The emerging practice of "search-as-research" goes beyond the context of search marketing effectiveness. Instead, search-as-research applies observations and interpretations of searcher behavior to develop insight into marketing and business challenges outside the search landscape. Through this approach, marketers exploit the search channel to develop deeper insight into consumer needs, better understand market trends, and inform new product opportunities.

My wife Jill was the victim of another drive-by "why-ing" -- and I, of course, was the perpetrator. There's a small specialty grocery store where we live that Jill visits every week or two. And almost every time, she complains about the experience. Outdated stock is repackaged. Food is rancid. The staff is surly. But she keeps buying there. After listening to another long-winded vent, I dared to go where no man should go. I asked her "why?" There were a number of reasons that she gave. But the biggest reason was one she didn't express, because she didn't know …

In my last column, "Google Bombing and SEM is Evolving into 'Search Engine Activism,'" I reviewed examples of search campaigns with a non-commercial intent, particularly those promoting either a consumer, political or social cause. These examples illustrated a variety of search tactics, and more often than not, they defied simple labeling as "Google bombing," "SEO," "SEM" or "search engine advertising." In order to shed additional light on the thinking behind search activism campaigns, noted bloggers and online activists, Ethan Zuckerman and Chris Bowers shared their perspectives on the value and impact of search to their own causes and initiatives.

During my honeymoon in India, our guide Ajay was so knowledgeable about so many facets of the people, culture, history, and land of India that I soon took to thinking of him as "Ajaygoogle." Ajaygoogle didn't entirely replace Google, Wikipedia, Amazon, and other resources (encapsulated here as Googlewiki) that expanded my understanding of the country. Before and after the trip, and at several points along the way, digital data proved to be invaluable. Each guide had its place, though. To see how they fit together, here's the story of the Googlewiki and the Ajaygoogle.

More than a week has passed since Microsoft's announcement that it plans to acquire Yahoo. As I wrote last week, there are reasons to applaud a combined MS-Yahoo, foremost among them being the fact that it will eventually level the playing field against Google. I do, however, want to acknowledge the many legitimate concerns arising from such a combined operation, because there are many consequences that may not be fully foreseeable today.

This year's Super Bowl drew an estimated 97.5 million viewers and was the second most-watched TV program ever. We found that 64% of Super Bowl advertisers included a Web site in their ad; however, just 12% of the ads actually called out the advertisers' Web sites in the voiceover.

Now that there seems to be some sort of union in Yahoo's future, blessed or otherwise, I felt the urge to pass along some advice to whoever the happy couple might be. For, in all this talk about the impending nuptials, the clear objective is to survive and compete in the business of attracting the attention of prospects online.

In my last column, I raised the question, "Will CPA Become the Default Pricing Model for Paid Search?" The topic stemmed from a panel I participated in at the recent Digital Media Measurement and Pricing Summit. My first instinct was to write CPA off as nice in theory but "never gonna happen." In turn, I feared my conference session would turn out to be the "shortest panel ever."I'm happy to report that my dialogue with fellow panelist Jason Clement of Neo@Ogilvy was bountiful and we used the entire 45 minutes allotted. However, the net-net as far as CPA goes is …

Yahoo, put yourself in Tom Brady's shoes in Super Bowl LXII. You spend a couple quarters getting knocked around, playing short of your potential. You're not showing that drive that you want to win. But then you reach the fourth quarter, and you realize that you can still control your own destiny. You can dig in, make a few plays, and find yourself in control of the game. So, Yahoo, do you muster up the confidence to make another great drive, or do you take Microsoft's offer and let the clock run down?

n formally stating its intention to acquire Yahoo, Microsoft is betting $44.6 billion dollars that Google's rule over the burgeoning online ad market can be challenged. While it's too early to say whether its unsolicited bid for Yahoo will be accepted, whether regulatory challenges will appear, and the final shape that an integrated property will take, it's clear that a Yahoo acquisition will significantly strengthen Microsoft's odds of reaping a significant share of future ad dollars, and also preserve competitive equilibrium in the online advertising world.