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Over at Yahoo’s Search Marketing blog, Marketing Communications Manager Roger Park is offering up tips on converting your search ads. He breaks down a bunch of best practices principles to three main steps: Optimize, Navigate and Track.

Optimize

Optimizing your landing pages is crucial to a profitable search marketing campaign. Park advises:

• Have a “deep link” to a product on your site
• Offer several contact methods
• Online shopping carts should be secure and easily visible
• Remove broken links
• Have good server availability

Navigate

Park encourages site owners and developers to put themselves in the shoes of their web site visitors. I personally have found that many of my clients have a difficult time being able to do this. They’re just too close to their business. So, it was nice that Park also served up some tangible tips:

• Create an obvious pathway to the product that the visitor searched for
• Don’t have too many layers between the landing page and the end goal - no more than 2 clicks
• If the end goal is sale, move non-commercial content below the fold

Track

Successful marketing campaigns are built on solid data. Consistently evaluate your data and tweak your paid search campaigns accordingly. Yahoo’s conversion-only analytics tool can help you do that. The tool can help you analyze keywords, tweak landing pages, and improve under-performing ads.

What do you think of Park’s advice? Anything else you would add to the mix? Share your ideas in the comments!

Like a politician making campaign promises, Google has announced its involvement in the launch of the “Internet for Everyone” campaign. Unlike politicians, we actually know what the campaign is all about from the title and there’s a higher chance of Google carrying out this platform than politicians keeping their promises.

The “Internet for Everyone” campaign is based on four principles: Access, Choice, Openness, and Innovation. Yup, that sounds like Google. Here’s a brief history.

• In August of 2006, Google makes Wifi available for free in the city of Mountain View, California, where their headquarters are located.
• One year later, Google announces its plans to lobby for “white spaces” on unused TV spectrum, in the hopes of expanding wireless internet. Google has been very vocal about this push in 2008 as well.
• October 2007 - Google announces OpenSocial, a set of common APIs designed to work with social networks participating in the initiative.
• November 2007 - After months of speculation about Google releasing its own mobile phone, the rumors are laid to rest with the announcement of a mobile platform, Android. Google’s plans for open spectrum come into clear view.
• In March 2008, the FCC holds a spectrum auction. Though Google does not win, they bid high enough to force Verizon, the winner of the C block spectrum, to open the spectrum open to third-party applications and handsets. And just to let everyone know they’re paying attention, one month later Google releases a reminder to Verizon and the FCC to keep the spectrum open.
• Later that month, Google teams with MySpace and Yahoo to form the OpenSocial Foundation, to promote the development of cross-platform applications, driven by an open community.
• May 2008 - Google joins a coalition of investors supporting Sprint and Clearwire’s combining of their WiMax businesses.
• Last month, Google launches “Friend Connect,” which enables developers to create social media applications that can span several networking sites as well as be expanded to non-social sites.

Are we just so mesmerized by the glitz and glam of the coolest, latest and greatest flavor of the day that we’ve become oblivious to basic principles of marketing? In today’s Vertical Search column, “What’s In Your Travel Tool Bag? - Part 2,” travel search expert Elisabeth Osmeloski urges a return to basics: creating a product that fulfills a specific need, is well positioned against its competition, is priced appropriately, and is promoted within the right context.

A majority of U.S. adults are uncomfortable about search engine data collection practices, according to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive. 59% are uneasy about the ads that are based on search behavior.

Search engines maintain that the targeted ads help them keep services free, and introducing that concept to survey participants did seem to alter the majority opinion. In light of that information, a 55% majority said it was ok after all to have those ads based on collected user data.

But that doesn’t mean searchers don’t retain some reservation. Only 9% are very comfortable with the ads knowing that they help produce free products, an increase from 7% without that knowledge.

Related Reading:
Google Responds to FTC’s Self-Regulatory Principles
European Group Wants to Cut Search Engine Data Storage
Election Year Brings New Efforts to Regulate Search Engine Data Collection

When concerns over data collection and behavioral advertising arise, it seems that the glass half empty people are the loudest. But in a recent response to the FTC’s Self-Regulatory Principles, Google has pointed out the impact that online advertising has had on the economy.

Google highlighted that in 2007, they paid out $4.5 billion to publishers utilizing the Adsense network. These monies either supplements or provides full-time income to many site owners including bloggers. They pointed out that many people have opportunities that just weren’t available 10 years ago.

Additionally, the revenue that Google generates enables them to provide services for free to the general public.

Google wrote that these innovations only occur within a self-regulatory framework:

“To be effective and credible, however, self-regulation must have as its foundation agreed-upon fair information practices and must be informed by ongoing dialog with and input from consumer advocates, the Commission, and other stakeholders. The FTC staff’s draft self-regulatory principles for online behavioral advertising provides an excellent foundation for developing the most effective consumer protection, while maintaining an online environment in which innovation and competition can thrive.”

But Google is careful to distinguish its advertising from being labeled “behavioral advertising.”

“As currently drafted, the proposed principles would apply to contextual advertising, which we define as advertising that is provided in response to the current activities of a user. For example, our AdWords program allows us to provide ads on Google.com in response to search queries entered by our users. In addition, our AdSense product allows us to provide ads to visitors to the web sites of third-party publisher partners based on the content of pages visited. In essence, then, our contextual advertising allows for the delivery of advertisements based on search queries or our analysis of the content of a web page being viewed. We believe that this type of advertising should not be considered behavioral advertising, even if such analysis takes into consideration previous search queries.”

These comments also come in the wake of news from Europe of a policy adopted by the Article 29 Data Protection Working Party, which would reduce data collection by search engines to just 6 months. Such a regulation could greatly impact the ability of search engines to provide relevant ads, which could have a ripple effect on the greater revenue streams generated by their ad networks.

In an effort to improve access to job seekers and assist recruiters, Yahoo announced today the launch of “R.E.A.L., a patent pending search ranking system that is based on Relevance, Engagement, Availability and Location,” a company press release detailed.

Yahoo explained the process thus:

R.E.A.L. is an industry-first search algorithm that builds on an innovative set of principles derived from Yahoo!’s research in Web search technology. Leveraging Yahoo!’s behavioral targeting and search optimization strengths to rank job listings based on user engagement, R.E.A.L. has moved Yahoo! HotJobs’ job search rankings beyond the traditional category-based, date-sorted experience. With the launch of R.E.A.L., “applies” per job listing have increased by 25 percent, a key success metric for recruiters.

“R.E.A.L. is a key pillar in our strategy to deliver the best in performance and value for recruitment advertisers,” said Jeff Kinder, senior vice president and general manager, Yahoo! HotJobs. “Yahoo! has shown that relevance matters in search results, and it’s powerful to apply Yahoo!’s search technology to HotJobs and see immediate and significant performance improvements. We believe Yahoo! HotJobs has a distinct advantage as online recruitment evolves and insights and technology play increasingly important roles.”

The principles of R.E.A.L. are described in a newly released “Playbook” for recruiters, a compilation of best practices for posting, editing and managing job listings, designed to deliver optimal quality and performance. By aligning the goals of recruiters and job candidates, R.E.A.L. creates an indispensable experience that is defined by four critical characteristics of high-performance job listings:

R - Relevance: Matching text in job titles and descriptions to the keywords candidates use

E - Engagement: Measuring how well candidates respond to the job listing

A - Availability: Determining that the positions displayed are still unfilled

L - Location: Showing jobs in a location of interest to the candidate

These four characteristics are part of an insights-driven search algorithm that will continually improve on itself.

“We’ve started following the principles of R.E.A.L. and have already seen a significant increase in the number of applies per job listing,” said Kathryn Jordan, chief financial officer, Fishpond Recruiting. “By applying Yahoo! HotJobs’ best practices, we’ve not only expanded our candidate pool but we’re seeing matches with high-quality candidates that are far more relevant to our job openings.”

R.E.A.L. also benefits Yahoo!’s Newspaper Consortium partners who have implemented Yahoo! HotJobs as their exclusive online recruitment solution. R.E.A.L. includes location-based job searching features which enhance the ability to narrow or broaden relevant job search results by zip code, city, nearby cities, full metro areas, or entire states. The Newspaper Consortium now reaches 30 percent of all U.S. daily newspapers, and Yahoo! HotJobs has launched co-branded career sites serving more than 425 newspapers with strong local presences.

As part of its effort to be the “must buy” solution for recruitment advertisers, Yahoo! HotJobs has increased job candidate traffic by more than 50 percent over the last year while competitors remained largely flat. As a result, Yahoo! HotJobs has become the fastest growing Web site among the leading job boards and has surpassed Monster.com in the U.S.(1)

For more information about R.E.A.L., please visit http://hotjobsresources.com/ and click on the ‘Library’ section.

Nathania Johnson did a great job earlier today covering the news about the AOL acquisition of Bebo for $850 million cash. But, there’s a follow-up story that Drew Kerr over at Four Corners Communications has brought to my attention.

Drew emailed me to say, “The PRESS RELEASE carried on Business Wire — not a news article, of AOL’s acquisition of social search engine company Bebo — is the top item on Techmeme’s site today.”

He added, “Here’s another example of how Techmeme, the highly popular news aggregator among the tech community and tech bloggers, continues to recognize and display Business Wire content as a leading news source.”

Once upon a time, you might have seen something similar in Google News. As I reported in “Beyond Beta: Google News Graduates” back in January 2006, Krishna Bharat, the creator of Google News, wrote in January 2006, “We’ve certainly gotten a lot of feedback from both readers and editors. For example, readers told us they loved the news clusters but they didn’t want press releases on the home page (although they are still useful to have in the search results).”

So, Techmeme seems to be taking a different path. Will it last?

Only if press releases meet the high standard set by Ivy Lee in his “Declaration of Principles” issued more than 100 years ago. The so-called father of modern PR said back then, “This is not a secret press bureau. All our work is done in the open. We aim to supply news. If you think any of our matter ought properly to go to your business office, do not use it.”

His Declaration of Principles added, “Our matter is accurate. Further details on any subject treated will be supplied promptly, and any editor will be assisted most cheerfully in verifying directly any statement of fact. In brief, our plan is, frankly and openly, on behalf of business concerns and public institutions, to supply to the press and public of the United States prompt and accurate information concerning subjects which it is of value and interest to the public to know about.”

So, can the vast majority of PR people live by these rules today? Let’s wait and see. The jury is out, but I expect a verdict shortly.

Creating a web site and incorporating SEO principles is a challenge in itself. How much more if you are creating one which deals with different languages? With the idea that you want to reach as many people as you possibly can, it is but logical to try and cater to various languages – [...]

Google blasted the Microsoft bid for Yahoo on the official Google Blog this afternoon. SVP Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer David Drummond, characterized Microsoft’s proposed acquisition as a “hostile bid” that threatened the underlying principles of the Internet: “openness and innovation.”

Google then went nuclear, dropping the “A-bomb” — invoking anti-trust concerns and citing as evidence Microsoft’s “unfair practices” and “legacy of serious legal and regulatorty offenses” in the Netscape browser wars.

Google also stated, “Microsoft plus Yahoo! equals an overwhelming share of instant messaging and web email accounts.”

Google went on to note, “And between them, the two companies operate the two most heavily trafficked portals on the Internet.”

Google’s conclusion? A question all regulators and policymakers need to ask themselves:

“Could a combination of the two take advantage of a PC software monopoly to unfairly limit the ability of consumers to freely access competitors’ email, IM, and web-based services?”

Last we heard, Google was pleased with the “App” strategy that would accelerate the transition of search from the desktop to mobile devices.

Former Netscape exec and Google CEO Eric Schmidt said on the Jan 31 Q407 earnings call, “The App strategy, which we announced earlier in the year, now fully visible — more innovation, data portability, all the apps now either in place or coming and mobile, which we are very excited with Android, the My Location service as part of Maps and many other new features that are both out and coming. So we are optimistic about 2008. We have growing revenue streams across a broad range of verticals and markets.”

So was the Google celebration of “cloud computing” an illusion?

Or is Google just dropping a smartbomb on the Microsoft-Yahoo combo?

Welcome, to the new “slash and burn” take no prisoners politics of Google lobbying.

Full text of Google’s response after the jump.

Click to read the rest of this post…

David Drummond, Google SVP corporate development and chief legal officer, issued the company’s official response to Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Yahoo this afternoon. Essentially, Google’s position is combining its two main competitors could be bad for the Internet…even border on evil.

Drummond says in the official Google statement:

“It’s about preserving the underlying principles of the Internet: openness and innovation.

“This hostile bid was announced on Friday so there is plenty of time for these questions to be thoroughly addressed. We take Internet openness, choice and innovation seriously. They are the core of our culture. We believe that the interests of Internet users come first — and should come first — as the merits of this proposed acquisition are examined and alternatives explored.”