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Issue #106: MSN Hack

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                    SearchReturn Discussion List
             "Understanding Internet Search Technology"
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Moderator:                                          Published by:
Detlev Johnson                                       SearchReturn
               http://www.searchreturn.com
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November 14, 2006                         SearchReturn Issue #106
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                   .....IN THIS DIGEST.....

// -- ESSENTIAL NEWS -- //
            "MSN Vulnerability"
            "AdWords Quality Score Update"
            "Free WiFi"

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// -- ESSENTIAL NEWS -- //

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==> MSN Vulnerability

http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/061110-093248

Essentials: It's not unusual for Microsoft to have a
vulnerability, and here the search engine apparently allows
malicious marketers to influence some of the duplicate filters in
place by linking large amounts of addresses that resolve to the
same page - but with fake parameters.

Most search engines now easily crawl sites when there are some
parameters in the page address, and Microsoft's duplicate filter
apparently kicks in when it notices what looks like many
addresses resolving to the same content.  Check your backlinks if
you suspect this is happening to you.  You might also look at
your referreres if you've been removed by MSN, but Yahoo!'s Site
Explorer would be a good place to look first.

 

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==> AdWords Quality Score Update

http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/061110-085425

Essentials: The latest revision of the Google AdWords Page
Quality Score factor for your ads has a number of advertisers
upset about price increases.  The history of price and PPC goes
way back to when GoTo originally instigated a $0.05 minimum bid,
up from just a $0.01 as they started.  Advertisers were angry
then and thought GoTo was making a mistake.

Fast forward several years. GoTo is now Yahoo! Search Marketing
and Google has innovated on the idea of minimum bids forcing
advertisers to increase their bids against a mystery Quality
Score.  It's no secret that what Google hides from advertisers is
easily explained as protection of an industry secret, but it also
gives Google the ability to adjust their service to hit quarterly
earnings if they should desire to do so.

The point of bringing up GoTo is that this is nothing new, and
advertisers should expect that search advertising is to be
adjusted upwards until it reaches a price saturation point.  Once
adding dollars makes no difference and just costs money, Google
and the other search engines that sell advertising will not rest
on their laurels content.  They will look for more revenue.  All
public companies need to learn to satiate the ravenous WallStreet
appetite for profits.

 

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==> Free WiFi

http://searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page=3623944

Essentials: In a good basic look at the opportunity for local
search, particularly where free WiFi is available, Grant Crowell
has a new SearchDay article up discussing the convergence.  The
Loki toolbar has been running for over a year on the SearchReturn
laptop and we've located Starbucks addresses and other things
conveniently.  The Loki toolbar essentially uses IP intelligence
such as that powered by Digital Envoy to identify your current
physical location.

Even though it may sound creepy the opportunity for marketers is
huge.  The convenience trade off is something users understand.
What we found nice about Loki was configuring alternate search
engines, (we configured TrueLocal for example), and having your
location context automatically prepared as you search.  For
Starbucks listings the only query we need is [starbucks].  IP
intelligence is not always perfectly accurate, but close enough.

Major search companies are aware of the trend and after Google
has supported free WiFi in the Bay Area, Microsoft just announced
a partnership with MetroFi to power free WiFi in Portland Oregon.
These partnerships entail customized default pages for the free
WiFi connection screen where the search company powers the ads
and functionality of the search field.  With demographic info,
Microsoft is in a good position to serve highly relevant
advertising with MetroFi.

 
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Copyright 2006 Detlev Johnson. All Rights Reserved.
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