Current Top Threads at WebmasterWorld
News and Discussion for the Web Professional
How Punctuation in Keywords Affects Google Results
A summary of how Google currently handles punctuation in queries - there's just got to be something here that you don't have nailed down.
How to Identify an MFA Site
"When you visit a site and see three AdSense units blended into areas that are typically reserved for on site navigation, would you consider that a Made for AdSense Website?"
Firefox Users Most Secure on Internet, Study Reveals
Firefox Gets Its Guinness World Record
"Mozilla has officially made history with a new Guinness world record for the largest number of software downloads in a 24-hour period."
The "Mega Menu" Problem and Google Rankings
A hearty discussion - how many links can you fit in a menu before it hurts your rankings?
Google AdSense "Allowed Sites" Feature
"WebmasterWorld members evalaute the positive and negatives of the Allowed Sites feature."
Judge Orders Google to Turn Over YouTube WebServer Logs and User ID's
"Google will have to turn over every record of every video watched by YouTube users...Viacom wants the data to prove that infringing material is more popular than user-created videos, which could be used to increase Google's liability if it is found guilty of contributory infringement."
Yahoo (Overture) Selector Keyword Tool, As We Knew It, Is Gone
Wireless Operators to Standardize Mobile Interface
"a group of mobile operators Tuesday unveiled an initiative that seeks to create a standard and secure mobile Web service interface that can be used across multiple devices."
It's Official: Anti-Trust Scrutiny of Yahoo/Google Deal is Underway
"The U.S. Justice Department has opened a formal antitrust investigation into a deal between Google and Yahoo to share some advertising revenue,"
Microsoft Acquires Semantic Search Engine, Powerset
"Microsoft announced that it will acquire Powerset, a so-called "semantic" search engine that claims it can produce more relevant search results than Google by better reading and "understanding" search queries and Web pages."
Flash Content to be More Visible to Search Engines
"Adobe is providing optimized Adobe Flash Player technology to Google and Yahoo! to enhance search engine indexing of the Flash file format (SWF) and uncover information that is currently undiscoverable by search engines." - Adobe Press Release
AdSense Referrals Program to End in August 2008
eBay Gets Hit With $60Million Fine For Allowing Sale Of 'Fakes'
Digg Recommendation Engine (Beta) Launching This Week
"The Recommendation Engine is a cool way to discover new content on Digg."
Doubleclick Performics is now Google Affiliate Network!
Google Affiliate Network connects advertisers and publishers who want to increase sales and drive leads through affiliate marketing."
Google and Creator of 'Family Guy' Strike a Deal For AdSense Syndication
How to Set a Minimum eCPM for Google AdSense
49% of Americans Say Net Should Be Regulated
Brett Tabke: "That is clueless on so many levels. People think that the govt can actually "regulate" the internet? That the net is somehow an entity that is based entirely in the USA?" (-subscription required)
Changing the Way We Do Science - with Google Software
"The idea is that with enough data, we no longer need to create and test theories."
Hackers Hijack Critical Internet Sites
"Turkish hackers Thursday defaced the official sites of the international organizations that oversee the Internet's critical routing infrastructure and regulate domain names,"
Google Tests iGoogle Social Networking
"The updates include chat, activity streaming and a new interface for the gadgets offered on the start page."
Google Media Server: Desktop to TV
"Google Media Server is a Windows application that aims to bridge the gap between Google and your TV."
Judge Orders Facebook Origins Settlement Enforceable
"Facebook agreed to pay an undisclosed amount of cash and stock to settle a long- running legal battle..."
Bill Gates to Step Down as Chairman of Microsoft Today
Top 10 Risk-Free Link Building Methods
"...what the are top 10 links building methods that are acceptable to the search engines and have no negative impact on the site's ranking."
Yahoo Reorganizes Upper Management
New Domain Extensions Get ICANN Approval
"Under the new plans, domain names can be based on any string of letters."
Microsoft Wages War Against Google-Yahoo Ad Deal in Washington
"The company says it's still interested in buying just Yahoo's search business."
Yahoo Tells Shareholders : Google Is Better For Us Than Microsoft
"The Microsoft proposal "would also have given Microsoft veto rights on certain future Yahoo actions, including a sale of Yahoo," Yahoo Chairman Roy Bostock and Chief Executive Jerry Yang wrote."
Google Hires New CFO: Patrick Pichette
Microsoft Will Support Windows XP Until 2014
"In a letter sent to customers this week, Microsoft senior VP Bill Veghte said the software maker will provide security patches "and other critical updates" for Windows XP until April, 2014."
Ecommerce: Market Trends, Analysis and Observations
"WebmasterWorld members debate the current ecommerce sales market status and prospects.
Google Ad Planner (beta), Media Planning Tool
"Google Ad Planner, a research and media planning tool that connects advertisers and publishers."
Nokia Acquires Symbian To Make Phone Software Royalty Free
"Symbian's software is used in two-thirds of smartphones..."
ICANN Votes This Week on New Domain Extensions
"If the proposal is accepted by ICANN's board then almost any extension that is 64 characters or less could be used"
Google Webmaster Tools API Released
"we've consistently heard requests to open Webmaster Tools for third-party integration."
We're Spending More Time With Online Videos: ComScore
Nokia Acquires Social Networkling Site, Plazes
Firefox 3 Suffers First Major Vulnerability
"...Zero Day Initiative, the vulnerability, which it rates as critical, was reported within the first five hours of Firefox 3's release."
Google.co.uk Search Changes - June 2008
"So, what do members see going on with the google.co.uk search results this month?"
Preventing 'Google Bowling'
"What is the best defense against this?"
Google Trends For Websites
"Another tool from Google Trends allows you to compare your website with others."
Checking Job Applicants on Social Sites a Legal Danger?
In the U.S., ethnic minorities and other protected groups could allege discrimination if employers use Facebook, MySpace, etc. to access information they could not legally ask in the hiring process.
Another Phorm Type Ad System Discovered?
"The Kindsight service...is funded through an advertising mechanism but without the use of cookies, pop-ups or spam. "
Google AdSense Tests Alternative Fonts
"WebmasterWorld members discuss the latest font test on Google AdSense ads."
YouTube Screening Room
"YouTube has added long form videos/movies, in the form of deals with indie filmmakers, and launched its YouTube Screening Room."
Microsoft To Acquire Navic Networks
"In the latest in a string of acquisitions aimed at expanding its digital advertising services, Microsoft said that it was buying Navic Networks, a maker of television advertising technology."
LinkedIn Boosted By $53 Million Investment
"LinkedIn Corp., a business-networking Web site, has received a $53 million infusion from blue-chip venture capitalists that values the company at $1 billion."
Yahoo Introduces ymail and rocketmail e-mail Addresses
Link Theme Pyramid
"WebmasterWorld members discuss how Brett Tabke's Theme Pyramid can be applied to a link building strategy to improve ranking, clicks and conversions."
David Caruso (CSI: Miami) Launches Lexicon Digital
"CSI: Miami actor David Caruso has joined forces with two streaming industry veterans, Nils Lahr - one of the original architects of Windows Media - and Frank Nein, to launch a new online video initiative, Lexicon Digital."
Online Ad Sales Take a Dip, According to IAB
"Spending on online advertising in the first quarter declined for the first time in more than three years when compared to the fourth quarter, the Interactive Advertising Bureau said on Tuesday."
Skype Tests Public Beta V 4.0 With Added Features
"The 4.0 test version invites users to post bigger photos of themselves, instead of just thumbnail images, to encourage callers to see and be seen."
Yahoo Says It Reaches 600 Million Mobile Users WorldWide
"We are now able to reach 600 million subscribers," David Ko, Asia managing director and vice president of Yahoo's mobile division
Microsoft To Open Search Technology Center (STC) In Europe
"The new center will be designed to help accelerate Microsoft's investments in Live Search and disrupt the search and advertising marketplace to the benefit of both the consumer and the advertiser, in line with Microsoft's recent announcement in the U.S. of Live Search cashback."
Microsoft Gets YuMe To Help Place Ads With Online Videos
Icahn says Yahoo-Google Advertising Deal "might have merit"
EBay Open API For Merchants and Developers
"For the first time, eBay will feature third-party applications within Selling Manager, a tool that merchants use to manage their eBay listings, the company plans to announce Monday at its annual eBay Developers Conference in Chicago."
Report: Botnets Increasingly Used In Click Fraud
A.P. Doesn't Want Titles and Short Excerpts Used
"According to the following, the A.P. is going after a webmaster for posting article titles and brief excerpts, claiming "Fair Use" does not permit this practice."
Google Still Unsure How To Make Money With YouTube
"Eric Schmidt, the search giant's chief executive, said it "seemed obvious" that Google should be able to generate "significant amounts of money" from YouTube, on which hundreds of millions of videos are watched every day, but that as yet it hadn't figured out how to go about it."
Google Deal With Yahoo Raises Antitrust Questions
"the heads of key subcommittees in the House and the Senate reiterated their intention to look into whether the Google-Yahoo arrangement would diminish competition."
Productivity Tip: Increase Email Check Time
WebmasterWorld members discuss ways to help improve productivity. (-subscription required)
Source: Microsoft Offered $1 bln for Yahoo Search
"Microsoft Corp offered Yahoo Inc $1 billion in cash to buy its search business in a deal that would have delivered $1 billion in additional annual operating income to Yahoo, a source familiar with Microsoft's thinking said on Friday."
Canadian Domain Name (.ca) Changes Pre-Planned Privacy Policy
AVG - Valid Security Tool or Malware - Part Two
AVG anti virus latest update includes a pre-fetch link scanner tool that some are viewing as malware itself.
eBay To Delay PayPal Only Move
"Auction website eBay has delayed plans to make Australian users pay for items solely via the firm's Paypal service after the country's regulator objected."
Major Ranking Losses on Google June 4 - 5
Many webmasters are reporting ranking losses on their biggest websites - ranging from "major" to "catastrophic".
Firefox 3 Goes For Guinness World Record - Max Downloads In A Day June 17
"All you have to do is get Firefox 3 during Download Day to help set the record for most software downloads in 24 hours..."
Yahoo and Google announce advertising deal
Yahoo - Microsoft Talks Off
"Sources familiar with the matter said Yahoo is close to a search deal with Google Inc instead."
Does AdSense Have Lower Quality Control For AdWords Advertisers?
Russia's New President Medvedev Wants Cyrillic Internet Domain
"Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called for Russia to be assigned an Internet domain name in the Cyrillic script on Wednesday as part of a Kremlin drive to promote Russian as a global language."
Google's Eric Schmidt Says, "We don't have an 'Evilmeter"
"Google Inc Chief Executive Eric Schmidt on Wednesday detailed his theory of competition in the Web industry while saying Google's famous mantra of "Don't be evil" is often misunderstood."
Google's Sergey Brin to Book Space Flight
Google Trends Comes With Numbers
"The Internet search leader is expanding its existing Google Trends service to allow users to see underlying numerical data on the popularity of any particular search in Google's vast database of search terms, relative to others."
Significant Traffic Changes For Short Search Terms
"WebmasterWorld members discuss how traffic is changing and explore traffic comparisons with last year to this. Members ask, is the market becoming more search savvy? (-subscription required)
A New Way of Applying Trust Rank? Understanding the Google Minus Penalties
"I'm wondering if they signify how Google handles "Trust Rank" where entire sites fall into different minus levels."
Verizon, Sprint and Time Warner Cable To Block Access To Illegal Sites
"The agreements will affect customers not just in New York but throughout the country."
Yahoo Shareholders Want To Cut Severance Plan
How Google Addresses Duplicate Content Due To Scrapers
Microsoft and Kaiser In Pilot of Patient Health Records
"Microsoft Corp. and healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente plan to launch a pilot program to exchange patient information, the latest in a series of efforts to allow people to better maintain control over their health records."
Google's Marissa Mayer Explains The New Favicon
Opera Partners With Haute Secure In Opera 9.5 To Tackle Web-Based Threats
"Available in Opera 9.5, the upcoming new version of Opera's Web browser, Fraud Protection featuring HauteSecure technology prevents users from accidentally or unknowingly downloading rogue malware designed to steal personal data such as credit card numbers, passwords and other identity information."
Amazon Down!
Http/1.1 Service Unavailable.
British Telecom Ad Replacement Trial Brings Calls For Prosecution
"...clearly shows that back in 2006 BT (British Telecom) illegally intercepted their customers web traffic, and illegally processed their personal data..."
Hobsons Acquire College Confidential
"It is not often that we hear of sites that are primarily forum/community driven being sold."
Social Shopping and Customer 3.0
Social media and online communities are now shaping customer behavior. Traditional retailers and even some online retailers may be feeling the pressure.
AdWords Editor 6.0 (Win & Mac) Released
Yahoo Directory: No Google PageRank?
"WebmasterWorld members discuss the apparent Google PageRank situation with Yahoo's long-established directory, and evalaute the impact of the grey bar?"
Yahoo Address Book API For Developers
"This new API provides access to one of the largest collections of address books on the Internet: the contact system behind Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! Messenger, and Yahoo! Go."
Verizon To Acquire Alltel for $28.1billion
"Verizon Wireless said on Thursday it will buy rural mobile service provider Alltel for $28.1 billion..."
Google Takes R&D Offices at NASA Lab
"Google has signed a deal to build a series of research and development offices at a Nasa lab in Silicon Valley."
Debate: While CSS Goal Is Noble, It Needs To Be Rebuilt From Scratch
"In an interesting thread, WebmasterWorld members debate the issue around CSS being rebuilt afresh."
Music Industry Calls For Blacklisting Baidu
New "Site Search" Service From Google
"Site Search is the new name for Custom Search Business Edition, which Google introduced in late 2006. It adds business integration features... the option to turn off advertisements, a more tailored look-and-feel for searching the site and technical support via e-mail or phone." -Reuters
Big Changes to Yahoo Sponsored Search TOS
"Yahoo search marketing recently made a major change to their TOS that allows them to access and make changes to your accounts without your prior approval."
YouTube Adds Video Annotations (Beta)
"...add interactive commentary to your videos with Video Annotations."
Report Highlights "Dangerous" Web Domains
Geolocation, IP Delivery and Cloaking - Google Clarifies
The official Google blog has an interesting post, with video, on how Google defines IP delivery, geolocation, and cloaking. The presentation comes from Maile Ohye of the Webmaster Central team.
Microsoft Details Robots.txt Support
"...evolved to support more than "exclusion" directives; it now supports directives controlling what content gets included, how the content is displayed, and how frequently the content is crawled."
Facebook & Google 'Friend Connect' Venture Hit By Competing Interests
"...a dispute erupted between Google and Facebook, its largest partner in the new service, that reflected the fact that for Web companies there is nothing casual about the business of Internet socializing: There's too much money, maybe billions, at stake."
Time Warner Cable Experiments With Metering Internet Use
"On Thursday, new Time Warner Cable Internet subscribers in Beaumont, Texas, will have monthly allowances for the amount of data they upload and download."
Can Hotlinking Damage Your Google Image Search Rankings
Someone Has to Watch The AdWords Numbers at Google
"You can see very, very quickly if anything is amiss," said Mr. Fox, director of business product management at Google."
Microsoft In Deal With HP: Pre Install LIVE Search On All HP PCs
"Microsoft Corp. on Monday announced a deal that will make its Live Search the default on Hewlett-Packard Co. personal computers shipped in the U.S. and Canada, starting in January."
You Want Some Milk To Go With Those Cookies?
"I'm hitting sites that are dropping upwards of 10, 15 and 20+ Cookies, what the heck is that? I knew I was gaining a little weight but man, when you step on the scale and see the numbers! What happened out there? Why so many Cookies? And, how come you don't see many discussions about Cookies?"
FaceBook Goes Open Source
"Facebook Open Platform (fbOpen) is a snapshot of the infrastructure that runs Facebook Platform."
.INFO Domains Booted From Google For About Two Days Last Week
It took awhile to make sense of this, but it appears that indeed .info got the sledge hammer for a couple of days last week in Google organic rankings.
Web users getting selfish and impatient
Keyword Suggestion Tools
"WebmasterWorld members discuss the keyword suggestion tools on the market today. What's hot and what's not!" (-subscription required)
Small Business Web Sites
"WebmasterWorld members discuss the viability and development of small business, low budget web sites." (-subscription required)
Top Tips For Speeding Up Site Performance
"WebmasterWorld members discuss ways to speed up site performance, including tips on graphics and servers." (-subscription required)