What Does it Do?

Google’s secure search protects the transmission of data between a user’s computer and Google’s server. So, a user searching for “ways to pass a drug screening” would enjoy enhanced security for that search: the user’s search query could not be intercepted in transit by persons snooping on internet traffic–which in an unsecured environment, is largely open to viewing by anyone. It’s the same technology that protects the transmission of credit card numbers.

However, it has limitations: the user’s browser settings may retain the search query, making it visible to coworkers, spouses, or anyone with access to the physical computer on which the search was made.

No Change in Search Results

But will this new feature change search results, the order in which search results appear? No. We tested a variety of phrases in both environments, and the search results are unchanged.

Who Won’t Like It?

That’s easy: the Chinese Government and the North Korean Government. These governments snoop on their citizens by intercepting all sorts of internet traffic–including search queries. The secure connection means that a dissident in China can search for information without having his or her search queries read by China’s ubiquitous internet police. Of course, once a person clicks on a link–the visit to the destination website will be visible to snoopers. And, of course, the Chinese government can simply attempt to block access to all of Google’s servers.

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Following a tip from Gary at Topside Media, I finally got a handle on Yahoo Search Marketing’s import function. Yahoo Search Marketing (Yahoo’s sponsored ad offering) is a necessary evil in competitive markets; but their Web web-based interface is both slow and unwieldy.

I was looking for a way to import some finely tuned AdWords campaigns into Yahoo directly. They have recently upgraded their import functionality, and now AdWords campaigns–complete with ad groups, bids, ad copy, and keywords can all be imported in one operation.

How to Import Into Yahoo Search Marketing

1. First of all, you need a file to import. If you are a user of the Google AdWords Editor software ( if you aren’t, you should be), you simply go to the file menu, and find “export as CSV”. You may select  all campaigns, orally particular campaigns; you can also select whether you want active campaigns, paused campaigns, or both. From the web-based AdWords interface, you do it a little differently: you generate a keyword report as a CSV file. Since I am an AdWords Editor user, I opted for that route–just another benefit of using this powerful tool.

2. Next, log into your Yahoo Search Marketing account. From the dashboard, in the upper right you will see a blue button titled “import campaigns.” Click on that button, and you will see a button to select your CSV file, add a button to import your file. That’s about it–the Wizard does the rest. You will be asked what you want to do about conflicting campaign names–I chose to simply add the new campaigns in addition to my old campaign names.

After the Import

Warning: your geo-targeting will not import–you will need to do that manually, or you’ll be advertising in far-off cities. Also, as with any import, you want to do a thorough review to make sure everything is working properly. Overall, a real timesaver.

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How to Get the Coveted “Show Map of” Tag

I learned this device from a power blogger in the search engine optimization business, and through some research reading Google’s Webmaster documentation. What the trick does is it enables a show map tag to appear within a Google result. The following photo will illustrate:

So what’s different about this Google result? if you look closely, you’ll see a cross with an invitation to show the map of the businesses location. This extra line in the search result can distinguish the result from other results on the page. And, as always, distinguishing factors in search results yield higher click rates.

Also, when a user clicks on the cross a map of the location is expanded to reveal a map of the location, the full address, and phone number. Again, this will yield a high increase in visitor conversions.

So How to Get the Tag?

The way to get the shell map tag is easy, but it’s a bit technical. First of all, the show map tag will obviously be of more value to a local business. In fact, a company has to have a Google local listing (a listing in the map section) as a prerequisite to displaying the show map tag.

Step One: Geo Sitemap

But a Google local listing alone will not activate the show map tag. Once the Google local listing is set up, one must also install what’s called a KML geo site map. A geo site map is a very small file, only a few lines long, which contains specially formatted information about the location of the business.

Here’s some sample data, a generic KML file:

<kml xmlns="http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2"

xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">

<Document>

<name>Company Name</name>

<atom:author>

<atom:name>Author Name (may be company name)</atom:name>

</atom:author>

<atom:link href="http://www.domain.com/" />

<Placemark>

<name>Name Of Location</name>

<description>

<![CDATA[

<address>

<a href="http://www.domain.com/">Company Name</a><br />

Address: [street city, state zip]<br />

Phone: [phone]

</address>

<p>A small company description.</p>

]]>

</description>

<Point>

<coordinates>latitude,longitude</coordinates>

</Point>

</Placemark>

</Document>

</kml>

Now, you’ll notice from the sample code above that the coordinates tag requires you to know the latitude and longitude of your business address as it appears in your Google local listing. You can obtain the latitude and longitude values, as well as generate a very simple but technically acceptable KML site map by going to one of my favorite new sites, http://mygeoposition.com/. You simply type in your address and click the KML tab to get the latitude and longitude numbers. Place those numbers in the coordinates tag, modify the file to include your name information, and you’re done.

Step Two: Register KML File in Google Webmasters Account

Next, the file must be registered in a verified Google Webmaster account. If you don’t have a Google Webmaster account already, it’s an absolute must for any website owner and offers tremendous search engine optimization benefits. Registering your Geo site map in your Google Webmaster account will activate the show map tag anywhere your result shows in a Google search.

Additional benefits

In addition, the show map tag will also display on Google adwords advertisements, which can be a further boost to that program’s effectiveness.

Your KML site map will also generate a location marker in the Google Earth program. In fact, KML technology has its origins with Google Earth.

There has also been some mention, although not a universal consensus, but a Geo site map can improve the rankings within the map display in Google local results.

Good luck from TastyPlacement

Matt added "I’m expecting that also in the next few days that we’ll be expiring some older penalties on websites."

Update: we witnessed a competitor’s site go from the 70s for a long-tail search phrase into the 20s about about a day or two within the PR update–obviously that site was under a Google penalty that expired.

The system is entirely computer-automated. Surprisingly, the voice recognition is very accurate. What does Goog-411 offer? Directory assistance of business telephones anywhere in America with one definite difference: the service is entirely free.

The wireless carriers charge between $1.25 and $1.50 for each directory assistance call. Even low cost providers like "Easy411" charge $.65 per call.

The impact of this sea change takes a little imagination to appreciate.

First of all, GOOG-411 is linked to Google Local, which is linked to Google’s search results. This increases the power and range of Google’s data, makes listings in Google more important than ever, and will increase the number of searches by billions in a year. This change also further devalues traditional "yellow pages" and similar outlets–they just became hyper-irrelevant instead of simply irrelevant.

Second, Google has been hinting for some time that it intends to enter into the telephone service provider business. If Google’s tremendous ownership of the search engine market and pay-per-click advertising market is any indication of their likelihood of success, let’s just say I would not want to be AT&T right now. Google’s directory assistance service seems like a natural first step into telephone service.

Third, the cellular provider’s free ride in the 411 market is over–this is the most obvious change. Americans paid $7.9 billion in 411 charges in 2006, according to an industry analyst. Verizon can get $1.50 for a 411 call because they have captive phone customers. Once those customers put GOOG-411 in their speed dial, Verizon and thier ilk can kiss those billions in revenue goodbye.

If Google can keep GOOG-411 free, they will own the directory assistance market far more easily than they won the search engine market.

These are big changes, they are coming hard, and they are coming fast. Nevertheless, hardly anyone has noticed, except a few tech-savvy magazines and bloggers.

Phone companies: Beware, the end may be near.

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