The information returned by search engines in a search query really depends on the words people type into the search box. Sound simple? Bill Slawski found a patent application published last week where the search engine asks if it should convert acronyms and abbreviated queries to include results from the non-abbreviated version. Slawski demonstrates the difference in search results by highlighting a few examples, such as searching on Bing for NASA Moon bombing vs. National Aeronautics and Space Administration moon bombing. He provides some advice that marketers building keyword lists may want to consider.

What do SEO and sex have in common? Sex "is referred to as a basic need [-- in] the same way as SEO is critical for your site," notes this post, mostly a parody written initially by SEO experts in India (and edited by Joel Leyden's communications company). In an attempt to use the word "sex" as much as possible to raise search rankings, the piece makes some very funny assertions: "Both [SEO and sex] are organic functions - although both can be paid for. But please, do not confuse Google Adwords with prostitution. Although both may be optimized …

The biggest mistake marketers make is not developing a keyword list that thinks outside of the box. So Patricia Hursh provides tips on how to become more creative, such as asking yourself "What else are my customers looking for, and how can I address their broader set of needs?" Hursh reviews a free tool, Search Funnel from Microsoft AdCenter Labs, that helps marketers understand the research process from the beginning to the end of the search funnel. Hursh explains how to use the search funnel, ways to gain qualitative data, and best uses for the data.

Amazon Affiliate marketers might want to check out Joshua Odmark's summary of the methods and guidelines for affiliate marketing on social media. Amazon's Dave Cotter contributed to the guide to help marketers understand the nuances, Odmark writes. The guide offers tips on being aware of trademarks and copyright content, and whether programs permit the use of social network sites, such as Twitter, to drive traffic to Amazon.

SEO can reach potential customers in tough economic times. While some marketers ask themselves "can I afford it," Stoney deGeyter writes that when it comes down to basics, the question really becomes "Can you afford not to SEO?" He realizes budgets are an issue, but provides some tips that can help justify the cost. DeGeyter believes following his recommendations can make SEO more affordable. And of course, "there is nothing wrong with doing it yourself, just be sure you know what you're getting into," he writes.

Publishers need to provide helpful content in the moment, according to Jim Lecinski, rather than trying to shock, stop or detract the reader from the experience. For example: a piece on "10 great places to go for the weekend on a budget," shouldn't have info on how to to make one's floors shiny. That content pulls readers in too many directions so they can't concentrate on what they originally set out to find, Lecinski says. Look for ways to provide tips that help the person accomplish the task rather than distract from it.

There has been a lot of debate on why Google removed PageRank from the Webmaster Tools, but Steve appears to have dug down to the core reason. He reminds us that there are more than 500 million variables to be considered when determining PageRank. Steve writes that PageRank can provide meaningful insight, but overall it doesn't offer nearly the level of insight "actual digging and analysis" can provide. Think back to when Google decided to remove the "supplemental results" label in SERPs more than two years ago and the reason for removing PageRank will become clearer.

In Linking Domains (ILDs) can provide a way to determine if a post is popular across the Internet. Some categories collect more links than others. Determining the ones with the most impact, Chenry demonstrates how to distinguish the strong topics from the weak by beginning with the data.

Have You Heard About KeywordSmash? It lets you research keywords from one or multiple keyword services and sources simultaneously. The tools are accessed by categories, such as offers, keywords, trends, demographics, ads, social, news and more. Ann Smarty provides step-by-step instructions on getting started.

Google unveiled a tool earlier this week to help advertisers and marketers measure the impact of display ads. Google Campaign Insights relies on the same expertise used to improve Google's services, the ability to analyze data, according to Paul Todd. He explains how the tool determines the incremental change directly attributable to the display ad campaign. The insight gives advertisers a way to establish how well their display ad campaign works.