Microsoft’s hatred of Google is well documented. They hate them so much that they’ve decided to team up with on of the other “Big 3” search engines, Yahoo. In sports terms, this would be like the Red Sox annexing the Dodgers to team up against the Yankees. Pretty big!

According to Yahoo Tech, the 10-year deal announced Wednesday gives Microsoft access to the Internet’s second-largest search engine audience, adding a potentially potent weapon to the software maker’s Internet arsenal as it girds for an all-out assault…

A couple days ago Microsoft launches its new search engine Bing, calling it “The Decision Engine”. While I  have to admit I am skeptical of anything Microsoft puts out these days, Bing looks very intriguing. Here is a preview video below:

Things I Like

• Simplistic, yet beautiful (and flexible) design
• Enhanced related search archive
• Running search history right at your fingertips
• Enhanced category display features
• Excellent design & layout for image searches
• Enhanced video search with hovering autoplay feature
• Increased emphasis on Local Search (where MSN was severly lacking)

All…

About a week ago, my boss and I noticed some new features that are enabled when performing a Google search query. Google is now allowing you to utilize a ‘Show Options’ button that really opens up your search and allows you to see results based on a number of very interesting parameters.

When options are hidden:

Show options:

Some of the new filtering parameters that are available when you click ‘options’ are:

• Video results
• Forum results
• Reviews results
• Recent results
• Results from the last 24 hours
• Results from the past week
• Results from the past year
• Images

…

Google is now showing the Local 10-pack listings for broader search terms with no geo-tag. This was first discovered by Florist SEO Watch on March 28. This shift will dramatically affect local data and its impact on search.

This new 10-pack appears to be instituted for some phrases, but not others. For example, do a search for any of the following terms and you should see the 10-pack:

• plumber
• locksmith
• dentist
• lawyer
• doctor
• used car
• florist
• health food
• computer repair

It doesn’t seem to be populating the 10-pack for phrases…

Matt Cutts released a State of the Google Index post on his blog a couple days ago based on his talk at the PubCon Event is Las Vegas last week.

I thought it was very valuable, but it’s about 23 minutes long so I’ve decided to spare you the time and summarized it for you. Here is the link the the video on YouTube.

A Look Back at Google in 2008

For Search Engine Marketeers & Users:

1. Release of Google Chrome
2. Android:

…

According to the New York Times, Google has ended it Radio Advertising Program. Three years ago, Google entered the radio advertising business with big hopes. On Thursday, those hopes fluttered away.

Google said it was ending its radio project, “Google Audio Ads”, because it had failed to live up to expectations. Up to 40 people are expected to lose their jobs.

This will be a hit for many offline ad companies as well as search marketing firms like my own. As an SEM firm, Google Audio Ads was an low-priced easy way to buy…