expertSEM

We know that we don’t have just one type of reader. Some people visit expertSEM for helpful tips, some come here to find out more about the people behind the scenes at Location3 and still others are in search of current industry news. We thought we’d focus on the last group and provide a brief summary of the top news, announcements and information that was released within the interactive marketing community this past week. Here are the top ten articles and blog posts that piqued our interest over the last few days:

i. Google Acquires AdMob

Huge news for the mobile marketing industry—Google purchased AdMob, a mobile display and in-application ad serving network, for $750 million. This move shows that mobile marketing is truly an significant medium worthy of Google’s attention; it has the potential to broaden the scope of mobile strategies and technologies, and provides even more opportunities for advertisers. Check out a recent blog by Lindsey for more info or any one of the many stories about the new deal, including Mobile Marketer, Search Engine Journal and Kelsey Group.

ii. Hulk Hogan Visits Google

“Hulk Hogan visits Google? That isn’t breaking news!” Hey, we never said this post would be Pulitzer worthy. Hulk Hogan visited Google’s Kirkland office on November 3rd for the signing of his new book, My Life Outside the Ring. Hogan may not be as relevant as he once was, but we’re still feeling the Hulkmania! Check out a photo and quick blurb at Search Engine Land.

iii. Should you Bid All Brand Keywords to Position #1?

Short answer—no. Longer answer—it depends; you need to examine the performance of brand keywords the same way you do with non-branded and bid intelligently. Even longer answer—read the entire article on Search Engine Land.

iv. Google Caffeine

The long-awaited Google Caffeine search index will be fully released soon after the Holidays, according to Matt Cutts. Since the summer, Google has invited users to test the search infrastructure at the Google Caffeine Sandbox. Google feels they have now gathered enough data and have closed the testing platform. They are not releasing the new index until after the holidays in an effort to avoid any snags during the busy holiday sales period. Check out the full story here.

v. User Consent for Cookies in UK and Europe

The EU recently adopted a law requiring that internet users must give their consent before cookies are placed on their computer. There are a few strips of red tape it must pass through before becoming fully enacted; however, the organisation responsible for the law released a statement saying that “nothing stands in the way” for this law to be implemented in 18 months Fear not, online marketers! There are some workarounds. Consent may be given permanently through browser settings or a statement about cookie use can be included in privacy policies without requiring consent each and every time an individual uses the internet. Read the full story on ClickZ.

*Note: I’m not British but I felt using “s” rather than “z” in “organisation” was more appropriate for this blurb.

vi. New Look for LinkedIn

LinkedIn has recently updated the navigation and layout of their site. New features include global navigation bar, more room for content and less scrolling, more prominent ads (I’m sure users and advertisers have a different opinion on the benefits of this change) and the ability to connect tweets with LinkedIn status updates. Will these updates be enough to make LinkedIn the social network it has the potential to be, rather than just an online resume? Time will tell. Read the full story on ReadWriteWeb.

vii. PR & Search Work Together

We all understand the correlation between social media and PR, but how can PPC fit in? If you experience bad press for any reason, paid search allows you to establish your presence in the conversation and craft an appropriate message. You should bid on keywords that relate the bad press (e.g., “Company XYZ lawsuit,” “Scandal at Company XYZ” or “disgusting Dominoes employee video”), write ad copy with a specific message that addresses the issue and then send users to a specific landing page that also address the issue or puts a positive spin on the negative press.

Check out an real example of this strategy in a recent Yahoo! Finance article. The PR firm responsible for the AdWords campaign suggested also bidding on the name of the author or other media person responsible for the negative article. Aggressive? Yes. Effective? Maybe. Cause for more bad press? Quite possibly.

viii. New Digg Feature

Digg has released a new feature called Digg Trending. This feature allows users to vote on highly active stories as they appear to say if they believe the story truly warrants a spot on the homepage. Learn more about the new feature on Search Engine Journal.

ix. PubCon Coverage

WebmasterWorld’s annual PubCon took place this week in Las Vegas and is wrapping up today with a casual networking event. PubCon offers leading-edge education on social media, affiliate programs, SEO and search marketing, and loads of networking opportunities. Many bloggers and tweeters have been covering the conference all week. Here are comprehensive lists of PubCon 2009 coverage from Day One, Day Two and Day Three.

x. Are Digital Agencies Ready to Lead?

In this world of extreme multitasking where individuals and companies alike are expected to know and be everything (what doesn’t Google have their hands in?!)—it’s no surprise that specialized companies are going by the wayside. In the marketing and advertising industry (I believe they’re no longer two separate industries, in fact, you could even squeeze PR in there, too), that means that you must be able to develop and manage multi-channels campaigns that not only coexist peacefully but actually work together and complement each other. The question posed in a recent Ad Age article is, Are digital agencies up to this immense task? We think so, in fact, we know so. But we may be a bit biased!

This short list by no means covers all of the happenings in the busy interactive marketing world; it simply reveals some of the topics that we feel are important and those that caught our attention. Just think, now you have some interesting conversation starters for happy hour this evening.