With Google facing an antitrust investigation in Europe, the question of search neutrality has once again raised its ugly head. But can search engines really be regulated?
Google’s alleged fiddling of search engine rankings for Microsoft associates Foundem and Ciao! have landed them in some pretty hot water. With a European antitrust case pending, the issue of search neutrality and monopolising of the search/advertising market is in the spotlight.
On their European Public Policy blog, Google have been quick to defend its actions. Yesterday, under the title of ‘This stuff is tough‘ Amit Singhal (a Google Fellow) explained just how complex it is to regulate and maintain a search engine. This was in response not only to the pending court action, but also an Op-Ed piece in the New York Times by Adam Raff, co-founder of Foundem.
More…
Tens of thousands of website owners have provided more information to the people whose products and services appear on their advertising space by using Google’s Ad Planner, the search engine reveals.
More…
With mobile advertising, webmasters whose content is visible to an audience on the move could find they are able to reach tens of millions of people, according to Google.
More…
A number of Google’s SEO services are expected to be temporarily interrupted during an upgrade in the coming weeks.
More…
Businesses need to keep Google’s constantly adapting algorithms in mind when establishing themselves on the internet, it has been claimed.
More…
With the internet enabling businesses to target international markets, effective online marketing has never been so important.
More…
Following yesterday’s guilty verdict for three Google executives accused of breaching privacy laws in the Italian courts, will sites now have to be more accountable for the content that they host?
This could well prove to be a landmark ruling in the history of the Internet. The air of invincibility surrounding content hosts has been well and truly shattered. With high ranking executives being handed suspended jail sentences, any lethargy towards removing illegal or damaging content on sites has been forcibly quashed with one drop of a judge’s gavel.
But who exactly is accountable for content? Should the executives bear the brunt for something they’ve (most likely) never had any prior knowledge of? Should there be more blocks in place to ensure that any content that is deemed offensive or goes against the terms of use never sees the light of day, or at the very least, is removed quickly?
More…
An expert has offered tips to businesses on how they can ensure that their website is user friendly and returns the best search and SEO results.
More…
At a time when more and more businesses are fighting to gain attention on the internet though their marketing campaigns, they may want to take the advice of one expert on how to best promote themselves.
More…
The tit-for-tat battle between Google and Microsoft could be heading to the European courts after it was announced that the former is now the subject of an antitrust investigation. This news comes as three executives are found guilty of invading privacy in Italy.
An initial complaint from consumer review site Ciao in Germany has now spilled over to Brussels and the halls of the European Commission. The antitrust probe has been launched following complaints from Foundem, ejustice.fr and the aforementioned Ciao.
As with most antitrust suits, it relates to Google supposedly using, or perhaps abusing their market dominance in the fields of search and search advertising. However, this is far from coincidental. Microsoft now own Ciao, even renaming it ‘Ciao from Bing’, and have a fair stake in the ICOMP (Initiative for a Competitive Online Marketplace) member, Foundem. This certainly looks like a shot across the bows from Microsoft, an attempt to derail the juggernaut-like progress of Google.
More…
The increase in internet shopping is causing more and more enterprises to invest in online marketing and improve their web presence, it has been claimed.
More…
As the number of online transactions taking place increases, it is more important than ever for businesses to have a strong web presence, it has been claimed.
More…
Whilst exuberance to market your new website is understandable, your inexperience may be costly. Pay per Click advertising offers a great opportunity to attract targeted traffic, but it isn’t without its risks.
Broad match is PPC’s very own siren on the rocks. Whilst it offers you the tantalising treat of traffic, it could also leave your budget in a wreck. Within a well-optimised, closely managed campaign it can help expand your online visibility; unfortunately, for those who are just starting out, a budget can be easily decimated with very little return on your investment.
So what is broad match?
More…
Targeting mobile users with advertising campaigns can help to improve relevancy, Google advises.
More…
Online advertisers face a marketing environment that changes on a second-by-second basis, according to Google.
More…
