Site icon Rocket Clicks

Google Results Get Infected During The Holidays, Twitter Ads Feature Negative Keywords, Google Tweaks Its Image Search Filter, & More

This Week’s Industry News

Compiled By Rocket Clicks Staff

Google’s Search Results Get Really Sick During The Holidays

Apparently, humans aren’t the only ones getting colds during the winter. According to Blue Coat Security, Google’s search results are 80% more likely to include an infected link during the holiday season. The article includes a few of the most popular infection-producing terms, including, “preschool Christmas bulletin boards,” “crafts for Christmas,” “Christmas office party games,” and “Free printable Christmas word scramble.”

Source: Search Engine Land

Twitter Ad Targeting Through Negative Keywords

Twitter’s ad program is getting better by the week. Their most recent update allows advertisers to implement negative keywords in their campaign. The practice is a crucial part of any paid search campaign, so the fact that one of the most popular social networks is adopting the process means advertisers may be enticed to try it out sooner rather than later.

Source: Mashable

The YouTube Redesign Is Good, But The Site’s Copyright Problems Remain

Since everyone uses YouTube, we’ll spare you the new features of its stripped down look. However, what’s even more interesting is the fact that YouTube, although not explicitly, is still a Torrent website. This article provides a few examples of the copyright problems YouTube is soaking itself in, and why the re-design isn’t doing much to counter these issues.

Source: Search Engine Journal

Google Intros ‘Data Highlighter’ Tool To Make Data Markup Easier

Google’s new tool to ease the process of structured data attribution is interesting. Entitled the “Data Highlighter,” the browser-based tool literally allows webmasters to point, highlight, and click on different aspects of a page to indicate where they should be assigned in the schema code.

Source: Search Engine Land

Google’s Image Search Filter Would Make The MPAA Proud

Google has tweaked their image search to a default setting that pops up a warning box, notifying the searcher of how to use SafeSearch to filter out explicit content. Specifically, Google is aligning its image search with its web search functions, which only displays “vulgar” content if the user specifically requests it.

Source: Search Engine Land

Google Has A Shelter In Bermuda That Houses $2 Billion In Income Tax

According to a recent Bloomberg report, Google shifted $9.8 billion in revenue to offshore accounts in Bermuda, saving the company $2 billion in taxation. When called out for it, Google cheerfully noted that they are major employers in Europe and spend a lot of money on croquettes at that one restaurant by the Eiffel Tower. Therefore, they are entitled to snaking the EU tax code out of money.

Source: TechCrunch

A New Microsoft/Facebook Deal Could Alter The Advertising Landscape

The enemy of my enemy is my friend, I believe is the saying. A recent report indicates that Facebook and Microsoft are planning a deal that would expand Facebook’s ad network to a size rivaling Google’s. Facebook acquiring Atlas could essentially make it the most effective ad-delivering online network because of the ability to track conversions across the web using the data they already own.

Source: Business Insider

Google Lays The Hammer Down On Raven’s Rank Checker Tool

Google continues to crack down on metrics tools that collect scraped data, after Raven Internet Marketing Tools announced it was discontinuing its popular rank checker tool after failing to pass an annual Google AdWords audit. Google’s terms of service clearly state tools that collect scraped data are not allowed, and if found in noncompliance will have their access to the AdWords API revoked. Google’s data centers are a major expense and large volumes of automated search queries only drive those costs up. Still, many feel Google’s motives for stricter enforcement of their terms of service go beyond simply saving money.

Source: Search Engine Journal

Twitter To Develop Its Own Photo Filtering Feature

With Twitter and Instagram’s relationship on the rocks, rumors are circling that Twitter is trying to win the breakup by developing its own photo filtering feature. The move should only complicate Instagram and Twitter’s already rocky relationship by encouraging Twitter users to bypass Instagram and use Twitter’s feature instead. Right now, Twitter users can no longer view Instagram images in Twitter, but must click on the posted link and view the pictures on Instagram’s own site.

Source: Search Engine Journal

Surprise: Consumers Spend A Lot of Time On Social Networks

According to a recent Nielsen study consumers spend a larger chunk of time on social networks than any other category of website. While this is hardly a revelation, time on social networks increased by 37 % from July of last year to July of this year, at 121 billion minutes that month. While PC users spend about 20% of their browsing time on social networks, the usage rate is even higher among mobile users at 30%.

Source: Search Engine Watch

The FTC Is Very Disappointed In Children’s App Developers

The FTC recently issued a report claiming mobile apps for children still aren’t doing enough to protect kid’s privacy. The FTC’s review was scathing and chided app developers for being more concerned about tapping into kids’ parents’ wallets than protecting children’s safety on the web.  In particular, they criticized apps for not providing the information in their disclosures parents need to make informed decisions about what apps their children are using.

Source: Search Engine Watch

Santa Claus Is Not Coming To Google Town This Year

NORAD has been “tracking Santa” for five years through Google Maps and Google Earth. However, it appears they have opted for Bing this year for 2D views, and Cesium for a 3D experience. NORAD has also created a mobile app (coincidentally listing the Microsoft version first on its site), but still touts its YouTube page.

Source: Search Engine Land

Notable Commentary

Asdfasdfasdf

Fortune Magazine Gets An Exclusive With Larry Page

Larry Page gives a rare interview where he goes into depth about Android, Google 10% time, mobile advertising, Google +, Innovation, and lots of other topics.

Analysis By: Miguel Helft, CNNMoney

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Broken Link Building

Of all the link building strategies available to marketers, seeking out broken ones is usually not the first kid picked for kickball on the SEO playground. However, Russ Virante took an excellent brain dump on the underrated, and very lucrative, practice in the SEOmoz blog.

Analysis By: Russ Virante, SEOmoz

Dr. Pete Has One SEO Tip For Your 2013 Endeavors

Diversify. Everything.

Analysis By: Pete Meyers, SEOmoz

Google Uses Clever Videos To Illustrate The Value Of Google Analytics

What if a bad online shopping experience played out in a physical store? That’s the question at the heart of a batch of Google skits that are actually pretty funny. Basically, visualizing online website missteps in a real store setting makes understanding the importance of a well-optimized site that much easier.

Analysis By: Google Analytics Blog

New AdWord’s Features Wish List

Carrie Hill at Search Engine Watch unveils her AdWords Christmas list, detailing the six new features she’d like to see Google add in 2013.

Analysis by: Carrie Hill, Search Engine Watch

Improving Organic Click-Through Rates In Bing

With Bing’s new Social Search that incorporates things like Facebook likes into its search results, Josh McCoy offers four keys to gaining higher organic click-through rates on Bing.

Analysis by: Josh McCoy, Search Engine Watch

Exit mobile version