Pete Meyers gives us a snapshot of what the "AdWords landscape" looks like in 2013. Who is placing ads, how many are there, what combinations occur, and how often do they show up? An infographic provides details on top ads, sitelinks, ads by category, and more. The data, collected from 10,000 page-one Google search engine results pages via Google.com on a weekday during normal business hours, shows what happens when the personalization trigger is turned off. Read the article here.

Marketers should build apps for each type of OS, but numbers released from comScore Wednesday, along with specific audience adoption stats from other sources, provide fodder for better decisions. Some 129.4 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending January 2013, up 7% since October. Apple took the No. 1 spot for smartphone manufacturer with 37.8% OEM market share for January 2013, while Google Android led as the #1 smartphone platform with 52.3 percent platform market share, according to comScore.

We've been expecting it. At least I have. Now reports suggest that Google has begun to test a same-day delivery service. Google Shopping Express, no doubt supported by BufferBox, will go head to head with Amazon to support retail stores through the online site. It aims to help local retail stores sell products online and have the items delivered to shoppers the same day, or perhaps pick them up in a locker in a nearby location.

Jennifer Van Iderstyne tells us how to find the value in lower search volumes. She reminds us that search volume is relative. "If your top niche phrase boasts a whopping 1,000 in the search volume column, then phrases in the 100 range are still viable," she writes. Leave nothing on the table -- small bursts are better than big nothings, and it's a group effort, so remember how each keyword or groups of keywords supports the others. Read the article here.

If you think Google would allow near field communication to become a flash in the pan, think again. The Mountain View, Calif. company joined the NFC Forum Board of Directors, having upgraded its participation to Sponsor membership of the non-profit industry association aimed at advancing the use of the technology supporting mobile devices. Ten other organizations, such as Brother Industries and ROHM, have joined the forum since late November, bringing the total membership to more than 180 companies and non-profit groups.

Bill Slawski tells us about the Google patent granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a system that detects hidden elements in a document, which means hidden text and links. Co-inventors behind the patent include Matt Cutts, who has spent a good part of his long career at Google exploring different ways that people might try to spam the search engine. Read the article here.

Microsoft Advertising launched a new Web site to help developers monetize the Windows 8 app with advertising. The hub provides a place for developers to search and gain access to the Win 8 advertising software development kit, as well as tips on publishing apps to the Windows Store and building a business. A white paper found on the site provides details on terminology and common ad formats, and buying rate models, such as cost per thousand impressions (CPM), and cost per action (CPA).

Content continues to be a major part of Google's "aggressive crusade" to purge search engine results pages of low-value spam that is ranking high in the SERPs. Ken Lyons provides 27 tactics to help marketers gain an edge. He details each suggestion, starting with the basics like reviewing keyword targeting and turning data points into graphs to make it more visual, to focusing on Web site load times and adding symbols that consumers trust. Read the article here.

A sluggish economy? Not for the two-thirds of the wealthiest people in the U.S. who boosted their average net worth by $400 million to a record $4.2 billion. The top guy: Microsoft founder Bill Gates, with $66 billion. Sergey Brin and Larry Page have a net worth of $20.3 billion each. Mark Zuckerberg is on the list at $9.4 billion. 

Thinking about designing an app for smartphones and other mobile devices? Mobile users will download around 14 billion tablet apps to help them search and find products, services and information, according to ABI Research. The updated market forecast suggests that iPad leads in market share with 75%. In comparison, Android will represent an annual share of 17%, excluding Kindle Fire. Downloads to Windows tablets will take 2%. Overall, smartphone app downloads will reach 56 billion this year. Share the wealth. Google Android will account for 58% of the total, with Apple iOS taking 33%. Microsoft Windows will finish the year with …