Search Engine News

Jennifer Laycock

Words of Warning About Reciprocal Linking

One of the search marketing myths that just won't seem to die is that idea that going out and getting a bazillion reciprocal links with every Tom, Dick and Larry that has a web site is going to propel your...

Jennifer Laycock

Keyword Prices on the Rise for Holiday Shopping

Separate studies from the teams at DoubleClick and SEMphonic show that the cost of pay-per-click advertising campaigns is once again on the rise for the holiday season. Click prices are up significantly over the past few months with popular gift...

Jennifer Laycock

Webmaster World Removes Themselves From the Search Engines

In an industry obsessed with search engine optimization and marketing, it seems like a crazy idea. Purposely block all spiders from visiting your site and allow your listings to drop out of engines like Google, Yahoo! and MSN. But that's...

Jennifer Laycock

TiVo to Offer Searchable Ads

I always thought that the purpose of digital video recording services like TiVo was to let users skip through ads...but apparently TiVo thinks otherwise. Danny Sullivan has some insight today on plans for TiVo to offer searchable commercial advertising as...

Jennifer Laycock

Google Begins Testing Pay-Per-Call Ads

Eagle eyed searchers may have begun to notice small phone icons popping up next to search results on Google. That's because Google is now testing click-to-call offerings that will allow advertisers to bid on how much they are willing to...

Jennifer Laycock

Google Goes Flexible on PPC Bidding

Last week while many of us were focusing on how much gravy to pour over our turkey, Google was delivering bidding controls that AdWords advertisers have been clamoring for for quite some time. After several years of being forced into...

Jennifer Laycock

Does MSN Have the Upper Hand for Pay Per Click?

With MSN's adCenter system up and running for many U.S. advertisers, there's been a lot of speculation over whether or not Microsoft will finally be able to give Google a true run for their money in the world of search....

Jennifer Laycock

Understanding Local Pay-Per-Click

With a growing move toward local search by consumers looking to purchase products or services in their areas, businesses that are trying to sell their wares in a local market need to make sure that they are not only embracing,...

Jennifer Laycock

Terducken and Pumpkin Soup on the Menu

AOL Search put out a list this week of the top Thanksgiving related recipes being searched for this past week. Since I'm always pestering Robert with descriptions of temptingly tasty food, I thought it might be fun to see what...

Jennifer Laycock

Online Holiday Sales Expected to Hit $19 Billion

comScore estimates online holiday sales for non-travel purchases to rack up more than $19 billion in sales during the last two months of the year. That figure would mean a 24% growth over this time last year. Not bad at...

Jennifer Laycock

Google Launches Google Base

After plenty of time for online speculation and buzz to build in the blog world, Google unveiled its new database project as a beta. Google Base went live late last night and will allow users to upload pretty much any...

Jennifer Laycock

From $500 to Zero, Google Offers Urchin for Free

Knowing where your visitors are coming from and what they are doing once they get to your site is one of the keys to successful online marketing. The problem is that good analytics don't come cheap. Or rather, they didn't...

Jennifer Laycock

Living in a Metrics World

I realized today that my life as a search marketing consultant had pounded tracking and metrics so far into my skull that I couldn't live without them. As I've mentioned in previous posts, we're in the process of selling our...

Jennifer Laycock

Ask Jeeves Offers Broad Matching

Ask Jeeves announced this past week that they were going to be offering broad matching services for pay per click advertising customers. There's a negative keyword option to go with it as well....

Jennifer Laycock

Finding Google Advertising Professionals

Earlier this week, I blogged about the trouble that many small business owners have when it comes to figuring out which search marketing companies to hire. It's hard to know who is experienced and who isn't and unless you know...

Jennifer Laycock

Google Mashup for Runners and Bikers

A few weeks ago I headed off with the stroller and a friend to go for a nice walk on ones of the rails to trails near my home. We didn't really have a goal in mind, just to walk...

Jennifer Laycock

Google Mash-ups in the News

Whether you call them mash-ups or hacks, third-party edits to the mapping systems offered by Google and Yahoo! are springing up all over the place these days. From tools that help you find the nearest delivery joint to programs that...

Jennifer Laycock

Christmas Searches Already in Full Swing

According to competitive intelligence service Hitwise, the holiday shopping season started revving up in September this year as searchers started the buying process with increased interest in phrases like "christmas gift ideas," "christmas gifts" and "christmas decorations."...

Jennifer Laycock

Does the World Need an SEM Match-Maker?

Over the past six months or so, I've had discussions with several Search Engine Guide readers and professional search marketers about the trouble that companies have finding a search marketing vendor that they can trust. It seems like everyone, especially...

Jennifer Laycock

Google Launches Local Mobile Services

Google has started offering a stripped-down version of their local services for mobile users that puts a focus on driving directions and mapping services. Mobile users will be able to search for addresses or businesses and recent results will be...

Jennifer Laycock

New Study Shows Just 21% of Conversion Direct from Search

Yahoo! and Compete, Inc. released a new study last week that aimed to track Internet search and transaction activity as it relates to the sales of retail apparel online. While the study was specific to apparel purchases, there are some...

Jennifer Laycock

Gates Fires Pot Shot at Google Team

It's no secret that there's no love lost between Microsoft founder Bill Gates and the team over at the Googleplex. Gates' feelings about the search giant were made abundantly clear last week during an interview with Computing's Brian Glick....

Jennifer Laycock

Microsoft "Live" Getting Positive Response

Forrester Research analyst Charlene Li has some good insight into Microsoft's new Windows Live and Office Live strategy and how the new ad-supported model will work. The service may face some issues from privacy advocates if it plans to match...

Jennifer Laycock

Yahoo! Launches Update to Mapping

Yahoo! announced a new beta version of their mapping software today that's aimed to making it easier for users to find their way around a local area and to locate businesses nearby. Yahoo! Maps Beta also works with the Yahoo!...

Jennifer Laycock

Google Print Goes Live

Google's controversial project aimed at scanning and indexing the content of millions of books went live today with a long list of books that are old enough to not be covered by copyright laws. The move is likely reflective of...

Jennifer Laycock

Microsoft to Offer Ad Supported Online Software

In a move sure to be seen as a direct response to Google's new partnership with Sun's OpenOffice, Microsoft announced this morning that they would be offering up online versions of some Windows software and of their popular MS Office...

Jennifer Laycock

Holiday Buying Stats

The Direct Marketing Association has put together some useful data that explores how people shop for and buy their holiday gifts. While none of it reveals stunning information, it may help you solidify your marketing strategy for things like e-mail...

Jennifer Laycock

Google Puts the Scare in Media Buyers

CNET has speculation on Google's continued quest for world domination of all things ad related. The talk comes on the heels of almost carbon copy articles that appeared over the weekend in The New York Times and the Wall Street...