the new features include the ability to add gadgets to the toolbar, an improved AutoFill, saving settings online, and clipping content using Google Notebook. These features are highlighted in this video: Unfortunately, unless you are using Internet Explorer, Google does not have a new version of the toolbar for you. So, does anyone using IE have any positive experiences to share with the new Google - Google to Launch User Generated Knowledge Base
Similar to a Wikipedia of sorts, Google has planned on launching Project "Knol," which looks very similar to the infamous Wikipedia. Danny Sullivan has an incredible writeup on Google Knol with screenshots and a brief history of competing websites (Wikipedia, Mahalo, Squidoo, and Yahoo Answers). The Google Blog has more, and it explains that the goal is to highlight the authors (unlike other user-generated content websites that don't necessarily give much thought into the sites' - The Guardian Says the Google Florida Update Happened in 2004, Not 2003
Matt Cutts found an interesting news article on The Guardian. According to the article, the Florida update occurred in Christmas of 2004. Not so, and we have enough proof here too. First of all, one of Search Engine Roundtable's first posts ever quotes Google's VP of Engineering on the Florida update. That was in December of 2003. Additionally, we have a plethora of linked threads later in December of 2003 about the Google Florida update, - Google Displaying Exact Address Under AdWords Search Results
In my previous post I showed an example of a search for my company name. I then noticed something I have never seen before. Conduct a search on rustybrick at Google and look (but don't click) at the AdWords listing on the right hand side of the search results. Do you see an exact address that reads "Suite 305, 2 Executive Blvd, 10901"? Here is a screen capture of the ad: Google is known to - Google Ranking Domains with Keywords in Them Higher?
A WebmasterWorld thread is speculating that Google has recently shown more interest in ranking domain names that have keywords that match the searcher's query. One member explained: This could just be a regional thing, but G.ie seems to be giving a lot of weight to having the keyword in the domain. Another member is supporting the original post by adding: I've just started seeing two-keyword parked domains showing up on the first and second pages - Google Provides SEO Advice With Webmaster Tool's New "Content Analysis"
Last night Google released a new feature for Google Webmaster Tools named Content Analysis. Vanessa Fox's Search Engine Land post named Google's Webmaster Tools Adds More Diagnostic Features and Video Sitemaps is outstanding. Basically, the Content Analysis feature shows you problem areas with your sites from an on-page search engine optimization standpoint. It shows very basic issues like title tag issues, meta tags and non-indexable content issues. Here is a look at some of the - Confirmed: Google AdSense Launching "Ad Review Center"
We now have a confirmation from Google one news we reported Monday, Google AdSense to Launch "Ad Review Center". In short, the ad review center, will give publishers a method of reviewing all placement targeted ads on their site and decide if they want to block those ads or not. AdWords advertisers can specify if they want to place an ad on a site that runs AdSense. Some AdSense publishers want control on which advertisers - Google Changes "Products" Link to "Shopping" For Holidays
Google has changed the "Products" link in the main Google navigation bar from "Products" to "Shopping" last night. Here is a picture: You can see, just a couple days ago, the link said "Products." Around Thanksgiving time, Google replaced the Video links with Products, we guess in anticipation of the holidays. Maybe the word "Products" didn't give them the click through they were looking for. So now they are giving "Shopping" a try. Clicking on
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
- Is Google a Grinch or a good guy?, DigitalPoint Forums
- Future of Search: Insight from Google, Yahoo, MSN and ASK, Sphinn
- Google Earth May Solve Murder, DigitalPoint Forums
- Internal Link Spam???, SitePoint Forums
- Why Google SERPs are not numbered?, DigitalPoint Forums
- Will Google Give Up on Universal Search?, Sphinn
- Worthless Meta Tags used by SEO Companies, Sphinn
- Yahoo Pushes Content with Automatic Wordpress Plugin, DigitalPoint Forums
- Yahoo Shortcuts for WordPress (BETA), WebmasterWorld
- Relevance In Google Product Search Results, Cre8asite Forums
