Panda 3.8 Is In Full Effect, Google Mobile Ads Increase Click-Through Rate, Google Already Deals With Your Affiliate Links, & More

Google Unleashes The Latest Panda Update

On Monday June 25, Google Panda 3.8 went into full affect. Announced on Twitter, Google stated the upgrade would only impact ~1% of worldwide searches. This marks the second confirmed Panda update to occur this month (June 8).

Source: Search Engine Land

Google’s Redesigned Mobile Ad Claims A Massive Increase In CTR

Google has revamped their ad formatting for mobile devices, on the grounds that the new design results in a 100% increase in click-through rate. Emphasizing the user experience with more noticeable direction and click-to-call features, the fresh look also makes it easier to view user proximity to the business in question.

Source: Search Engine Watch

AdWords ‘Flexible Reach’ Allows For Granular Targeting By Ad Group

AdWords is introducing a new feature that allows for multiple targeting option parsed by ad group (compared to the previous allowance at only the campaign level). Advertisers can now target by specified placement(s) and bid differently depending on the placements.

Source: Search Engine Land

Don’t Like Google’s Black Bar? Remove It!

Google is testing a new feature that allows searchers to remove the black bar at the top of their browser when using the interface. Obviously this doesn’t have much of a ramification on SEO or PPC endeavors, but it’s always interesting when Google basically says, “Let the users decide!”

Source: Search Engine Land

Matt Cutts: Everybody Chill Out, Google’s Got This (Affiliate Links)

In an SMX Advance interview with Danny Sullivan, Matt Cutts stated that, while nofollowing affiliate links is the ideal choice, Google mostly understands and weeds out the impact of affiliate links on your website’s backlink profile.

Source: Search Engine Land

Google Files A Patent On Re-Ranking SERPs Based On The Context Of A Click

Searching for “Raptors” produces a mixed bag of results, including the NBA team, a minor league baseball team, and the notorious dinosaurs from Jurassic Park. Now imagine if clicking on the NBA team page influenced the search results you would later see for related modified terms.

That’s the essence of Google’s recent contextual search patent, which would allow the search engine to utilize this click history to serve up history-based results for normally ambiguous keywords. This process would only play out through that “search session.”

In the context of an informational search, this is an interesting and logical development. But in the context of a search with intent to purchase, this could have some very intriguing consequences. Either way, there’s a fine line between good or bad results based on previous search topics.

Source: WebiMax

Webmaster Is Mad His Scrape Content Won’t Rank In Google

So… as a warning to people who aren’t their village’s designated idiot, maybe you shouldn’t complain to Google that the content you scraped from Google isn’t ranking anymore. They just might get wise to you.

Source: Search Engine Roundtable

Facebook Reveals The Process After You ‘Report’ Policy Violations

Facebook is doing everything it can to convince users and investors there is, indeed, a solid infrastructure and chain of command at the often secretive company. Their latest effort focuses on opening up on the process they use to follow up when someone clicks the “Report” button. They even offer an infographic!

Source: Facebook

Facebook May Face Copyright Claim

A new Facebook feature tested recently, Find Friends Nearby, may become the subject of a lawsuit. Find Friends Nearby uses GPS signals to notify users about friends in their vicinity. A similar app is offered by Friendthem.com, who threatened legal action prompting Facebook to remove the short lived feature. However, Friend them still says it may pursue legal recourse.

Source: Mashable

Facebook Messes Up Again

Facebook has upset user once again, this time by changing all of its users default email addresses without permission. The move has drawn quite a backlash but Facebook insists it notified users of the change two months ago and that users still have the option of displaying a different address if they so choose.

Source: Search Engine Watch

Yelp’s Influence In Local Growing

As more details about Apple Maps have surfaced it has also become apparent that Yelp will benefit massively from the new feature.  Among Apple Maps’ features will be check-ins on Yelp.  This relationship has vaulted Yelp to second in importance behind Google when it comes to local.

Source: Search Engine Land

For Link Publicists, Authority Building Is The Wave Of Tomorrow

Matt McGee talks about his disdain for ‘traditional’ link building and how a more PR approach through HARO (Help A Reporter Out) has had huge benefits for a client.

Analysis By: Matt McGee, Small Business SEM

Can You Definitively Say Those Bad Links On Your Site Are Not Of Your Own Doing?

Plausible deniability isn’t just for Law & Order episodes. Eric Ward explains how this concept applies to the dirty backlinks pointing your clients’ websites, and whether or not you are in a position to truly admit no-fault in their acquisition.

Analysis By: Eric Ward, Search Engine Land

Using Blog Posts To Obtain .Edu Links

.edu links have long been the Holy Grail that can bring a link profile to eternal life. With every passing year, the technology comprehension of college student bodies gets stronger. That makes your job as a link builder with compelling content easier, and harder, at the same time.

Analysis By: Kelsey Libert, BlueGlass

Expanding Your Facebook Fan Base To 100,000

James Altucher explains why we live in a “personal PR world,” and walks us down the path he took to get his Facebook Fan following up to 100,000 users.

Analysis By: James Altucher, Stock Twits

This Star Wars Parody Of  ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ Is The Best

Between Gotye’s Somebody That I Used To Know and Carly Rae Jepson’s Call Me Maybe, the Internet is at no shortage of parody songs. However, this “Star Wars That I Used To Know” is, without question, the best of all of them (except maybe Call Me Corgi).

Analysis By: Jest

If you’re interested in learning more about what Rocket Clicks can do for your pay-per-click advertising, search engine optimization, website design and development, or law firm marketing, please check out our PPC services and SEO services or schedule a quick audit today.