Online Marketing Blog

Threadwatch has keenly pointed out that it looks like Google is now sending out “You’re Banned for 30 Days” notices to sites that are deemed to have certain levels of quality content, but that violate aspects of Google’s guidelines. Via Search Engine Forums

Example slightly edited of specific names:

From: Google Search Quality DO NOT REPLY
Date: 8 September 2005 23:10:04 BDT
To: admin@domainname.com, technical@domainname.com, webmaster@domainname.com
Cc: hostingcompany@domainname.com

Subject: Removal from Google’s Index

Dear site owner or webmaster of [url removed],

While we were indexing your webpages, we detected that some of your pages were using techniques that were outside our quality guidelines, which can be found here: [link] In order to preserve the quality of our search engine, we have temporarily removed some webpages from our search results. Currently pages from [url removed] are scheduled to be removed for at least 30 days.

Search Science blog has posted an interesting paper by Andrew Hogue of Google and David Karger of MIT discussing Thresher, a system that relies on end users to assign meaning of information on web pages rather than relying solely on the information presented by the publisher.

“By allowing end-users to create, modify, and utilize their own patterns, we hope to speed adoption and use of the Semantic Web and its applications.?Ǭî

I think the search industry will see more and more implementations of end user generated relevance for search results overlaid with current ranking methods. Since it’s not practical for search engines to rate and review every url in their index, end user ratings are really the only way to add the human touch. Although Google is doing some interesting things with Jeteye search engine is a good example of end user input used to determine relevancy.

Yahoo has launched a new search feature called Instant Search.

As you enter a query, a balloon will appear with what Yahoo thinks is the best search result. This is similar to the “I’m feeling lucky” feature from Google except you get to preview the suggested site before going there. Note the comment on the Yahoo Instant Search page, “Why feel lucky when you can be right?”.

The tool is powered by Ajax and works with the most popular queries, not all. If a balloon does not appear, then you just click the search the web button. Via Yahoo Search Blog

Danny Sullivan at Search Engine Watch has a good breakdown as does Charlene Li.

You can find out about other new search innovations from Yahoo on the Yahoo Next page, which conveniently has a RSS feed.

Truveo has launched a new video search engine

Yahoo is upgrading email system – join the beta

AOL to offer a Podcasting Search Engine in conjunction with PodScope

Marketing Sherpa offers Top 3 Trends in Search Marketing for 2006 (pdf)

Pay-Per-Call Cranks Up according to eMarketer

SEMPO (Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization) is offering another free webinar on search marketing next week. The topic is, “Search Engine Marketing: It’s Not Just Paid Search! – Part One”

When: Wednesday, September 21
Time: 12 PM EST (9 AM PST)
Where: Online web conference
How: Register online
Registration Deadline: Friday, September 16
Cost: Free
Who referred you? Lee Odden!

This basic session will be the first in a two-part series on the value of Organic Search, aka “Natural Search.” The first session will focus on the benefits of starting a natural search program as well as things to consider before launching. The second segment will focus more on integrating it as a long-term process in your organization.

To register, visit http://www.sempo.org/webinars.php

With all the frustration over performance issues with Technorati and relevance in results from some of the other blog search engines, Google Blog Search is a much anticipated feature. You can get to Google’s Blog Search from Google or Blogger: google.com/blogsearch or search.blogger.com

Lots of coverage on this already today:
John Battelle (last night)
Search Engine Watch
Inside Google
Ask Dave Taylor - has inside info that Yahoo blog search is coming soon

Recently MSN started supporting search operators (feed: and hasfeed:) that allow you to search for feeds or web sites that include feeds. (details from Robin Good) You can also search for blogs using MSN’s Start.com.

Tags: Google, Google Blog Search, blog search engine

Marketing Sherpa has just released a new version of the Search Marketing Benchmark Guide.

This report is 100% newly researched including all new self-reported data from 3,271 marketers. Over 210 charts and tables are included plus 7 color eye-tracking heatmaps.

There’s a tremendous amount of useful data so you can compare your campaigns to the “norm” based on:

• Cost per click
• Average click rate
• Conversion rates
• How much marketers really budget for search
• Optimization vs PPC results

One area I am particularly interested in is in regard to how SEO (search engine optimization) results & costs compare to Pay per Click search ad results & costs (ie: Google ad words). Especially in light of the iProspect and JupiterResearch study showing that three times more marketers see a higher ROI from SEO than SEM.

Nathan Enns of FyberSearch has launched his new Search Industry Blog covering news in the search engine industry. Other services offered by FyberSearch include:

• RSS Feed and Blog Search Engine
• Tutorial Search Engine
• Sentence Search Engine

There are many things to like about FyberSearch, but one feature Nathan has implemented that would be nice for Google, Yahoo and MSN to add is an “URL inclusion status” check. There’s also free site search tool you can place on your own site.

Blog post titles can be fun. This post isn’t as much about algorithmic SEO versus content SEO as it is about a balance. ClickZ posted an interesting article recently on algorithm chasing from the last Search Engine Strategies conference that distinguishes the difference between algorithmic search engine optimization and content based optimization.

The message was that paying too much attention to the latest algorithm change or relying on “holes” in search engine algorithms may only yield short term results. And that an emphasis on content provides the best long term results.

eBay to buy Skype for $4 billion – Free web calls to boost online auctions

GoFish Technologies launches Web and Multimedia Search Engine

Marketing Sherpa Case Study – Using a Podcast and Whitepaper for lead generation

Completely Redesigned WebPosition 4 Released

John Jantsch offers a free teleseminar “Seven Steps To Creating the Ultimate Small Business Marketing System.” Sept. 21st

Review at Business Week of John Battelle’s new book: THE SEARCH – How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture

MSN Offers New APIs – Search Engine Journal

Also, I noticed that Andrew Goodman’s updated version of his Google AdWords book has finally been published.

I was perusing Technorati backlinks as I am prone to due while the mind is still numb on an early Saturday morning, and noticed that Jim Boykin, CEO of WeBuildPages has started a SEO blog. Jim runs a top notch SEO company and is very talented at search engine optimization himself.

I finally got the chance to meet Jim at Search Engine Strategies in San Jose and it was great chatting about SEO with someone who has been at it as long as he has.

I wonder of the Seth Godin ebook, “Who’s Where РSeth Godwin’s guide to blogs and the new web” he mentions on his second post had anything to do with starting a blog? It might have helped that one of his key people, Todd Mailcoat (Stuntdubl) has created an excellent blog himself.

Matt Cutts clarifies what SEOs are calling the “Gilligan” update that’s been happening with Google over the past few days on his blog.

What shows as Page Rank and back links now, is data that has already been factored into current rankings. He clarifies that a real update is when Google makes algorithm changes.

“Technically Update Gilligan is just backlink/PageRank data becoming visible once more, not a real update. There haven‚Äôt been any substantial algorithmic changes in our scoring in the last few days.”

Even with commentary like this from Google, lots of people will still spend lots of time analyzing every little change with Google. Just as fun as looking for Bigfoot, Elvis and Aliens from outer space. Or not.

Tags: Google, Google Update, Gilligan, Matt Cutts