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:
- Many, Many Google Users Get "We're Sorry" Page
Over the weekend, I saw dozens of threads and posts in the Google Web Search help forum with complaints that these users have been getting "We're Sorry" pages from Google. Here is an example of what that page may look like: The last time there was a wide spread issue with this was in February of this year. But this time, it is also impacting iGoogle, Blogger and not just Google search results pages. Here - Google AdSense Bug Prevents Changing Channel Names
A bug that has been an issue for over two weeks now, is still an issue. The bug, first reported at Google AdSense Help forums explains that when some publishers try to change an existing channel, it simply does not work. The bug has been confirmed to be an issue in both Internet Explorer and Firefox. The bug was first reported on July 26th and acknowledged by AdSensePro Jennifer two days later, where Jennifer said: - Bartz Gets A Lesson On Yahoo: Yes, Yahoo Was A Search Company
The Microsoft & Yahoo deal has been perceived as a very poor deal for Yahoo and has made Yahoo's new CEO, Carol Bartz, look extremely bad on Wall Street and in our community here. There is no doubt that Yahoo has given up on search, no one would argue with that - no one. But recently, Yahoo's new CEO came out and said, Yahoo has never been a search company. Oh boy did that get - Google Blocking Word "Google" In WebmasterWorld's Sitelinks?
A WebmasterWorld thread pointed out a very interesting observation in Google. A search for WebmasterWorld in Google shows Sitelinks for the site. But one of those Sitelinks seem to be cut off, the one with the "Google" in front of it. The "Search News" Sitelink, is actually the "Google Search News" forum at WebmasterWorld. Why is Google shortening the link, and removing "Google" from it, when this forum is specifically about Google related search news, - Bing Classifies Cloaking Detection as "Single Word Query" Issue
Last week, we reported on what appears to be more cloaking tests by Bing, where referrer data for websites are being spammed (by Microsoft) with fake data. There have been more and more complaints about this in the Bing forums. A new thread sprung up in the Bing Forums where Brett Yount, program manager for Bing, said: We are rolling out a new spider, so it is possible that might be causing your activity increase. - Google AdSense "Hide These Ads" Feature?
There is a WebmasterWorld thread asking why do some Google AdSense ads have a link near them that read "Hide These Ads." When you click on the link, the ads disappear and then a link changes to "Show Ads." I took me a bit of time to track down sites that do this, but it wasn't that hard. A couple searches and I found many sites that do this. One example is wikihow.com, which has - Video Recap of Weekly Search Buzz :: August 7, 2009
We have your Google webmaster report for August. Also, Bing updated and still is testing for cloaking and is crawling like a mad man. Google pushed the AdWords ads closer to the free listings. Google changes the "more results" link. AdSense sent out multiple checks to publishers. AdSense added category filter features. Google is forcing AdWords users to use new beta. Google Local Business Center is not updating. Google's reconsideration request form doesn't work on
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
- Title tag not showing up correctly (only in Google), Google Webmaster Help
- 5 Crucial SEO Tips For the New Binghoo (Microsoft Bing Overtakes Yahoo Search), Sphinn
- Google Boilerplate Patent and Page Title Keyword Repetition, WebmasterWorld
- I’M TELLING! (or reporting your SEO competitors), Sphinn
- New Google Chrome Beta, WebmasterWorld
- Re-finding Search Behaviour, Cre8asite Forums
- Does Google Know What Websites You Own, Sphinn
- Microsoft's Razorfish To Be Acquired By Publicis For $530 Million, WebmasterWorld
