YouTube, like Google, has long been known for their simplistic homepage and their lack of gaudy advertising.  However, this is all about to change. The video site is going to be testing a new ad format that will allow for more sponsorships.  YouTube is changing the current layout of their homepage to allow for a new banner that will take up the width of the screen.  Advertising on YouTube’s new banner isn’t cheap either; about $200,000 per day.  If businesses are planning to promote via YouTube they should act fast; rates are already expected to climb this fall!

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Google may be in talks with Verizon about a possible mobile search deal. It has become apparent to mobile service carriers and technology companies that these types of deals can be beneficial for both parties.  AT&T and Apple set a prescedent with their groundbreaking deal prior to the release of the iPhone, and now many other mobile service carriers and technology companies are attempting to follow in their footsteps. 

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One of a parent’s biggest concerns when it comes to online search is children being exposed prematurely to adult content via the internet.    Ask.com is doing their part to help relieve some parental anxiety by launching AskKids.com.  AskKids.com delivers  a kid friendly search which displays results that are focused towards a younger audience. It is also considered to be the most graphically vivid display of any major search engine.  Although the launch of AskKids.com won’t ease all of a parent’s stresses, it will definitely help alleviate some fear about their child accessing something that they shouldn’t be on the web.

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Yahoo has it, and now Google has it too! That’s right, it’s that wonderful suggest feature. Yahoo has a “search assist” feature, which is virtually the same thing. Live Search isn’t quite there yet; however, they will give you related searches for some search results.  Finally after four years of testing, Google has rolled out this feature, which I felt was long overdue.

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Like most marketers, your life is probably consumed with managing your local search marketing strategy in tandem with your dwindling marketing budget. Between finding the best ROAS, pulling your hair out, and managing your local presence through IP-targeted PPC, localized SEO, Internet Yellow Pages, and Local Business Listings, you probably have missed out on a great opportunity. FREE ADVERTISING! Ok, now that I have your mind off all of your previous marketing worries, we can delve into the element of local search marketing that you conveniently overlooked.

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Audi will become the first automaker to land a branded application on the iPhone later this year. The iPhone application will allow users to take the new 2009 A4 on simulated driving courses. The free download uses the same motion sensor to steer that changes perspective when you turn the iPhone. This seems like a very unique way to use mobile applications to engage potential customers with the unveiling of the luxury car.

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It appears that Google is doing some testing with showing relevant blogposts instead of actual site links under certain search results. This is pretty interesting because it will show the actual blogpost title as well as the date it was posted.  I found this information in a recent blogpost on Search Engine Land. (more…)