Search Headlines – Universal updates

New Google Features

Lots of fun stuff coming out of Google over the past few days. Like what, you ask? Let’s recap:

• The Google Operating System discovered Google is testing out a OneBox for related blog results at the bottom of its search engine results page. I’m glad to see blog results being featured, but don’t put them at the bottom of the SERP. I’ll never see them; I just don’t scroll that far down the page. (I’m an SEO’s worst nightmare, I know.) You can blame Yahoo for this, but I want my blog results by the Sponsored Links section. Placing them under or above the results will cause my brain to discount them as irrelevant, trying-to-sell-me-something junk.
• The GOS blog also found Google letting users view their sponsored link activity. Meaning, you can use Google Search History to see which Sponsored Links you clicked on in the past. Looking at this from a search engine optimization perspective, this is pretty cool. It you’re the kind of person who clicks on a lot of ads (I’m not), it may give you some insight as to what makes an ad more clickable. Imagine if you could get your target audience to hand over this data? Maybe you can bribe them?
• Over at Search Engine Journal, Loren Baker informs me that Google is also offering expanded blog feeds from the Google Personalized Homepage. A nice addition, though I’d like to get a little snippet without having to click on the expand-o-button. All those buttons make my page feel cluttered.

Ignore your mail, lose your domain

It was being reported yesterday that Google had taken down its German site after users who visited were repeatedly forwarded to Goneo.de. However, according to conversation happening within TechCrunch’s comment section, it looks like it was just a case of Google not denying a request someone made to take over the domain.

According to one commenter at TechCrunch, that’s how it works in Germany:

"In Germany is the strange thing, when you want to move with your domain, you write to denic.de. They then write to your olh host. But if the host does not answer in five days it means "Yes". So the host og google germany forgott to say "No" to the denic:) It ist strange but the rules here in germany are really like this."

That’s…an interesting system. Hey, I wrote Mystery Guest a letter six days ago and asked if I could have Rand for myself and she never responded. Does that mean he’s mine? I say yes. Seriously though, my life would be far sweeter if I could take people’s stunned silence as permission to act.

Matt Cutts is back from vacation

Matt is back from vacation and uses his first blog post back as a reminder that keyword density is an important concern for any search engine optimization campaign. To prove his point, Matt uses the keyword "vacation" five times in just over 350 words. Well done, Matt! [You may want to try to use synonyms in the future, Matt. Google suggests “travel, hotels, resorts and tourism” for starters. –Susan]

Fun Finds

Danny Sullivan lists the 10 Google Feeds You Should Subscribe To. I’m subscribed to most of the feeds on his list, but that Gmail feed still makes me nervous. It’s too easy to accidentally share the entire contents of your Gmail account with a million or so strangers, potential stalkers, and puppy kickers.

I finally figured out why DazzlinDonna and I got asterisks next to our names over at SEO SEM Training & Certification. See, I’m a smart, non-mean cookie. [Ahem, who figured it out? –Susan] – Fine, maybe it was you.

Shoemoney polls the industry to see who people consider the Godfather of Search. The responses are worth a read. Personally, I’d go the Todd Malicoat/Pringles route – I don’t think you can name just one. There are different families of search and I think each one has their own Godfather. What say you?

Threadwatch pokes fun at the idea that Google could save the world 3,000 Megawatts a year by performing a reverse Michael Jackson. The best response on the subject comes from Brad, who blames the whole thing on Danny Sullivan.

"Didn’t I hear Danny Sullivan has like 18 monitors on one PC? If he would just turn a few off we could power a village or two. heh."

Awesome.

Lisa Barone is a writer, content marketer & VP of strategy at Overit Media. She's also a very active Twitterer, much to the dismay of the rest of the world.

See Lisa's author page for links to connect on social media.