The latest ComScore results from April are not suprising, Google holds the lead in the world of search with 64.2 percent, placing Yahoo at 20.4 and Microsoft pulling in at 8.2 percent.  The word dominate comes to mind here.  Yet it is not Google’s style to adhere to auto-pilot, they are continually improving and tweaking their search technology.  Yahoo has been doing the same.

Recently in San Francisco, Yahoo touted its progress with its own search developments, calling the presentation “The End of The 10 Blue Links”.  Speakers included head of Yahoo Labs and Yahoo Search Strategy Prabhakar Raghavan, Vice President for consumer products Larry Cornett, and Senior Director for mobile search Lee Ott.

Yahoo showcased the highlights of the methods the company has used to evolve its search strategies over the years.  Previously, answers to queries for a sporting event, theatre inquiry, celebrities and more would provide neat rows of blue links. Yahoo determined, in large part due to its mobile search tactics, that users were most interested in locating information when searching for things, such as location, show dates and times, etc rather than simply another link. 

For that reason, Yahoo has been working to increasingly provide boxes of information rather than links commonly displayed in its search results, complete with photos and or video when available.  Mr. Raghavan explained Yahoo’s web evolution as a move from a Web of pages to a Web of objects-a more tangible Web. 

 This is possible thanks to algorithms and Search Monkey.  Search Monkey allows publishers to flag information on their pages directly to Yahoo, making it easier for the search engine to process. Yahoo is striving to meet and exceed the intent of its search users, and will continue to evolve over time.  Relayed by Deep Blue Interactive, Fort Lauderdale online marketing and Web development firm.

It has been a difficult time as of late for many companies, Microsoft and Yahoo included.  It is reported that the two online entities have resumed talks regarding a wide-ranging advertising partnership.  Talks of an outright merger or sale of Yahoo’s search business to Microsoft have not resumed thus far.

Investors have long been chattering over the business possibilities between Microsoft and Yahoo.  Market results Tuesday after close show that Yahoo’s troubles are not yet past, as they are down from a year ago.  Ears are perked for further development details that could spell progress in the near future.

Investors have been honing in on various key points to form predictions, including a new round of potential layoffs, which are rumored to cut several hundred positions in addition to the 2,400 jobs cut last year.  Another measure Yahoo has undertaken in attempts to recover is to attempt to sell some of its properties, including HotJobs.

Expected net revenue analysts expect Yahoo to report are approximately $1.2 billion, down from last year’s $1.35 billion.  On the upside for online business, Google has enjoyed a 10 percent net revenue rise this year.  Updated by Deep Blue Interactive, your SEO web design and interactive marketing firm based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Online marketing is a highly competitive field with an endless scope of options and advancements.  The world of search has begun to lead the marketing industry, and for this reason, companies are investing more into their website-and they are seeing the financial gains.

Businesses are becoming savvier to the fact that the world has changed, and that people searching for products and services online has become the standard method.  In order to reach these potential customers, it is not enough to simply have a website.  Reaching customers online requires a website that is not only attractively designed, but also optimized to rank high in search engine results-creating online visibility that lets customers find you at the point of purchase.

The top three search engines are Google, Yahoo and MSN.  When a user enters a search query into an engine, the keywords they enter indicate if they are at the point of purchase, or perhaps shopping around.  An example of this is a user entering the keyword “smartphones” into a search box-it is likely that this user is shopping around for a smartphone.  In contrast, a user who enters the keyword “Blackberry Storm” into the search box is likely at the point of purchase, having decided which model they want. 

Capturing users at the point of purchase requires search engine optimization and SEO friendly web design strategies, available through a qualified and experienced interactive marketing and web design company.  An interactive marketing company works full time to ensure that your website is highly visible within search results, functioning as a marketing powerhouse. Contact Deep Blue Interactive today to discover how your website can become a source of revenue for you!

Google is set to start displaying advertisements today to users based on their interests, which are determined using their previous online activities.  This form of advertising is known collectively as behavioral targeting, and has been adopted by most of Google’s competitors, drawing criticism from privacy advocates and some Congress members.

Google announced that it plans to offer new methods for users to protect their privacy.  Notably, Google will be the first of the behavior targeting advertisers to give users the ability to view and edit the compiled information about their interests, the information used to place similar ads on their screens.  Rival Yahoo gives its users the choice to opt out of “interest-based advertising”; Google is committed to provide the same service.  Privacy advocates praise Google’s decision to allow users access to the information compiled regarding their interests.

As for how the technology works, Google will use a cookie, which is a small piece of text within a Web browser.  The cookies have the ability to track users who visit any of the hundreds of thousands of sites that show ads through Google’s AdSense program. Google then assign those users to specific categories based on the content of the pages they view. An example of this is a user visiting real estate sites; they will be categorized as a potential homebuyer.

Google then uses the compiled and categorized information to place ads that are relevant to specific users and their interests. A potential homebuyer may see an ad about real estate not only on a real estate website, but also on an entertainment or news site that uses AdSense .  These targeted advertisements are also available on YouTube, which is owned by Google.  Brought to you by Deep Blue Interactive, your Fort Lauderdale based web design and SEO solution.

The struggling Yahoo is becoming innovative, announcing plans to incorporating ads and images into their paid search results.  It is a new type of search advertising that allows images and even video to appear within paid search listings, when in the past this area was simple text advertisements with links.   

It is typical for marketers to budget part of their online marketing to appearing in top search results, including these text-only ads with links using both pay per click and organic search marketing methods.  Yahoo is calling the new service Rich Ads in Search, and the program gives search some of the advantages of banner advertisements.

Yahoo hopes that Rich Ads in Search will transition online advertising from simple blue links to a more engaging and interactive experience for users.  Yahoo is hoping this new search marketing strategy will make them more competitive with Google, the market leader with 67.7 percent market share.  Yahoo’s strategy in the past has been display advertising, selling boxes and banners on its high traffic pages.  The recession has caused advertisers to redirect spending on the banners and boxes to search marketing, which yields direct measurable results.   Yahoo has addressed the issue with Rich Ads in Search.  Brought to you by Deep Blue Interactive, your Fort Lauderdale search marketing and web design firm.