Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Latest search engine traffic rankings reviewed
The latest search engine traffic has been released by comScore for January 2010 U.S. Search Engine Rankings
In January 2010, Americans conducted 15.2 billion core searches, with Google Sites accounting for 65.4 percent search market share. Microsoft Sites grabbed 11.3 percent market share, up 0.6 percentage points versus December.
January 2010 U.S. Core Search Rankings
Google Sites led the U.S. core search market in January with 65.4 percent of the searches conducted, followed by Yahoo! Sites (17.0 percent), and Microsoft Sites (11.3 percent). Ask Network captured 3.8 percent of the search market, followed by AOL LLC with 2.5 percent.
| comScore Core Search Report* January 2010 vs. December 2009 Total U.S. – Home/Work/University Locations Source: comScore qSearch | |||
| Core Search Entity | Share of Searches (%) | ||
| Dec-09 | Jan-10 | Point Change Jan-10 vs. Dec-09 | |
| Total Core Search | 100.0% | 100.% | N/A |
| Google Sites | 65.7% | 65.4% | -0.3 |
| Yahoo! Sites | 17.3% | 17.0% | -0.3 |
| Microsoft Sites | 10.7% | 11.3% | 0.6 |
| Ask Network | 3.7% | 3.8% | 0.1 |
| AOL LLC Network | 2.6% | 2.5% | -0.1 |
* Based on the five major search engines including partner searches and cross-channel searches. Searches for mapping, local directory, and user-generated video sites that are not on the core domain of the five search engines are not included in the core search numbers.
Americans conducted 15.2 billion searches in January, up 3 percent from December. Google Sites accounted for 9.9 billion searches, followed by Yahoo! Sites (2.6 billion), Microsoft Sites (1.7 billion), Ask Network (574 million) and AOL LLC (375 million).
| comScore Core Search Report* January 2010 vs. December 2009 Total U.S. – Home/Work/University Locations Source: comScore qSearch | |||
| Core Search Entity | Search Queries (MM) | ||
| Dec-09 | Jan-10 | Percent Change Jan-10 vs. Dec-09 | |
| Total Core Search | 14,737 | 15,167 | 3% |
| Google Sites | 9,688 | 9,920 | 2% |
| Yahoo! Sites | 2,544 | 2,583 | 2% |
| Microsoft Sites | 1,576 | 1,715 | 9% |
| Ask Network | 545 | 574 | 5% |
| AOL LLC | 383 | 375 | -2% |
* Based on the five major search engines including partner searches and cross-channel searches. Searches for mapping, local directory, and user-generated video sites that are not on the core domain of the five search engines are not included in the core search numbers.
January 2010 U.S. Expanded Search Rankings
In the January analysis of the top properties where search activity is observed, Google Sites led the search market with more than 14 billion search queries, followed by Yahoo! Sites with 2.7 billion queries and Microsoft Sites with 1.8 billion searches. Bing experienced large growth during the month with an 11-percent increase in query volume to reach more than 1.5 billion searches. Craigslist jumped one position to #6 with 636 million searches, while Facebook grew to 395 million searches, representing a 13-percent increase from the previous month.
| comScore Expanded Search Query Report January 2010 vs. December 2009 Total U.S. – Home/Work/University Locations Source: comScore qSearch | |||
| Expanded Search Entity | Search Queries (MM) | ||
| Dec-09 | Jan-10 | Percent Change Jan-10 vs. Dec-09 | |
| Total Internet | 22,741 | 23,163 | 2% |
| Google Sites | 14,019 | 14,045 | 0% |
| 10,101 | 10,378 | 3% | |
| YouTube/All Other | 3,918 | 3,667 | -6% |
| Yahoo! Sites | 2,629 | 2,670 | 2% |
| Yahoo! | 2,605 | 2,647 | 2% |
| All Other | 24 | 23 | -4% |
| Microsoft Sites | 1,620 | 1,772 | 9% |
| Bing | 1,399 | 1,549 | 11% |
| Microsoft/All Other | 221 | 223 | 1% |
| Ask Network | 696 | 736 | 6% |
| ASK.COM | 332 | 336 | 1% |
| MyWebSearch.com/ All Other | 364 | 400 | 10% |
| eBay | 680 | 659 | -3% |
| craigslist, inc. | 583 | 636 | 9% |
| AOL LLC | 588 | 576 | -2% |
| AOL Search Network | 325 | 317 | -2% |
| MapQuest/All Other | 263 | 259 | -2% |
| Fox Interactive Media | 424 | 403 | -5% |
| MySpace Sites | 416 | 398 | -4% |
| All Other | 8 | 5 | -38% |
| Facebook.com | 351 | 395 | 13% |
| Amazon Sites | 302 | 238 | -21% |
The key points are that Facebook traffic is still growing with the other largest moves being a surpring drop of traffic to YouTube- down 3% and the amazon group of sites which may be showing the post Christmas blues as they suffered a 21% fall.
Labels: Facebook, Google, search engine marketing, search engines, Yahoo, YouTube
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Tuesday, March 09, 2010
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Thursday, March 4, 2010
Google search engine optimisation requirements official review
Dr Search's post yesterday in Google's own official search engine optimisation requirements exposed highlighted Google's own internal research into it's website.
Today I'm examining in greater depth the results of that reserach.
The first observation from the 49 page pdf is that metatags in the form of both the titles and descriptions are key search engine optimisation elements.
The heartening point is that Google admits that roughly 90% of it's own pages could do with improvements in these respects.
Nearly a third of it's pages need headings improvements.
Even it's internal text links- a key algorithmic element of Brin and Page's mathematical calculations, need improvements in a third of it's own pages.
Conversely only a third of it's pictures and logos have correct links.
For the full Google report card, please see: http://www.searchclinic.org/google-seo-report-card.pdf
It is 1.64 Mb in size and in PDF format.
Dr Search at the Search Clinic openly lives by the adage- "Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day, give a man a fishing rod and you will feed him for life."
Yes you can learn and do your own search engine optimisation- but would you rather spend time doing what you do best- building your business or on improving your website?
Labels: Dr Search, Google, search engine marketing, Search Engine Optimisation, search engines
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Thursday, March 04, 2010
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Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Yahoo- 15 years old today
Dr Search the Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic says Happy 15th Birthday Yahoo! and reproduces this message from their founders.
We want to share our pride, gratitude and excitement on this 15th birthday, with all Yahoo! users (600 million of them), customers and partners. It continues to be an incredible ride for the two of us, as well as for thousands of Yahoo! employees we have had the privilege of working with over the years.
We’ve had the unique opportunity to help create an industry and shape the online world, and will continue to focus on the values that brought us here —working hard, having fun, being passionate about your ideas, believing in each other, and always trying to invent the future. And as we celebrate 15 years today, we are even more excited than ever about what lies ahead, and the potential of Yahoo! and the Internet.
Of course, we didn’t set out to start one of the world’s largest Internet companies or be leading a movement that has changed the world. We were just a couple of Stanford graduate students doing our research (supposedly) while our professor was on sabbatical.
More interesting than our research was our total fascination with the web and all the cool stuff it suddenly made available. But it was incredibly hard to keep track of the thousands of great websites sprouting up everywhere. We thought it would be fun to catalog the sites by developing a simple directory. So all this began with nothing more than a hobby to help other early Internet users.
Amazing things happen when we’re doing what’s fun.
We soon learned a huge lesson just as relevant today as then: change and growth on the Internet happen at warp speed—especially if you’re filling a need. With the proliferation of websites and with hundreds of thousands of people accessing our guide, it was simply impossible for us to continue doing this on our own.
Taking big steps takes belief in yourself—and in others.
After many late nights and a lot of pizza, we decided to take the big leap, turn our hobby into a business, raise money and devote ourselves totally to building a company. This was no sure thing. For example, 15 years ago, we wanted a free service that was ad-supported.
But the conventional wisdom was that our business needed to be subscription-based. Few people thought that advertising could be the key revenue generator for the Internet. Of course, the conventional wisdom was wrong and so today we know that August, 1995, the month our first ad went live, was a critical milestone in the history of Yahoo!, as well as the history of the internet.
Focus on the future: it still looks phenomenal.
Internet growth continues to be simply phenomenal, and we’re nowhere near done. Fifteen years ago, there were 18,000 web sites and fewer than 10 million people globally on the Internet—less than one third of a single percent of the world’s population at the time. Today there are more than 200 million websites with 90,000 created daily. There are estimated to be 1.6 billion people on the internet today—about 25 percent of the world’s population.
These numbers are astonishing, but even more important and more exciting is the impact that the Internet is having on so many people around the world. From socio-economic opportunities to more accessible health care to educating the next generation and beyond, the Internet has changed the way we live, work and learn. It has overcome geographic and political barriers and has made it possible for people to raise their voices as they seek greater economic opportunity and freedom. And Yahoo! has been a leader in enabling these tremendous technological advancements every step of the way.
Let’s aim to be even prouder fifteen years from now than we are today!
All this in just 15 years. Yahoo! has been built by thousands of dedicated employees, hundreds of millions of loyal users and scores of advertisers who envisioned a future that was exciting, challenging and at times daunting. To work in the sandbox that is Yahoo! and the evolution of the Internet is truly amazing.
And yet as fast as the Internet and Yahoo! have grown and as remarkably our lives have changed, we are just at the beginning of this great transformation.
The Internet still has enormous and untapped potential. There are billions of more people we need to drive online, and then provide them with relevant content and opportunities that they’ve never dreamed about before.
We are confident that 15 years from today, we will look back in marvel at how far you, and the Internet have traveled in such a short time. Just as we are doing today.
Jerry Yang and David Filo
Co-Founders & Chief Yahoos
From:
Labels: Dr Search, Search Clinic, search engines, Search Marketing, Yahoo
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Tuesday, March 02, 2010
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Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Search engines ranking- latest global results 2010
comScore has published a report on the global search market which shows more than 131 billion searches were conducted across the web in December 2009.
The top 5 leading countries in the search market are the United States, China, Japan, UK and Germany:
One of the interesting things to note from the report is the relatively slow growth rate of searches from China.
Whilst they are sitting second in terms of overall volume, their growth rate is by far the lowest amongst the top ten countries.
When you compare this to the high volume and growth rate from Japan, it is foreseeable that the Japanese, British and the Germans may claim second spot in the not to distant future.
Google continues to lead the way as the dominant search engine, followed by Yahoo! and Baidu claiming the number three spot.
If Google follows through on their threat to pull out of China, it’s possible that Baidu could pickup their lost market share and claim the number two spot above Yahoo. Which would be an interesting situation if you work at Yahoo.
Another two thoughts are these figues do not include Twitter, nor do they include the searches on google's You Tube.
Labels: bing, Facebook, Google, search engine marketing, search engines, Search Marketing, Twitter, Yahoo
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Wednesday, February 03, 2010
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Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Google's philosophy continues
Search Clinic complete's it's overview of Google's philosophy today.
7. There's always more information out there.
Once Google had indexed more of the HTML pages on the Internet than any other search service, our engineers turned their attention to information that was not as readily accessible. Sometimes it was just a matter of integrating new databases, such as adding a phone number and address lookup and a business directory.
Once Google had indexed more of the HTML pages on the Internet than any other search service, our engineers turned their attention to information that was not as readily accessible. Sometimes it was just a matter of integrating new databases, such as adding a phone number and address lookup and a business directory.
Other efforts required a bit more creativity, like adding the ability to search billions of images and a way to view pages that were originally created as PDF files. The popularity of PDF results led us to expand the list of file types searched to include documents produced in a dozen formats such as Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
For wireless users, Google developed a unique way to translate HTML formatted files into a format that could be read by mobile devices. The list is not likely to end there as Google's researchers continue looking into ways to bring all the world's information to users looking for answers.
8. The need for information crosses all borders.
Although Google’s headquarters is in California, our mission is to facilitate access to information for the entire world, so we have offices around the globe. To achieve this, we maintain dozens of Internet domains and serve more than half of our results to users living outside the United States. Google search results can be restricted to pages written in more than 35 languages according to a user's preference.
8. The need for information crosses all borders.
Although Google’s headquarters is in California, our mission is to facilitate access to information for the entire world, so we have offices around the globe. To achieve this, we maintain dozens of Internet domains and serve more than half of our results to users living outside the United States. Google search results can be restricted to pages written in more than 35 languages according to a user's preference.
We also offer a translation feature to make content available to users regardless of their native tongue and for those who prefer not to search in English, Google's interface can be customised into more than 100 languages. To accelerate the addition of new languages, Google offers volunteers the opportunity to help in the translation through an automated tool available on the Google.com website. This process has greatly improved both the variety and quality of service we're able to offer users in the most far-flung corners of the globe.
9. You can be serious without a suit.
Google's founders have often stated that the company is not serious about anything but search. They built a company around the idea that work should be challenging and the challenge should be fun. To achieve this, Google's culture is unlike any in corporate America, and it's not because of the lava lamps and large rubber balls everywhere, or the fact that the company's chef used to cook for the Grateful Dead. In the same way Google puts users first when it comes to our online service, Google Inc. puts employees first when it comes to daily life in our Googleplex headquarters.
9. You can be serious without a suit.
Google's founders have often stated that the company is not serious about anything but search. They built a company around the idea that work should be challenging and the challenge should be fun. To achieve this, Google's culture is unlike any in corporate America, and it's not because of the lava lamps and large rubber balls everywhere, or the fact that the company's chef used to cook for the Grateful Dead. In the same way Google puts users first when it comes to our online service, Google Inc. puts employees first when it comes to daily life in our Googleplex headquarters.
There is an emphasis on team achievements and pride in individual accomplishments that contribute to the company's overall success. Ideas are traded, tested and put into practice with an enthusiasm that can make you dizzy. Meetings that would take hours elsewhere are frequently little more than a conversation in the lunch queue and not many walls separate those who write the code from those who write the cheques. This highly communicative environment fosters a productivity and camaraderie fuelled by the realisation that millions of people rely on Google results. Give the proper tools to a group of people who like to make a difference, and they will.
10. Great just isn't good enough.
Always deliver more than expected. Google does not accept being the best as an endpoint, but a starting point. Through innovation and iteration, Google takes something that works well and improves upon it in unexpected ways. Search works well for correctly spelt words, but what about typos? One engineer saw a need and created a spell checker that seems to read a user's mind. It takes too long to search from a WAP phone? Our wireless group developed Google Number Search to reduce entries from three keystrokes per letter to one.
10. Great just isn't good enough.
Always deliver more than expected. Google does not accept being the best as an endpoint, but a starting point. Through innovation and iteration, Google takes something that works well and improves upon it in unexpected ways. Search works well for correctly spelt words, but what about typos? One engineer saw a need and created a spell checker that seems to read a user's mind. It takes too long to search from a WAP phone? Our wireless group developed Google Number Search to reduce entries from three keystrokes per letter to one.
With a user base in the millions, Google is able to identify areas of conflict quickly and smooth them out. Google’s distinguishing feature however, is anticipating needs not yet articulated by our global audience, then meeting them with products and services that set new standards. This constant dissatisfaction with the way things are is ultimately the driving force behind the world's best search engine.
* Full-disclosure update: When Google first wrote these "10 things" four years ago, they included the phrase "Google does not do horoscopes, financial advice or chat." Over time they've expanded the view of the range of services they can offer –- web search, for instance, isn't the only way for people to access or use information -– and products that then seemed unlikely are now key aspects of our portfolio.
* Full-disclosure update: When Google first wrote these "10 things" four years ago, they included the phrase "Google does not do horoscopes, financial advice or chat." Over time they've expanded the view of the range of services they can offer –- web search, for instance, isn't the only way for people to access or use information -– and products that then seemed unlikely are now key aspects of our portfolio.
This doesn't mean that they've changed their core mission; just that the farther they travel toward achieving it, the more those fuzzy objects on the horizon come into sharper focus (to be replaced, of course, by more fuzzy objects).
The full review can be viewed at:
Labels: Google, Search Clinic, search engine marketing, search engines
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Wednesday, January 06, 2010
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Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Google's top 10 philosophy part 2
Search Clinic continues it's review of Google today.
4. Democracy on the web works.
Google works because it relies on the millions of individuals posting websites to determine which other sites offer content of value. Instead of relying on a group of editors or solely on the frequency with which certain terms appear, Google ranks every web page using a breakthrough technique called PageRank™. PageRank evaluates all of the sites linking to a web page and assigns them a value, based in part on the sites linking to them.
By analysing the full structure of the web, Google is able to determine which sites have been "voted" the best sources of information by those most interested in the information they offer. This technique actually improves as the web gets bigger, as each new site is another point of information and another vote to be counted.
5. You don't need to be at your desk to need an answer.
The world is increasingly mobile and unwilling to be constrained to a fixed location. Whether it's through their PDAs, their wireless phones or even their cars, people want information to come to them. Google's innovations in this area include Google Number Search, which reduces the number of keypad strokes required to find data from a web-enabled mobile phone and an on-the-fly translation system that converts pages written in HTML to a format that can be read by phone browsers.
5. You don't need to be at your desk to need an answer.
The world is increasingly mobile and unwilling to be constrained to a fixed location. Whether it's through their PDAs, their wireless phones or even their cars, people want information to come to them. Google's innovations in this area include Google Number Search, which reduces the number of keypad strokes required to find data from a web-enabled mobile phone and an on-the-fly translation system that converts pages written in HTML to a format that can be read by phone browsers.
This system opens up billions of pages for viewing from devices that would otherwise not be able to display them including Palm PDAs and Japanese i-mode, J-Sky and EZWeb devices. Wherever search is likely to help users obtain the information they seek, Google is pioneering new technologies and offering new solutions.
6. You can make money without doing evil.
Google is a business. The revenue the company generates is derived from offering its search technology to companies and from the sale of advertising displayed on Google and on other sites across the web. However, you may have never seen an ad on Google. That's because Google does not allow ads to be displayed on our results pages unless they're relevant to the results page on which they're shown. So, only certain searches produce sponsored links above or to the right of the results. Google firmly believes that ads can provide useful information if, and only if, they are relevant to what you wish to find.
Google has also proven that advertising can be effective without being flashy. Google does not accept pop-up advertising, which interferes with your ability to see the content you've requested. We've found that text ads (AdWords) that are relevant to the person reading them draw much higher click-through rates than ads appearing randomly.
6. You can make money without doing evil.
Google is a business. The revenue the company generates is derived from offering its search technology to companies and from the sale of advertising displayed on Google and on other sites across the web. However, you may have never seen an ad on Google. That's because Google does not allow ads to be displayed on our results pages unless they're relevant to the results page on which they're shown. So, only certain searches produce sponsored links above or to the right of the results. Google firmly believes that ads can provide useful information if, and only if, they are relevant to what you wish to find.
Google has also proven that advertising can be effective without being flashy. Google does not accept pop-up advertising, which interferes with your ability to see the content you've requested. We've found that text ads (AdWords) that are relevant to the person reading them draw much higher click-through rates than ads appearing randomly.
Google's maximisation group works with advertisers to improve click-through rates over the life of a campaign, because high click-through rates are an indication that ads are relevant to a user's interests. Any advertiser, no matter how small or how large, can take advantage of this highly targeted medium, whether through our self-service advertising program that puts ads online within minutes or with the assistance of a Google advertising representative.
Advertising on Google is always clearly identified as a "Sponsored Link." It is a core value for Google that there is no compromise on the integrity of our results. We never manipulate rankings to put our partners higher in our search results. No one can buy better PageRank. Our users trust Google's objectivity and no short-term gain could ever justify breaching that trust.
Thousands of advertisers use our Google AdWords program to promote their products; we believe AdWords is the largest program of its kind. In addition, thousands of web site managers take advantage of our Google AdSense program to deliver ads relevant to the content on their sites, improving their ability to generate revenue and enhancing the experience for their users.
Advertising on Google is always clearly identified as a "Sponsored Link." It is a core value for Google that there is no compromise on the integrity of our results. We never manipulate rankings to put our partners higher in our search results. No one can buy better PageRank. Our users trust Google's objectivity and no short-term gain could ever justify breaching that trust.
Thousands of advertisers use our Google AdWords program to promote their products; we believe AdWords is the largest program of its kind. In addition, thousands of web site managers take advantage of our Google AdSense program to deliver ads relevant to the content on their sites, improving their ability to generate revenue and enhancing the experience for their users.
Labels: Adwords, Google, Pay Per Click Marketing, Search Clinic, search engine marketing, search engines
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Tuesday, January 05, 2010
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Monday, January 4, 2010
Search Clinic wishes you a Happy, Healthy and Wealthy New Year
The Search Clinic starts 2010 by looking at the oganisation that will statistically send the most traffic to your website- Google.
Google has a 10 Things Philosophy. Over the next few day we will be covering them all. But the Top 3 below are key for any online business:
Never settle for the best
"The perfect search engine," says Google co-founder Larry Page, "would understand exactly what you mean and give back exactly what you want." Given the state of search technology today, that's a far-reaching vision requiring research, development and innovation to realise. Google is committed to blazing that trail.
Although acknowledged as the world's leading search technology company, Google's goal is to provide a much higher level of service to all those who seek information, whether they're at a desk in Boston, driving through Bonn or strolling in Bangkok.
To achieve this, Google has persistently pursued innovation and pushed the limits of existing technology to provide a fast, accurate and easy-to-use search service that can be accessed from anywhere. To fully understand Google, it's helpful to understand all the ways in which the company has helped to redefine how individuals, businesses and technologists view the Internet.
Ten things Google has found to be true
1. Focus on the user and everything else will follow.
From its inception, Google has focused on providing the best user experience possible. While many companies claim to put their customers first, few are able to resist the temptation to make small sacrifices to increase shareholder value. Google has steadfastly refused to make any change that does not benefit the users who come to the site:
* The interface is clear and simple.
* Pages load instantly.
* Placement in search results is never sold to anyone.
* Advertising on the site must offer relevant content and not be a distraction.
By always placing the interests of the user first, Google has built the most loyal audience on the web. And that growth has come not through TV ad campaigns, but through word of mouth from one satisfied user to another.
2. It's best to do one thing really, really well.
Google does search. With one of the world's largest research groups focused exclusively on solving search problems, we know what we do well and how we could do it better. Through continued iteration on difficult problems, we've been able to solve complex issues and provide continuous improvements to a service already considered the best on the web at making finding information a fast and seamless experience for millions of users.
Google's dedication to improving search has also allowed them to apply what they've learned to new products including Google Mail, Google Desktop and Google Maps. As they continue to build new products while making search better, their hope is to bring the power of search to previously unexplored areas and to help users access and use even more of the ever-expanding information in their lives.
3. Fast is better than slow.
Google believes in instant satisfaction. You want answers and you want them right now. Who are we to argue? Google may be the only company in the world whose stated goal is to have users leave its website as quickly as possible.
By fanatically fixating on shaving every excess bit and byte from our pages and increasing the efficiency of our serving environment, Google has broken its own speed records time and again. Others assumed large servers were the fastest way to handle massive amounts of data. Google found networked PCs to be faster. Where others accepted apparent speed limits imposed by search algorithms, Google wrote new algorithms that proved there were no limits. And Google continues to work on making it all go even faster.
Search Clinic points out that speed is a Google fixation. In 2009 they announced that it would effect a website's ranking in Pay Per Click casino and it may start to have an effect on free results ranking soon.
Labels: Google, Pay Per Click Marketing, Search Clinic, search engines, Search Marketing
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Monday, January 04, 2010
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Monday, December 21, 2009
Google fined over French copyright infringements
A Paris court has found Google guilty of copyright infringement in a ruling which could have ramifications for its plans to digitise the world's books.
The search giant must pay £266,000 in damages and interest to French publisher La Martiniere. Google was also ordered to pay £9,000 a day until it removes extracts of the books from its database.
It was one of many to take Google to court for digitising its books without explicit permission.
Google expressed disappointment at the ruling.
"French readers now face the threat of losing access to a significant body of knowledge and falling behind the rest of internet users," said a spokesman for the firm.
Google wants to scan millions of books to make them available online.
This court case will be seen as a victory for critics of the plan who fear Google is creating a monopoly over information.
Publisher Herve de La Martiniere launched his court case three years ago but Google continued to scan books during this period.
La Martiniere, the French Publishers' Association and authors' group SGDL who started the court battle initially demanded that Google be fined £13.2m.
The search giant must pay £266,000 in damages and interest to French publisher La Martiniere. Google was also ordered to pay £9,000 a day until it removes extracts of the books from its database.
It was one of many to take Google to court for digitising its books without explicit permission.
Google expressed disappointment at the ruling.
"French readers now face the threat of losing access to a significant body of knowledge and falling behind the rest of internet users," said a spokesman for the firm.
Google wants to scan millions of books to make them available online.
This court case will be seen as a victory for critics of the plan who fear Google is creating a monopoly over information.
Publisher Herve de La Martiniere launched his court case three years ago but Google continued to scan books during this period.
La Martiniere, the French Publishers' Association and authors' group SGDL who started the court battle initially demanded that Google be fined £13.2m.
The book publishers claimed that scanning books was an act of reproduction and, as such, was something that should be paid for.
Google's plans to establish a digital library have hit several road blocks. It agreed to a settlement with US authors and publishers but is renegotiating after the US Justice Department concluded that the deal violates anti trust law.
Labels: Google, online marketing, search engines, Search Marketing
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Monday, December 21, 2009
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Thursday, December 10, 2009
Tiger Woods sex scandal better for websites 'than Michael Jackson dying', says Yahoo CEO
The Tiger Woods sex scandal has been "better than Michael Jackson dying" for helping websites make money, the head of Yahoo! has said.
Carol Bartz told an investor conference in New York that major Internet businesses and niche publications alike are benefiting from stories about the world No 1.
The scandal is "better than Michael Jackson dying" for helping Yahoo make money, because it is easier to sell adverts against racy stories than tragic events, she said.
"It's kind of hard to put an ad up next to a funeral," she added.
In response to a question, Miss Bartz even said Tiger Woods will "absolutely" help Yahoo hit its targets for this quarter, a comment the a spokesman later claimed was meant as a joke.
Google and Yahoo, which account for more than 80 percent of all Internet searches in the US and an even higher number in Britain, said they've seen a significant spike in traffic from people looking up Woods and his alleged extramarital affairs.
Yahoo says searches for the golfer's name are up more than 3,900 percent over the last 30 days.
However traffic levels have not matched the peaks seen in June following Jackson's unexpected death or Barack Obama's inauguration in January, both companies said.
Revelations about Woods' private life began emerging last month after he crashed his car outside his home in a gated community in Florida.
Yahoo has been more successful in capitalising on the Woods story than Google, according to Hitwise.
Hitwise says Yahoo and Yahoo News captured more than 17 per cent of all the traffic to major sites that came from searches of Woods' name. That's ahead of Tigerwoods.com, CNN.com and Google news.
Carol Bartz told an investor conference in New York that major Internet businesses and niche publications alike are benefiting from stories about the world No 1.
The scandal is "better than Michael Jackson dying" for helping Yahoo make money, because it is easier to sell adverts against racy stories than tragic events, she said.
"It's kind of hard to put an ad up next to a funeral," she added.
In response to a question, Miss Bartz even said Tiger Woods will "absolutely" help Yahoo hit its targets for this quarter, a comment the a spokesman later claimed was meant as a joke.
Google and Yahoo, which account for more than 80 percent of all Internet searches in the US and an even higher number in Britain, said they've seen a significant spike in traffic from people looking up Woods and his alleged extramarital affairs.
Yahoo says searches for the golfer's name are up more than 3,900 percent over the last 30 days.
However traffic levels have not matched the peaks seen in June following Jackson's unexpected death or Barack Obama's inauguration in January, both companies said.
Revelations about Woods' private life began emerging last month after he crashed his car outside his home in a gated community in Florida.
Yahoo has been more successful in capitalising on the Woods story than Google, according to Hitwise.
Hitwise says Yahoo and Yahoo News captured more than 17 per cent of all the traffic to major sites that came from searches of Woods' name. That's ahead of Tigerwoods.com, CNN.com and Google news.
Dr Search isn't surprised- "It's the old adage- Sex Sells".
Labels: Dr Search, Google, online marketing, Search Clinic, search engine marketing, search engines, Yahoo
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Thursday, December 10, 2009
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Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Speed matters- Britons lose temper after three minutes 38 seconds
It's not just Google- Britons last an average of eight minutes and 22 seconds before they lose their temper, according to new research.
It found that the Internet has increased people's service demands and is eroding the classic British trait of patience as more than half admitted they lose their temper quicker than ever before.
People have become so used to the speed and convenience of the internet that more than seven in 10 get angry if forced to wait longer than one minute for a web page to download.
It found that the Internet has increased people's service demands and is eroding the classic British trait of patience as more than half admitted they lose their temper quicker than ever before.
People have become so used to the speed and convenience of the internet that more than seven in 10 get angry if forced to wait longer than one minute for a web page to download.
As the internet continues to quicken up it's bound to place greater expectations on the offline world too.
"And with 37 per cent of people saying they have cancelled a service after being forced to wait it poses some real problems for companies.
Being kept on hold made Brits see red more than anything else, with the average person reaching their impatience threshold after five minutes and four seconds.
In today's fast food culture, restaurant rage kicks in after only eight minutes, 38 seconds, when the average diner will start to wonder whether the meal they have ordered will ever arrive.
People running late to meet a friend should not leave it any longer than 10 minutes, one second if they do not want to face their wrath.
And tradesmen arriving to a job more than 10 minutes, 43 seconds late should not expect a cup of tea from their impatient householder.
Finally, when receiving a text or voicemail, be warned that the clock is ticking as the average Briton expects a response within 13 minutes and 16 seconds.
The research found that younger people were much more impatient than their older counterparts. A third of 18 to 24-year-olds expect to wait up to 10 seconds for an internet page to load compared to only one in 10 of over 65s, most of whom were happy to wait up to a minute for a page to load.
Younger people are more impatient in the offline world too. Twice as many 55-64 year olds than 18-24 year olds were prepared to wait more than 30 minutes for a friend to show up for a meeting.
Frustrated youngsters are also more likely to get physical, with 19 per cent of 18-44 year olds having thrown something in anger after reaching the point of impatience, compared to just four in 10 of over 45s.
Top points of impatience:
"And with 37 per cent of people saying they have cancelled a service after being forced to wait it poses some real problems for companies.
Being kept on hold made Brits see red more than anything else, with the average person reaching their impatience threshold after five minutes and four seconds.
In today's fast food culture, restaurant rage kicks in after only eight minutes, 38 seconds, when the average diner will start to wonder whether the meal they have ordered will ever arrive.
People running late to meet a friend should not leave it any longer than 10 minutes, one second if they do not want to face their wrath.
And tradesmen arriving to a job more than 10 minutes, 43 seconds late should not expect a cup of tea from their impatient householder.
Finally, when receiving a text or voicemail, be warned that the clock is ticking as the average Briton expects a response within 13 minutes and 16 seconds.
The research found that younger people were much more impatient than their older counterparts. A third of 18 to 24-year-olds expect to wait up to 10 seconds for an internet page to load compared to only one in 10 of over 65s, most of whom were happy to wait up to a minute for a page to load.
Younger people are more impatient in the offline world too. Twice as many 55-64 year olds than 18-24 year olds were prepared to wait more than 30 minutes for a friend to show up for a meeting.
Frustrated youngsters are also more likely to get physical, with 19 per cent of 18-44 year olds having thrown something in anger after reaching the point of impatience, compared to just four in 10 of over 45s.
Top points of impatience:
- Waiting for an Internet page to load 3 mins 38 secs
- Waiting on hold on telephone 5 mins 4 secs
- Waiting for the kettle to boil 5 mins 6 secs
- Waiting for food in a restaurant 8 mins 38 secs
- Waiting for friends to show up 10 mins 1 secs
- Waiting for a tradesman to show 10 mins 43 secs
- Waiting for someone to reply to a vm/text 13 mins 16 secs
- Average 8 mins 22 seconds
Labels: Google, online marketing uk, search engine marketing, search engines
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Tuesday, December 08, 2009
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Thursday, December 3, 2009
Top Yahoo! searches in 2009
Yahoo! Year in Review for 2009 has arrived!
Perhaps bigger and better than ever, this year’s Yahoo! roundup includes in-depth pictorials and a slew of popular topics to sort through, as well as some bonus features – such as the decade in sports, Yahoo Answers highlights, and a Twitter contest where you can share your top moments of 2009 for a chance to win one of the most popular products of the year, the iPod Touch.
Don’t have the time to scan them all? Here are the highlights of the most popular searches on Yahoo! in 2009:
Top 10 Overall Searches
1. Michael Jackson
2. Twilight
3. WWE
4. Megan Fox
5. Britney Spears
6. Naruto
7. American Idol
8. Kim Kardashian
9. NASCAR
10. Runescape
Top 10 Celebrity Farewell Searches
1. Michael Jackson
2. Farrah Fawcett
3. Patrick Swayze
4. Natasha Richardson
5. Jett Travolta
6. Billy Mays
7. David Caradine
8. Steve McNair
9. Jade Goody
10. Ted Kennedy
Top 10 Sudden Fame Searches
1. Jon & Kate Gosselin
2. Erin Andrews
3. Susan Boyle
4. Kris Allen & Adam Lambert
5. Nadya Suleman (aka Octomom)
6. Carrie Prejean
7. Mark Sanford
8. Portuguese Water Dog
9. Falcon Heene (aka “Balloon Boy”)
10. Sonia Sotomayor
Top Finance Searches
1. Coupons
2. Unemployment
3. Stimulus Plan
4. Cash For Clunkers
5. Student Loans
6. IRS Refund
7. Foreclosures
8. Government Jobs
9. Bernard Madoff
10. Health Care Bill
“Market Darlings” Related Searches
1. Facebook
2. Twitter
3. Hulu
4. Bing
5. iPhone
6. LinkedIn
7. Dollar Stores
8. Palm Pre
9. Rosetta Stone
10. Kindle
Top Yahoo! Mobile Searches
1. Megan Fox
2. Mobile Games
3. Michael Jackson
4. Movies
5. Rihanna
6. Mail
7. Lady Gaga
8. NFL
9. Ringtones
10. iPhone
Top Obama Searches
1. Obama Inauguration
2. Obama Biography
3. Obama Speech
4. Obama Stimulus Plan
5. Obama Family
6. Obama Health Care Reform
7. Obama Approval Ratings
8. Obama Facebook
9. Obama Overseas
10. Obama Dramas
Among the other must read lists ae the Top Travel Destination Searches 2009 and the Top Viral Videos of 2009 which has a number of funny vids.
Don’t have the time to scan them all? Here are the highlights of the most popular searches on Yahoo! in 2009:
Top 10 Overall Searches
1. Michael Jackson
2. Twilight
3. WWE
4. Megan Fox
5. Britney Spears
6. Naruto
7. American Idol
8. Kim Kardashian
9. NASCAR
10. Runescape
Top 10 Celebrity Farewell Searches
1. Michael Jackson
2. Farrah Fawcett
3. Patrick Swayze
4. Natasha Richardson
5. Jett Travolta
6. Billy Mays
7. David Caradine
8. Steve McNair
9. Jade Goody
10. Ted Kennedy
Top 10 Sudden Fame Searches
1. Jon & Kate Gosselin
2. Erin Andrews
3. Susan Boyle
4. Kris Allen & Adam Lambert
5. Nadya Suleman (aka Octomom)
6. Carrie Prejean
7. Mark Sanford
8. Portuguese Water Dog
9. Falcon Heene (aka “Balloon Boy”)
10. Sonia Sotomayor
Top Finance Searches
1. Coupons
2. Unemployment
3. Stimulus Plan
4. Cash For Clunkers
5. Student Loans
6. IRS Refund
7. Foreclosures
8. Government Jobs
9. Bernard Madoff
10. Health Care Bill
“Market Darlings” Related Searches
1. Facebook
2. Twitter
3. Hulu
4. Bing
5. iPhone
6. LinkedIn
7. Dollar Stores
8. Palm Pre
9. Rosetta Stone
10. Kindle
Top Yahoo! Mobile Searches
1. Megan Fox
2. Mobile Games
3. Michael Jackson
4. Movies
5. Rihanna
6. Mail
7. Lady Gaga
8. NFL
9. Ringtones
10. iPhone
Top Obama Searches
1. Obama Inauguration
2. Obama Biography
3. Obama Speech
4. Obama Stimulus Plan
5. Obama Family
6. Obama Health Care Reform
7. Obama Approval Ratings
8. Obama Facebook
9. Obama Overseas
10. Obama Dramas
Among the other must read lists ae the Top Travel Destination Searches 2009 and the Top Viral Videos of 2009 which has a number of funny vids.
Labels: Dr Search, search engines, Search Marketing, Yahoo
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Thursday, December 03, 2009
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Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Bing's top 2009 searches
It is Bing.com’s very first appearance since officially launching as the decision engine, halfway through the year in early June.
Coupled with an $80 million dollar advertising campaign to rebrand the new search engine (formerly Live Search) and attract new users, it may have actually worked – since Bing also appeared on the 2009 Yahoo Year in Review, with searchers asking, “What is Bing?”
In fairness, Bing did officially release their Most Popular Searches for all of 2009, including data from the first half of the year as Live Search. Decidedly, Michael Jackson would have made it to the top of the list, whether it was Bing or Live Search.
Twitter seems to have infiltrated Bing in the same way, clearly users needed help trying to decide, “To Tweet or Not to Tweet?” Or could it be that the Bing-Twitter integration was that big of a deal?
In fairness, Bing did officially release their Most Popular Searches for all of 2009, including data from the first half of the year as Live Search. Decidedly, Michael Jackson would have made it to the top of the list, whether it was Bing or Live Search.
Twitter seems to have infiltrated Bing in the same way, clearly users needed help trying to decide, “To Tweet or Not to Tweet?” Or could it be that the Bing-Twitter integration was that big of a deal?
Top Overall Trending Topics on Bing in 2009:
1. Michael Jackson
2. Twitter
3. Swine Flu
4. Stock Market
5. Farrah Fawcett
6. Patrick Swayze
7. Cash for Clunkers
8. Jon and Kate Gosselin
9. Billy Mays
10. Jaycee Dugard
Top 3 Celebrity Searches:
1. Perez Hilton
2. Robert Pattinson
3. Megan Fox
Bing plans to unveil a relevancy quiz on Facebook, so you can test your knowledge of the most popular searches in 2009. Stay tuned to the Bing blog to find out more.
For a real-time look at what’s popular on Bing, don’t forget about Visual Search, where you can view the Top Albums, Top iPhone Apps, Top Movies and more at any given time.
1. Michael Jackson
2. Twitter
3. Swine Flu
4. Stock Market
5. Farrah Fawcett
6. Patrick Swayze
7. Cash for Clunkers
8. Jon and Kate Gosselin
9. Billy Mays
10. Jaycee Dugard
Top 3 Celebrity Searches:
1. Perez Hilton
2. Robert Pattinson
3. Megan Fox
Bing plans to unveil a relevancy quiz on Facebook, so you can test your knowledge of the most popular searches in 2009. Stay tuned to the Bing blog to find out more.
For a real-time look at what’s popular on Bing, don’t forget about Visual Search, where you can view the Top Albums, Top iPhone Apps, Top Movies and more at any given time.
Labels: bing, Microsoft, search engine marketing, search engines, Search Marketing
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Wednesday, December 02, 2009
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Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Top questions at Ask search engine
In true Ask fashion, we’ve got the answers (well…not complete answers) to what the most popular questions were on Ask.com during the year.
According to Ask.com, visitors are three times more likely to type search queries in the form of a question. Holding steady at 50 million visits per month (October 2009, ComScore), question based searches continue to grow year over year on Ask.
Falling in line with the most popular searches on other engines, questions surrounding the economic crisis and financial stability were among the popular categories, but it was the celebrity rumors that created the most comic relief in the search stimulus package.
Searchers were feverishly fighting off symptoms of the Swine Flu, while trying to get answers on a number of health and fitness issues. Popular question categories unique to Ask.com include the most popular searches on Ask Kids, and likely from the Ask.com / Nascar partnership.
Ask.com’s Top Overall Questions of 2009:
1. How much should I weigh?
2. How do I get out of debt fast?
3. How do I get pregnant?
4. What is Twitter?
5. What is Miley Cyrus’ phone number?
6. What is the meaning of life?
7. When will the world end?
8. How long does marijuana stay in your system?
9. What are the symptoms of Swine Flu?
10. What time is it?
Again, Twitter questionably makes the cut. And isn’t 2012 the answer to #7? Does it strike anyone else as odd, that no one in the US was curious to ask if Michael Jackson was really dead? Read on…
Top Personal Finance Questions
1. What is a good credit score?
2. How do I file for bankruptcy?
3. How do I start my own business?
4. What is a short sale in real estate?
5. Who owns the Federal Reserve Bank?
6. How much is minimum wage?
7. How do savings bonds work?
8. What can I deduct on my taxes?
9. What is a trust fund?
10. What is a hedge fund?
Top Celebrity Rumors of 2009
1. Is Miley Cyrus pregnant?
2. Is Adam Lambert straight?
3. Is Lady Gaga a man?
4. Is Michelle Obama pregnant?
5. Is Robert Pattinson dating Kristen Stewart?
6. Did Chris Brown get Rihanna pregnant?
7. Are Jon and Kate getting a divorce?
8. Is Michael Phelps using marijuana?
9. Who is the father of Michael Jackson’s children?
10. Did David Letterman keep a secret bedroom is his studio?
Meanwhile, across the pond…an entirely different set of UK questions arose:
Ask Jeeves’ UK fastest rising searches of 2009
1. What is Twitter?
2. Have I got swine flu?
3. Is Lady Gaga a man?
4. Who is Aleksandr Orlov?
5. Is Michael Jackson dead?
6. Where is my nearest Primark?
7. Who is the father of Heather’s baby in EastEnders?
8. What is the Lisbon Treaty?
9. When will the recession end?
10. What is cervical cancer?
Needing a little bit of help to understand what brought on some of these questions? Ask UK provided some insight:
While Lady Gaga’s sexuality is at third on the list of rising questions, at number four is ‘ Who is Aleksandr (corr) Orlov?’ the animated Russian meerkat in TV adverts for an internet comparison website.
His catchphrase “Simples” has become a favourite among TV viewers and led to scores of queries from search engine users, including questions about where he comes from and the voice is behind him.
In fact he is voiced by Simon Greenall, who also starred as Geordie hotel worker Michael in ‘I’m Alan Partridge’.
Note that since this is the UK list, the 10th most asked question about cervical cancer, most likely can be linked to the cause of death for the reality star, Jade Goody, of the UK “Big Brother” edition, who made the “Farewell Searches” Top 10 list in Yahoo’s annual recap.
In support of the theory that at the close of the decade, our search habits are indeed changing at a much faster rate, Nadia Kelly, a spokesperson for Ask Jeeves, added:
“Last year we looked at our top questions on Ask Jeeves and found that the identity of the Stig from Top Gear was on everyone’s minds. This year, we have had a wide variety of unusual searches from Lady Gaga’s gender to TV meerkat to swine flu symptoms. It proves that more people than ever are turning to internet search engines for answers to not only everyday things, but weird and wacky subjects too.
The internet has become the virtual text book of choice for millions with its ability to give quick and accurate answers to even the most bizarre questions.”
Labels: Ask, search engine marketing, search engines
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Tuesday, December 01, 2009
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Wednesday, November 25, 2009
New Google search results layout preview
For Google, 2009 has been the year of UI testing. There have been more tests on Google’s Search Engine Results Page this year than any other that I can recall.
Now it appears the testing is paying off. Many of the changes which were tested this year look to be securing permanent positions and will be appearing in early 2010.
The overhaul of Google’s Search Engine Results Page is aimed at tackling the issue of “User Interface Jazz” that Marissa Mayer raised with Danny Sullivan from Search Engine Land.
It seems that all the UI testing that Google has been conducting has been creating some discontent in the Google ranks, with Marissa describing it like “Jazz”. As she puts it:
I don’t like jazz, because you never know what’s going to happen next…I’ve been calling this problem ‘user interface jazz.’ This result looks this way, and that result looks that way [something much different], and it really does slow you down.
So Google will probably look to consolidate some of 2009’s testing with permanent changes to roll out in 2010. And Search Options appears to be one of the most noticeable changes. Courtesy of Search Engine Land, here’s some screenshots of the new interface being tested.
The Search Options area on the left hand side now has additional filters (or “modes” as Google call them), making it a one stop navigation point for Google’s results, including video, blogs, local etc.
Search Options will be permanently displayed, unlike the current incarnation, where users have to click to display the options.
If you want an in depth review of the new interface – I recommend reading over Danny’s post at Search Engine Land.
The Search Clinic would love to hear what you think about the new interface:
- do you think it improves usability?
- how do you think it will impact website owners?
- will you be doing anything to leverage the improved access to other modes e.g. video, local?
Labels: Dr Search, Google, Search Clinic, search engines
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Wednesday, November 25, 2009
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Monday, November 23, 2009
How you can create a UK Bing local listing
Dr Search has had some questions from our UK readers who pointed out that the Bing local listing center was only accepting US based businesses.
While UK listings were showing in search results, this was sourced from other data providers and it didn’t appear there was any way to get your information included.
Well, thanks to one of our loyal readers, it appears you can! Microsoft gets UK local business listings from a company called Market Location.
Here’s a screenshot from multimap.com (owned by Bing) on how to get your business listed:
All you have to do is simply visit http://www.marketlocation.com/changereq/ and add your details!
There’s been a bit of discussion on the issue over at the Bing community forums, and some readers have confirmed the inclusion of previously unlisted businesses by using the form above.
So if you’ve got a UK business, add your details with the form above and please leave a comment if/ when you get included!
The Search Clinic wishes you Good Luck!
Labels: bing, Dr Search, Search Clinic, search engine marketing, search engines, Search Marketing
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Monday, November 23, 2009
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Saturday, November 14, 2009
Switzerland suing Google over StreetView
Switzerland is taking Google to court over privacy concerns related to Google’s StreetView service.
"Numerous faces and vehicle number plates are not made sufficiently unrecognisable," said Swiss data protection commissioner Hanspeter Thuer.
Google said it was disappointed by the move. The firm says it is sure that Street View is legal in Switzerland and will "vigorously contest" the case.
Mr Thuer is especially concerned about people shown in sensitive locations such as hospitals, prisons or schools.
He also said that the height of the camera was problematic because it allowed a view over fences, hedges and walls, meaning that more could be seen from Street View than by a normal passer-by.
The commissioner said Google was asked in August to take various measures and had not complied with the requests.
It is likely to take months before any court case actually starts, but it could have a more immediate impact on the Swiss availability of the service.
Mr Thuer has asked a tribunal to order Google to remove all pictures of Switzerland and to cease taking any more until a ruling has been made.
Labels: Google, search engine marketing, search engines, Search Marketing
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Saturday, November 14, 2009
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Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Bing gains search engine share in October
Bing and Microsoft can smile at the latest search engine market share report from Experian Hitwise.
Google is still light years ahead of Yahoo, Bing, and Ask … but Experian Hitwise shows Bing with a 7% increase during October, while both Google and Yahoo saw small drops in search share.
Experian Hitwise also updates some stats related to search queries:
“Longer search queries, averaging searches of five to more than eight words in length, increased 3 percent between October and September 2009. Searches of eight or more words increased 4 percent. The same time period showed that shorter search queries – those averaging one to four words long – decreased 1 percent from month to month.”
Labels: bing, Google, Microsoft, search engine marketing, search engines, Yahoo
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Wednesday, November 11, 2009
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Monday, November 2, 2009
Google indexing content from RSS newsfeeds- how you can get your content listed
Google has announced it is now using RSS and Atom Feeds to find and index new web pages on the internet.
Historically Google has relied on URL submission and links on other web pages as its primary way to find new online content. Using these submissions and links, Google’s spiders crawl and index the relevant content it uncovers.
RSS and Atom Feeds aren’t new, having come to prominence with the introduction of blogging. Most blogging platforms include some form of RSS and Atom feed service as a way for publishers to push their content online. For example, here's the Search Clinic's RSS newsfeed:
For those of you unfamiliar with RSS feeds, Wikipedia explains them as:
RSS (most commonly translated as “Really Simple Syndication” but sometimes “Rich Site Summary”) is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works—such as blog entries, news headlines, audio, and video—in a standardized format. An RSS document (which is called a “feed”, “web feed”, or “channel”) includes full or summarized text, plus metadata such as publishing dates and authorship. Web feeds benefit publishers by letting them syndicate content automatically.
Google has been using RSS and Atom feeds to index content into its Blog and News search indexes for some time, so it seems this latest move will simply be an extension of this practice, with the goal to feed it’s core web search database.
As pressure in the real time search arena heats up, the use of RSS and Atom feeds to find content was an obvious next step - and in real terms, probably long overdue.
Unlike its Blog and News search engines, where feeds are submitted for consideration, Google is suggesting it will use existing aggregators to find content.
We may use many potential sources to access updates from feeds including Reader, notification services, or direct crawls of feeds. Going forward, we might also explore mechanisms such as PubSubHubbub to identify updated items.
So how should you ensure your content is being found? If your site publishes an RSS feed for new content, be that web pages or blog posts, you should seek to have it aggregated as much as possible.
As a starter, get your new web content syndicated or published through the following services:
* Google Reader
* iGoogle
* Twitter
* Friendfeed
While I am sure there’ll be much debate as to the spam risks of this indexing via RSS, it’s a method that lies at the foundation of Google’s real time search plans. Accordingly expect to see this practice grow, with Google sure to find a way to ensure it maintains the integrity of its search database.
RSS (most commonly translated as “Really Simple Syndication” but sometimes “Rich Site Summary”) is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works—such as blog entries, news headlines, audio, and video—in a standardized format. An RSS document (which is called a “feed”, “web feed”, or “channel”) includes full or summarized text, plus metadata such as publishing dates and authorship. Web feeds benefit publishers by letting them syndicate content automatically.
Google has been using RSS and Atom feeds to index content into its Blog and News search indexes for some time, so it seems this latest move will simply be an extension of this practice, with the goal to feed it’s core web search database.
As pressure in the real time search arena heats up, the use of RSS and Atom feeds to find content was an obvious next step - and in real terms, probably long overdue.
Unlike its Blog and News search engines, where feeds are submitted for consideration, Google is suggesting it will use existing aggregators to find content.
We may use many potential sources to access updates from feeds including Reader, notification services, or direct crawls of feeds. Going forward, we might also explore mechanisms such as PubSubHubbub to identify updated items.
So how should you ensure your content is being found? If your site publishes an RSS feed for new content, be that web pages or blog posts, you should seek to have it aggregated as much as possible.
As a starter, get your new web content syndicated or published through the following services:
* Google Reader
* iGoogle
* Friendfeed
While I am sure there’ll be much debate as to the spam risks of this indexing via RSS, it’s a method that lies at the foundation of Google’s real time search plans. Accordingly expect to see this practice grow, with Google sure to find a way to ensure it maintains the integrity of its search database.
Labels: Google, online marketing, online marketing uk, search engine marketing, search engines, Search Marketing
# posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic : Monday, November 02, 2009
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