As every week we bring you news on State of Search. We recorded this for you on Monday but have been struggling with the quality of the video ever since. Therefore this week we are posting the update in podcast format only. And we hope to get a grip on the settings of Camtasia next week ; ). As a special treat you are getting the entire transcript in the post this one time.
This week in episode seven we look at Google putting brand logos in maps, Sphinn, streaming search, Google indexing SVG, Google trims privacy policies and much more.
Links to the related stories and a podcast download can be found below.
Download the mp3 in a podcast format to listen to on your iPod.
Links to the stories discussed:
Bye Bye Sphinn?
It could be the end of an era. The announcement Danny Sullivan, chief editor on Searchengineland and one of the founders of Sphinn, made on the Sphinn blog that within two weeks Sphinn is saying goodbye to the voting system, lead to a big discussion on Sphinn. Some proclaimed Sphinn was dead, others believed it was the best step for Sphinn to take.
Sphinn decided on the matter, not because of the big amount of spam on Sphinn, but because it seems as if less and less people are actually voting. They will now let editors decide what content is worth showing on the homepage of Sphinn. It remains to be seen if this is really the best way to go, but it sure means a huge change for Sphinn. Looking at the homepage of Sphinn it seems as if the transition has already started.
Sphinn
Google putting brand logos in maps
I think Bing already did something similar, but now Google is also putting in brand logos in maps. Google has announced that it is to allow well-known brands to add their own company logos to Maps in the USA.
In the US you might be seeing logos popping up on specific landmarks. The idea, Google says, is to help users find familiar brands and help businesses promote themselves.
Google Blog
Google indexing SVG
On the last day of August Google announced it is now indexing Scalable Vector Graphics documents. SVG is an open, XML-based format for vector graphics with support for interactive elements.
SVG is a key feature for modern browsers. With SVG Defining the image using text, instead of pixels as happens for example in JPEG or BMP files, drives to several advantages. It seems like Google is preparing us to a new look of the Web. It also is a first step to possibly indexing apps (Think iPad)
Google Webmaster
Blog Finder for any topic
Google has quietly launched a new feature: search for blogs on any topic. Bill Slawski argues that the launch may be related to a new Google patent to better understand what a blog is all about.
Google search for blogs has a new option which will appear in the sidebar: search for posts or blog home pages related to your query. You can search for specific genres of blogs. It kind of feels like the new Technorati.
This function can really help finding bloggers in your niche.
ReadWriteWeb
Google Blog
SEO by the Sea
Chrome has a birthday
Google’s browser Chrome celebrated its second birthday last week. In March this year 110 million internet users globally used Google Chrome as their main browser. In August Chrome had an estimated market share of 17%, a huge growth in just two years time.
On its birthday Google released a new stable version of Chrome that is even faster and more streamlined. You can download the newest version on google.com/chrome
Download newest version
A fourth ad on top
When Google first put ads on top of the search results, next to the ones on the right, people were afraid nobody would be seeing the organic results anymore. It didn’t come to that, but seeing the organic results at first glance will become even more difficult if Googles newest tests will become truth.
Search Engine Land reports that Google is now testing four ads above the search results in stead of three. On the search of Mortgage rates in the US . Google’s said this is an experiment for the moment, related to when mortgage ads display.
Searchengineland
YouTube found liable in German court
Google and Germany are never going to be friends. And the same goes for Googles videosite YouTube. In Germany you already can see less of the YouTube content than in other countries. And still the Germans weren’t satisfied. When a YouTube user uploaded several videos of singer Sarah Brightman the Germans went on to sue YouTube.
A German court now has found YouTube liable for copyright damages after one of its users uploaded copyrighted music videos. A Google spokesperson tells the AP that it’s evaluating the court’s decision and will appeal.
Google article
What’s Google up to?
Last Friday Searchenginelands Danny Sullivan reported that Google had announced a special press event for next Wednesday on search that “you won’t want to miss.”
Off course speculations immediately started. Sullivan’s guess is that this will be similar to the “Searchology” events that Google’s held in 2007 and 2009. He thinks that because of the speakers, three of which deal heavily with Google’s user interface, and the location, San Francisco’s Museum Of Modern Art it has something to do with design.
Search Engine Land
Facebook likes-content now in search results
When Facebook announced the “like” option and their updated search we knew it was just a matter of time before we had to start optimizing for Facebook. Well maybe that step has become a bit closer with Facebook latest adjustments to their search.
Searchenginewatch Friday announced Facebook is now displaying and ranking webcontent based on sharing and likes. Jonathan Allen brakes it down in a post on SEW and notices there seem to be three vital factors so far:
- Who shared it first
- Relationship to others who also liked it
- Total number of likes of shared content
An interesting development which makes Facebook a search player.
Search Engine Watch
Google trims privacy policies
One of the objections towards Facebook is that their policies are long and difficult to read. “Thats not gonna happen to us” Google must have thought. They decided to trim their privacy policies. “we want to make our policies more transparent and understandable.” Google says.
The new privacy policy updates will take effect in a month, on October 3. A sneak preview can be found on Google via the links on the website. And I must admit, they are a lot shorter.
Google blog
Googles new privacy policy
Anti-Google Privacy Group uses… Google Analytics
We end with a funny coincidence found by business insider. The website found that Anti-Google Privacy Group Consumer Watchdog who is attacking Google over privacy issues is found to be using Google Analytics to track the behavior of their visitors and that it uses tracking cookies to monitor its readers behavior. Another proof of that some privacy matters are exaggerated.
Business Insider
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