B2B clients need to run paid search campaigns on the core search engines just like B2C companies do, but as Galen DeYoung notes, B2B companies should also target business-facing engines and sites like Business.com, Jayde and KnowledgeStorm. "Clicks and leads from these vertical search sites may not yield the same traffic as general search engines, but the percentage of qualified traffic and conversions can increase dramatically with leads from these specialized and vertical business-oriented engines," DeYoung says. He offers a thorough review of B2B vertical engines in the general business, finance, IT and global resource markets--and …

"Most advertisers are doing split testing all wrong," says Dan Thies. "That's because, in a typical A/B split test, what you're doing is keeping your Control (the best performing ad) running, and creating a new test ad to run against it. Doing it that way is perfectly normal, but it's also completely, utterly, and totally wrong." Thies' argument is that a new test ad typically gets ranked lower than an established, well-performing control ad (no matter which engine or ad platform), and will by default get fewer views and CTRs--which at the end of the test, makes it …

Yahoo has partnered with McAfee to make using its search engine safer. The new feature, dubbed SearchScan, is akin to the malware warnings that Google currently offers with StopBadware.org. SearchScan checks for the most common Internet threats on Web sites within Yahoo's index--including browser exploits, virus or malware-hosting downloads and spam--and either removes the site before users see it on the SERP, or displays a potential risk warning next to the link. Currently in beta, SearchScan will be automatically turned on for all Yahoo searches, though users can choose to turn it off. They can also choose whether …

MSN has upgraded Live Search, both on the front and back-end. The core search page features a new font and color scheme, and on the SERP, the search box has been brought down so that it's better aligned with the results. Meanwhile, the Live Search team has also been tinkering under the engine's hood, improving the on-page integration of video and pulling in health search info from a number of different sources.

E-tailers have a unique challenge when it comes to including product names on their Web sites: the names need to be unique enough for the core and comparison shopping engines to index, but simple enough for everyday users to scan and click on.. Adrienne Doss has come up with a quick fix for this problem. "For each product in your database, you want to create two name fields," Doss says. "I'll call them Long Name and Short Name. The Long Name works well for your product pages and title tags, while the Short Name can be used in …

There's still time to catch the Mother's Day stragglers with a search campaign, and the Inside AdWords team offers a set of quick hits to make the most of this seasonal promotion. Create a unique ad group with keywords and copy geared toward Mother's Day--you can pause it once the occasion has passed and rerun the campaigns with minor tweaks next year. Highlight specific benefits like extended or overnight shipping, gift cards and gift-wrapping clearly in either your ad copy or on the landing page--as these details may be exactly what searchers are looking for. And …

Sarah Bird tackles some of the industry furor over the recent trademark infringement case between two Florida companies, finding that there's actually no need for alarm. Orion Bank sued Orion Residential Finance for using its trademarked terms "Orion," "Orion Bank," and "Orion Bancorp" with the AdWords negative keyword option--and won. But the companies didn't actually go to trial, instead, settling out of court. While some have argued that the settlement sets a dangerous precedent for future battles over trademark usage and negative keywords, Bird notes that the case was unique because of the similarities between the …

Google Maps has quickly become a viable local search channel for many small businesses--but the interface problems continue to leave some advertisers in the lurch, wondering where their listing is. Mike Blumenthal posts a quick fix-directl from the Google Maps team--for advertisers who are sure their listing has been approved and should be showing up, First--check to make sure the listing is actually approved--and if so, do a "find businesses" search for it on maps.google.com. If the listing still doesn't appear, head over to your Local Business Center Account and click "edit" next to the rogue business listing. …

"When you tie search ads, display ads and your landing pages together with a consistent message, the mixture can help your advertising resonate with users and drive site traffic and sales to a whole new level," says Nick Stamoulis, guest YSM blogger and president of Brick Marketing. And he offers tips for using a search/display combo to maximize your ROI. First, define your target audience--then, define clear, separate goals for your search and display ads. For example, the search campaign may be better at driving actual clicks and conversions, while the display ads can be utilized for brand …