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:
- Flickr Now Supports Video
Flickr has announced that it is supporting video in addition to the standard digital photograph or image. Videos are limited to 90 seconds in length and 150MB in size and will still inherit other Flickr features, including geotagging, comments, captions, and privacy restrictions. Want to see it in action? Here's a video that Barry took: The biggest gripe for many people is the 90 second restriction. Personally, since I'm not too keen on video, the - Yahoo to Acquire IndexTools Web Analytics
Yesterday, we learned that Yahoo will be acquiring analytics package IndexTools. Forum members overall think it's an interesting move. While some gripe about past customer service issues with the analytics company, others have had better experience. They hope that the acquisition will improve things for everyone. Why now? Yahoo is going to continue to improve their offerings. You can't really blame them. Maybe IndexTools will be available for free in the future. ;) Forum discussion - Google Recommends robots.txt Sitemap Submission During Glitch
Webmasters at Google Groups are reporting that some verified sites' sitemap URLs are not being accepted by Google Webmaster Tools. The error some webmasters are receiving is: "URL not allowed - This url is not allowed for a Sitemap at this location." Susan Moskwa of the Google Webmaster Central team says that this is a problem that exists for those who have numerous domains in their accounts. The alternative way is to specify the Sitemap - Save the Date: SphinnCon North Carolina - May 2, 2008
After Barry's incredibly successful SphinnCon Israel in February, the SphinnCon series is continuing with a get-together in North Carolina on May 2nd. If you're in the area or want to attend, here are the details: Date: May 2nd, starting at 10AM Location: Kress Terrace (Greensboro, NC) Cost: $150 which includes a really good lunch Hotel Accommodations: Special arrangements have been made with the nearby Proximity Hotel for $169/night. Number of tickets: 150. So sign up - Google AdSense Create New Ad Bug
There are 10 threads at Google Groups about a bug that appears to be impacting many Google AdSense publishers. In short, when you go through the process of creating a new ad unit, you are taken backwards instead of to the ad code page. When publishers click the "submit and get code" button, instead of being sent to the code page, where they can obtain the code for their site, they are sent back to - Yahoo Messing With Microsoft, Google, AOL & Shareholders or Messing With Themselves?
The saga continues with a very unusual night for Yahoo yesterday. Let me catch everyone up with what happened yesterday. Follow the timeline, all reports are linked via Search Engine Land (times are estimates and EST): 15:00 (EST) - Confirmed: Yahoo To Test Google AdSense For Search Ads, has confirmed reports from Yahoo that they will be testing Google's ad on Yahoo.com search results in the US for a 2 week period.16:00 (EST) - Microsoft: - Google Search Mixing Up URLs & Page Titles?
There are reports from several sources including WebmasterWorld that Google is having a tough time mapping the proper URLs with the associated page titles for those URLs. One report says that Google is treating searches for portal A on a subdirectory of a governmental site all wrong. So a search for a keyword that would trigger a result from portal A on subdirectory A, would in fact return a result from subdirectory B, with a - New Link Building Strategy: "Link Unbuilding"
I was doing my forum research this morning and I spotted a HighRankings Forum thread with the title "Link Unbuilding." I love it! The new link building, for some, is link unbuilding! Here is the SEO's concern and this concern is pretty common in the SEO circles: Over the past few days Google has been reporting a phenomenal increase in the number of links to my index page. While there are a few genunine new - Is Google AdWords Really Enforcing The URL Policy? No!
Since mid-February we have been reporting that Google to Lay Down the Law on AdWords Display URL Policy. We have issued reminder after reminder, heck, even Google posted reminders all over the place - sometimes in big red backgrounds: But it appears, from what I am hearing in the forums and from back channels, that Google has not yet enforced this rule. Advertisers are reportedly still getting away with having their display URLs not match - Subscribe To Our New Video Podcast: Hosted By Barry Schwartz
Over the past several weeks, I have been experimenting with producing weekly video recaps. You can view those recaps in the Search Buzz Roundup category. The main issue was that many folks were not able to sit and watch the 10 minute or less video while at their computers. They asked if I can make a podcast version that they can download and listen/watch later on their computers, iPod or iPhone. So after a week
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
- AdWords system maintenance on Saturday April 12th, Google Groups
- IE won't open my AdWords site, Google Groups
- New advanced search options in your Google Docs list, Google Groups
