The launch of SEMCompare, Search Marketing Standard's new search firm ratings and reviews Web site, has sparked a major debate within the search community. Kalena Jordan ignited the discussion with her initial analysis of the site, and the dialogue continues on Sphinn. Many Sphinn members echo Jordan's concerns about the site's accuracy and legality, given the fact that users could leave anonymous reviews. "So I can hire a gang of offshore monkeys to go by (spoofed IPs) and whack attack all the competition?" wrote one reader. Others questioned whether the system would need an automatic response mechanism, so …

All clicks are not created equal. As Jennifer Slegg notes, "if the people who click your ads are looky-loos without any intention of buying what your ad is advertising--at least not at the stage of the buying cycle they are in--then those clicks you have paid for don't convert at all." So to weed out those non-buying clickers from your more costly PPC campaigns, Slegg recommends including product prices in the ad. Be specific with these kinds of ads--meaning, include a full product name or brand with model number--and don't forget to mention things like free shipping. Also …

Ann Smarty knows that Viewdle's video search technology isn't exactly new--but that's not the point. The fact that the roughly two-year-old video search engine is light years ahead of that the big engines when it comes to analyzing the content that's actually inside the video (as opposed to the meta tags or page it's on), is the big deal. "Simply put, Viewdle technology 'sees' the person, 'remembers' him/her and 'recognizes' the person throughout all new videos," Smarty says. "That also means video search gets really relevant--the technology makes sure the video will include an actual appearance of the …

Microsoft recently beta launched adCenter Analytics, a free analytics suite that offers standard site activity tracking (including number of visitors, the pages they viewed and where they originated) in addition to more precise tracking of a single visitor from first click-through to conversion. Webmasters can apply to be accepted into the beta program. Once accepted, site owners get started by creating a profile for the specific URLs they want adCenter to track. There's an option to have the tracking script automatically inserted into a page's source code or to do it manually--and once the site goes live with …

"Since the 'purchase' is the ultimate conversion, it is imperative that you remove as many obstacles from the customer's research-to-buy cycle as possible," says Stoney deGeyter. This means having adequate search functionality and clear navigation paths, so that customers can quickly find product and pricing info, get their shopping cart full and check out with no roadblocks. In terms of content, be sure to include features like side-by-side product comparison guides and customer reviews and ratings. If possible, list product availability--as even if something is out of stock, it's better for customers to know up front than when …

Getting mom-and-pop shops to understand the value of search marketing isn't that hard, since the general knowledge of Internet usage (and search activity) is much more widespread. Still, search pros may end up coming to an impasse when it gets down to negotiating contract terms. As guest Search Engine People blogger Stephen notes, it's a market whose "needs and wants are often out of alignment with realistic expectations and pricing." To move the relationship along, Stephen suggests stepping back from the "packaged deal" model that could include on-site optimization, link building, analytics tracking and content creation, in favor …

Andy Beal asks whether Woopra, a Web analytics client currently in beta, will "whip Google Analytics' butt?" The service offers real-time visitor tracking, tagging and instant messaging, as well as a sleek, graphics-rich interface set on a slate gray backdrop. Beal provides screenshots and a video of Woopra in action. Readers chime in with their own opinions--ranging from an excited, "Wow, this one looks really nice. I'm not using [Google Analytics] but I can't wait to check this one," to a more lukewarm, "I know a lot of similar services, but only [Google} Analytics helps me [increase] AdSense …

Whether we're technically in a recession or not, many Americans have become more conscious of how much they're spending as of late, and as such, the search community has been grappling with the issue of what an economic downturn means for the industry. Brian R. Brown serves up a recap of the latest theories from search industry pundits. In a recent ClickZ article, Kevin Lee touched on the possibility of changes in the number of searches people do. Searches could decline because people cut back on non-necessary expenses, or they could grow, as smart shoppers seek out deals …

"The Doc" (a search consultant based in San Diego) was working on a site that had consistently ranked within the top three organic results for a keyword, when one day he noticed it had slipped down to the tenth spot. At first, he thought that there might be duplicate content issues, a possible need to tweak the URL structure for canonicalization or maybe just build up more inbound links. But after fiddling with those factors and waiting about a month, there was still no change. Frustrated, the Doc found that sometimes snagging rankings means going back to three …

Michael Arrington openly admits that he enjoys trash-talking ChaCha, the Carmel, Indiana-based startup that aimed to provide human-powered desktop search results. So the fact that ChaCha is all but dismantling its desktop search for a strictly mobile service comes as no surprise to him. "They announced that guided search will be discontinued in favor of the one product they offer that isn't monumentally dumb--mobile search," he says. In reality, ChaCha desktop search will still exist, but instead of chat window-style dialogues with paid guides, users will get their answers in the form of a text link (dubbed Desktop …