Search Headlines – Yahoo Panama and Search Love Triangles

Panama Deleting Accounts?

SEMpunch gives us a heads up (via Shimon Sandler) and lets us know that his entire Y!SM account was accidentally deleted after he tried to use Panama’s bulk upload tool. He said he discovered that his account had been put offline and when he asked Yahoo why, they told him a system glitch during the bulk upload process had turned his account off. Better yet, Yahoo said they had no way to turn it back on and that his entire account had been lost. They were aware of the bug, however. Well, that’s good. I’m glad they were aware and watched it happen.

I can understand there being glitches in a brand new system, but to delete an advertiser’s account and then have no way to get it back? That’s unacceptable. And if you know there’s a glitch in the bulk upload tool that sometimes suspends and deletes accounts, don’t you have a responsibility to tell advertisers that? Or at least disable the feature until you get it figured out?

Shimon suggest SEMpunch contact a lawyer regarding how his business was interrupted by Yahoo’s screw up. Yahoo needs to get this under control ASAP.

MySpace Takes Mobile Overseas

Vodafone announced its recent partnership with MySpace that will give millions of Vodafone subscribers access to MySpace Mobile. From MySpace Mobile, users can edit their MySpace profiles, add friends, post photos, blog, and send/receive MySpace messages directly from their cell phone. I know Susan is particularly excited about this. As we all know, she loves her some MySpace.

GigaOm’s Katie Fehrenbacher says that the application will "be similar to the one used by Cingular ‘with a few specifics at the back end to fit the network’s requirements’". There’s no word on what Vodafone will charge for access to MySpace. I hope it’s free. Not because I’d ever use MySpace Mobile but because paying for mobile applications that I can get for free elsewhere is sort of infuriating.

In the future, MySpace Mobile will be pre-loaded on to certain Vodafone handsets. Awesome! If cell phone users need anything, it’s instant access to their MySpace profiles. [My Space is a blight on the Internet. A blight. And now they’re going to infect cell phones which are for making phone calls on, not conducting your whole life! (That said, you’ll get my Blackberry Pearl when you pry it out of my cold, dead hands.) –Susan]

The Google/eBay/MySpace Love Triangle

Speaking of MySpace, there have been reports that the pending MySpace/Google deal hit a snag (via John Battelle) once MySpace realized wording in the deal may prevent them from future partnerships with eBay.

The Wall Street Journal reports that MySpace wants assurance that the deal won’t limit them from working with eBay on a "peer commerce" system where MySpace users would use eBay and PayPal technology to post, buy, and sell items straight from their MySpace profiles.

Obviously, Google would have a problem with such a partnership. It would force them to share valuable MySpace ad space with eBay. eBay, of course, encourages MySpacers to use PayPal instead of Google Checkout (which Google has been giving a heavy push lately) and it would up the we’re-tolerating-you-until-we-can-crush-you vibe going on between Google and eBay. It’ll be interesting to see where this one goes and if it has any impact on the Google/MySpace deal.

Rand’s engaged. Yes, yes, I’m fine

I wasn’t even going to bring this up, but now I feel as though I have to. As everyone’s aware, my Rand is now engaged to the adorable Mystery Guest. Now, I’m not such a crazy obsessed Rand stalker that I think this has anything to do with me (no, really). However, if the emails I have collected in my inbox today are any indication, people are apparently concerned with how I am taking the news. I find this very amusing.

I want you all to know that I am okay. I don’t know Mystery Guest, but she’s earned the Rebecca Kelley Seal of Approval, so she is clearly worthy of Rand’s love and that is good enough for me. So, congrats to both Rand and Geraldine! Everyone at Bruce Clay wishes you lots of love and happiness on your new journey.

Everyone else, please stop emailing me. :)

[Oh, and Susan assures me the pointy objects will be returned to my desk sometime late tomorrow. So, yey!]

Fun Finds

Wordtracker announces they will be launching a "UK only" option at SES London. They’re also offering a "fabulous launch offer", a free exhibition pass, and a 20 percent discount on any of the three day conference days to everyone who registers for the service before Feb. 13.

Matt Cutts shares some search tips over at DL.TV that even we didn’t know about. He gets extra street cred for apparently conducting this interview from prison. (Thanks for the heads up, Matt!)

Jim Boykin explains why he won’t do SEO for your new Web site.

Gmail graduated into a public beta which means now anyone can sign up for an account. You don’t even have to have any friends. [Except not! WTF (that’s Where’s the Fire, remember?) Google? How come you’re all smoke and no substance today? –Susan]

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.