Search Engine Watch Blog Items

Updated postings on the Search Engine Watch Blog. Includes stories that have run in Search Engine Watch with references to stories from across the web.

Please note that all of these links lead to outside sites and we are not responsible for the content located on them.

The 4 Ps of Search Engine Optimization
Thursday, September 22, 2011

If there is any one reality to SEO, it?s that there are winners and losers. There are certain qualities that are necessary for any winning SEO strategy that can be broken down into the 4 Ps of SEO: proactive, persistence, perseverance, and p...

Rock the Vote: A Petition to Bring Back Google Sets
Thursday, September 22, 2011

Google has conducted some major triage on a number of its experimental Google Labs products in recent weeks. One cut in particular really pained me: "Google Sets, one of the first applications in Google Labs, allowed you to automatically create se...

What Might Google+ Improvements Mean for Marketers?
Thursday, September 22, 2011

It?s been about 90 days since the Google+ project began and the proud parents of the bundle of joy are still oooh-ing and awww-ing over their 3-month-old. The site has seen more than 100 improvements, the most recent of which rolle...

Foursquare Hits 1 Billion Check-Ins
Thursday, September 22, 2011

Foursquare hit the truly impressive 1 billion mark for check-ins this week. The continuous surge in the service?s popularity combines with recent business options to make Foursquare a powerful marketing opportunity. To celebrate, Four...

Mobile Landing Page Quality Now Affects AdWords Quality Score On Mobile Ads
Thursday, September 22, 2011

Google wants you to get your website optimized for mobile users and they?ve just introduced an incentive for you to do so. Today, after Google?s afternoon webinar  ?From Why to How? on mobile optimization, they announc...

Mark Zuckerberg Now Richer Than Larry Page & Sergey Brin on Forbes 400
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg rocketed past Google CEO Larry Page and co-founder Sergey Brin on the 2011 installment of the Forbes 400, the 30th installment of Forbes? annual list of the richest Americans. Here's a quick rundown of the riches...

Google +1 Button Coming to Web, Mobile Display Ads
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Google Display Network advertisers will soon see the Google +1 button added to their web and mobile display ads. User photos and recommendations will now appear on the ads themselves; we?ve seen them on search results since earlier this summ...

Google+: Huddles Renamed; New Mobile Features; Loyal Apps Users Unhappy
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

As Google+ moves into open beta and anyone can join the network, a slew of new features are rolling out, with Google and Facebook fighting it out to dominate the social media space. A round-up of the most recent changes: Users no longer...

FTC Investigating if Google Jacked Up AdWords Rates on Microsoft
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

As Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt prepares to testify before the U.S. Senate today, new details are out about the Federal Trade Commission?s investigation. Microsoft alleges that Google has illegally inflated advertising rates f...

Suggest a Session to Win a Free Trip to SES Chicago 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

If you?re interested in attending the Leading Search & Social Marketing Event, then let me give you a heads up on a way to win a trip to SES Chicago 2011. The SES Events Team is always looking to make sure that it is helping attendees le...

'The Power of Google' Senate Hearing is Must Watch TV Today
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

People should be watching the Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights hearing on "The Power of Google: Serving Consumers or Threatening Competition?" today. Executive Chairman and former CEO Eric Schmidt will testi...

Is Google's AdWords Express Right For You?
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Small business owners regularly wear a variety of hats and over the years many have tossed one of these into the pay-per-click (PPC) arena in an attempt to compete online. It used to be that with a little bit of effort and a basic understanding ...

ICANN, But Will You? (or: Brother, Can You Spare $185,000?)
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

What?s the top-level domain (TLD) of your website? If you?re a big brand, more likely than not it?s .com; if you?re a nonprofit, it?s probably .org; if it?s a more generic domain name, perhaps you?ve got t...

Google+ Adds Search, Google Invites Everyone to Join
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Google?s social network is leaving their field trial and entering an open beta: nearly anybody can now register. Along with the public release, Google announced the addition of search features to Google+. Plus is Public, Searchable Anyon...

Google+ Hangouts Gets Mobile, Broadcasts & More New Features
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Google+ Hangouts is getting new features, including the option to video chat from your mobile phone, make a public hangout into a broadcast, name a hangout, share a screen, do a group doodle, create Google Docs, and access the Hangouts API. The ...

Why Fans Are Unfollowing Your Brand on Facebook & How to Stop Them
Tuesday, September 20, 2011

A few different studies released this week offer important insights into Facebook user behavior; specifically, why do people unlike business pages and how can we, as marketers, better communicate the company?s brand message? DDB Paris and ...

Facebook f8: Get Ready for Massive Changes to Profiles, Pages
Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Facebook has been changing rapidly since the launch of Google+, so it?s no surprise that a profile redesign is said to be coming out of the f8 developer conference this week. Mashable credits anonymous sources with the news that this re...

Facebook Offers Small Businesses $50 in Advertising Credits
Tuesday, September 20, 2011

At Facebook, former Googler Sheryl Sandberg is aiming to reach out to small businesses. Her plan for Facebook includes giving small business owners an advertising credit to try out Facebook advertising. Sanberg?s Ambitious Plans In a ...

Google Launches Wallet, Impact Still Limited
Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Google?s near field communications payment system, Google Wallet, has officially launched. While Google?s compatible devices and available payment options remain limited, Google has indicated that more options are on their way. The L...

How to Help SEO Customers Who Aren?t Always Right
Tuesday, September 20, 2011

All too often SEO professionals end up meeting with people who don?t understand the industry but have been told to get an agency on board. It can be a challenge to pitch the explanation at the right level ? informing without alienating...