Archive: September, 2006

As the search engine environment changes rapidly, many webmasters are feeling left out, not up to speed, sort of behind the times. Built on interactive technologies and incredible innovations, hip hucksters are hailing a rebirth of the web, rebranding its evolution as Web2.0. As with the body-image myth generated by super-thin supermodels, there is a certain “keeping up with the Jones” mentality among webmasters who want to keep themselves on the cutting edge.

This is a common issue for SEOs and other online marketers, all constantly immersed in the Internet environment. In the search marketing, the cutting edge has a remarkable way of quickly becoming a common standard. Given dozens of emerging options, each of which could be highly beneficial to clients, what is the best way to map out a forward looking marketing plan?

There are a number of considerations. In the absence of specific answers to the highly subjective questions introduced by any site redevelopment, simplicity is a good starting point. The idea and intention of simplicity is basic enough but the simplest things can get quite complex. Understandably, focus, vision and will power are needed to keep things simple in an industry where virtually everything is possible.

Just a quick tidbit here. China’s largest Internet service provider is enlisting the help of Microsoft to compete with China’s largest search engine, Baidu.

China Telecom and Microsoft are teaming up to provide approximately 25 million China Telecom subscribers and 80 million Internet users with access to Microsoft Live Search technologies, packaged under the name 114. The search service currently offers white page, yellow page, BBS and blog search. Local, video and image search will be added in a few months.

Yahoo! formerly provided China Telecom with search services, but the contract was terminated in August, 2006. The contract between Microsoft and China Telecom is said to terminate in 2008.

Baidu currently enjoys a massive 62 percent share of the Chinese search market.

Q) What looks like an American, walks like an American, talks like and American but often gets confused (by Americans) for a duck simply because it is not an American? A) A Canadian.

Today appears to be Canada Day in the search engine marketing media, spurred by a thread from the Search Engine Watch forums titled, “Does Canada Really Exist?”.

The original poster, “Helen” is a search marketing expert working with Toronto based firm, Non-Linear Creations. She can’t sign her company up to be certified Google Advertising Professionals because her company is located in Canada.

Non-Linear Creations is a large online marketing agency in downtown Toronto. The firm handles some very large clients including Petro Canada, Chapters/Indigo Books, the National Research Council, and even the House of Commons Policy and Planning Department. Clearly, Helen’s company is a pretty big player in the Canadian online services scene.

Unfortunately, her company, along with over a hundred other search marketing firms located in Canada, is not eligible to be considered a Google Advertising Professional.

Richard touched briefly on Live Search last week, but I thought I’d go into some more detail on the new engine.

Microsoft fights at the front of a lot of battles. But one historic battle it’s had problems winning is the Battle of the Search Engines. MSN’s share of the search market has always been significantly lower than either Google or Yahoo, although it still manages to hang onto third place (current Nielson/Netratings show Google at 49%, Yahoo! at 23% and Microsoft at 10% – courtesy of searchnews). This could change with Live Search.

Live Search completely replaces the old MSN Search interface. Right away you’ll notice a much simpler, cleaner design and layout, a standard made popular by search king Google. The change in usability is step one to drawing more users. Step two will be to garner a stronger reputation through popular services and better results than the other guys.

Aside from the standard Web, Images, and News search functions, Live offers:

• Language selection: from a well organized list, located under the options menu.
• Local search: growing database of North American cities, with kick butt maps that let you zoom into specific areas; contact info and driving instructions.