The Future of Search Engines?

If you enjoy science fiction, or if you are the paranoid type, you really should check out an online movie that is set in the year 2014. It describes the future of our online world and the dramatic part that search engines as we know them today will play in the development of that future. It is a well done little movie, and is both fascinating and scary to think about. I have no doubt that you and I are sitting on the cusp on something big as we participate in the weaving of the search fabric. But whether or not the future travels along a similar route as the movie predicts remains to be seen. Still…it is interesting to watch…and speculate…and consider the ramifications that the small things we see happening today may have on our future in the tomorrows to come. Enough blather…go watch the movie.

SearchGuild Javascript to Kill Google Autolink

Called AutoBlink by SearchGuild, this javascript breaks the new Google toolbar feature that creates links on your web pages. Since Google does not give an opt-out option to webmasters, you can add this script to your pages to do your own opt-out. Get it from SearchGuild here.

Google frustration is growing

Apparently, the frustration over Google SERPs is growing. This is the first time I have seen a more mainstream article complaining about the search results Google has been providing. It takes time for the media to turn on a company that has always provided them with good news. But Google cannot hold onto their media darling position forever based on past performance. They absolutely must turn their search engine around – back to the days of relevancy – or they will soon wonder what happened to all of their good press. For the story I am referring to, go to www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1770012,00.asp.

I admit to complete Google confusion

I admit it. I am completely confused about what Google is doing these days. The strange, utterly bizarre updates that have been taking place since December, but more so in February, have me completely befuddled. Not only have the datacenters been wildly differing from each other for what seems eternity, but they randomly go back and forth between result sets at any given time or day. And to add to all of the confusion, SEO’ers see different things happening all at the same time. SEO Joe sees one thing happening while SEO Mary sees something completely different. If Google is attempting to confuse SEO’ers, then they are doing a great job of it. If they are attempting to create better SERPs, then they are failing miserably. Either they are doing this on purpose, or their algorithm has taken on a life of its own, and cannot be stopped. It is like random chaos. I’ve said before that Google’s algo was in a state of chaos, but never have I seen it as chaotic as it seems to be now. I give in to the chaos…for today anyway.

Google changed the toolbar PR checksum again

According to PR Weaver, Google has once again changed the checksum for determining a site’s PR. This could explain why some of the tools I have been testing for others lately have been mis-reporting PR. I certainly don’t have the skills to crack the new checksum, but I am sure that others will do so in record time.

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Where is the huge MSN Search advertising blitz?

I would have expected MSN to have inundated us with advertising by now, yet I have rarely seen an ad that is not on their own site. I did notice that they are using Google Adwords to advertise, which is kind of funny, but I expected to see some major media advertising taking place. I’ve only seen one brief television ad that I almost didn’t notice. MSN desperately needs to get the word out about its search engine to the general public if they hope to compete. C’mon MSN, step it up.

Google Adwords and Overture PPC Tips

Aaron Wall of SEO Book fame, offers a free excerpt from the book, called Google Adwords and Overture PPC Tips. It does a great job of covering the pay per click search engine market. You can download it for free (MS Word doc) here.

SEO Elite – A Great SEO Tool

I have just finished testing the latest version of SEO Elite and I am highly impressed. With all of its features, you can analyze and optimize with an amazing amount of detailed information at your fingertips. Its main features are: Read more

Testing SEO techniques

Often, when I am working on a project, I do not have time to test individual SEO techniques. Instead, I need to throw the full weight of all my techniques into the project at once, in order to get the site off the ground as quickly as possible. Since my schedule for the last year has been hectic, I have not had nearly enough time to play around with individual tests as I would have liked. Starting today, I have decided to change that, and I will report back here with anything interesting that I stumble across.

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Ethical SEO – A DazzlinDonna Definition

The ethics of SEO are often debated. It is a hot button topic that quickly turns into a flame-war whenever it is brought up. So what are my opinions on SEO ethics? I’m glad you asked. Take my definition with as many grains of salt as you feel are needed.

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Google toolbar Autolink feature feels like adware to me

Google introduced the Autolink feature in its new toolbar, which for now is being used to automatically link an address on a site to Google’s map product, as well as linking package tracking numbers to delivery status, VIN numbers (US) to vehicle history, and publication ISBN numbers to Amazon.com listings.

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Involuntary break from SEO

What do you get when you mix pulling teeth out (ouch), lots of pain meds that make you sick, and the inability to get out of bed for more than five minutes? You get me – having been to the dentist yesterday to have two teeth extracted – being completely unable to focus on SEO today. So, to give you all something to read, here is the transcript of the ABC News interview with Bill Gates. Enjoy.

Local search still has a long way to go

For the past few days, I have had major dental pain. My first response was to comb the search engines to find dentists in my area. Frankly, none of the major search engines produced satisfactory results, either in the general Search The Web searches, or in the various flavors of Local searches. Come on, dentists are a dime a dozen. There are hundreds in my area. I understand, of course, that not every dentist has a web site, but the results that were returned were still completely useless to me. All of the search engines have a long way to go before they can claim to have Local Search down pat. Until then, I may have to stick with the old-fashioned way of finding businesses in my area – the phone book.

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