How Wikipedia Turned PPC / Paid Search Into SEM
What’s search engine marketing? If you ask Wikipedia, it’s currently defined as the act of buying listings on search engines. That’s not how SEM started out being defined. It’s still not how I define it, though that might change, as my Does SEM = seo + CPC Still Add Up? article explains. But in [...]
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2 Million Reasons Why Wikipedia Pages Will Continue to Outrank Yours on Google
Here’s a tweet that will likely ruffle the feathers of many in the seo community:
Yes, Google has apparently donated $2 million to the group that ensures a Wikipedia page shows up in Google for just about anything you search.
Now, let me ask you this. If Google handed one of your competitors $2 million, while said competitor’s web pages ranked on the first page, wouldn’t you smell a rat?
I’m sure we’ll hear a rant from Mahalo’s Jason Calacanis in 3..2..1….
Google Gives $2 Million To Wikimedia Foundation
Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales used Twitter earlier tonight to announce that Google is giving $2 million to the Wikimedia Foundation:
Google has donated $2 million to the Wikimedia Foundation! Formal announcement tomorrow…
The Wikimedia Foundation is a non-profit organization that operates Wikipedia and other collaborative sites such Wiktionary, Wikinews, and Wikimedia Commons.
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Google Bows to Government’s Censorship Orders—in Australia?
Google has been criticized for censoring search results, even it was the only way they could get into certain countries, such as China. But as they’re abandoning that approach in China, are they picking it up elsewhere? Search Google Australia for [aboriginal and encyclopedia], and you’ll find an interesting message at the end of the page.
The page at ChillingEffects.org explains that Google removed a listing from this SERP after a complaint was filed about the site under the Australian Anti Discrimination Act.
I believe the fact that Google has posted this notice (note that “chilling effect” refers to actions, especially legal ones, that would have a deterrent effect on a free press) shows that they’re reluctant to comply with the ruling, but feel compelled to legally—which might well be the case. The Sydney Morning Herald explains the process behind this move:
Google has agreed to take down links to a website that promotes racist views of indigenous Australians.
Aboriginal man Steve Hodder-Watt recently discovered the US-based site by searching “Aboriginal and Encyclopedia” in the search engine.
He tried to modify the entry on Encyclopedia Dramatica, a satirical and extremely racist version of Wikipedia, but was blocked from doing so.
Mr Hodder-Watt then undertook legal action, that resulted in Google acknowledging its legal responsibility to remove the offensive site.
Okay, I think that especially in light of today’s holiday in the US (Martin Luther King Day), we all acknowledge that racism is bad. Racist jokes and racial epithets (both of which the page in question uses) are the lowest form of humor, if they even qualify. But considering that the Encyclopedia Dramatica claims to be a satire, is this really the right move for the Australian government, and for Google?
Google Blogoscoped takes a look at some of the other, far milder entries on the ED:
Spain is described to be “Devoid of any culture whatsoever”. Another country’s citizens are called “the human scum of the world”, and so on. Encyclopedia Dramatica also has an article titled “White People”, which starts with “It is widely known that white people are the inferior race.” It goes on to mention that “One good thing about the white race is their ability to blindly follow their leaders in perfect lockstep, however ridiculous the instructions might sound.”
Note that, despite some reporting to the contrary, Google has not removed links to the Encyclopedia Dramatica or removed the site from its index. Incidentally, both of Google Blogoscope’s examples are still in SERPs. (And the Aborigine page is still in the index, according to the Inquisitr.)
The article on the ED has been updated to include a note about this fervor—claiming that Google reduced its PageRank to 0. (My browser and PRChecker.info say it has a PR of 2—but does anyone care?) They’ve also added ad hominem attacks against the individual who filed the complaint.
What do you think? Should Google delist that result? Or should they stand up to Australia, just like they did with China (and how many enemies can they afford)?
A New Behemoth Emerges In Google Maps: Wikipedia
Google’s recent introduction of Place Pages within Maps came closely in sync with some key adjustments in the factors used to rank local search content. The combination of changes has resulted in Wikipedia abruptly emerging onto the scene as a highly influential factor. I’ll describe what appears to’ve happened, and how it can impact local business rankings.
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Google Services Takes the Audi A8 for a Spin
Google is taking mobile very seriously, as in they are partnering with Audi to bring Google services including Google Earth to the A8. This marks the continuation of Google’s attempts to bring their services into automobiles and does it at a new level. According to Google’s Lat Long blog:
With their newly unveiled Audi A8, Audi is the first car manufacturer to bring Google Earth directly into the vehicle and to combine that with a set of useful Google services. We’ve worked closely with them to create a compelling in-car experience integrated with the Audi navigation system. You’ll be able to enjoy 3D satellite imagery, terrain information and a wealth of additional geo information relevant to your current location: layers like Wikipedia to learn more about your surroundings or Panoramio images to get another view.
Wow, that is pretty neat. Of course, some folks are going to have concerns about just how interactive this is especially when the area of greatest consideration while in a car has not changed since the first one rolled off the assembly line: pay attention and stay safely on the road. Here’s a picture of the system in the car.
Another nice feature is the tie in with the desktop that has been developed which will roll up local search and Google Maps in the services offered with the A8.
You can send business listings directly from Google Maps to your car: search for an address at your desk, send it to the car, and by the time you go to the parking lot your car will know where to go. While in the car, you can use Google Local Search in the same rich quality as at your desk. Imagine you get hungry on the way or want to find a cinema – simply perform a live Google search on your car navigation system and immediately get up-to-date, rich and relevant results.
I’m not sure how that live search is going to be preformed (hopefully at a red light or stop sign but that’s not likely) so it sounds real cool but would be even better to see in person. Of course, seeing it ‘in person’ comes with an MSRP for the A8 of $74,550-$78,400. Unfortunately, I was not compensated with my own A8 for this post (c’mon, Andy, what gives?). I just felt you needed to know that so I won’t get in trouble with the government.
Despite that, here’s to driving informed!
The L. L. Zamenhof Google Logo
The Google home page is featuring a logo for the 150th birthday of L. L. Zamenhof. L. L. Zamenhof is known for inventing a constructed language designed for international communication known as Esperanto. According to Wikipedia, Esperanto is used by 100,000 and 2 million speakers for over a century and has 1,000 native [...]
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Practical Tips To Prepare For Cyber Monday & Beyond
Cyber Monday is one of the most important (if not the most important) day to paid search professionals in America, and I’ve got some great tips and tricks to share on how to make the most of it.
But first, I thought I’d share some history of the term I found at Wikipedia:
The term “Cyber Monday” [...]
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Real Time Search Coming to Mobile
Real time and local mobile search are two of the major hot spots in search today. and now they’re coming together. We’ve heard more and more about OneRiot now that their rumored deal with Yahoo has been confirmed in testing—and OneRiot is bring real time (and social) to mobile, this time through a partnership with mobile search provider Taptu. Says MediaPost,
People can search on their phone for real-time news. “You hear there’s a hurricane and want to read the latest buzz on your mobile phone,” says Tobias Peggs, general manager of OneRiot. “So, you do a search for ‘hurricane,’ but you don’t want to see the Wikipedia page. You need quick access to real-time news.”
As a refresher, OneRiot aggregates comments and links from across many social sites, including Twitter, in real time. Taptu is using OneRiot’s API to provide the real time results.
The next question with real time search is if and how it will be monetized. OneRiot’s general manager had more to say to MediPoast about that:
Peggs says the next step to serve up ads in real-time results means developing additional services through the company’s API. The move to improve relevant ads will provide the ability to “quickly scale up” and support partners the size of Microsoft and Yahoo.
And, of course, they’ve already begun working with Yahoo. However, currently it seems like advertising on real time search would be less profitable, since there are probably fewer real time commerce searches than information searches.
Neither Microsoft’s nor Google’s deal with Twitter applied to mobile search.
What do you think?
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Google Rolls Out New Custom Search Features, Including Wikipedia Integration
Google has made a series of announcements today about its Custom Search Engine service, including a new integration with Wikipedia that substantially changes the search experience on that site for users who opt-in. Other Custom Search announcements today include new custom themes and layouts, as well as better support for “rich snippets.” More on those [...]
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