Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
- Google Reader Bug Doesn't Let You See All Friends' Shared Items
Numerous reports at Google Groups from several users of Google Reader say that they are unable to manage their friends who maintain a googlemail.com account. To be specific, one member says the following: I'm having the exact same problem - I have @gmail.com address, she has a @googlemail.com. She can see my shared items on her reader, but I can't find her name among my reader friends. This is indeed a bug for the time - How Can I Lower My Google Rankings? Keyword Stuff, Link Spam & Hide Content
This morning, I wrote a parody post on what you shouldn't do when you ask for a link. Now let's take it a step further. Another WebmasterWorld thread asks how you can screw up your rankings and bring your site from page 1 to page 5. If you really wanted to know, here's what you can do as suggested by others: Hidden stuffed keyword text Use reciprocal linking to all sites that link to you - Australian Company Sues Google for Defamation
According to The Age, an Australian company is suing Google because an individual posted content that defames two real estate agents. The article states that Google was asked to remove the defamatory remarks, but it was not done. However, Google Australia claims that they cannot make any removals and that it is Google Inc. who is ultimately responsible. A hearing is scheduled for next month. For what it's worth, if you search for the names - How You Shouldn't Ask for a Link
Many people need links. It's what you do to gain favor in Google's eyes and get ranked higher. I get hundreds (?) of link requests every day. Most (all?) of them are completely junk. A WebmasterWorld thread goes into these junk requests in detail. These are user-contributed suggestions on how you shouldn't do when you ask for a link: Don't mention anything nice about the person's site you are writing to. Keep the focus only - Google's "Making the Most of Your Content: A Publisher's Guide to the Web"
Search Engine Watch Moderator, Beu, posted a Search Engine Watch Forums thread noting that Google has published a PDF document named Making the Most of Your Content: A Publisher's Guide to the Web. The PDF document is a printable 13 page booklet that goes through some of the basics of SEO. The index includes: IntroductionA brief overview of web searchWhat’s new in Google web search?Can Google ï¬ nd your site?Can Google index your site?Controlling what - Does Google Prevent Some Sites from Displaying Fresh Content?
A Sphinn thread has interesting discussion that asks if there is such a thing as a "fresh content penalty." Is there such a thing as Google preventing some sites from being indexed quickly and showing up in the Google results quickly? Several months ago, Google began indexing and ranking content in Google within minutes of that content being produced. In fact, Google confirmed that it was happening and was rightfully proud. Here is a sample - Is Yahoo Now Merging with AOL After Rejecting Microsoft's Offer?
Tamar reported a couple weeks ago that Microsoft put a bid in for Yahoo. We learned over the weekend that Yahoo would reject the offer and they would possibly partner with AOL to prevent a hostile take over by Microsoft. What does this all mean for search marketers? Right now, I wouldn't even speculate. There are just way too many variables right now. To start making guesses as to which way Yahoo might go? If - Yahoo Search Marketing Adds "Sign in Seal" Option To Login Page
There has been more and more reports of advertisers getting their AdWords and Yahoo Search Marketing accounts hijacked. One way of this happening is by submitting your username and password on a site that looks like it is run by Yahoo or Google but in reality, is not run by Google or Yahoo. In order to help prevent these phishing attempts from fooling you, Yahoo has decided to implement the option of using a "Sign
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
- Competitive Analysis for SEO, Sphinn
- Google vs Links sales: the worst is yet to come, Sphinn
- How to Determine the Effectiveness of Your Internal Link Structure, Sphinn
- What an SEO weekend looks like, Sphinn
- DazzlinDonna: 263 SEO Interviews!, Sphinn
- FYI: GDirections now on a quota system, Google Groups
- Java Client AdWords API Library Updated, Google Groups
- Rand Fishkin On The Oprah Show! (really!), Cre8asite Forums
- Why there's no Google!Sports?, DigitalPoint Forums
- Y! Live or Yahoo! Live: Better than MSN Live?, Search Engine Watch Forums
