Google News changes reflect your feedback

Just two weeks after launching a new version of its Google News site, the web giant has changed the design in response to complaints from users. While the recent redesign is still the default — with a single main column containing “top news,” along with a customized stream of content called “news for you” — users now have the ability to change back to something more like the previous grid-style layout, which includes sections for each main news topic spread over two columns.

The main focus of the Google News redesign was the introduction of the customized “news for you” section, which expanded on the customization features that the site had before and brought them to the forefront. Many other news sites and services have been making similar changes, including Digg, which is working on its own major redesign aimed at making the service more social and allowing users to customize their sources of news. And the Washington Post earlier this week acquired a startup called iCurrent, which allows users to create a kind of personalized newspaper based on their favorite topics.

It’s worth noting, however, that some users didn’t like the personalized “news for you” feature much, judging by some of the comments in a Google News support forum on the topic, as well as comments on a Nieman Journalism Lab story on the new redesign. Whether the latest changes that Google has made will pacify some of those critics remains to be seen. Personalization may be the future of news, but the reality is that some people just don’t like change, period.

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Getting ready to get indexed by Google

This goes out to all the new websites out there waiting to get indexed. While many prefer to believe that all the major SEO is done after the site is launched, I would hint that if you’re able to get indexed while in the best shape, that’s quarter battle won.

We all know that there are more than one way of getting indexed on Google. So while you are getting indexed, is there anything in particular that you got to watch out for ? Indeed yes.

A couple of things.
1 – Be in good shape while you get indexed.
Page Titles, Onsite optimization and Keyword highlights – if you’re able to get it all ready in good shape even before getting indexed, it’s better. So when the Google bots enter your virgin territory, they have a good first impression. I’ve seen that rather than making changes later, it’s better if you can get them convinced in the very first place.

2 – Get the best guy to link to you.
Forget the cheap directories. They’re no good. Instead, try out a link building strategy, or device your own and bait the suitable guy in your domain to link to you. (Guy with a decent PR, Authority etc)

3 – Get the sitemap ready.
Make sure you don’t miss to publish the sitemap. Both HTML and the XML one. If they are available to welcome the robots, nothing like it, a great indexing ensured.

4 – Get the links fixed.
Make sure you leave no broken links. They’re so amateurish. Run a link checker program, and make sure you plug those holes before the bots are here.

Basically the idea is to get all the metrics to be in good shape, ready to welcome the bots and leave no room for loose ends.

Google Releases AdWords Editor Version 7.0

Just two and half months after releasing Version 6.5, Google has launched the new version of AdWords Editor. Version 7.0 is now available for Windows and Mac. Be sure to back up your work before you upgrade. You can import your work into 7.0 once it's been deleted.

Here's what to expect with the new version:

First page bid estimates: AdWords Editor now uses first page bid estimates for your keywords. Minimum cost-per-click (CPC) bids are no longer used.

Keyword Quality Score: The Keywords tab now displays the Quality Score for your keywords.

Keyword Opportunities locale: Tailor your keyword suggestions to a particular language and location by changing your Keyword Opportunities locale.

Campaign targeting in the data view: You can view your targeting settings in the new 'Language' and 'Location' columns on the Campaigns tab. These columns are hidden by default, but you can select them with the column chooser.

Send feedback to Google: Help us improve AdWords Editor by enabling usage tracking in your AdWords Editor settings (Tools menu > Settings).

Other updates:

The 'Volume' column on the Keyword expansion tab of the Keyword Opportunities tool now shows absolute numbers (traffic for the last month) instead of scaled values.
The Keyword Opportunities tool isn't available for draft accounts.

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Google’s Countdown To 2009 Promotes Products & Services

Did you know Google has a countdown to 2009 calendar? It is available at google.com/countdownto2009/ and it basically is a dressed up calendar with ways to use Google for the holidays. Each day of the calendar has a new Google tip for the holidays. There is also a mobile version and it can be added to your iGoogle home page.

So far, Google has offered tips on using Google Product Search, using Google Docs for greeting cards, searching for scores, conversions, gifts, and many other services. It is a cute way for Google to promote their search services. Here is a screen capture of what I see on December 16th at the countdown to 2006.

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Why the SEO stakes are so high

In part, these numbers reflect Google’s dominance in web search–41/61 is a whopping 67%, which is within epsilon of Google’s reported share of the web search market. But the larger point is that most sites depend on web search for the majority of their traffic, which makes search engine optimization (SEO) a matter of life or death for commercial sites in general, but especiallty online retailers, publishers.

So it’s not surprising that SEO is a multi-billion dollar industry, comparable in size with the pay-per-click (PPC) advertising industry. And, to the extent that the SEO industry is helping to organize the world’s information, it’s earning its keep. But it’s hard to know how much SEO improves the efficiency of the information market vs. how much simply fuels an arms race.

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Google Finally Showing Signs It's Not Completely Recession Proof

If your business has been feeling the pinch with all the economic doom and gloom, don't think you're alone. Even Google, whom we thought might be recession proof, is tightening its belt.

Reports have emerged this week that the world's largest search engine is cutting costs and axing projects in light of the dismal financial forecasts.

The Wall Street Journal summarized Eric Schmidt's (Google CEO) thoughts on the cost management initiatives.

"We have to behave as though we don't know what's going to happen... The
company will curtail the "dark matter”...projects that haven't really caught on
and aren't really that exciting. The company is "not going to give" an engineer
20 people to work with on certain experimental projects anymore... When the
cycle comes back, we will be able to fund his brilliant vision."
So what Google projects and initiatives been given the axe? Here's some of the victims:
- Searchmash - a test version of the search engine used for trialling UI enhancements
- Lively – their foray into the virtual world space
- Ad free web services (Finance and soon News will run ads to generate revenue)
- Free time for engineers to work on personal projects (used to be 20% of their work week)
- Reduced hours at its free cafeteria
- ...and layoffs of contract workers are in the pipeline

Those are just some of the changes and cuts that the search behemoth has actioned to help position it for a slightly less certain future.

Cost management aside, Google is still holding its own in the current market, with growth of 31% in the 3rd quarter compared to last year.

And given marketing spend continues to shift online as businesses seek measurable advertising options, the company is positioned to ride out the economic storm comfortably.

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Google launches SearchWiki

Google has launched SearchWiki, billed as giving users "more control over their search experience".

Features included in the new addition to the existing service include the ability for users to add, delete, re-sort or common on results - generating a list of finds that are customised to their needs.

Speaking on the company's blog, Cedric Dupont - product manager - and Corin Anderson, software engineer, said: "The changes you make only affect your own searches. But SearchWiki also is a great way to share your insights with other searchers."

They added: "This new feature is an example of how search is becoming increasingly dynamic."

Search engine marketing companies can see what others think of the search, by clicking on a link which will present them with an aggregated view of which pages have been moved up, deleted or added, along with comments that users have added for certain sites.

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