Google has launched a new non-Google branded site called SearchMash which is designed to serve as an experimental testing ground for user interface ideas without the Google brand skewing the objectivity of the results.
Here are 14 observations on SearchMash:1. The character count on the SearchMash homepage is even less than the Google.com classic homepage.2. With SearchMash, there is no search button but there are instructions to ‘hit enter to get results’ but those directions disappear on the search results page. I always hit ‘enter’ myself versus clicking the “Google Search” More»

Labels: Blogs, google, internet, measurement, Search Engine Strategies, Search Tools, SearchMash, websites, wikipedia

Google is set to scrap its subsidy payments for European search advertising agencies.
The program, called Best Practice Funding, which has made subsidies to the tune of US$100M, will wind up at the end of 2008. It is in effect across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The program gives agencies that used Google’s search engine to book ad dollars, a percentage of money back based on how much they spent on behalf of clients.
The goal of the program was to drive search advertising across the region by allowing investment More»

Labels: Online Advertising, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Strategies