Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
- Google Offering Searcher Tips: What Can We Learn From This?
Searchers and SEOs have recently been noticing Google offering searchers tips on how to search better at Google.com. Two recent threads have popped up about this, one at WebmasterWorld and the other at Google Web Search Help. Thankfully, I found the thread at the Google forum because WebmasterWorld does not allow examples. In the Google Web Search Help thread, the example given was for a search on Charlatt NH. At the bottom of the first - Google Local Business Center Image Upload Feature Issues
We have several business owners complaining in two different Google Maps Help Threads that the upload picture feature in the Google Local Business Center is not working. Basically, they are trying to upload pictures to their business listing but they keep getting an error returned that says, "We are unable to store your image at this time" or "Image Not Available." I personally tried this yesterday and it worked fine for me using Apple's Safari - Google Webmaster Tools Link Reports Bugs Linger On
SEOs and Webmasters should all be huge fans of Google Webmaster Tools, it provides data and insight into our web sites that we did not always have. SEOs and Webmasters that are educated know what to make from these reports and use the data in an educated manner. There was a good quote at SMX West last week, it went something like, "data is not the same thing as wisdom." Google Webmaster Tools has often - Google Publishes Local Business Center Glossary
Google is trying really hard to educate business owners to validate their business listings in Google Maps. If every business owner did this, it would solve a lot of issues for Google. That being said, Google just announced in a Google Maps Help thread that they released a new glossary named Understanding Your Local Business Center Account. The glossary has the following 15+ terms defined for people who are new to the Local Business Center: - Google Opens AdSense For Domains Internationally
In December, Google expanded the AdSense for Domains product to all US publishers. Today, we are hearing reports in several forums that it has now been expanded to international publishers as well. I was very concerned to learn in December that this extremely controversial program was expanded then. But to be honest, I have not seen many complaints since the expansion. For my perspective, things did not get worse by opening up. In fact, maybe
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
- "spam-free" certification ?, Google Webmaster Help
- AdWords Downtime: February 21, 10am-2pm PST, Google Groups
- Display ad builder made ad does not show the images, Google AdWords Help
- Facebook Terms Update Creates Heated Debate, WebmasterWorld
- Google Needs to Change It’s Conference Presentation Policy, Sphinn
- How Google AdWords treats new ad text, WebmasterWorld
- Latitude API, Google Mobile Help
- Yahoo Pulls Together Its Mobile Offering With Yahoo! Mobile, WebmasterWorld
