Wednesday, June 30, 2004
Behind the Scenes at Yahoo Labs, Part 2: "By Gary Price, Guest Writer - June 29, 2004
Dr. Gary Flake is Principal Scientist & Head of Yahoo! Research Labs. In part one of this wide-ranging interview, he talks about the daily work of researchers at Yahoo Labs, and what they're doing to make search better. In this second of three parts, he talks about the challenges of indexing various types of information, and Yahoo's efforts at realizing a current hot trend -- personalized search..."
Dr. Gary Flake is Principal Scientist & Head of Yahoo! Research Labs. In part one of this wide-ranging interview, he talks about the daily work of researchers at Yahoo Labs, and what they're doing to make search better. In this second of three parts, he talks about the challenges of indexing various types of information, and Yahoo's efforts at realizing a current hot trend -- personalized search..."
Public Relations Via Search Engines:
"By Grant Crowell, Guest Writer - June 30, 2004
Blending the traditional tools of public relations with innovative search marketing techniques is opening a new avenue of promotion for savvy content providers and site owners..."
"By Grant Crowell, Guest Writer - June 30, 2004
Blending the traditional tools of public relations with innovative search marketing techniques is opening a new avenue of promotion for savvy content providers and site owners..."
Monday, June 28, 2004
Microsoft prepares for search assault | CNET News.com: "By Iain Ferguson - Special to CNET News.com
SYDNEY--Microsoft plans to kick off a series of improvements to its search capabilities starting in July as it looks to compete with heavyweights Google and Yahoo, Bill Gates said Monday.
Microsoft's chairman told a media briefing here that the company had 'several milestones with its search site' on the way.
'In July, the format of the site will change--and so will the quality of what you get--and the way it'll look is dramatically improved,' Gates said. 'It'll be later this year that we actually roll out what's entirely our own back-end driving the search'..."
SYDNEY--Microsoft plans to kick off a series of improvements to its search capabilities starting in July as it looks to compete with heavyweights Google and Yahoo, Bill Gates said Monday.
Microsoft's chairman told a media briefing here that the company had 'several milestones with its search site' on the way.
'In July, the format of the site will change--and so will the quality of what you get--and the way it'll look is dramatically improved,' Gates said. 'It'll be later this year that we actually roll out what's entirely our own back-end driving the search'..."
AOL/Netscape France Launch Thumbnail:
"These thumbnail's next to the search results are becoming popular. There were several smaller engines that used them in the past. Recently Ask Jeeves launched its Binoculars(TM) Site Preview Tool and now AOL has launched a view that allows its French Netscape users see a snap shot of the screen. This view is much like how Alexa's screen capture works. Take a look at Netscape France's results for SearchEngineWatch. You will notice that there are three little boxes on the far right of the thing blue bar. Those are the different views you can choose from. I personally like the option to select one of these three views..."
"These thumbnail's next to the search results are becoming popular. There were several smaller engines that used them in the past. Recently Ask Jeeves launched its Binoculars(TM) Site Preview Tool and now AOL has launched a view that allows its French Netscape users see a snap shot of the screen. This view is much like how Alexa's screen capture works. Take a look at Netscape France's results for SearchEngineWatch. You will notice that there are three little boxes on the far right of the thing blue bar. Those are the different views you can choose from. I personally like the option to select one of these three views..."
Google launches new Chinese search services
"BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Google has announced the launch of Chinese search services designed to capture a portion of China's web market.
The services include a Chinese-English dictionary, weather reports, and people tracking capabilities.
The move seems to be a response to the launching of Yisou.com , a Yahoo-owned Chinese search engine.
As China moves towards becoming the second biggest Internet user in the world, search engines battle each other for their corner of the Chinese web.
Related:
Yahoo unveils 'Yisou' search engine for China
Yahoo Vs Google: presence extending "
"BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Google has announced the launch of Chinese search services designed to capture a portion of China's web market.
The services include a Chinese-English dictionary, weather reports, and people tracking capabilities.
The move seems to be a response to the launching of Yisou.com , a Yahoo-owned Chinese search engine.
As China moves towards becoming the second biggest Internet user in the world, search engines battle each other for their corner of the Chinese web.
Related:
Yahoo unveils 'Yisou' search engine for China
Yahoo Vs Google: presence extending "
Yahoo! News - Will the Search Wars Help You?: "Will the Search Wars Help You?
Sat Jun 26, 5:00 AM ETAdd Technology - TechWeb to My Yahoo!
Microsoft says that within a year it will offer software for searching e-mail messages, hard drives and corporate networks. The announcement is sure to inspire a competitive response from Google, which recently upgraded its pizza-box-shaped Google Search Appliance to index up to 15 million documents and perform 300 queries per minute.
Will search offerings from these behemoths encroach on the territory of smaller enterprise search vendors, namely Autonomy, ClearForest, Convera, Fast Search & Transfer and Verity? These companies provide full-featured search products with automatic tagging, categorization and support for many file formats.
'People see Google and think that's what they need for their Web site and intranet, but is that really the case?' asks IDC analyst Sue Feldman. 'On the Web, you have homogenous HTML. On an intranet, you have all kinds of files.' Although Microsoft and Google could purchase file format conversion software, for reliable search across a large organization, an enterprise search engine is still best because of its fuller feature set, whereas the Google and Microsoft alternatives are/will be fine for simple keyword searches.
Bottom line: Increased competition is making all these vendors try harder, which is good for you."
Sat Jun 26, 5:00 AM ETAdd Technology - TechWeb to My Yahoo!
Microsoft says that within a year it will offer software for searching e-mail messages, hard drives and corporate networks. The announcement is sure to inspire a competitive response from Google, which recently upgraded its pizza-box-shaped Google Search Appliance to index up to 15 million documents and perform 300 queries per minute.
Will search offerings from these behemoths encroach on the territory of smaller enterprise search vendors, namely Autonomy, ClearForest, Convera, Fast Search & Transfer and Verity? These companies provide full-featured search products with automatic tagging, categorization and support for many file formats.
'People see Google and think that's what they need for their Web site and intranet, but is that really the case?' asks IDC analyst Sue Feldman. 'On the Web, you have homogenous HTML. On an intranet, you have all kinds of files.' Although Microsoft and Google could purchase file format conversion software, for reliable search across a large organization, an enterprise search engine is still best because of its fuller feature set, whereas the Google and Microsoft alternatives are/will be fine for simple keyword searches.
Bottom line: Increased competition is making all these vendors try harder, which is good for you."
Search Engine News :: Search Engine Lowdown: Yahoo!'s Overture Unveils Local Match:
"According to ClickZ, Overture has officially announced its long-awaited Local Match product today.
The long-awaited product allows advertisers to target by radius -- from as little as a half mile to as much as 100 miles..."
"According to ClickZ, Overture has officially announced its long-awaited Local Match product today.
The long-awaited product allows advertisers to target by radius -- from as little as a half mile to as much as 100 miles..."
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Google Gives Back - Shares The Code:
"In an article by the The Age, an Australian paper, titled 'Google reveals its caring, sharing side', they write 'Search engine giant Google is preparing to publicly release some of its underlying software code.'
They quote Wayne Rosen, Google's VP of engineering, as saying the time has come for Google 'give something back.' Well I doubt they will be giving too much of their secret recipe out to the public. Coca Cola would never give up its secret recipe, so I doubt Google will..."
"In an article by the The Age, an Australian paper, titled 'Google reveals its caring, sharing side', they write 'Search engine giant Google is preparing to publicly release some of its underlying software code.'
They quote Wayne Rosen, Google's VP of engineering, as saying the time has come for Google 'give something back.' Well I doubt they will be giving too much of their secret recipe out to the public. Coca Cola would never give up its secret recipe, so I doubt Google will..."
Penn State Live:
"Web searchers don't tune in with radio buttons
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
University Park, Pa. -- Web searchers could more easily zero in on relevant images, audio clips and video files if consumers made use of radio buttons, a technology literally at their fingertips, a Penn State researcher has reported.
'This is a technology innovation that simplifies and improves multimedia searching, but our research shows that very few people use it,' said Jim Jansen, assistant professor of information sciences and technology. 'Consumers just haven't caught on...'"
"Web searchers don't tune in with radio buttons
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
University Park, Pa. -- Web searchers could more easily zero in on relevant images, audio clips and video files if consumers made use of radio buttons, a technology literally at their fingertips, a Penn State researcher has reported.
'This is a technology innovation that simplifies and improves multimedia searching, but our research shows that very few people use it,' said Jim Jansen, assistant professor of information sciences and technology. 'Consumers just haven't caught on...'"
FT.com / Business:
"Spain's Terra has four offers for Lycos
MADRID, June 22 (Reuters), 10:44
Spanish Internet firm Terra Lycos has received four offers for its U.S. portal Lycos, a company source said on Tuesday.
'We are weighing the sale of Lycos. No decision has been taken yet but Terra has four offers and we expect a decision will be taken in the short term,' the source told Reuters without giving further details..."
"Spain's Terra has four offers for Lycos
MADRID, June 22 (Reuters), 10:44
Spanish Internet firm Terra Lycos has received four offers for its U.S. portal Lycos, a company source said on Tuesday.
'We are weighing the sale of Lycos. No decision has been taken yet but Terra has four offers and we expect a decision will be taken in the short term,' the source told Reuters without giving further details..."
Monday, June 21, 2004
Ask Jeeves Sharpens Its Focus:
"By Gary Price, Guest Writer - June 21, 2004
Ask Jeeves announced today several new 'Smart Search' shortcuts, along with a new page preview tool.
The shortcuts allow searchers to enter a trigger word and get a relevant answer, often from a high quality source directly at the top of the results list. If an answer isn't actually shown, then a link is general provided to specialized database.
'Smart Search is about providing the right information in the right place at the right time,' said Jim Lanzone, vice-president of product management for Ask Jeeves. 'We can match up with specialized databases on the fly. We're built to scale Smart Search with others people's data'... "
"By Gary Price, Guest Writer - June 21, 2004
Ask Jeeves announced today several new 'Smart Search' shortcuts, along with a new page preview tool.
The shortcuts allow searchers to enter a trigger word and get a relevant answer, often from a high quality source directly at the top of the results list. If an answer isn't actually shown, then a link is general provided to specialized database.
'Smart Search is about providing the right information in the right place at the right time,' said Jim Lanzone, vice-president of product management for Ask Jeeves. 'We can match up with specialized databases on the fly. We're built to scale Smart Search with others people's data'... "
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Traffick | The "Real" Numbers Offer Clue to Google's Huge Lead:
"By Andrew Goodman - 6/14/2004
I've always been a stats junkie. In the search marketing business, though, it hasn't been easy to get the data that matter most. You hear conflicting reports about just how strong competing search engines such as Yahoo, MSN, and Google Search are in the marketplace. For the past year I've been trying hard (in seminars, on this site, as moderator of now-dormant MarketingVox Search, etc.) to hammer home the point that Google's lead in terms of search referrals is greater than it ever was, and greater than you might think..."
"By Andrew Goodman - 6/14/2004
I've always been a stats junkie. In the search marketing business, though, it hasn't been easy to get the data that matter most. You hear conflicting reports about just how strong competing search engines such as Yahoo, MSN, and Google Search are in the marketplace. For the past year I've been trying hard (in seminars, on this site, as moderator of now-dormant MarketingVox Search, etc.) to hammer home the point that Google's lead in terms of search referrals is greater than it ever was, and greater than you might think..."
Adware hijacking Google Organic Results:
"Think your safe while searching Google? Well the bad news, is that sometimes you maybe not be aware that the Google results you are getting have been altered to benefit the growing adware/spyware industry. If we didn't have anything else to worry about in searching the net, there appears to be a form of adware that is able to hijack google results and insert ads to make them appear as if they were real results. At the last second right before the search is completed it alters the results just slighty. Most would not notice this. Disturbing yes...Relevant no way...A big problem yes for organic results..."
"Think your safe while searching Google? Well the bad news, is that sometimes you maybe not be aware that the Google results you are getting have been altered to benefit the growing adware/spyware industry. If we didn't have anything else to worry about in searching the net, there appears to be a form of adware that is able to hijack google results and insert ads to make them appear as if they were real results. At the last second right before the search is completed it alters the results just slighty. Most would not notice this. Disturbing yes...Relevant no way...A big problem yes for organic results..."
Search weapons aim at privacy - News - ZDNet: "COMMENTARY--To some, personalization signals a new era of search, in which people can quickly navigate through the Web's vast reaches. To others, it is an ominous harbinger of encroachment on consumers' right to online privacy.
No doubt the personalization of search results has emerged as one of the most promising weapons in the search market business. But are consumers being asked to give up too much personal information in exchange for more relevant search results?
Web sites now routinely ask consumers to provide personal information in exchange for access to premium content, free e-mail, contests and more. Consumers have responded to these requests by readily providing that information...
...Search services themselves also share the burden of making personalized search safe for consumers. Services must continue to earn the trust that consumers place in them by ensuring that their information will be used exclusively to benefit the search experience and will not be shared with third parties for any reason.
In general, we as consumers have become desensitized to the information we give up because we're so used to providing it to the companies we patronize. It's not unique to the world of the Internet either. The fact is you can't buy batteries in a Radio Shack without being asked for personal information, including your name, phone number and ZIP code.
The search wars and the advent of personalized search are drawing attention both for their promise and for their potential pitfalls. Regardless of who emerges victorious, the use of personal information will continue to be at the forefront of technology innovation. As long as people are able to remain anonymous--and search services properly safeguard the information collected-—then supplying insight into who we are and what we prefer should not sound privacy alarm bells..."
No doubt the personalization of search results has emerged as one of the most promising weapons in the search market business. But are consumers being asked to give up too much personal information in exchange for more relevant search results?
Web sites now routinely ask consumers to provide personal information in exchange for access to premium content, free e-mail, contests and more. Consumers have responded to these requests by readily providing that information...
...Search services themselves also share the burden of making personalized search safe for consumers. Services must continue to earn the trust that consumers place in them by ensuring that their information will be used exclusively to benefit the search experience and will not be shared with third parties for any reason.
In general, we as consumers have become desensitized to the information we give up because we're so used to providing it to the companies we patronize. It's not unique to the world of the Internet either. The fact is you can't buy batteries in a Radio Shack without being asked for personal information, including your name, phone number and ZIP code.
The search wars and the advent of personalized search are drawing attention both for their promise and for their potential pitfalls. Regardless of who emerges victorious, the use of personal information will continue to be at the forefront of technology innovation. As long as people are able to remain anonymous--and search services properly safeguard the information collected-—then supplying insight into who we are and what we prefer should not sound privacy alarm bells..."
ResourceShelf: "Web Search--Vivisimo
More Special Search Tool Clustering Demos from Vivisimo
ResourceShelf mentions happenings at Vivisimo on a regular basis. Yes, we like what they're doing as do many others. They call it 'selective ignorance.' Most of you already know that you can aggregate and cluster results from several general web engines with their publicly available metasearch search tool. We've also mentioned that you can use Vivisimo to cluster results from several specialized databases including:
+ PubMed (aka ClusterMed)
+ FirstGov
+ Scirus
+ ClinicalTrials.gov
+ eBay
Today, news that you can now cluster results from three more specialized engines:
+ Cluster Results from the Slashdot Database
Cluster on either titles or dates.
+ Open Source Software: ClusterSource
'This demo allows you to search and cluster open source projects listed by the Open Source Developers' Network on SourceForge and Freshmeat, the world's largest repositories of open source programs and applications. Clustering is especially powerful here, grouping free software by type, language, environment and more to find the application you need quickly.'
See Also: Even More Vivisimo Demos"
More Special Search Tool Clustering Demos from Vivisimo
ResourceShelf mentions happenings at Vivisimo on a regular basis. Yes, we like what they're doing as do many others. They call it 'selective ignorance.' Most of you already know that you can aggregate and cluster results from several general web engines with their publicly available metasearch search tool. We've also mentioned that you can use Vivisimo to cluster results from several specialized databases including:
+ PubMed (aka ClusterMed)
+ FirstGov
+ Scirus
+ ClinicalTrials.gov
+ eBay
Today, news that you can now cluster results from three more specialized engines:
+ Cluster Results from the Slashdot Database
Cluster on either titles or dates.
+ Open Source Software: ClusterSource
'This demo allows you to search and cluster open source projects listed by the Open Source Developers' Network on SourceForge and Freshmeat, the world's largest repositories of open source programs and applications. Clustering is especially powerful here, grouping free software by type, language, environment and more to find the application you need quickly.'
See Also: Even More Vivisimo Demos"
Monday, June 14, 2004
All the News That's Fit For You:
"By Chris Sherman, Associate Editor - June 14, 2004
Findory (http://www.findory.com/) is an online news aggregator that adapts its layout to the types of news stories that you read, providing a uniquely personalized view of the day's headlines.
Headlines that match your profile are tagged with a 'Personalized' label. As you use the service, and the system gets a better sense of your interests, you'll see more personalized headlines..."
"By Chris Sherman, Associate Editor - June 14, 2004
Findory (http://www.findory.com/) is an online news aggregator that adapts its layout to the types of news stories that you read, providing a uniquely personalized view of the day's headlines.
Headlines that match your profile are tagged with a 'Personalized' label. As you use the service, and the system gets a better sense of your interests, you'll see more personalized headlines..."
Friday, June 11, 2004
Search Engine News :: Search Engine Lowdown: "Interesting Search Engine Tidbits
Some random information I've been told over the past few weeks...
* Overture has 500 million unique search term requests each month, only 50 million of those are bid on by advertisers.
* When using Site Match to submit to Yahoo, don't use a URL that is already in the Yahoo index. If you cancel Site Match, your URL will be removed from the index and you will have to wait 2-8 weeks for the free crawler to find you again.
* Yahoo's algorithm is tweaked every 6-8 weeks.
* The pay-per-click engines discover 300, 000 new keyword searches in their index each month.
- Search Engine News by Andy Beal "
Some random information I've been told over the past few weeks...
* Overture has 500 million unique search term requests each month, only 50 million of those are bid on by advertisers.
* When using Site Match to submit to Yahoo, don't use a URL that is already in the Yahoo index. If you cancel Site Match, your URL will be removed from the index and you will have to wait 2-8 weeks for the free crawler to find you again.
* Yahoo's algorithm is tweaked every 6-8 weeks.
* The pay-per-click engines discover 300, 000 new keyword searches in their index each month.
- Search Engine News by Andy Beal "
Search Engine News :: Search Engine Lowdown: "Exclusive: Ask Jeeves Introduces Preview Feature
At Search Engine Lowdown, we just love to stumble across news that hasn't yet broken. And I think we have uncovered something that is a winner. Take a look at this screenshot of Ask Jeeves..."
At Search Engine Lowdown, we just love to stumble across news that hasn't yet broken. And I think we have uncovered something that is a winner. Take a look at this screenshot of Ask Jeeves..."
Thursday, June 10, 2004
NEWS.com.au | Google loses to Yahoo (June 10, 2004): "Kate Mackenzie - June 10, 2004
GOOGLE'S efforts in the Australian market have taken a body blow as News Interactive yesterday became the third major online publisher to sign a search marketing distribution agreement with Yahoo's subsidiary Overture..."
GOOGLE'S efforts in the Australian market have taken a body blow as News Interactive yesterday became the third major online publisher to sign a search marketing distribution agreement with Yahoo's subsidiary Overture..."
Internet News Article | Reuters.com:
"Ask Jeeves Makes Desktop Search Acquisition
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Web search company Ask Jeeves Inc. (ASKJ.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday said it bought private desktop search company Tukaroo Inc. amid speculation that larger rival Google Inc. is moving in a similar direction.
San Jose, California-based Tukaroo was founded in 2003. Terms of the sale were not disclosed..."
"Ask Jeeves Makes Desktop Search Acquisition
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Web search company Ask Jeeves Inc. (ASKJ.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday said it bought private desktop search company Tukaroo Inc. amid speculation that larger rival Google Inc. is moving in a similar direction.
San Jose, California-based Tukaroo was founded in 2003. Terms of the sale were not disclosed..."
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
You're Probably Using Internet Explorer Right Now:
"According to OneStat, Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) 6.0 claims 69.3% of the worldwide Internet browser user market, while all versions of Internet Explorer claim 93.9% overall.
OneStat.com reports that as of May 2004, Microsoft (IE) 6.0 is the most popular browser worldwide among Web sites using OneStat's tracking technology, with a market share of 69.3%. In fact, Microsoft holds the top three browser spots -- its IE version 5.5 claims 12.9% of the browser market and its IE version 5.0 claims 10.8% of the market. Version 4.0, released in late 1997, still accounts for 0.6% of the browser market.
Overall, Microsoft claims 93.9% of worldwide Internet browser users, making it the leading browser company. Mozilla, an offshoot of one-time market leader Netscape, follows in second place with just 2.1% of the market, while Opera claims third place with 1%...
...The Mac OS accounts for less than 2% of the PC market..."
"According to OneStat, Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) 6.0 claims 69.3% of the worldwide Internet browser user market, while all versions of Internet Explorer claim 93.9% overall.
OneStat.com reports that as of May 2004, Microsoft (IE) 6.0 is the most popular browser worldwide among Web sites using OneStat's tracking technology, with a market share of 69.3%. In fact, Microsoft holds the top three browser spots -- its IE version 5.5 claims 12.9% of the browser market and its IE version 5.0 claims 10.8% of the market. Version 4.0, released in late 1997, still accounts for 0.6% of the browser market.
Overall, Microsoft claims 93.9% of worldwide Internet browser users, making it the leading browser company. Mozilla, an offshoot of one-time market leader Netscape, follows in second place with just 2.1% of the market, while Opera claims third place with 1%...
...The Mac OS accounts for less than 2% of the PC market..."
Internet News Article | Reuters.com:
"Google Could Change the Wireless Internet
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Google Inc. will have to create a new verb for wireless Web searching if it is to keep its role as the Internet trendsetter.
Google, a search engine so widely used on personal computers that its name became a verb, has a chance to trounce rivals by making Web searching more practical on gadgets like mobile phones, analysts say.
'The mobile game is wide open,' Gartner analyst Michael King said. ' ... It's one of the last frontiers'... "
"Google Could Change the Wireless Internet
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Google Inc. will have to create a new verb for wireless Web searching if it is to keep its role as the Internet trendsetter.
Google, a search engine so widely used on personal computers that its name became a verb, has a chance to trounce rivals by making Web searching more practical on gadgets like mobile phones, analysts say.
'The mobile game is wide open,' Gartner analyst Michael King said. ' ... It's one of the last frontiers'... "
Internet News Article | Reuters.com:
"Broadband Internet Use Up 42 Pct in 2003 -- FCC
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - High-speed Internet use grew 42 percent last year as some 8.3 million homes and businesses signed up for broadband service, the Federal Communications Commission said Tuesday.
Driven largely by new residential and small-business customers, broadband use grew to 28.2 million lines by the end of 2003, the FCC said.
The growth rate increased slightly in the second half of the year, from 18 percent to 20 percent, the FCC said.
Cable-based services continued to be the most popular form of broadband service, the FCC found, accounting for 16.4 million lines.
Telephone-based digital subscriber line service accounted for 9.5 million lines, while 2.3 million high-speed lines used satellite, fiber-optic or wireless technologies.
Unlike other estimates of broadband use based on consumer surveys, the FCC survey counted the actual number of lines in use as reported by providers like Verizon Communications (VZ.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Comcast Corp. (CMCSA.O: Quote, Profile, Research) .
Broadband users can download music, video clips and other bandwidth-intensive content that chokes a traditional dial-up line. "
"Broadband Internet Use Up 42 Pct in 2003 -- FCC
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - High-speed Internet use grew 42 percent last year as some 8.3 million homes and businesses signed up for broadband service, the Federal Communications Commission said Tuesday.
Driven largely by new residential and small-business customers, broadband use grew to 28.2 million lines by the end of 2003, the FCC said.
The growth rate increased slightly in the second half of the year, from 18 percent to 20 percent, the FCC said.
Cable-based services continued to be the most popular form of broadband service, the FCC found, accounting for 16.4 million lines.
Telephone-based digital subscriber line service accounted for 9.5 million lines, while 2.3 million high-speed lines used satellite, fiber-optic or wireless technologies.
Unlike other estimates of broadband use based on consumer surveys, the FCC survey counted the actual number of lines in use as reported by providers like Verizon Communications (VZ.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Comcast Corp. (CMCSA.O: Quote, Profile, Research) .
Broadband users can download music, video clips and other bandwidth-intensive content that chokes a traditional dial-up line. "
Thursday, June 03, 2004
ResourceShelf: "A ResourceShelf Interview: 20 Questions with Gary Flake, Head of Yahoo Research Labs
Dr. Gary Flake, Principal Scientist & Head of Yahoo! Research Labs, was kind enough to answer 20 questions for this email interview. This is a 'must read' for those of you interested in web search and online information retrieval..."
Dr. Gary Flake, Principal Scientist & Head of Yahoo! Research Labs, was kind enough to answer 20 questions for this email interview. This is a 'must read' for those of you interested in web search and online information retrieval..."
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
John Battelle's Searchblog: Safa On Online Ads, Search: Growth, and More Growth:
"Safa Rashtchy's weekly newsletter makes two good points: first, online advertising will grow faster than most think, as major spenders migrate to the web in the next year, and second, paid search has become a distribution network, not just a advertising buy. In other words, as Google VP/Advertising Tim Armstrong pointed out to me in an interview for the book, search has moved marketing from the 'expenses' side to the ledger to the 'revenue' side - through paid search, marketing becomes sales.
From the newslettter:
The growth in online advertising is the most interesting one since it is rapidly accelerating and we expect it to continue to grow at a faster rate in 2005. Currently, we expect the 2004 growth rate to be at least in the range of 20%-25% and a faster growth rate in 2005, as more advertisers move online. We expect the combination of the three factors will be pushing this growth rate to 30%-50% over the next few years: 1) increased allocation of ad dollars from existing advertisers, 2) addition of new online advertisers, and 3) price increase. Currently, we estimate prices are in approximate parity, on an average basis, with offline media but we expect that overtime, online inventory can get a 20%-50% premium over comparable reach from traditional media.
Search, which we continue to believe must be regarded separately from advertising because of its unique dynamics, should continue to grow at 40% rate in 2004 and very likely maintain that rate in 2005, driven by international growth. Paid search has become the most effective direct marketing technique ever developed and has become a distribution network, not just a form of advertising, for tens of thousands of small merchants, as well as countless major online businesses."
"Safa Rashtchy's weekly newsletter makes two good points: first, online advertising will grow faster than most think, as major spenders migrate to the web in the next year, and second, paid search has become a distribution network, not just a advertising buy. In other words, as Google VP/Advertising Tim Armstrong pointed out to me in an interview for the book, search has moved marketing from the 'expenses' side to the ledger to the 'revenue' side - through paid search, marketing becomes sales.
From the newslettter:
The growth in online advertising is the most interesting one since it is rapidly accelerating and we expect it to continue to grow at a faster rate in 2005. Currently, we expect the 2004 growth rate to be at least in the range of 20%-25% and a faster growth rate in 2005, as more advertisers move online. We expect the combination of the three factors will be pushing this growth rate to 30%-50% over the next few years: 1) increased allocation of ad dollars from existing advertisers, 2) addition of new online advertisers, and 3) price increase. Currently, we estimate prices are in approximate parity, on an average basis, with offline media but we expect that overtime, online inventory can get a 20%-50% premium over comparable reach from traditional media.
Search, which we continue to believe must be regarded separately from advertising because of its unique dynamics, should continue to grow at 40% rate in 2004 and very likely maintain that rate in 2005, driven by international growth. Paid search has become the most effective direct marketing technique ever developed and has become a distribution network, not just a form of advertising, for tens of thousands of small merchants, as well as countless major online businesses."
Google updates enterprise search appliance | CNET News.com: "By Evan Hansen - Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Web search leader Google is hoping to rev up lackluster sales in the enterprise search market with an updated hardware and software package that promises faster and more comprehensive results for corporations, governments and universities.
The new box is the first upgrade for Google's enterprise search appliance since the appliance was launched two years ago, and it marks a significant boost in performance, according to David Girouard, the general manager of Google's enterprise division..."
Web search leader Google is hoping to rev up lackluster sales in the enterprise search market with an updated hardware and software package that promises faster and more comprehensive results for corporations, governments and universities.
The new box is the first upgrade for Google's enterprise search appliance since the appliance was launched two years ago, and it marks a significant boost in performance, according to David Girouard, the general manager of Google's enterprise division..."
Leading the Search Engine Industry : Internet Search Engine Database:
"Contributed By: Jason Mills
Just nine months ago there was no disputing the fact that Google was the #1 search engine and the company most likely to lead the online search industry for years to come. A wave of mergers, acquisitions, and personnel changes, however, has shaken up this ever-volatile industry. Yahoo now stands threat to Google's dominance for search quality, search quantity, and search revenue..."
"Contributed By: Jason Mills
Just nine months ago there was no disputing the fact that Google was the #1 search engine and the company most likely to lead the online search industry for years to come. A wave of mergers, acquisitions, and personnel changes, however, has shaken up this ever-volatile industry. Yahoo now stands threat to Google's dominance for search quality, search quantity, and search revenue..."
More Google With More Toolbars -- ResearchBuzz, June 02, 2004:
"If to you a day without toolbars is like a day without sunshine, check out MoreGoogle. It's an add-on for Internet Explorer and it's available at http://www.moregoogle.com/ . Unfortunately since I use Opera I'm out of the running, but I'm hearing good things about it, and the screen shots are nice.
This site uses the Google API to add functionality to Google results, including screenshots of sites, links to older versions ala Gigablast, links to site information, and so on. The developer states that MoreGoogle 'does not collect or transmit any personally identifiable information' and that the tool is supported by Ad Revenue."
"If to you a day without toolbars is like a day without sunshine, check out MoreGoogle. It's an add-on for Internet Explorer and it's available at http://www.moregoogle.com/ . Unfortunately since I use Opera I'm out of the running, but I'm hearing good things about it, and the screen shots are nice.
This site uses the Google API to add functionality to Google results, including screenshots of sites, links to older versions ala Gigablast, links to site information, and so on. The developer states that MoreGoogle 'does not collect or transmit any personally identifiable information' and that the tool is supported by Ad Revenue."
A Web Directory that Helps You Do, Not Find:
"By David Wallace, June 1, 2004
Gimpsy is a different kind of directory, listing only sites that provide online activity or help you accomplish a specific task. Gimpsy founder, Mordechai Chachamu explains why..."
"By David Wallace, June 1, 2004
Gimpsy is a different kind of directory, listing only sites that provide online activity or help you accomplish a specific task. Gimpsy founder, Mordechai Chachamu explains why..."
Traffick: Minding the Search Engines' Business:
"Ask Jeeves: How Did That Happen?Ask Jeeves' stock valuation has risen more than tenfold over the past two years. Froth? Bubble? How does a company that was unprofitable and struggling two short years ago make it to a $2 billion market valuation?
It's obviously a bit more than hype at work here. Jeeves' market strength has been sustained enough to suggest that where there's smoke, there must be fire. Investors are accumulating the stock, possibly because someone else might be interested in acquiring Ask Jeeves. But why? Here are some conjectures:..."
"Ask Jeeves: How Did That Happen?Ask Jeeves' stock valuation has risen more than tenfold over the past two years. Froth? Bubble? How does a company that was unprofitable and struggling two short years ago make it to a $2 billion market valuation?
It's obviously a bit more than hype at work here. Jeeves' market strength has been sustained enough to suggest that where there's smoke, there must be fire. Investors are accumulating the stock, possibly because someone else might be interested in acquiring Ask Jeeves. But why? Here are some conjectures:..."
The Paid Inclusion Dinosaur:
"By Danny Sullivan, Editor - June 2, 2004
In my first part of this series on paid inclusion, I wrote about how Yahoo sees paid inclusion as a solution to some of the problems crawlers have in gathering content from across the web. I'll examine that argument more closely later in the series. In this part, I'll look at the other major reason Yahoo likes paid inclusion: money.
Much of the screen real estate on search engines is unsold -- a surprising amount, some will find. To illustrate this, look at the chart below, which shows the number of paid versus free links for a search on 'shoes' at several major search engines according to a check I did last week:..."
"By Danny Sullivan, Editor - June 2, 2004
In my first part of this series on paid inclusion, I wrote about how Yahoo sees paid inclusion as a solution to some of the problems crawlers have in gathering content from across the web. I'll examine that argument more closely later in the series. In this part, I'll look at the other major reason Yahoo likes paid inclusion: money.
Much of the screen real estate on search engines is unsold -- a surprising amount, some will find. To illustrate this, look at the chart below, which shows the number of paid versus free links for a search on 'shoes' at several major search engines according to a check I did last week:..."
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
DMNews.com | News | Article: "WebSideStory Files $57.5M IPO
By: Brian Morrissey - Senior Editor
Web analytics company WebSideStory filed an initial public offering last week that could net the company $57.5 million.
Like other Internet companies filing stock offerings recently, WebSideStory, San Diego, is profitable. In the first quarter it generated net income totaling $128,000 on $5 million in sales, according to its Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Last year, it lost $1.9 million on $16.4 million in revenue. It had $7.1 million in cash and cash equivalents as of March 1..."
By: Brian Morrissey - Senior Editor
Web analytics company WebSideStory filed an initial public offering last week that could net the company $57.5 million.
Like other Internet companies filing stock offerings recently, WebSideStory, San Diego, is profitable. In the first quarter it generated net income totaling $128,000 on $5 million in sales, according to its Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Last year, it lost $1.9 million on $16.4 million in revenue. It had $7.1 million in cash and cash equivalents as of March 1..."
InternetRetailer.com - Daily News for Friday,�May�28, 2004:
"Google gains 21% in Internet search market share, while Yahoo and MSN slip
Google surged ahead among rival search engines in share of visits to Internet search engines and directory portals, with a 21% year-to-year gain in April, as the Yahoo and MSN search engines declined in share by 0.99% and 8.7%, respectively, Internet traffic researchers Hitwise reports. Google's share of visits to search engines and online directories climbed to 15.26% from 12.57%, while Search.Yahoo.com's share of visits declined to 10.01% from 10.11% and Search.MSN.com fell to 7.24% from 7.93%, Hitwise says in its Search Engine Report released this week.
The Yahoo.com portal still leads in share of visits overall among search engines and directories, with its April share rising 4.84% year-over-year to a share of 29.24% from 27.89%. Google's market share of 15.26% ranks second when included among both search engines and portals, followed by the MSN.com portal, at 11.26%.
The top 10 in terms of market share of visitors among both search engines and portals, according to the Hitwise report:
-- Yahoo.com, 29.24%
-- Google.com, 15.26%
-- MSN.com, 11.26%
-- Search.Yahoo.com, 10.01%
-- Search.MSN.com, 7.24%
-- My.Yahoo.com, 5.41%
-- Images.Google.com, 1.44%
-- AskJeeves.com, 1.14%
-- Excite.com, 1.09%
-- Iwon.com, 0.85%."
"Google gains 21% in Internet search market share, while Yahoo and MSN slip
Google surged ahead among rival search engines in share of visits to Internet search engines and directory portals, with a 21% year-to-year gain in April, as the Yahoo and MSN search engines declined in share by 0.99% and 8.7%, respectively, Internet traffic researchers Hitwise reports. Google's share of visits to search engines and online directories climbed to 15.26% from 12.57%, while Search.Yahoo.com's share of visits declined to 10.01% from 10.11% and Search.MSN.com fell to 7.24% from 7.93%, Hitwise says in its Search Engine Report released this week.
The Yahoo.com portal still leads in share of visits overall among search engines and directories, with its April share rising 4.84% year-over-year to a share of 29.24% from 27.89%. Google's market share of 15.26% ranks second when included among both search engines and portals, followed by the MSN.com portal, at 11.26%.
The top 10 in terms of market share of visitors among both search engines and portals, according to the Hitwise report:
-- Yahoo.com, 29.24%
-- Google.com, 15.26%
-- MSN.com, 11.26%
-- Search.Yahoo.com, 10.01%
-- Search.MSN.com, 7.24%
-- My.Yahoo.com, 5.41%
-- Images.Google.com, 1.44%
-- AskJeeves.com, 1.14%
-- Excite.com, 1.09%
-- Iwon.com, 0.85%."
Interfax :: China: "Baidu.com beats Google.com to rank fourth in terms of web traffic
Shanghai. (Interfax-China) - Baidu.com, the largest search engine in China, has beaten Google.com to become the fourth largest Internet website in the world in terms of web traffic, according to the latest Alexa traffic rankings. Another leading Chinese search engine, 3721.com, ranked seventh..."
Shanghai. (Interfax-China) - Baidu.com, the largest search engine in China, has beaten Google.com to become the fourth largest Internet website in the world in terms of web traffic, according to the latest Alexa traffic rankings. Another leading Chinese search engine, 3721.com, ranked seventh..."
TRADE PUBLISHERS WARNED OF GOOGLE'S IMPACT ON MAGAZINES:
"Search Engine Ability to Mimic B-to-B Content and Ad Model Cited
May 31, 2004 - QwikFIND ID: AAP68C - By Jon Fine
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- The latest players to see a fearsome competitor lurking behind Google's meteoric rise are publishers of tightly targeted magazines.
Earlier this month at the annual conference of business-to-business group American Business Media, Pat Kenealy, CEO of tech publisher IDG, warned attendees about a foe he believed was underestimated. Google, he noted, could notch $2 billion in advertising this year -- some analysts found this low -- and said that tech-related advertising made up around 10% of that total..."
"Search Engine Ability to Mimic B-to-B Content and Ad Model Cited
May 31, 2004 - QwikFIND ID: AAP68C - By Jon Fine
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- The latest players to see a fearsome competitor lurking behind Google's meteoric rise are publishers of tightly targeted magazines.
Earlier this month at the annual conference of business-to-business group American Business Media, Pat Kenealy, CEO of tech publisher IDG, warned attendees about a foe he believed was underestimated. Google, he noted, could notch $2 billion in advertising this year -- some analysts found this low -- and said that tech-related advertising made up around 10% of that total..."
Government data-mining lives on | Perspectives | CNET News.com:
"By Declan McCullagh
Congress managed to pull the plug last year on the Pentagon's data-mining plan known as Total Information Awareness, but it turns out that the effects were only fleeting.
A new government report reveals that federal agencies have undertaken 199 data-mining efforts, 131 of which are already operational. A surprising number resemble clones of the controversial Total Information Awareness project, which was intended to peruse exabytes of data on Americans assembled from every source possible as a means to snare terrorists..."
"By Declan McCullagh
Congress managed to pull the plug last year on the Pentagon's data-mining plan known as Total Information Awareness, but it turns out that the effects were only fleeting.
A new government report reveals that federal agencies have undertaken 199 data-mining efforts, 131 of which are already operational. A surprising number resemble clones of the controversial Total Information Awareness project, which was intended to peruse exabytes of data on Americans assembled from every source possible as a means to snare terrorists..."
California Senate approves anti-Gmail bill | CNET News.com:
"By Evan Hansen - Staff Writer, CNET News.com
The California state Senate on Thursday approved a bill that takes aim at Google's new Gmail service, placing strict limits on e-mail providers seeking to scan customer messages for advertising and other purposes.
The bill passed after revisions that removed a key provision that would have required e-mail providers to win the consent of anyone sending messages to their service before scanning messages..."
"By Evan Hansen - Staff Writer, CNET News.com
The California state Senate on Thursday approved a bill that takes aim at Google's new Gmail service, placing strict limits on e-mail providers seeking to scan customer messages for advertising and other purposes.
The bill passed after revisions that removed a key provision that would have required e-mail providers to win the consent of anyone sending messages to their service before scanning messages..."
MediaDailyNews 06-01-04:
"High-Traffic Web Sites Move Toward Search Tech Distribution
By Ross Fadner
Distribution is a growing segment of the search industry, but some say it's been a largely invisible trend to date because traffic measurement firms limit their scope to dedicated search sites and portals, and miss some of the search activity happening elsewhere on the Internet.
Search technology and sponsored listings firm InfoSpace estimates that of the Web searches conducted today, approximately 25 percent of queries are conducted outside of dedicated search sites. That's a big chunk of the $2.3 billion search market, as valued by Piper Jaffray, and that percentage is growing..."
"High-Traffic Web Sites Move Toward Search Tech Distribution
By Ross Fadner
Distribution is a growing segment of the search industry, but some say it's been a largely invisible trend to date because traffic measurement firms limit their scope to dedicated search sites and portals, and miss some of the search activity happening elsewhere on the Internet.
Search technology and sponsored listings firm InfoSpace estimates that of the Web searches conducted today, approximately 25 percent of queries are conducted outside of dedicated search sites. That's a big chunk of the $2.3 billion search market, as valued by Piper Jaffray, and that percentage is growing..."
Executive's Guide to Online Marketing ROI : Internet Search Engine Database:
"Contributed By: Dmitri Eroshenko
Online marketing is all about getting traffic, right? Get your website optimized for the right search phrases, bid on the relevant pay-per-click keywords, then sit back and watch as orders roll in.
In reality, you need much more than merely getting clicks to make a profit, especially as competitive pressure builds up. As a minimum, you will need (a) good website design and information architecture, (b) reliable, safe, and easy-to-use ecommerce, (c) responsive support and (d) not just clicks, but highly qualified leads to load into your sales pipeline..."
"Contributed By: Dmitri Eroshenko
Online marketing is all about getting traffic, right? Get your website optimized for the right search phrases, bid on the relevant pay-per-click keywords, then sit back and watch as orders roll in.
In reality, you need much more than merely getting clicks to make a profit, especially as competitive pressure builds up. As a minimum, you will need (a) good website design and information architecture, (b) reliable, safe, and easy-to-use ecommerce, (c) responsive support and (d) not just clicks, but highly qualified leads to load into your sales pipeline..."
Ask Jeeves Weblog -- ResearchBuzz, May 31, 2004: "Hat tip to Library Stuff, who noticed that there's now an unofficial Ask Jeeves Weblog. "
