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Semantic search engine hakia is calling for librarians to contribute credible web sources. They’ve done this in the past in the health industry. One of the reasons behind the request is that popular websites aren’t always credible and vice versa.

It’s also clearly a strategic alternative to Google, which bases rankings largely on popularity via links.

“By having information experts suggest sites to hakia, we can guide searchers to relevant and credible information on the Web. As a search engine, we will rely on information professionals’ collective knowledge to add a dimension to search: credibility,” said Melek Pulatkonak, President and Chief Operating Officer of hakia, at the Web Search University event in Washington DC.

“The campaign that hakia is starting is a great way to leverage the never-ending knowledge and information analysis skills of the information professional in building a Web database full of the web resources that are most useful, and most importantly, have the most credibility,” said Gary Price, Editor, ResourceShelf.com. “This is a new chapter for library collection development. I hope this is only the beginning.”

Librarians can find out more or contribute here.

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One of the best ways to solidify your reputation and credibility is by writing articles for print publications such as newsletters, trade journals, and magazines. This in turn creates an influx of sal…
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Want a snapshot of the day’s search marketing news? Here we’ve collected today’s top news stories posted to the Search Engine Watch Blog, along with search-related headlines from around the Web:

From the SEW Blog:

• News Flash: A Google Product Came Out of Beta!
  Google has announced that its AdWords API is out of beta.
• European Group Wants to Cut Search Engine Data Storage
  Almost a month after the EU approved Google’s DoubleClick acquisition, officials from 27 EU nations have unanimously adopted a proposal that could force search engines to reduce the amount of time they store personal information.
• The Offline Benefits of Online Advertising
  The offline effects of online advertising has been a curious issue in the search engine marketing industry over the years. But according to published reports, new study conducted by comScore is shedding more light on the issue.
• Yahoo Unveils Details of New AMP Advertising Platform
  In the midst of firmly responding to Microsoft’s ultimatum, Yahoo has released details of the new AMP advertising platform.
• Yahoo to Microsoft: We Already Dumped You
  After Microsoft issued its ultimatum to Yahoo this weekend, giving them three more weeks before things get ugly, Yahoo’s board of directors responded this morning, reminding Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer that it already rejected Microsoft’s offer, and Yahoo still thinks Microsoft’s offer is too low.
• Microsoft Gets Tired of Waiting
  Microsoft is apparently tired of waiting for Yahoo to respond to its unsolicited takeover bid, and has issued a deadline of April 26 for Yahoo to come to terms on an acquisition agreement, or face a hostile takeover.
• SEW Experts: A Look at Demographic Bidding for AdWords
  Google’s new demographic bidding for content campaigns seems to promise much better control over where ads are served, and hence better ROI.
• How to (Actually) Earn Money (Now) with Social Media (Really): Part 2
  Short term financial success in social media can be a multi-layered enigma, ranging somewhere between daunting and infuriating.
• HackerSafe & The Power of Trust
  There are no universal truths about what to test on a landing page. However, there are common themes that work well across a range of industries. One of these is the use of trust and credibility indicators.

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I am often asked by people what sorts of items I would recommend testing on a landing page. There are no universal truths and your mileage may vary. However, there are common themes that work well across a range of industries. One of these is the use of trust and credibility indicators. These reduce anxiety for your visitors and increase their confidence when interacting with your landing page.

A common type trust and credibility indicator are various safe shopping seals. The leader in this area is McAfee’s HackerSafe trustmark. In most cases, adding the trustmark to your website will increase conversion rates by several percentage points. But just adding the trustmark to your page is not enough. You also need to consider which version of the trustmark to use (they come in several shapes and colors), and where on your page it will appear. Many companies mistakenly put their trustmark “below the fold” on their page. By doing this they make the trustmark invisible and practically useless. We always suggest putting the trustmark prominently near the top of the page.

But even this is not enough. The specific location within the page header can result in additional improvements. In a recent test we tested different positions and trustmark versions on the LuggagePoint website and were able to find an 11% increase in revenue per visitor and a 5% increase in conversion rate simply by changing the position of the trustmark in the header.

Read the LuggagePoint case study here.

As a McAfee HackerSafe partner SiteTuners.com will run a free multivariate test on any site with certain minimum traffic levels to determine which placement on the page (out of 4 possible positions) and HackerSafe trustmark image (out of 6 possible versions) results in the best performance.

Three weeks ago, I wrote an article entitled, “Online Reputation Management Requires Cabinet War Rooms,” that reported on the Brand & Reputation Management session at last month’s Search Engine Strategies conference in London.

Last week, I got some feedback from Dr. Leslie Gaines-Ross, the chief reputation strategist at Weber Shandwick and author of Corporate Reputation: 12 Steps to Safeguarding and Recovering Reputation.

She said: “Thanks for the roundup regarding the panel discussion. I would add that companies probably do not need ‘War Rooms’ today and instead incorporate reputation monitoring as a regular course of business. Not just when in the throes of crisis. In addition, reputation recovery does not end in six months or when the negative comments leave the first page of Google. From the work we have done at Weber Shandwick on reputation, it takes nearly four years to recover reputation once it has been tarnished. Reputation recovery and management (online and offline) are never-ending. Thanks again for your thought-provoking comments.”

Now, I agree that companies should incorporate reputation monitoring as a regular course of business. But, they often don’t – until they are in the throes of crisis.

And, I agree that reputation recovery shouldn’t end when the negative comments leave the first page of Google. But, that’s often the first sign that a crisis has passed.

So, how do you convince your CEO to include offline and online reputation management as a line item in the marketing budget before it’s too late? And, if it takes nearly four years to repair a bad reputation, then how can you earn credibility for yourself and your SEO or PR firm by showing early signs of progress?

As I conducted a few news searches to find some recent information for this post, I was impressed to discover an optimized press release entitled, “Global CEO Turnover Rises 10 Percent in Past 12 Months According to New Weber Shandwick Study.”

“Given stagnant markets, fierce competition and a complex business environment, it is not surprising that CEO turnover has risen sharply,” said Weber Shandwick’s Chief Reputation Strategist Dr. Leslie Gaines-Ross in the release.

Wow. Talk about writing a press release that will get found by your target audience for relevant news search terms. And just what should CEOs do to hang on to their jobs?

“In today’s uncertain economic environment when information and news are at a premium, CEOs would be wise to actively over communicate and regularly meet employees and customers face-to-face,” said Weber Shandwick President Andy Polansky in the release.

Okay. So, I know several SEO firms that “get” online reputation management, But, here’s a PR firm that has gone beyond spouting empty platitudes about the topic and has conducted an ongoing analysis of “CEO Departures” to put “leadership communications” on the agenda.

But wait! There’s more!

I conducted another news search and found an interactive case study in BusinessWeek entitled, “The Analysis: Restoring Reputation.” Written by Dr. Leslie Gaines-Ross, it tells the story of how Xerox’s reputation has enjoyed a successful turnaround since 2001, with CEO Anne Mulcahy pulling the strings.

Okay. Now, I’m really impressed. Leslie provided constructive feedback on my article about online reputation management. She was quoted in a press release that should catch the attention of CEOs in Fortune 500 companies. And she’s written a case study about how Xerox’s CEO has turned around that company’s reputation – for BusinessWeek.

Online reputation management shouldn’t require a crisis to become a line item in the budget. And it can enhance your corporate reputation as well as help you recover from a tarnished one, which can help your SEO or PR firm earn credibility with the CEO.

And, don’t just take my word for it. If you need a second opinion, check out what they’re doing over at Weber Shandwick.

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Credibility separates the wanna-bes from the somebodies in the blogging world, which makes building your online reputation a critical part of blogging success.

WebProNews presents videos and stories from the BlogWorld & New Media Expo taking place in Las Vegas. View our interviews and coverage of the event today.
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The Engines win by a landslide, at least according to current college students.
They preferred searching on Google or Yahoo versus their college library systems, based on the attributes of: speed (90%); convenience (84%); ease of use (87%); cost-effectiveness (71%); and reliability (63%). Libraries, however, won on more trustworthy measures including credibility (77%) and accuracy (76%).
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