WebProNews - Microsoft

Web Analytics: The Future, SEO, Tools, and Mistakes

Chris Crum — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:28:15 -0500

It's no secret that web analytics are important to the success of a website. It looks like that importance might even increase in the future as change unfolds in the search industry, throwing a fork in the spokes of how Internet marketers drive traffic to sites.

Web Analytics and SEO

Live Search Highlights Malicious Sites in Results

Chris Crum — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:56:14 -0500

About two years behind Google, Microsoft has finally decided to start marking malicious sites in the search results for Live Search. Better late than never though, I suppose.

Corporate Wolves Circle Yahoo's Goose

Jason Lee Miller — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:48:25 -0500

Alright, my first prediction for 2009: Yahoo gets carved up like a Christmas goose. No more corporate pussyfooting, no more billionaire shouting matches, just the stealthy, calculated approach toward the crippled wheezing of the would-be carrion. Soon it will all be over in a rush of feathers and blood.

Microsoft Aims to Make Up for Black Friday Rip Offs

Chris Crum — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:25:33 -0500

On Black Friday, Microsoft Live Search along with HP promised a 40% refund on items purchased in HP's online store. The only problem was that the site for what was called Microsoft Live Search Cashback experienced an outage and then started delivering 3% refunds instead of 40%. Obviously, there were some unhappy campers as a result.

More Microsoft Yahoo Gossip

Chris Crum — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 13:40:13 -0500

It seems that people really want Yahoo and Microsoft to get a deal done. Almost every other day it seems, rumors surface and are just as quickly shot down regarding the two companies and a possible transaction that could put a thorn in Google's side.

Live Search Updates Webmaster Center

Jason Lee Miller — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:26:31 -0500

Microsoft Live Search unveiled its Webmaster Center Fall Update today, which includes two new features, one for combating malware, the other to simplify the authentication process.

Microsoft Recommending Link Exchange Schemes?

Navneet Kaushal — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:18:27 -0500

Most of the SEOs were amazed by reading the article written by Skip Chilcott, Sr. Product Manager of Microsoft.

Microsoft Helps adCenter Customers Get Help

Chris Crum — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 09:00:41 -0500

Getting support for any product is often a painstaking and time consuming ordeal. There are parts of Microsoft that I have personally had such trouble with.

Link Exchanges Black Hat?

Chris Crum — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:00:53 -0500

Tamar Weinberg at Search Engine Roundtable points to a post (actually read more

Searching for Microsoft's Instant Answers

Chris Crum — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:27:33 -0500

Microsoft's Live Search has been the object of some criticism lately since rumors have been swirling about a possible rebranding. That will likely continue in part due to the "instant answers" the Live Search team is touting today.

Microsoft Live Search to Be Rebranded?

Chris Crum — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:08:53 -0500

Rumors have been flying around about a possible rebranding of Microsoft's search engine from Live Search to a few other names that Mary Jo Foley at ZDNet reported on. Names being tossed around include: Bing, Hook, and Kumo (which means "cloud" or "spider" in Japanese).

Foley went after the public opinion on which one would be best and the results so far are as follows:

Microsoft Discusses Updating adCenter Bids

Doug Caverly — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:06:53 -0500

The economy's crashing, the holidays are coming, and businesses are growing ultra-competitive. It's time to revisit online marketing campaigns, then, and Microsoft has released some tips on how adCenter users can decide if their bids need to be updated.

Ballmer Ignores Yang, Rules Out Yahoo Acquisition

Doug Caverly — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:10:18 -0500

Even the harshest critics of Steve Ballmer will have to admit one thing: in regards to not buying Yahoo, he's been consistent for a long time now. At a shareholder meeting today, Ballmer said that he still has no interest in a total acquisition, and Yahoo's stock has taken a nosedive of around 20.9 percent as a result.

Utilizing Match Types Can Save Your SEM Dollars

Chris Crum — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:11:13 -0500

Google's been offering some great AdWords tips lately. Specifically, they recently discussed the advantages of using the broad match option and the negative keyword option. Mike McDonald also spoke with Ken Jurina of Epiar about the negative keyword option in the following interview at PubCon.

Microsoft Travels The Silk Road

Chris Crum — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:39:51 -0500

Microsoft has launched a new project aimed at web publishers and developers, entitled "Project Silk Road," in which the latest step combines a content management system with the ability to sell ads. Microsoft explains more about Silk Road:

Google Docs And Spreadsheets Still In The Shallow End

Doug Caverly — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:43:07 -0500

Microsoft may be down compared to Google in terms of search - some of the most conservative estimates suggest Google's market share is five times bigger - but the Redmond-based corporation still has little to fear as far as productivity software goes. Google Docs and Spreadsheets is growing at a gastropod's pace.

AOL Still Reaching Record Numbers

Chris Crum — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:07:53 -0500

You would think that the growth of broadband usage would take away from AOL's business. That and the fact that they've been closing down services like mad. Despite these things, AOL has managed to hit an all time high when it comes to traffic numbers, and has experienced year-over-year growth for unique visitors for the 21st month in a row.

The following AOL sites reached all-time high page view numbers in October:

PubCon: Microsoft Live Search Keynote Address

Doug Caverly — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:25:29 -0500

Microsoft's moving forward in more ways than one. Even as it announced a new and more social Windows Live redesign this morning, Satya Nadella, a senior vice president, gave some details on the search side of things during a PubCon keynote.

Windows Live Making Big Social Leap

Doug Caverly — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:56:53 -0500

A new version of Windows Live is arriving, and a heavy emphasis has been put on all things social. Certain aspects of the Microsoft property now look reminiscent of Facebook and MySpace, and agreements have been reached with some of the top names in Web 2.0.

Pubcon: SEO Strategies Various Companies Have Employed

Navneet Kaushal — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:42:38 -0500

This session had the various speakers highlighting the SEO/SEM strategy their companies have employed, the challenges they have faced in the field as well as the areas that need to be worked upon.

Moderator:

Joseph Morin

Speakers:

Microsoft Getting Deal With Verizon Instead Of Google?

Andy Beal — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:30:04 -0500

Guess what? Microsoft might actually get a search deal done without Google getting up in its grill. According to reports, Microsoft is close to signing a search deal with Verizon Wireless–making Live Search the default search engine.

Report: Microsoft Close To Mobile Deal(s) With Verizon

Doug Caverly — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:18:00 -0500

If Google doesn't do something special, a mobile search deal between Microsoft and Verizon may be cemented in the near future. A new rumor has Microsoft offering Verizon a far more lucrative arrangement than what the Mountain View-based search giant originally suggested.

Microsoft Trying To Split Google, Verizon

Doug Caverly — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:25:35 -0500

Late last week, Steve Ballmer mocked Android and Google's position in the mobile market. The insults seemed genuine. But even if Microsoft really doesn't see Google as a threat, it's taking no chances, as new reports have the Redmond-based company trying to grab a deal with Verizon Wireless.

Ballmer (Yet Again) Rejects Idea Of Yahoo Acquisition

Doug Caverly — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:35:43 -0500

Earlier this week, Jerry Yang insisted that it's in Microsoft's best interest to buy Yahoo, and that he doesn't regret any of what's transpired. We compared him to Monty Python's Black Knight character. Now, Steve Ballmer seems to have pulled a King Arthur and walked away from the whole mess.

Yahoo Back To Bargaining With Microsoft

Gord Hotchkiss — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:30:48 -0500

In 1974, Sam Peckinpah directed the film Bring Me the head of Alfredo Garcia, the story of a bounty hunter who set out to avenge family dishonor (through rape and abandonment) by bringing back the aforementioned anatomical appendage.

Yang Revives Talk Of Microsoft Acquisition

Doug Caverly — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:41:24 -0500

Jerry Yang seems to have learned how to bluff at the (unattached) feet of Monty Python's Black Knight. Yahoo's CEO claimed at a conference last night, "To this day the best thing for Microsoft to do is buy Yahoo."

Apple And Microsoft Earnings Are Near Equal

Savio Rodrigues — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:40:48 -0500

A friend sent me this link comparing revenue, profit, and cash positions for Microsoft and Apple. I almost fell off my chair when reading this data from Microsoft’s and Apple’s most recent quarterly filing:

How Many Sites Are On the Internet?

Chris Crum — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:00:54 -0500

If there is any accuracy to data released by Netcraft, then the Internet has about 182,226,259 sites. That's 948,000 more than a month ago.

Netcraft looks at the number of sites hosted on the different top servers. The following graph represents market share for top servers across all domains from August 1995 to October 2008:

Advertisers Zero In On Digital Divas

Jason Lee Miller — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:32:29 -0500

One thing we know, the feminist movement still hasn’t quite reached the advertising industry. At least they’re fair about it; men (fathers especially) could rightly complain about what bumbling, inept fools commercials make us out to be.

And that we’re depicted as breast-obsessed, beer-guzzling, football maniacs.

Yeah, and?

Search Engines Celebrate Halloween

Chris Crum — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 09:22:29 -0400

In the Halloween spirit, Google has of course supplied us with a "doodle" for the day, but the interesting part of this to me as fan of horror films is that the doodle was designed by Wes Craven.