Paul Robinson, founder of software R&D firm Vagueware notes that Google's inclusion of user-created maps (from My Maps, KML files and other info created in the geoweb) in its local search results was inevitable -- why wouldn't the search giant want to tap into the power (and data) of its devoted users? Google is going to clearly mark the user-customized maps as such, so that users can choose whether to trust the info -- but Robinson wonders if a ratings (and wiki-style revision) system would make the service even better. He even throws in a link to OpenStreetMap, …

While Ask's search market penetration is relatively small, industry analysts and search pros alike have predicted the "little guy" will slowly but surely wrangle more search share over the long haul. According to Ross Dunn, optimizing for Ask doesn't have to be top priority -- but following the tips he lists in this in-depth piece could boost your Ask rankings (without sacrificing rank with the bigger engines). Of course, appropriately tagging images is key, but Dunn also offers tips for inclusion in AskCity (Ask's local search division), as well as the Bloglines and Ask Mobile services.

Onkosh, the Arabic language search engine, has moved its mobile service out of beta mode. Users can type their queries in English, and the engine returns Arabic results. According to sources at Orascom Telecom (parent company of Onkosh) including the transliteration feature was key to driving both mobile and desktop usage of the engine -- reflecting the tendencies of the growing population of Arabic-language Web users to search this way. Onkosh bundles blogs, news and images into the mobile results, as well as an in-depth "File Search" feature that can find files that are linked to forums and …

Now that all four of the major search engines have introduced blended results, we're likely to see a myriad of cross-engine query comparisons published. One of the first is from CNET's Stephan Spencer, and he uses the term "caveman" (a word that carries at least four immediate connotations) to illustrate how different the results can be. Spencer acknowledges that blended or universal search is still in a nascent phase, as the engines tweak their algorithms and users themselves begin to adjust. But the screenshots included provide an at-a-glance view of how search's next generation is shaping up.

Google has added another dimension to its Universal Search concept, by upgrading the Google Enterprise Search Alliance platform and allowing the service to search through multiple content repositories. Businesses that use Google Enterprise Search Alliance will now be able to search data from third-party platforms like Documentum, FileNet, Livelink and Sharepoint (in addition to content from Google Apps). The search giant has also built the service on an "open" framework, so that third-party file and document storage developers like Stellent and Hummingbird can connect to it -- expanding the platform's overall relevance and utility.

Dharmesh Shah, co-founder of the Web marketing software firm HubSpot, wrote this piece in defense of the company's WebsiteGrader tool, a free service that analyzes a site for a number of "vital signs" like traffic, navigational issues and common SEO factors, and rates it on a scale of 1 - 100. While some bloggers have showered WebsiteGrader with acclaim, others like Michael Gray have taken the stance that Webmasters who use the tool can actually overlook critical errors that have a negative impact on their search traffic. Gray argues that WebsiteGrader can lull site owners into a false …

Yahoo announced a number of user-requested upgrades to its search marketing console, including enhanced report functionality, more streamlined navigation, and a "Today" function that lets Webmasters view the status of their campaigns in relative real time.

Some search marketers shy away from using industry-specific lingo or acronyms in their paid search ad copy - but in some instances, shortcuts can get right to the point (especially with character limits) and boost ROI. To be clear, Slegg advocates multiple copy choices -- for example, using "PPC" for one ad, while using "paid search advertising" in another -- to cast a wide enough net for both savvy and novice searchers. She also cautions against being too liberal with jargon, but urges search marketers not to forget certain shortcuts during their PPC copy writing process.

A New York State judge recently ruled against a company called Australian Gold, in its claims that e-commerce firm S & L Vitamins violated its trademark rights by including pictures of Australian Gold products and using the keywords "Australian Gold" in the meta-tags on its reseller Website. S & L Vitamins scored a win by proving that usage of the Australian Gold info on the Web site and in PPC ads was protected under "fair use" laws -- and also because the judge found that Australian Gold didn't go far enough to prove otherwise. Trademark attorney and law …

Microsoft may have made the most splashy health search (and storage) news recently, but the other players in the medical search space continue to innovate and add new features to their engines. Case in point -- United Business Media has upgraded its SearchMedica professional medical search engine, aiming to deliver a more specialized experience than both consumer-facing and industry-oriented competitors. SearchMedica actually released data from a new survey of some 6,000 medical professionals and found that Google was their number one search engine of choice. But 65% of them said that the search giant returned too many non-clinical, irrelevant …