Search Matters Search Marketing Blog Healthcare Search Marketing Newsletter for Catalyst Online 2007-05-04T16:05:41Z Copyright 2007 WordPress Francis <![CDATA[Microsoft to buy Yahoo: Redux. Ad Nauseam.]]> http://www.searchmatters.net/2007/05/04/microsoft-to-buy-yahoo-redux-ad-nauseam/ 2007-05-04T15:43:31Z 2007-05-04T15:43:31Z GoogleMicrosoftSearch EnginesSearch MattersSearch NewsYahoo Word on the street is that, in light of their latest loss to Google over Double Click and the new Google Apps (MS Office killer) and a possible Google OS beta to be released soon, Redmond is back in talks with Yahoo about a possible merger; even though the business advantages to this merger appear to be much weaker than at this time last year.

While Microsoft and Yahoo have held informal deal talks over the years, the latest approach signals an urgency on Microsoft’s part that has up until now been lacking, the newspaper said, citing sources.

The approach follows an offer Microsoft made to acquire Yahoo a few months ago, which Yahoo spurned… (source: Forbes)

Although these merger discussions are almost as elusive as el chupacabra, and are in no way confirmed by either party, many in the industry think that Yahoo, who was once very interested, may be getting cold feet [read:Hard to get?].

“They’re getting tired of being left at the altar,” said one banking source who has recently had talks with Microsoft. “They now seem more willing to extend themselves via a transaction to get into the game.” (source: NY Post)

This time however, Microsoft has pulled in some financial heavy weights to broker the reportedly 50 Billion dollar deal. That’s Billion with capital B.

The [NY Post] report values Yahoo! at $50 billion; the interest by Microsoft is said to be serious to the point that world renowned bankers Goldman Sachs are advising Microsoft on the deal.

If the deal comes to fruition, the takeover would be one of the largest corporate takeovers in American corporate history, and likely the largest ever in the Tech sector. (source: TechCrunch)

That last point begs the questions: how will this affect search and how will this impact the user? Google has 65% market share on search and Yahoo is a distant second with Microsoft steadily losing share, so a) how will this benefit Yahoo (aside from wheelbarrows full of cash) and b) if Yahoo is on the blocks, why wouldn’t Google be after them instead?

So is this real? Will there be a MicroHoo or an MS-Yahoo!? (or even a Yahoogle?) Well, the social networking community seems to think so. It’s page one in Digg as of this writing and Tech Crunch reports that Yahoo stock is up 18% as of this morning.

And all this comes on the heels of Yahoo CEO Terry Semel’s comments last year (when it would have made more sense for Yahoo to join Microsoft, before Microsoft developed its own ad program).

“My impartial advice to Microsoft is that you have no chance,” Mr Semel said. “The search business has been formed.” (source: Search Engine Land)

Whatever happens, the search landscape will be different, which is probably a good thing for the user and a bad thing for the SEM’s trying to keep up. What do you think?

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Francis <![CDATA[Weekly Search Marketing News & Links]]> http://www.searchmatters.net/2007/05/03/weekly-search-marketing-news-links/ 2007-05-03T13:29:34Z 2007-05-03T13:29:34Z BlogsHealthcarePharmaSearch EnginesSocial Media Have you been feeling down? Sad all the time? Maybe your problem is that you have a bad case of the Supplemental Results. :(

More on Google’s own plane of hell, trust of pharma distrusters, WoW maps and some Da Vinci code answers in this weeks links:

  •  A new survey shows that blogs that are critical of Pharma are seen as more credible. (PMB)
  • Five reasons not to launch viral content on a mini-site, although the subservient chicken may disagree. (SEOmoz)
  • Google Maps has gone virtual. They now have the map of World of Warcraft fully mapped. Perhaps they’ll get around to Middle Earth next? (SEOBH)
  • Here’s Matt Cutts telling us why it’s really not bad to be in the Google “supplemental results”. I guess some animals are more equal than others. (Matt Cutts)
  • Power to the people. Digg users defy DMCA, Digg Moderators and fascism everywhere by posting (and posting and posting…) an HD DVD crack. (SER)
  • Hey. Guess what? It doesn’t matter if you’re not paying attention, user generated media is killing your brand. (aimClear)
  • Having trouble finding a loyal audience? Pick a fight with somebody. It’s so Machiavellian. Like Tupac! (Copyblogger)
  • Cool link: Rosslyn Chapel code deciphered as a haunting musical score. Heathen rock! (SFE) and video/audio (Youtube)
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tim <![CDATA[Click Fraud: Are Your Campaigns Safe?]]> http://www.searchmatters.net/2007/05/01/click-fraud-are-your-campaigns-safe/ 2007-05-01T15:25:32Z 2007-05-01T15:25:32Z AdsenseClick FraudGoogleNewsletterPPCSearch MarketingSearch MattersSEMUncategorized Since the advent of paid search engine marketing, click fraud has been a growing area of concern for search engine marketers. Estimates of the scope of click fraud vary from 10% to 35% of all click activity. If not detected, click fraud can rob your company of both your marketing dollars and your sales. Are your campaigns safe? This article provides some tips on how to detect click fraud in your campaigns and some guidance on what to do if you find it.

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Jennie <![CDATA[Ambivalence for DTC ads: Can search help?]]> http://www.searchmatters.net/2007/04/27/ambivalence-for-dtc-ads-can-search-help/ 2007-04-27T20:19:36Z 2007-04-27T20:19:36Z DTCHealthcarePharmaSEM Pharmaceutical Executive had a very interesting article on a series of studies conducted for the Pharmaceutical Safety Institute on DTC ads and consumers. The data revealed that despite ads prompting consumers to take action, either by searching online or discussing the product with their doctors, nearly half of respondents find DTC ads uninformative or inaccurate.

As the search marketing manager for several large pharmaceutical brands with largely funded DTC campaigns, I speak with the brand teams regularly about the importance of establishing a comprehensive SEM strategy. An SEM strategy is needed to make sure that not only is the brand ready and highly visible online for those consumers that are prompted by DTC ads to go to the web, BUT also to fill the increasing void as more consumers turn to the web for their healthcare information, because they are becoming less trusting of pharma’s DTC ads. Additionally, it is important to remember that often times, the “language” used within a DTC ad (which can be impacted heavily by trademark or regulatory requirements) can be quite different from how consumers are thinking about or searching for healthcare information online (think “ED vs. impotence“, so you need to be prepared for the unexpected!

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Francis <![CDATA[Search Matters Weekly Search Links 4/25/2007]]> http://www.searchmatters.net/2007/04/25/search-matters-weekly-search-links-4252007/ 2007-04-25T19:19:49Z 2007-04-25T19:19:49Z GoogleMySpacePersonalized SearchSearch MattersSearch NewsSocial Media Blogs, social networks and personalized search are all making headlines this week. All this fancy pants social media and uppity blog talk gets me cranky. I remember a time when you didn’t have to worry about RSS food and XML whatsits and tag storms, or whatever. You just built a static website with a crap interface and impossible navigation, launched it to the web and never touched it again because the IT guy who quit was the only one with the FTP password. Ah, the good ole days.

  • Power to the people. Will Blogs be the death of news? (SEW Blog)
  • J&J to give 120,000 employees personal blogs? I’m sorry I can’t hear you because the hell freezing over is so loud. (Pharma Marketing Blog)
  • MySpace’s new Digg/Netscape/Reddit/American Idol clone is a few telomeres shy of a double helix. (SEOmoz)
  • Google’s web search history in personalized results is ruining the party for everyone. And I thought that my name was #1 in Google because I’m. Just. That. Awesome. Damn. (Gord)
  • Matt Cutts not convincing me one single bit. (Matt Cutts)
  • I think I know your password, dummy. Top 10 most frequently used (and hacked) passwords. Guess what? Password is #1. Damn. (Threadwatch)
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tim <![CDATA[SEM Has Become Mainstream]]> http://www.searchmatters.net/2007/04/24/sem-has-become-mainstream/ 2007-04-24T21:39:41Z 2007-04-24T21:39:41Z Paid SearchPPCSearch MarketingSearch MattersSEM I’m not sure exactly when it happened but it happened.  Search engine marketing has become mainstream.  Businesses of all sizes no longer debate whether or not they need to do search engine marketing, the debate has become: “Do we do it in-house or do we hire an experienced SEM agency.”  

Not long ago, many businesses who were jumping on the SEM band wagon decided the SEO component of SEM required technical expertise that they did not have internally, so it was a fairly easy decision to farm that piece out to an experienced SEO firm.   Conversely, many companies felt they could manage the paid search component in-house since it was a fairly straightforward process in that you could completely control your rankings simply by outbidding your competitors. 

The SEM world is now a very different place.  If you are considering the option of managing your campaign in-house, make sure you know what you are getting into.  Mistakes will cost you in terms of rankings and revenue, and you can quickly burn through your SEM budget.

On the organic side of SEM, gone are the days of doorway pages, invisible text, and other black hat short cuts to success.  Competition for the top spots is stronger than ever and the search engines have strict rules about how you can optimize your site to improve rankings.

Optimizing your paid search engine marketing campaign has also become very sophisticated.   Paid search engine marketers need to have in depth knowledge of the search engine tools and features.   The days of controlling your ranking based solely on your bid are over.  Nowadays, your quality score is at least as important as your bids.   Keyphrase relevancy, click-through rate, ad quality, landing page quality, and site quality are all factors that impact your ranking and the amount you pay per click.   It may not be rocket science but its getting there.   Furthermore each search engine has its own unique algorithm for ranking paid search ads, unique rules for writing ads, different match type options, different methods for handling plurals and mis-spellings, different demographics and psychographics, and well you get the idea.  Its not as easy as it used to be.  And oh yeah, the rules and tools are constantly changing.  

Just remember, at the end of the day it all comes down to your return on investment.  Good search engine marketing not only requires good technical and marketing skills, it requires good business skills.  Do you have what it takes?

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Ehren <![CDATA[Exploiting Site-Internal Search Systems for SEM]]> http://www.searchmatters.net/2007/04/24/exploiting-site-internal-search-systems-for-sem/ 2007-04-24T15:05:42Z 2007-04-24T15:05:42Z CPCLocal SearchPaid SearchPPCSearch MarketingSEM Many of our clients’ sites have internal search features, which allow visitors to the site to search for information within the site, such as a “Find a {Doctor/Center/Office/Event/Course/Dealership/etc.} Near You” feature. This type of internal search is powered by a searchable database, and the URLs of search results pages in this system are dynamically generated. With all the possible permutations of different parameters, this can add up to thousands of possible URLs. However, we have recently been developing tools for using the internal search results pages as landing pages for sponsored search ads. This is a unique way to take users directly to the page that is most relevant to them.

Suppose you have internal search on your site. Your brand, Acme Dialysis, is trying to help people find kidney dialysis centers near them. Assuming the user’s first stop is a typical search engine like Google, where they type in, for example, “Dialysis centers in Chicago”. You have a search results page on your site that contains a list of all your dialysis centers near Cleveland. But how do you serve an ad on Google’s search results page that links people to your internal search results page for Chicago?

The answer is that those long, complex, and often intimidating URLs of internal search results pages are actually quite systematic. By tapping into this systematic URL structure, we can generate super-targeted keyphrases and ads, so that when someone types in:

“Dialysis centers in Chicago”

They see an ad that says:

Chicago Dialysis Center
Visit Acme Dialysis Center Located
Near You in Chicago.
www.Acme-Dialysis-Centers.com

And they are then taken to page on the site as though they had just searched your internal database for centers in Chicago. It is possible to do this for hundreds of locations at a time, as well as for multiple products. The end results is a campaign with thousands of keywords, each of which has a highly targeted specific ad, and each of which takes users to exactly what they wanted on your site.

Major e-commerce retailers have long used this tactic. For example, if you search for an ordinary product and click on an eBay ad, you will be taken to the same page as if you had searched within eBay for that product. As brand marketers’ sites become more integral to their business, they should consider integrating this type sophistication into their paid search campaigns as well.

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Francis <![CDATA[Search Matters Weekly Search Links 4/18/2007]]> http://www.searchmatters.net/2007/04/18/search-matters-weekly-search-links-4182007/ 2007-04-18T14:21:19Z 2007-04-18T14:21:19Z AskGoogleLinkingSearch EnginesSearch NewsSEMSEO Google Bombing, Wikipedia vandalism and the future of Google search are making the top headlines this week.

  • Is Stephen Colbert the Greatest Living American? You decide. (SEOmoz)
  • Now that Google is an advertising giant, will search get abandoned and/or outsourced? (Gord)
  • Search for regulated industries? Who knew? (Catalyst Blog)
  • Want to know how far you walked after dinner last night and if you burned enough calories to account for the creme brulee? Try Google Maps Pedometer. (Gmaps Pedometer)
  • Channel Partner B2B search marketing tactics (Search Engine Land)
  • Wikipedia seeks to bar submissions for “The Office” because of wiki-vandalism. (Yahoo News)
  • Ask.com CEO explains “the alogorithm” and why it keeps finding Jesus. (SEW)
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sherwood <![CDATA[Report from SES: Linkbaiting]]> http://www.searchmatters.net/2007/04/16/report-from-ses-linkbaiting/ 2007-04-16T14:56:24Z 2007-04-16T14:56:24Z One of the hottest topics at the SES Conference in New York was the concept of “linkbaiting”. Content producers have always known that hot news items attract visitors in droves. Providing viral tools such as “E-mail to a friend” can help encourage that. But in the last couple years, viral marketing has acquired a new infrastructure of its own, one that advertisers can leverage to promote their products.

Social media sites such as Digg, del.icio.us, and YouTube have very different business models and functions, but they share the same “killer app.” They provide an environment where people with similar interests can easily share links to sites they like. If you are a Red Sox fan, like me, we no longer have to e-mail game highlights to each other. I can simply bookmark the highlight for myself on del.icio.us, and the sharing happens automatically.

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Francis <![CDATA[Search Matters Weekly Search Links]]> http://www.searchmatters.net/2007/04/11/search-matters-weekly-search-links/ 2007-04-11T19:39:33Z 2007-04-11T19:39:33Z For those of you who, like me, don’t happen to be at SES, there is actually some search news happening that isn’t in New York city. Which is where all your colleagues are. Laughing. Networking. Maxing out their expense accounts. Completely not sitting back at the office blogging. Good times.

  • Jupiter study finds that local search and vertical search are on the rise. Whew! (Search Engine Land)
  • Jupiter also says that Search Marketers are happy with ROI and plan to spend more. (ClickZ)
  • Jupiter is a failed star, or gas giant that saves us from most intra-solar system comets and meteors (Wiki-P)
  • Why you should blog. And this one says a little more than my list which is: for the money, duh. (SEOmoz)
  • Sometimes you can actually over SEO-ize your site. (Copyblogger)
  • From the dark side…viral videos. Beware. Only what you take with you… (SEO Blackhat)
  • 6 Reasons Aaron Wall shouldn’t blog: Again: for the money duh… (SEO Book)
  • Dave Sifry expands his “State of..” from the blogosphere, to the “State of the Live web.” Next, is Sifry’s “State of the known universe including your box full of wires that your fiancee keeps trying to throw away, but when she needed an extension cord for her bridal shower, that box was looking pretty good wasn’t it? Wasn’t it?” (Sifry’s Alerts)

And to kill the rest of your afternoon: The entire movie Office Space, reshot using Peeps as actors. Freekin. PEEPS. Head over to YouTube to see it because apparently it’s too hot for our servers to handle. (Go)

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