The SEM Zone

Verizon Is Open Today

2007-06-29T18:12:00.000-05:00

Verizon wrote and distributed a press release announcing that they are open for business today.

In other news, the earth is still rotating on its axis and the nation's capital is still Washington, DC.

via Marketing Shift

Your website needs space!

2007-06-26T13:51:00.000-05:00

Your website needs space! Between the search engine optimization changes you make, that is. I've had the pleasure of working with some very well-established companies, with well-established websites lately, and my new favorite slogan is "proceed with caution." That's because a lot of larger websites come to us with pretty impressive rankings.

They've already paid other SEO firms or in-house specialists to cover the basics of their on-page optimization, and they are looking to us to use our competitive intelligence tools to help them enhance their rankings even further.

When you're working with a site that is already in the top 10 or top 5 in Google for some major keywords, there's a lot at stake when you make changes. You have a tremendous opportunity to increase targeted traffic to the site by making adjustments to the tags and content and getting the site ranked a few spaces higher in the engines. But, you also have to be careful not to go over board and break something that's not broken.

The best solution is to make your changes one step at a time. If your research is telling you that you could probably make the title tag more competitive by making a few changes, make them and then wait to see the impact of the changes in the engines before making your next move. This way, you'll be able to gauge the success of your changes along the way and you can backtrack without guess work if something you do leads to a drop in rankings.

Al Scillitani urged us to take this approach on a major website we've been working on, and we've had tremendous success with it. The site is still in the top 10 in Google for all the terms it was ranking for when we started, AND we've been able to bump the site into the top 5 for several major keywords, which lead to some impressive jumps in traffic.

Keyword Density in SEO Copy

2007-06-25T18:31:00.000-05:00

Keyword Density. Everybody wants it. But how much is too much?

At Fortune Interactive, we use SEMLogic, which tells us the Keyword Density of the top ten pages for the term we're looking at. From there we have a pretty good idea of what percentage we need to place on the page.

Those of you w/o SEMLogic have to do this manually. Just look up the term in Google and run the top 10 sites through a Keyword Density analyzer.

Also, check out the cached version of each page to see the placement of the keywords. Most of the time, the keyword is "peppered" throughout the text. But try to match what you're seeing in the top ten results if you want to rank.

Of course, keyword density is only one metric to consider in optimizing a page. And you'll have to keep an eye on the neighborhood of results for any keyword you're optimizing for (that's why an SEOs job is NEVER done!). The results can change quite often, and maybe next time the spiders go round, you'll be on the first page.

Technorati: seo, search engine optimization, online marketing

Yes, we're still here

2007-06-25T11:40:00.000-05:00

I know, I know. We've been gone. We haven't called or even sent an email. Poop on us.

Life has been crazy at Fortune Interactive. Our beloved Search Marketing Manager, Al Scillitani, has left us to go in-house. I was absent last week, Nicole got married, Meg's on vacation.

It's crazy around here.

But we're back!

So what can you expect?

I've got alot of posts I want to write when I get the time later this week. I'll be writing about the wonderful world of PRINT and how you can integrate it with marketing to promote your site.

One of my favorite print magazines is Inc. You should really pick up the current copy. It's got a TON of great articles, including why Friendster ended up being such a disaster.

So sit tight, stay tuned, and I'll catch ya on the next post.

Google’s OOPs!!!!!!

2007-06-15T08:55:00.000-05:00

I suppose it was only a matter of time, but webmasters from all around the globe are finding themselves slapped square across the face with the -950 Penalty, or the Over Optimization Penalty.

After spending thousands on specialized tools, manpower, and over-priced expert advice, you’ve optimized every page on your site and have achieved killer rankings for all your main terms; but maybe not for long.

This goes beyond – er – to the side of Google spam filters. In various verticals (there is much speculation that this penalty is applied only to specific keywords), Google robots are looking for sites that are optimized so well, they are seen as unnatural. We’ve seen a site that was ranking on the first page for three highly competitive words for over a year suddenly disappear (well not completely disappear – they’ve settled, quite uncomfortably, about 950 positions lower).

Ironically, this recent change has not seemed to drastically affect spam sites at all. A cynical friend of mine made the observation that none of his sites automatically generated for the purpose of Adsense revenue have been beaten down. Could it be that as long as Google is making money on the site, it’s overlooked for a certain time period?

Probably not, but I think the world of Internet Marketing could use a Google conspiracy theory. And if you wanted to really go out on a limb, you could hypothesize that since Google has access to millions of companies’ revenue data they could put a cap on how much one makes. When they start to go over their allotment, all Google has to do is increase the minimum bids or invent a new penalty. But I digress….

From what is being discussed in forums, the key to lifting a -950 Penalty, if you find yourself in this mess, is a site-wide process of de-optimization. That’s right – start removing all of the changes recommended to you by those tools and experts. Look at your site map through Google Webmaster Tools to see if there is an abundance of internal links pointing to the same page. Look for an abundance of identical anchor text pointing to those pages. Change your meta-tags and H1 tags to deemphasize the term you want to rank for. Remove some of those semantically relevant terms that appear too frequently in your text.

But how much is too much? I have no idea. And is seems that presently, neither does anyone else. I know that Google is responsible for connecting this planet on a scale unheard of 20 years ago; that their business philosophy is one unparalleled; that an infinite amount of information is available wherever you are at any time. I know these wonderful things to be true, but today I would like nothing more than to kick Google square in its robot testes.

Linking: Be Creative!

2007-06-13T15:24:00.000-05:00

One of my clients got a great opportunity to get their name out there and was also able to leverage the opportunity for top-quality backlinks to their garage flooring website. Extreme How-To approached JNKProducts.com for an article on a one-day garage makeover.

My client wrote an informative article on how to make over your garage in one day, on a $1,000 budget and included strategic link text back to JNKProducts.com. We also helped by optimizing the article with keywords and thematically relevant supporting words. This is a great example of how sites can look for mutually beneficial opportunities to gain high quality backlinks.

Check out the article on ExtremeHowTo.com: http://extremehowto.com/xh/article.asp?article_id=60438.

Webkinz

2007-06-12T10:53:00.000-05:00

Children in this era are getting a head’s up when it comes to technology. Webkinz offers kids and adults the chance for online learning. These small toys have a virtual version of their stuffed pet in which they must take care of online. Kinzcash is given to take care of their pets as a way to teach responsibility and use of currency. The stats for the Webkinz can be raised by feeding, playing, bathing, and exercising the virtual pet. The media requires a lot of reading which in turn provides kids with a learning experience. My 7 year old nephew has more computer knowledge already than most kids that I know!

Well, that beats Chutes and Ladders uh? Give it a try.

Header Tags: A Pesky Reminder

2007-06-11T13:35:00.000-05:00

Today, I came across a client that was using a

tag for their header instead of a header tag. While this isn't the most important metric for the search engines, they do give more weight to the words inside an h1 tag or h2 tag than other words on the page.

You never know when that might make the difference in your rankings!

Also, Wordpress users - beware. Your sidebar headers may contain h1 and h2 tags. Use a lower tag, such as an h4 or h5 tag instead. I recently changed that on one of my blogs and noticed new pages aren't falling into the supplemental index as quickly. That doesn't mean I shouldn't build links (I still have a bunch of pages in that stupid index). And it also doesn't mean Google shouldn't figure out a better way to index Wordpress, but it might help you in the meantime.

Search Engine Decoder

2007-06-11T09:27:00.000-05:00

If you are ever not sure how the search engine structure is set up, check out The Search Engine Decorder from search-this.com. This will show you who's giving who the information for their results, and who each engine is getting it's information from. It breaks down the results to primary, secondary, dirctory and paid search engine results. You can also see the ownership of each engine, as well as their Nielson netratings.

Hump Day Hip Links 6-6-07

2007-06-06T09:47:00.000-05:00

Ah, another hump day. Another blog post. Another roundup of links. Both educational and entertaining. I don't have much of an intro today. After all, it's just hump day.

The Search and Social Media Industries

The first SMX debuted this week in Seattle. I didn't go. I've never been to one of these conference shindigs. I can't afford it. But I do like to read the notes. And you can find the best notes at Bruce Clay, SE Roundtable and Small Business SEM.

Andy Beard offers trackback tips for those of us ~~suckers~~ using Blogger.

Ian Lurie doesn't feel the need to bring sexy back. And why should he? He's too busy growing email lists.

Lyndoman can't stress enough the importance of writing GREAT headlines.

Kim Krouse Berg celebrates her nerdhood. I still have alot of work to do. My nerdiness factor is low:

Everyone is writing about the changes to the Google Webmaster Guidelines. I just feel like linking to Search Engine Guide today.

SE Roundtable has alot to say about Adsense and Adwords: the integration with Google Maps, the possibilities for Adwords and it's new illegitimate brother Feedburner, and how Adsense allows 3 links per page.

The Gurus show how social media can prevent you from being screwed over by CompUSA.

Marios Alexandrou encourages the use of the aLinks plugin for Wordpress bloggers fed up with the supplemental index.

Lisa Ditlefsen took SMX by storm and turned Rand Fishkin into a Chick.

David Wilson is testing which Social Media sites actually send traffic.

FUN and AWESOME STUFF

Guys, are you trying to figure out a way to con your wife into letting you get an iPhone? Random Good Stuff shows you how.

Looking for an untapped niche? Try personal finance for lolcats.

GeekSugar shows us what to do with all of those useless floppy disks of yore. And they show us an mp3 player that also gives facials. Huh?

Thinking of getting a pet and learning to speak Russian? Kill two birds with one stone and get an owl. (pun completely intended)

Are you always losing pencils? Check with Bruno, the amazing pencil-balancer.

And last but not least, Techorati tags:

seo, search engine optimization, search engine marketing, internet marketing, online marketing, social media, social media marketing

7 Things I Want from Google - NOW!

2007-06-05T09:51:00.000-05:00

I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want. What I want is for Google to stop photographing street corners in Manhattan and give me a few much-needed tools! Here's a list of 7 things I want from Google for Christmas (or better yet, July 4th).

1. Search my Google Reader - Hello!? Google, your main thing is, um, Search. Well, someone had to say it. Listen, all I want to do is search my feeds. Is it too much to ask? Why are you making me star everything I might want to go back and look at? Punks.

2. Blogger. Where do I even START?

a. Customizable title and meta tags right there on the post interface.
b. More templates and easier to customize!
c. Accepting the templates I've found elsewhere. There are some super-nice and super-talented people who've created super-great templates but I can't get them to work.
d. Google Analytics right there in the Blogger Dashboard. I know, I know, that's just CRAZY TALK!
e. Let me transfer my blog to another Google account. I changed my name when I got married but you insist on referring to my maiden name.
f. RSS feeds. Now that Feedburner is being added to your harem, let's have all of their options right there in the Blogger dashboard. Including stats.
g. Basically become everything I love in Wordpress, but go one step further and don't make me upload a bunch of plugins. Oh and drag-n-drop EVERYTHING would be icing on the cake.

3. Gmail - I want to be able to reply to emails sent to certain filters automatically using the email address it was sent to. Right now I have to manually change it.

4. Google Talk - Support AIM so my husband doesn't have to download AIM (doesn't that just screw with your computer!) or Trellian. I like it when he uses plain old G-talk b/c it tells me when he's typing :) Otherwise, sometimes I think he's not responding to me.

5. Break up with Wikipedia - So many instances of inaccuracies have been documented, it's a wonder you guys still think this is what the users should find on the first page of results.

6. Index Wordpress better. Too many Wordpress sites are having pages fall into the Supplemental Index. Vanessa Fox is all like "Don't use nofollow" but Google doesn't offer many alternatives. But she's right. I don't want to nofollow my category pages b/c I'm trying to optimize them for the long tail. Figure out what a sidebar is, already!

7. Calendar. Maybe it's just me, but I've never once received a reminder for the events I set up on my calendar.

Technorati: seo, google, gmail, wordpress, blogger

Check out SEO Chicks!

2007-06-01T14:59:00.000-05:00

Maybe you're thinking "Great, that's what the world needs - another SEO blog."

But hold your horses.

SEO Chicks is, yes, another SEO blog. But it's not just any SEO Blog. No, it's not written by baby chickens. It's written by three ladies who have a witty and unique voice.

So if you're tired of reading the same old SEO stuff by a bunch of bloggers who seem to imitate each other (I'm, of course, NOT speaking about the SEM Zone), then check out SEO Chicks. You won't be disappointed!

Technorati: seo, search engine optimization, internet marketing, online marketing

What GoogleBot Actually Looks Like

2007-06-01T13:25:00.000-05:00

Here it is folks. GoogleBot. I set up my server so that it would recognize a GoogleBot visit and then using fiber optic lenses and very sophisticated and complex filming techniques, snapped a picture of it.

It looks large in this photo, but is actually 1/100th the size of a pin head.

Why Linkbaiting is Nothing New

2007-05-31T17:09:00.000-05:00

A year and a half ago, while I was still living in Northern Virginia, the Foo Fighters were scheduled to play at the 9:30 Club in DC. Only a limited number of tickets were for sale. The rest were being given away at various locations on various days throughout the greater metropolitan area.

So one weeknight evening, I dragged my best friend Cathy to a bar in Fairfax in the pursuit of tickets. See, I have this thing for club shows. They're so much better than arena show. And the Foo Fighters are my favorite band of all time. Destiny was calling.

While at the bar waiting for the contest, we met a local Budweiser rep. He promised he could get our name on the list. Not knowing him from Adam, I signed up for the contest anyway. I won the tickets, but it turns out the Bud rep was legitimate.

In fact, his name is Van and Cathy and I hung out with him for a few months after that. He provided a nice supply of beer for one of Cathy's famous parties and got us free tickets to a Gwen Stefani concert about a month later. I couldn't attend that concert due to a family illness, but Cathy went and she bought me a cute tank top from the tour.

What in the world does this story have to do with linkbaiting?

EVERYTHING.

Budweiser sponsored the Foo show. They got a bunch of people out to bars and gave them what they wanted - free tickets to an exclusive show. Notice how I've never forgotten who got me into that concert. Plus, due to Van's generosity and the fact that Bud Light has few carbs, I was drinking Bud Light for months after that.

If you want people to come to your site - give them what they want. Interesting content. Free stuff. They'll remember where it came from, and they'll keep coming back for more.

Linkbaiting is an old marketing tactic simply translated to the internet. I know some bloggers and educational sites may hesitate when it comes to linkbaiting because they want their content to be authentic.

But if you plan to make money from your site, you have to market it. So don't be afraid of linkbait. Embrace it.

How was the Foo Fighters show? Only completely amazing. I wrote a full review on my on-again/off-again personal blog. You can check that out here.

Technorati: seo, linkbaiting

Hump Day Hoppin' Links 5-30-07

2007-05-30T13:02:00.000-05:00

It's the last Hump Day in May. And really, it might not totally feel like Hump Day here in the states b/c of Memorial Day this past Monday. Nevertheless, time has come for linking and here we go:

SEO, PPC, and SMO

SEOish asked and the experts answered. How would you market your site if you only had 100 buckaroos?

Scott Wenty thinks you might not know your audience as well as you'd like to think.

Aaron Wall breaks from pontificating long enough to offer up some site productivity tips.

SEO Buzz Box kept up with the latest trends.

Does your site seem a little, um, irrelevant? Jeremiah Owyang tells you how to pull a 180.

In-house SEOers should check out Marios Alexandrou's team structure advice.

Lyndoman admits he goes commando.

Want lots of blog subscribers? Copyblogger tells you how to get them.

Daily Blog Tips introduces us to Feed2Podcast, which uses text-to-speech technology.

ProBlogger reminds us that blogs are about relationship-building. And like any (good) relationship, you shouldn't come on too strong.

FUN and GEEKY

Are you neglecting important relationships for the sake of your internet activities?

Even more proof that cats and soda are a match made in heaven.

After a good party, it's time to crash.

Cute Overload had some TINY PUPPIES this week. Click here, here and here.

Microsoft launched Surface.

Phillips released a video player.

Geek Sugar showed us a crazy awesome desk and a crazy awesome wall-mountable printer.

That's a wrap. Until next Hump Day....

Technorati: seo, online marketing, search engine optimization, internet marketing, ppc, social media

Designed to Sell

2007-05-29T13:29:00.000-05:00

Some of my clients ask if it is better to re-design an existing website versus building a new website. What I say, is no matter what you do… ask an SEO consultant how your site would best be received in the search engines before you do anything.

What difference does it make how the website is designed?

The difference is that the information on your website may be indexed in the search engine databases or not. How your website is built both structurally and contextually makes all the difference in the world. For example, there are many advertising agency websites that are very appealing to the eye with tons of Flash, graphics, and interactive links. The problem is… the sites that receive traffic understand how the search engines work instead of just making the site visually appealing.

It is much more time consuming to have to constantly re-design the website. If you speak to a SEO expert the first time, you will save a lot of energy and money in the long run.

Using MySpace as Part of a Social Media Optimization Strategy

2007-05-25T13:36:00.000-05:00

I'm writing this post as part of Wendy Piersall's "To-Do Wishlist" group research project. I was supposed to have this done 40 minutes ago, but hopefully she'll accept the link anyway.

WHY MYSPACE?

At the very least, MySpace gives your site a free link. At the very best, you could get traffic and conversions.

Movies and music companies have been using MySpace as a means of promoting their projects for years. But now, many types of industries are seeing the value in reaching millions of people in the very popular 18-35 demographic - FOR FREE.

MAXIMIZE MYSPACE

Make sure you have a nice layout for MySpace. If you're not tech-savvy, then either pay for a custom-made layout or simply grab the code from a free layout. Free layouts are available on many sites. I prefer Pimp-My-Profile.com.

Once your profile is ready, add friends to your profile by finding people interested in what you offer. Whether you're a blog or an e-commerce site, you'll find a target audience at MySpace. You can find people by doing a search for a specific keyword and by joining groups that are related to your site. Then go through the groups and add as many friends as you can. In no time, people will find you and start adding you.

BULLETINS AND BLOGS

Whenever you have updated your blog or site, you can let your MySpace network know by posting a bulletin or blog - or better yet both.

Do not post content from your site onto your MySpace profile or blog - you don't want to deal with duplicate content issues. Plus, if they can read the content on MySpace, it gives them no reason to visit your site.

SOCIALIZE

Be sure to reply to emails (not spam emails, of course) and leave comments on the pages of your "friends." Also, participate in the discussions taking place in the groups you've joined. Be genuine. Don't always try to get people to visit your blog or buy your product.

Social media is all about relationship-building. It's really not a new concept. Entreprenuers have used this technique for centuries in order to build their businesses. All we're doing with MySpace and other social media outlets is translating those tried and true concepts to the web.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions - there's an email link on the sidebar to the right. Also, be sure to visit my MySpace pages! I have two - a personal profile and a profile for my new blog.

Technorati tags: myspace, social media, online marketing

Link Chicanery

2007-05-25T10:01:00.000-05:00

Over the past few weeks I’ve been hunting for links for myself and for clients. While I know that this subject has been beaten into the ground, resurrected and beaten into the ground once again with the frequency of rabbit copulation, I’ve come across a few things to look for and look out for that were new to me.

Many sites approach linking with robots; they automate mass emails to plead for them, and they check for reciprocal link requests with a similar script. There are many ways to make your link partner think they are getting the link love returned to them, and very few bots will check for this nastiness.

Links that are in Javascript, images, or redirected through third party sites will not help you in your endeavors. Another way that is frequently used and seldom detected is simply blocking a link page in a robots.txt file. All of these methods can be used to help you gain links in a shady way or for people to gain links from you in a shady way.

Firefox offers a great tool to point out any links that use rel="nofollow" on their page. You can download the helpful toolbar with this and other functions at http://www.quirk.biz/searchstatus/.

Other tools that I have recently come across are:

TouchGraph Google Browser gives you a visual layout of who is linking to a site by term. http://www.touchgraph.com/TGGoogleBrowser.html
http://linktree.info/ looks at multiple sites for a term and locates common backlinks.
http://soloseo.com/tools/linksearch.html gives you multiple search commands for finding links on your own.
A list of general directory submission sites can be found at http://strongestlinks.com/directories.php
A list of niche directories can be found at http://www.web-directories.ws/Niche/
http://www.arcanaweb.com/resources/article-directories.html offers a great resource for niche and general article submissions
langreiter.com/exec/yahoo-vs-google.html helps you find authoritative links by comparing search results in Google and Yahoo!, and how they are ranking in each.

Looking For Link Love?

2007-05-24T06:12:00.000-05:00

Sage Lewis from Search Engine Watch has written an article about Link Love. Is it a very short article that is worth reading.

Looking for high quality links, he states "you really need to create some interesting and compelling content or you’re pretty much dead in the water. "

Hump Day Hooray Links! 5-23-07

2007-05-23T12:49:00.000-05:00

I seriously almost forgot to do the hump day links this week. But thankfully, it hit me when I was going through my Google Reader. So, here we go.

SEOPPCSMOETC

Neil Patel investigates creating landing pages for social media referrals.

Meanwhile, Search Marketing Standard posts about those traditional paid search landing pages.

Would people find your site if search engines didn't exist? That's the question over at Half's SEO Notebook.

Sexy Widget explores the love affair between search and widets.

Rand Fishkin is going all Phillip Bauer on us. (That's a 24 reference for those of you who don't watch). The only difference is I'm pretty sure Rand didn't get blown up on an oil rig of the coast of Cali this week.

David Wilson analyzes Tim Ferriss' success in marketing his new book by networking with bloggers.

Scott Kirsner has updated his chart of sites where you can make moolah off your awesome video and films.

Are you intimidated by the A-list? Don't be. Chris Garrett tells you why.

FUNCOOLAWESOMERADICALGEEKYNEATO

In the market for a mini-stove that cooks cups of noodles to perfection? I thought you might be. You can stop searching now. AudioCubes has come to the rescue with the Instant Noodle Perfecting Timer.

Chargepod has come up with a device that will charge six of your gadgets simultaneously.

Have an injury? Use the Nintendo Wii to rehabilitate.

Need a nudge? These puppies will do the trick.

Before you put your hand in that can of Pringle's, make sure it has chips and not - cats.

Can't find your dog? Check the chair! No, really, look closely. He's right there!

At least I'm not the only one who has a cat that steals drinks.

These pets have the answers to world peace.

Will Universal Search Really Affect SEO?

2007-05-23T10:31:00.000-05:00

In this post I will discuss:

1. What Universal Search is (if you know already, skip to #2)
2. Why I feel it will not affect SEO as much as everyone thinks
3. What to do next?

1. What is Universal Search

Google’s Universal Search, according to Search Engine Land : “Google is undertaking the most radical change to its search results ever, introducing a "Universal Search" system that will blend listings from its news, video, images, local and book search engines among those it gathers from crawling web pages.”
Basically, when you search certain terms, these “news, video, images, local and book" search results will appear within the normal natural search listings. This will push all the natural listings further down the page. If you were #5 above the fold yesterday, you will be below the fold today. You were on the first page #9 yesterday, you are now #14 on the second page today. Sounds scary doesn’t it? Don’t worry, I have a feeling it will not be as dramatic as everyone appears to be claiming (see #2).

The examples Google posts on it’s Official Blog is searches for
steve jobs
darth vader
nosferatu

2. Why I feel it will not affect SEO as much as everyone thinks

I feel this will not affect Business to Business websites much. I also feel it will have a minimal affect on many Business to Consumer websites. Only specific verticles and search terms will be affected. Here are some examples:
As stated above you type in “Darth Vader” and images, news, and videos appear within the natural search listings. This makes sense to me. If someone types that term in a search engine, they most likely would see images and videos as relevant content. Now search for “buy darth vader light saber.” No news, images, or videos appear in the listings. Why? Because shopping sites are more relevant using the terms “buy” and the specific product/service.

This is just speculation (I do not have any “insider” info), but I believe Google understands people are looking for information when they use broad searches, peoples names, and use terms like “how to,” over people shopping for products and services.

3. What to do next?

I am not saying Universal Search should be ignored. There are things you can do to help your site rank higher in Universal Search in certain circumstances. I think “How To” videos and images will be huge! Sell guitars, create a “How To Play The Guitar” short video. Sell golf clubs, create a short video on how to improve your swing.
Use Wikipedia to your fullest advantage. Add your company name and definitions of other company information or unique products.

Submission of optimized press releases and articles will be even more important.

If you are not utilizing paid search or not utilizing it properly, you should start. If by chance you are affected by the new Universal Search, paid search may end up being one of your most important tools to be ranked above the fold.

Again, if by chance you are affected by the new Universal Search, being listed in the top 3 natural results will be even more important. Continue to work on pages copy, tags, linking strategies, etc.. to increase the pages rankings.

1-800-GOOG-411

2007-05-23T10:04:00.000-05:00

Drum roll please...

Google has provided yet another tool for those without Internet connection at any given point.

Google Voice Local Search is the name and it is provided specifically by Google Maps. All you have to do is call the toll-free number, get the info, and be connected free of charge to your desired number. Of course, there is always more! The text message that is provided also has a link to Google Maps if you would like to have it on your phone.

Want to try? Give feedback? Here you go:

link: labs+goog411@google.com

Adventures in Buying Flowers Online

2007-05-22T10:01:00.000-05:00

A very good friend of mine just started a new job as Vice President at College Mentors for Kids. I wanted to congratulate her by sending her some flowers. Since she's several states away from me, I wanted to order over the internet. I automatically went to 1800flowers.com because it was the first company to pop into my head.

I was a bit dismayed at the prices. So I decided to do a web search because surely there are vendors with lower prices. I noticed in the paid search ads, specials for $19.99.

I clicked first on ProFlowers.com which was boasting a $19.99 special. I clicked on the link, happy to have found this price. However, the "special" wasn't available. The closest thing was a "Buy 12 get 12 free" deal on roses for $29.99, but I didn't need an extra dozen.

So next I clicked on FTD.com which was also boasting a $19.99 deal. This time, there was a legitimate $19.99 deal for a "Sweetheart Mixed Rose Bouquet" that doesn't appear to come with a vase. First of all, though my friend is awesome and can party with the best of them, she's not my sweetheart. But I could get around that on the card. Still, I'm thinking she doesn't exactly have an extra vase at her new office, so this isn't going to work.

Back to the search results. Teleflora is advertising 15% off. The prices are comparable to the other sites but across the top of the page is a reminder that I will get 15% off my visit. This really could make the difference in my decision-making process. But my bargain hunting instincts sink in. I open a new tab in Firefox and search more.

I decide to conduct a local search in Indianapolis. Of course, these florists carry selections from the national companies. I'm beginning to resign myself to these prices.

Eventually I search for "flowers sale." I click on a ppc ad by Flowergram.com. I had seen their ad before, but this time the price of $16.95 jumped out at me. Call me crazy, but I don't like to pay more than $20 for unpotted plants that will die soon.

Once on the page, I like what I see. Several, attractive selections in the $15-20 range, many with free vases. Perfect. I choose the 1/2 dozen cream-white roses with a free vase.

I type in all my information only to be told my credit card number is invalid. But they haven't even processed the number. A little grey box pops up before even continuing on in the check out process informing me of my invalidity. I triple check it. It's correct.

Who knew buying flowers could be such a pain?

Google Olio

2007-05-17T15:43:00.000-05:00

There has been a lot of discussion lately about searchers finding local results and other anomalies when searching in Google. It’s all part of the new Google Universal Search which was unrolled on May 16th. The change has moved Google from the y-axis approach to the horizontal breadth of the x-axis. This is changing the landscapes for any number of unrelated SERPs. Mixed in with the organic listings of a search, results will include videos, images, news, groups and local search results. How much of an impact will this have on search engine optimization practices?

Google’s change is surely a two-sided coin. On the “Oh my dear Lord, I can’t handle any more changes in search – where is my rifle?!” side, the real estate is being invaded. In the past, once you elbowed your way through the masses and broke through to page one, there were 10 places to rest your weary bones. Universal Search may have only nine places for you to make camp. Or eight. Or five. Search for Darth Vader or Paris Hilton and you can see how the landscape has been transformed already.

On the other hand, these threats are also tools that many sites who are making efforts to rank organically have not even thought about. By using these new resources to your advantage, you can potentially rank for a variety of media. Optimizing news releases, images and videos will become more and more important as competition takes advantage of these other media outlets.

In other Google news, www.google.com/experimental/index.html has a few new makeovers you’re invited to try out. Here’s a quick look at some of the nuances Google is playing with.

See results on a timeline or map:

Why lift your hand when you don’t have to?

Search deeper in a particular type of content:

Same as above with one exciting difference – it’s on the right-hand side of the page:

Google Unifies and Broadens Main Search Page

2007-05-17T14:36:00.000-05:00

Google has announced that it will be unifying its search system to include universal search results, not just those from Web pages. This significant change means that users will now get search results from news sites, Blogs, video services as well as numerous other relevant sources.

Up until now, each of these categories has stood alone, which meant searches had to be repeated to pick up all the possible search results. The new expanded search results will soon be available via a series of tabs that will appear on your Google search results page. Initially the changes will only affect Web searches done on Google.com in English.