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Welcome to the ineedhits Search Engine Marketing blog, where we share the latest search engine and online marketing news, releases, industry trends and great DIY tips and advice.

We encourage you to get involved in our blog community - so share your opinions and experiences by leaving comments on our posts.

If you're looking for help with promoting your website - check out our range of affordable search engine marketing services.

Friday, December 29

Google Steals Top Spot in Blog Search from Technorati

Google has long been regarded as the premier place to search for websites, and now according to Hitwise, it's also the most popular place to search for blogs.

New data released by Hitwise, shows that Google's Blog Search has stolen the top spot from Technorati for the first time since Google launched its service last year.

Technorati is an institution to the blogging community as it has not only been the most popular blog search service for some time, but been a driving force in the growth of blogging as a whole.

The fact that Google has overtaken Technorati in blog search traffic suggests to me that blogging is now truly reaching a point of critical mass. No longer is it just the domain of tech buffs and those in the know.

With blogging services available so easily these days (e.g. social networks, free software) it makes sense that the blogosphere is growing at the rate it is. Considering Google's existing reputation for search, I figured it would only be a matter of time before it was the place to search for blogs also.

That said, Google's Blog Search service still has plenty of room for improvement (the likes of Technorati and even Bloglines are more user friendly). Hopefully this new found status as the top blog search location will encourage Google to improve their offering.

User Driven Search: Could it Overthrow Google?

The creator of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales, has announced plans to launch a new type of search engine driven by user input. Based on the success of Wikipedia, the search will derive results from human judgment, rather than an automatic algorithm.

The Wikia corporation, plans to launch the search engine with financial backing from a range of technology companies, including online retailer Amazon. Wales claims traditional ranking algorithm's lack the ability to accurately determine the quality of a website. "Essentially, if you consider one of the basic tasks of a search engine, it is to make a decision: 'this page is good, this page sucks'," says Wales, "Computers are notoriously bad at making such judgments, so algorithmic search has to go about it in a roundabout way."

While the search engine sounds like it could provide real value for users, there has to be some way for the Wikia corporation to make money. "The revenue model for search is advertising," said Wales, a model Google and Yahoo! have replicated with great success. But the question remains: How receptive will the wiki community be to commercializing 'their' search? Ryan Paul makes an excellent point in noting Wikipedia users overwhelmingly rejected advertising on the site as a means for funding future growth. Users may be reluctant to contribute to a commercial site that may end up being bought by a bigger company.

Aside from these issues, community voting websites battle with problems of their own. I'm sure many will try to develop ways to beat the system and send their websites to the top of search results. But if wikia search can combat this and other issues, the search engine has the ability to revolutionize the way people interact online. It would provide users with greater value, and could hold the key to overthrow Google. If you'd like to get involved, check out the Search Wikia page and let us know what you think!

Friday, December 22

Happy Holidays from ineedhits!

The team at ineedhits wishes you an enjoyable holiday season

and successful and prosperous New Year!

Where on Google Earth is Santa?

It is ingenious and has given us a view of the world that has astounded many... it is Google Earth and it is great! Now there are Christmassy delights to discover, as Google offers us the Santa Tracker! Count down the days to Christmas by exploring the globe and discovering where Santa's Elves have hidden gifts. Take a little trip this season and head around the earth stalking Santa. It's cheaper than a round-the-world ticket and more fun than an advent calendar!

I'd like to wish you all a delightful Christmas and a fantastic New Year!

Tuesday, December 19

TIME's Person of The Year - You!

News magazine TIME's choice of the Person of the Year is one of the hotly anticipated events each December. This year, they've chosen maybe the most interesting person of all (to us at least): you. That means every single one of us!

You might have had a successful year in 2006, but what, you may think, did you do to deserve this honor? Well, it's because of how you embraced the new online tools and communities that form part of the Web2.0 movement. TIME puts into words what everyone who is active online, has felt throughout the year: "In 2006, the World Wide Web became a tool for bringing together the small contributions of millions of people and making them matter" - and every single Internet user contributed to this.

As TIME sees it, "... for seizing the reins of the global media, for founding and framing the new digital democracy, for working for nothing and beating the pros at their own game, TIME's Person of the Year for 2006 is you."

While no one could predict with confidence what exactly the current Web2.0 movement will lead to, it has certainly changed the way people interact with each other online, and it has already had huge ramifications for how customers and other stakeholders interact with companies. for one thing, it has certainly forced companies to pay more attention to what their customers have to say and has proven the force that word of mouth can exert online.

So we all are in great company now - past TIME Persons of the Year have included Bono and Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Mikhail Gorbachev, John F. Kennedy and Winston Churchill. Welcome to the club, everyone!

Video and Podcasts Feature on Digg.com

After recently announcing their second birthday, digg.com has unveiled a host of new features, aimed at improving the user experience. Released on Monday, the changes were driven by the user feedback the site received over the last few months. Below are the changes reported on the Digg Blog:

Navigation and Widescreen Mode
Digg have changed their layout from a fixed width to a flexible one, meaning users with larger monitors can now make use of that extra space. Navigation has also been changed from the side to the top of screen.

Top 10 Stories
The right hand side of the screen now contains a section to display the hottest 10 stories in any section. This list updates in real time and changes as other stories accelerate in digs.

Video Enhancements
Videos now have their own section on the main menu. This section contains the top 10 videos and includes new on-Digg video previews. If videos contain a play button, simply click and the video will open in a small grey box.

Podcasting
Similar to the video section, users can now Podcast their favorite individual episodes or series. Users can see the most popular episodes of a certain series, or simply browse based on relevant categories.

Personally, I think the new design is fantastic. The menu navigation is simple and the new sections provide plenty of interesting content. If you're new to Digg, make sure you check out the updated design, and visit some of my favorite features, Digg Swarm and Stack.

Monday, December 18

Net Neutrality at Risk - Keeping the Internet Free & Open

The Internet is so much a part of our lives that we almost take it for granted. We rely on it for so many things from social interaction, research, education, to commerce, recreation and everything in between. Now the powers that be want to control and charge for it.

I know we already pay through ISP costs, but if the major telecommunication companies in U.S. (the likes of AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc.) get their way - we'll be paying much more or losing much of the control over content.

Their plans involve actually buying the Internet. I know that sounds slightly ridiculous as the Internet is international, and it's the website owners that own the content. But should they succeed with their plans, they will control what is actually seen online.

That's right, you as a website owner might have to pay to have your website visible - on top of your hosting costs (or included as a substantial increase). Imagine having to pay for your blog, for posting photos or video; or even using search engines.

Rest assured that if the big telecoms triumph, these additional costs will be passed on to users and visitors, which means that the internet could lose it's highly competitive cost structure. eBay or Amazon might no longer be more affordable than their offline counterparts.

Another concern with these plans is the control of information. Just like television, newspapers and radio, when companies control the content shown, you can lose the variety and objectivity of the information presented.

Let's face it - this is the internet's great asset. As the social revolution (web 2.0) has started and everyone has a voice (blogs, video, photo sharing), the freedom of speech and expression has taken on new meaning (for better or worse). Start charging people for this freedom and the internet could fall silent.

Every reader of this blog could be affected by this initiative. My only recommendation is to start paying attention and take the action you deem necessary. Whether you're "for" or "against" the proposed changes, it's time to understand the implications of any such action.

For more information visit: www.itsournet.org which is a coalition backed by the likes of Google, Yahoo!, eBay and Amazon.com

Share your thoughts whether you agree or disagree...

G-Phone: A New Google Cell Phone On The Horizon

According to a recent article by The Observer, Google could be working on releasing its own mobile phone. G-Phone (what else would they call it) could be released as early as 2008 if discussions between the search giant and Orange prove fruitful.

It's suggested that the phone would be a co-branded one (Google and Orange) and would carry Google's suite of software to make the mobile browsing experience significantly faster than current offerings.

Google has made no secret about its mobile intentions, having forged partnerships with mobile carriers and its ongoing work on mobilizing its applications (GTalk, Gmail) and improving local search. When you consider their attempts to build PC's with Dell, this seems like a logical next step in their strategy.

According to Om Malik on GigaOM, the Google mobile phone speculation carries more credence than many will give it, considering Google's acquisition of Android.

Android is a company that specialized in compressing and delivering the web to mobile devices, and was working on a new cell phone operating system. Apparently its owner, Andy Rubin, has been busy up at Mountain View, California working on a project - potentially this one.

While neither Google nor Orange have made any public announcements the potential synergies between the two companies in such a partnership make sense. Should this deal fall through, I am sure there will be other carriers that would be keen to explore a deal with the search giant. Stay tuned to see what pans out.

Decipho - New Social Search Engine Powered by Ask.com

A new social search engine has launched called Decipho. Running on the Ask.com API, Decipho is the newest in a range of search engines emerging in the wake of the social web revolution.

For some time, questions have been asked of the traditional algorithm based search provided by the likes of Google and Yahoo! I, like many industry types, believe that social reviews/opinions will be a part of the next incarnation of the search process.

In a Q&A on SearchEngineLowdown, Decipho creator Steven Wakita shared his vision for the new search engine back in Oct 2006:

"The overall vision of Decipho is to make it easier to filter search results. I wanted it to be possible to do a search and automatically know what the content is about for that particular website without viewing it.

The key to making this work was by having enough information about the voting patterns for a particular website so that our users can make the best decision of whether they want to view the site or not. This is why I think the Search Analysis link is so important because it will allow our users to see what other keywords this website was categorized for by our users and break it down in percentages."

Now that Decipho has launched, here's a summary of some its key features:

The results are filtered based on user preferences and sorted into categories. As users can choose their own categories, these are then stored for future searches by other users. As in all social apps, the knowledge base grows over time.
Decipho also offers a "My Results" section which displays listings for your search that have you have ranked in previous searches, irrespective of their rank in the current search.
The social meter allows you to further narrow your search by specifying what level (%) a websites user ranking needs to be for a particular category.
Claim your site. This function allows website owners to provide their own description of the website which is available for viewing via a link adjacent to the listing.

While the database still has some growing necessary for it to fully deliver on owner Steven's vision, it offers some good ideas and further pushes the search world closer to the social sphere.

According to Steven's comments on TechAddress: "Decipho is self-funded. We are currently not looking to raise money because we currently don't need it. I'm 24 years old; I don't need a bloated salary because all I know is being poor."

Full credit to Steve and his team for these purest beliefs and ideals, but I am sure they will reconsider if the likes of Google present them with a reasonable offer.

Thursday, December 14

Holiday Sale: 20% Off Everything!

This is your chance to grab a great search marketing bargain before you head off into your well deserved break for the holiday season!

Until 24 December, you can save 20% on all search marketing services at www.ineedhits.com - that's right, you've got 10 days only to secure your discounted search marketing services.

Why don't you use this opportunity to get your pay-per-click campaign started with Easy PPC? Instead of paying $2/day for campaign management and $99 set-up fee, you'll be paying only $1.60/day (first month) and $79.20 set-up fee. A fantastic price for a great pay-per-click service that makes your life so much easier!

Or what about using any budget you might not have spent on our deluxe search engine optimzation and advertising package Mega Business Accelerator? Instead of $324.95, you'll only be paying $259.96 for this comprehensive combo.

And of course you can also get great savings on our best-selling auto-submission service Easy Submit. Instead of $2.50 per web page, you now only pay $2!

No matter which of our search marketing services is the right one for you, make sure you get it before 24 December - there's only 10 days to go before the sale ends!

Tuesday, December 12

Give A Little With GoodSearch

You see them on the street corner, at train stations, out in the cold or blistering heat, even in your local McDonalds - collections for charity - be it for the blind, the environment, for cancer or any other number of illnesses and problems that may be facing our world today. Gone are the days where we may have to scuttle past collectors, heads down, murmuring something about "no change...sorry" - GoodSearch is now on the scene!

The premise? Search and raise money for you favourite charity - as simple as that! Brother and sister, Ken and JJ Ramberg founded GoodSearch in 2005, "when the two of them considered what even a fraction of the $6 billion generated by search engine advertisers annually could do if it were directed towards organizations trying to make this world a better place."

Powered by Yahoo! GoodSearch is like any other search engine, except 50% of revenue is donated to the schools and charities chosen by users. You won't pay a cent to use the search, the advertisers do!

Everyone... go to the site, select a charity you would like to support and start searching. Can't find your favourite charity? Add them to the list and away you go. The more you search the more money you raise.

The best way to understand this concept and site better is to use it. It takes absolutely nothing to give! Considering the sheer number of search queries conducted daily, it is possible, even to the most pessimistic of us, that GoodSearch are onto a good thing!

No Fee's for Google Checkout in 2007

Google is offering online merchants free use of its Google Checkout service until the end of 2007. Aimed at taking on PayPal, the move has left many wondering how the payment giant will respond.

Introduced in June this year, Google Checkout offers online business a fast and easy way to process payments. Benjamin Ling, the Google executive who runs Checkout, says it was not designed as Google's answer to PayPal but as a way to cut down on the steps (registering, typing in credit card etc.) needed for consumers to complete a purchase.

Soon after its launch Google began aggressively marketing the product by offering free ad credits and rebates of up to $30 off for customers. Their latest move mounts the pressure even further on PayPal, who had no comment on Google's plans.

The decision to drop fee's for 2007 is being used as a way to stimulate trial of the product. "Once people use our service, they love it," Said Ling. Google claims thousands of retailers use Google Checkout such as Toys R Us, Buy.com and Ritz Interactive.

While neither company will specify the exact number of merchant accounts, PayPal does have some reason for concern. Twenty Five per cent of eBay's (PayPal's parent company) profits come from PayPal, meaning any pressure on pricing could have a profound impact.

If you currently use Google Checkout, let us know what you think! Does it have the power to trump PayPal as the leader in online payments?

Google and Yahoo! Jump On the Microsoft IE7 Bandwagon

The battle between Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft has been waging for some time and the playing field has grown beyond just search. The competition now includes the fields of social media, communities, online software and now - internet browsers.

In what could be a brilliant move, Google and Yahoo! have taken the approach, "if ya can't bet them - join them" by releasing their own version of the recently released Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 (IE7).

The core features of all three versions are identical; the key difference is the services provided as defaults. Obviously the teams at Google and Yahoo! didn't want the world's top internet browser excluding their services, so they released their own versions.

Optimized versions of the IE7 browser will see users offered either Google or Yahoo! search as the default, the homepage will be set to their search engines, and their toolbars installed automatically.

While it appears that Microsoft hasn't stopped the roll out of the Google and Yahoo! IE7 versions, it seems they have had some say in the way they are marketed. If you visit the download pages for the two new versions, they look identical. So if Microsoft isn't setting the guidelines, then Google and Yahoo!'s marketing departments must be on holidays.

What these releases do mean for Microsoft is even more exposure for their Internet Explorer. Considering Google's very public support for Firefox (IE7's closest competitor), Microsoft execs would be seeing these new IE7 versions as the lesser of two evils.

POST UPDATE - 13th December 2006
It looks like Google's marketing department are back from holidays or read this post, as they have just modified the presentation on the Google Optimized IE7 page - see below.

Monday, December 11

Stop Wasting Search Engine Traffic - 3 Top Conversion Tips

DIY Tips and Advice
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I was listening to some recent client feedback the other day and was baffled when I heard their concerns.

Customers' comments (and not just one):
I'm visible in the Google and Yahoo! search results and I'm getting lots of traffic, (no problem yet!) but - I'm getting no sales. Hmmmm

Well, I can see that would be an issue for many small businesses, so I delved a little further. Of course there's a range of reasons why you might not be converting search engine traffic into paying customers, but upon reviewing their sites, it occurred to me that 3 simple issues were causing their pains - so heed these tips:

1. Send the traffic to the right web page
So many website owners make the mistake of promoting/optimizing the wrong web pages. Not all of your web pages are designed to turn visitors into buyers. I don't know how many website owners send all the traffic to their homepage. Just because your homepage looks great, doesn't mean they'll navigate around your website to buy your products or services.

It's a simple process to decide which pages to drive traffic to. If a customer can "buy" from the page or "submit an order request", then send the traffic there. It might sound obvious, but sometimes when you're using SEO (search engine optimization), the focus is often directed to the wrong pages.

While a holistic approach to SEO is good (optimize the whole site), get your priorities right and start with the pages that make you money.

2. Get your "Call to Action" visible
Here's the second major mistake. Website owners feel the need to hide their "Call to Action" so that visitors need to hunt it down. Your Call to Action is your "Order Now" button, or "Buy Now" button or "Submit Request" form.

Let me give you the tip, internet users are impatient - so if they can't find where they make the purchase...you'll lose the sale. To make it easy, make sure your "Call to Action" is above the fold, so basically a visitor doesn't need to scroll anywhere to find it. And make sure to check this in different browsers and on different screen resolutions, as it will appear differently for each.

Secondly - make it stand out. Don't be afraid to use a big bold "Order Now" or bright "Buy Now" image to draw their eye to the action you want. If you hide it, you'll lose them.

3. Give them a reason to act now!
People like incentives and reasons to buy. It works their WIIFM meter (What's In It For Me). So make sure your strong offer, special discount or key selling point is boldly placed near your "Call to Action" area. That way, you'll minimize their tendency to want to shop around.

Like I said, this isn't all the factors that ensure you'll turn your search engine traffic into sales, but if you haven't got these right, you're seriously wasting valuable visitors.

Easy PPC - Now On Video!

Are you interested in starting your own pay-per-click search advertising campaign but just not sure how it all works and what it can do for you?

In this case, you might want to watch our new video about our pay-per-click campaign management service Easy PPC. The video quickly explains how pay-per-click advertising and Easy PPC work and what the benefits for you are. And keep watching to the end - there might just be a special offer in it for you!

Tuesday, December 5

Bad PR Sends Yahoo! Back-Pedaling

Yahoo! has done some incredible back-pedaling this week as they respond to intense online criticism over ch