Search Engine Optimization

A recap of interesting development in search for the last week of July.

Yahoo Maps Now With Better Search Integration & New Features

• Improved Local Search integration that utilizes the Search/Direct Display Index
• More user-friendly Driving Directions – a more user-friendly left rail that’s both wider and more legible (larger text), for easier reading of driving directions
• A redesigned Print Page
• The ability to minimize multiple driving direction instructions to save vertical space
• The ability to display inline turn-by-turn images for each driving direction segment
• An Interactive Print Page Map
• Users can now select from a variety map views (full route, full route + finish, full route + start + finish)
• Drag/Pan/zoom functionality for print page maps
• Interactivity between Points of Interest (POIs) and Map view; minimized POIs are removed from the map view
• Improved POIs – with ability to minimize/collapse multiple POIS to maximize viewing area

Google To Develop A Venture-Capital Unit

Google to Extend Reach With Venture-Capital Arm from the Wall Street Journal reports Google is in the early stages of putting together a corporate venture-capital unit, within Google.

Strategic and long term move by Google. Once good companies pop up Google can lunch on them.

comScore: No Clients are Leaving Us for Google

comScore CEO Magid Abraham said, “We really haven’t seen an impact so far on our business, we haven’t heard any client who’s said well use [the Google product] instead of comScore,” according to Marketwatch.

Comscore is the internet measurement company. With recent release of Google Ad Planner many chatted Comscore and Nielsen are going to lose some customers. Appears they’re doing fine.

Microsoft Releases BrowseRank to Topple Google PageRank

In obsessive, passionate, multi-billion dollar battle against Google, Microsoft made another move. BrowseRank is a new algorithm that looks at user behavior as a cue to the quality of web pages.

Read rest of the post

YouTube Sued By Italian Broadcaster Mediaset

In a factually similar claim to the current Viacom litigation, Google/YouTube was sued by Italian media company and broadcaster Mediaset, which is owned by Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. The company is seeking a minimum of EUR 500 million for copyright violations and hypothetical, lost ad revenue.

Another company looking to cash in on Google. When you’re that big it’s tempting to milk the cow a little. Though Google spins a kids-like brand, it’s rather a bull than a cow… Then italiano mafiosi can always send “Tony” and “Vincent” to shake up Sergei and Larry:

- “Where’s the money bit**!” – said Tony with think Brookline accent. “…I ain’ t no one b**ch” answered Sergey.

Vince, a chubby fellah with “don’t f*** with me” face rushed on to Sergey, grabbing a nearby lamp from the coffee table. The lamp went across Sergei’s forehead, leaving a think stitch. Sergey collapsed, holding his head, lying in a fresh pool of blood…. Vince came closer, punched Sergei into stomach, screaming: “you gonna get that 500 mil, you got 24 hours or you’re dead! You got that kid? 24 f**ing hours…

I miss Sopranos.

Report: Newspapers, Yellow Pages Battle For Local Online Advertising Revenues

A new report from analyst firm Borrell Associates contains fairly dire revenue projections for both local newspapers and print yellow pages ($5 billion in projected print revenue losses in five years). The newspaper angle is picked up today by the Wall Street Journal and PaidContent, which both lay out some of the numbers.

Google Beta Testing Showing Related Phrases Near Documents in Search Results