Why isn’t ebookers top of Google for a search on ‘ebookers’?
While doing some project-based research last week I noticed that ebookers isn’t on the first page in Google for a search on its own brand name. Ouch.
The travel group is currently paying Google for an Adwords ad, to achieve the brand visibility it needs, but it is puzzling as to why an established dotcom with many thousands of inbound links is failing to capture the number one spot for its own brand.
Google issues malware warnings
Google has begun issuing warnings to users if they are about to access a site containing harmful code.
Forming part of the 'Stop Badware' initiative, the alerts appear if users click on a link to a page known to host spyware or other malicious programmes.
Brand associations on both sides of the Atlantic
Online measurement company Hitwise has run a comparison of search terms associated with Yahoo!, MSN and Google in the US and UK, highlighting some differences in consumers' attitudes to the three portals on different sides of the Atlantic.
The study found that US consumers, for example, largely associate MSN with its portal content while in the UK, the brand is better known for communications tools Messenger and Hotmail.
Yahoo! launches corporate blog
Do you fancy getting to know the boys and girls over at Yahoo! a bit better? If you do then good news. Yahoo! has launched its own corporate blog Yodel Anecdotal aimed at providing users with insights into Yahoo! and the faces behind the company.
Beware the online behemoths?
There comes a time in every startup's life when you ask whether your bright idea will be stolen / pillaged / destroyed by a much larger 800–pound gorilla – where all you have effectively done is illustrate the potential of a market, enough at least for the gorilla to decide that he wants to eat, shoot and then possibly leave.
Search engines to form anti-click fraud alliance
Search engines including Google, Yahoo and MSN have teamed up with The US’ Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) to develop ways of better measuring click fraud, according to the Associated Press .Set to be announced later today, the initiative will attempt to develop guidelines that would introduce more accountability into PPC advertising.
Yahoo! Launches New Search Crawler (Slurp!)
Yahoo! recently announced the launch of a new faster, more efficient web crawler. The new crawler ( Yahoo! Slurp as it's known), is designed to navigate through the Web quicker than its predecessor and in the process uses 25% less bandwidth.
Monster founder launches site for oldies
Monster.com founder Jeff Taylor is set to unveil his latest web venture later today; a portal for the over 50s.
The site, eons.com, will attempt to mimic the social networking success of youth-oriented sites such as Myspace, as well as including a search engine called ‘cranky’.
Eureka! Google optimises its PPC Adwords quality algorithm
Will Google’s decision to introduce an algorithmic element into its Adwords ‘Quality Score’ spell the end for sponsored keyword arbitrage and add further pressure to affiliates to clean-up their act?
Search marketers in Travel and Auto need to look at bigger picture
The results of two pieces of research based on comScore data show how important it is for marketers to build their knowledge of the role played by online research - and Search - in the buying process.
Social media: the best and worst of 2009
Email marketing: six steps to improving customer engagement in 2010
Web 2.0
Graham Charlton
Strategy & Planning
