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 Maps Penguins - Peguins For Street Views
Did you know that in Antartica, Google uses Peguins (aka Penguins) instead of the Pegmans used elsewhere? Here is a picture of the various rotations of the 'Peguins' used by Google Maps Street Views in Antartica: Websonic posted this at the Google Blogoscoped Forums today, and linked to an example street view (which shows Penguins hanging out). Here is an screen capture: How cute! Forum discussion at Google Blogoscoped Forums. - What Is Google's "Unknown News Site" Webmaster Tools Error?
A Google News Help thread has one news publisher saying he is receiving a news specific error in Webmaster Tools named "Unknown News Site." I couldn't figure out what it was, I didn't see it in the News-specific crawl errors dictionary provided by Google. Eventually, I spotted the answer in this help document: This error is displayed if your Sitemap is on a site that is not in the Google News database. Google News can - Bing's Former Program Manager Now Giving SEO Advice In Bing Forums
As you know, Bing is revamping their webmaster communications and thus let go most of the personalities we have grown to love in the Bing support area. One such personality was Brett Yount, former Bing's webmaster center program manager who spent a lot of his time bridging the communication between webmasters and Bing within the Bing forums. Since his departure, about 8 weeks ago, he has been silent in the forums. But yesterday he came - Google Merchant Center Scheduled Uploads Not Working Again
Those of you who are Google Merchant Center / Base merchants should be aware that the scheduled automatic uploads are currently not working. Ronald from Google posted a thread at the Google Merchant Center Help area saying: We've noticed that a few users have reported that the scheduled uploads feature is not working since the last few days. Our engineers are aware of this issue and working to resolve it. In the meantime, please upload - Google Testing Highlighting Search Results On Mouse Over Event?
A WebmasterWorld thread has one SEO noticing that Google is testing a new search results user interface. The new interface tends to highlight the background of a single search results, in a light blue, when a mouse moves over that result. Supposedly, it looks a lot like the Google page previews test, but without the magnifying glass and page preview option. So I suspect it looks like this (I mocked this up off the page - Google News Showing News Based On Twitter Friends
A week ago at Search Engine Land, I reported Google News is testing Twitter integration. Google News is experimenting with allowing some users enter their Twitter username and receive personalized news based on what their friends are reading and their friends interest. Google describes this feature as "an experimental section in the side column that helps you find news articles that your friends are sharing on Twitter." Of course, technically you can enter anyone's Twitter
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
- What Does Google Instant Censor?, Google Blogoscoped Forum
- Why and when Google might be showing just four results, Sphinn
- Daily Kos Launches Googlebomb Against GOP Candidates, Sphinn
- Google Creepy Line Policy, WebmasterWorld
- Microsoft Announces Nine Windows 7 Based Phones, WebmasterWorld
- Site performance update? All our sites improved on Sep 20, WebmasterWorld
- Doodle 4 Google Latin America, Google Blogoscoped Forum
