New Google Home Page: Does it Remove or Add Distraction?
Google has launched its new homepage, which looks generally the same, but removes everything but the logo, search box, and two buttons until the user moves the mouse. Google says most people go to the Google home page to search, and they wanted to remove the other distractions, unless users specifically want to see them.
Two More Publishers Talk About Blocking Google
A couple of major publishers are siding with (or at least edging towards) Rupert Murdoch in the News Corp./Google content dispute. MediaNews Group and A.H. Belo execs have said that they’re interested in keeping Google away from parts of their sites.
Let’s talk about MediaNews Group first. It operates 54 daily newspapers with a combined daily circulation of 2.4 million. Corresponding websites are part of the mix, as are a TV station and some radio stations.
Italian Prosecutors Request Jail Time For Google Execs
Italian prosecutors have – sort of – tried to put several Google executives (and the company’s former CFO) in jail. The prosecutors requested sentences ranging from six months to one year in connection with a case that involved a YouTube video and a disabled boy.
Google Begins “Next Chapter” in Search Advertising
Update: Google says its new ad formats are "the next chapter in search advertising", and its "AdWords New Ad Formats Initiative" will focus on two themes:
Is it Really Crazy to Block Google?
After all is said and done Rupert Murdoch may still be seen as the sly old fox that really knew best. Many bloggers and journalists have pounded the insanity of Murdoch’s suggestion that News Corp publications might strike an exclusive indexing deal with Bing and delist itself from Google’s search engine.
Retailers Funneling More Money To Bing
Bing has managed to turn retailers’ heads in a big way. After looking at statistics from part of 2008, SearchIgnite reported that retailers spent almost 50 percent more with Microsoft’s search engine this time around, which puts Google and Yahoo partly to shame.
Navigating the Changing Landscape of Local Search Marketing
Local search is only one sliver of the search marketing game, but it is an increasingly important one, and one that is changing rapidly. These days people are going to the web to find local businesses, sometimes more than even the phone book. Having a presence in local search is imperative for any small business, but just as imperative is being able to compete for visibility.
35 Ways to Improve Your Online Video Performance
Unlock the potential of online videos with 35 effective strategies to improve performance and reach a broader audience.
Will a Lack of Editors Affect Wikipedia Accuracy?
Wikipedia is a very useful site for anyone looking to find information on any given topic. Chances are that you have used it for research at one time or another. Even if you don’t start by going directly to Wikipedia, results from the site are often at the top of search results in Google, and you’ll get there anyway.
The Twilight Saga: New Moon Takes Over Social Media
Shhh, can you hear that? What you’re hearing is the collective shrieks from Twihards everywhere as The Twilight Saga: New Moon is upon us. For those of you asking yourself, what is a Twihard? I’ve included the definition below.
twi-hard noun
A serious/obsessive reader of the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, one leap above Twilighters.