Google algorithm should make search results much more timely for users, Google said, adding that about 35% of all searches should be affected.  Read more here.

Soon there will be a new panel to the right of the results where previously only a map appeared with much more information than before. Read Google announcement

U.S. Explicit Core Search

Google Sites led the U.S. explicit core search market in June with 65.5 percent market share, followed by Yahoo! Sites with 15.9 percent and Microsoft Sites with 14.4 percent (up 0.3 percentage points). Ask Network accounted for 2.9 percent of explicit core searches, followed by AOL, Inc. with 1.4 percent.      Read complete story here…

The truth hurts, but when it comes down to the two facets of (1) what is good for the webmaster/business owner and (2) what is good for the user, the visitors preference should define the monetary precedence. Failed Conversions can be derived from (1) lack of clarity on your page (2) too many options or (3) overwhelming graphical or textual elements which overpower the feel and function of a page.  Don’t Blame the SEO! Read the whole article here

Here are a few recent blog posts with info about how SearchWiki works and reactions to SearchWiki:

• Google SearchWiki: Blessing or Boondoggle?
• Google SearchWIKI: A Grand Shift in SEO?
• SearchWiki: Six Implications For Public Relations Professionals
• SearchWiki: Boon for Google, Bust for Privacy
• Google SearchWiki: Toy or Trash?
• Q&A With Google On SearchWiki (Don’t Expect An Opt-Out Soon)

The bottom line is that you want your site to generate only positive comments!  Your visitor feedback will depend on the quality of your content.  If you’ve done a good job of designing and building your site using  relevant content without using any SEO “tricks” you should be fine.

For some good basic advice download the Google Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide

As mentioned in my last post, the way we look at search engine ranking may be about to change.

In an official Google blog post (11/20/08)  titled “SearchWiki: make search your own” it was announced:

“Today we’re launching SearchWiki, a way for you to customize search by re-ranking, deleting, adding, and commenting on search results.”

In other words, Google Search Engine Ranking Position (SERPs) may be directly affected by user behavior. The post goes on to say:

“These modifications will be shown to you every time you do the same search in the future.” and “The changes you make only affect your own searches.”

It may be awhile before you actually see SearchWiki in action as it is being rolled out in a controlled fashion. In the meantime, it is critical that you begin to measure your Websites performance with an analytics program of some sort such as Google Analytics or Statcounter (or both).  If your hosting provider includes a Web statistics feature such as AWStats it’s time to start using it.

We will follow this development and report on actual case studies as they happen.

If you need help with analytics contact us via our message desk at http://www.schobey.com

Personalized search, behavior-based search, intent-based search, and universal search will all effect search engine ranking in some fashion.

As an advanced warning to my clients and readers, here is a video interview with Bruce Clay that we all should pay close attention to and implement appropriate steps in future online marketing efforts.

Here is another interview video, this one with Matt Cutts as a follow-up to the above.

Buzz & Social Media Marketing will have a much greater impact on your success in the future so get out that video camera and post to YouTube, participate in online communities & start podcasting.  Also paying attention to more in-depth analytics will be required to truly measure your Web properties performance.