German court: Google has no duty to inspect websites for illegal content before displaying2/27/2018 A German court has ruled that Google is not required to pre-screen websites for defamation before displaying them in search results. This ruling comes from the German Federal Court of Justice, the country’s highest court. The plaintiffs in the case had sought to force Google to filter out websites that displayed allegedly defamatory content about them in an IT-related online discussion forum. They also sought to collect damages from Google for the presentation of those sites in search results, arguing that Google had a duty to screen and not to display the defamatory material to others online. A ruling in favor of the litigants would have put a huge burden on Google to essentially review all website content in Germany for any potential violations before displaying it in search results. The German court, however, recognized the practical impossibility of this and held that a duty to take action is triggered only if Google is notified “of a clearly recognizable violation of individuals’ rights.” The court said, “Instituting a general duty to inspect the content would seriously call into question the business model of search engines, which is approved by lawmakers and wanted by society, ” according to a Reuters translation. “Without the help of such search engines it would be impossible for individuals to get meaningful use out of the internet due to the unmanageable flood of data it contains.” The case apparently arose under the Right to Be Forgotten (RTBF). I haven’t seen the underlying factual and legal discussion so can’t comment on the full implications of the decision. However, it would appear to clearly affirm the broader proposition that Google can’t be held liable for illegal content in search results without first being notified of its disputed or potentially illegal nature. Yesterday Google published a report on three years’ worth of RTBF requests and who’s making them. The post German court: Google has no ‘duty to inspect’ websites for illegal content before displaying appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land http://ift.tt/2oA89xv
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It might be a short ebook you intend to give away to blog subscribers. Or you might be trying to pen a New York Times bestseller. Either way, I think I know which bit of your book is causing you problems. The introduction. It’s the biggest hurdle for most of the writers I work with. The post How to Write a Killer Book Introduction appeared first on Copyblogger. via Copyblogger http://ift.tt/2GQpsBJ Google says that there are “tens of thousands” of Right to Be Forgotten (RTBF) requests filed each month in Europe. In a new blog post, the company explains that it’s updating its “Transparency Report,” which details RTBF requests, to include new categories of information. In addition to reporting aggregate data on requests, their countries of origin and percentages granted, Google says it will now reveal:
Google is simultaneously releasing a report that provides more depth and detail on the nature of delisting requests, summarizing three years of data since RTBF first came into being in May 2014. The high-level findings are provided in an infographic in the blog post. In the report, Google says there are “two dominant intents for RTBF delisting requests.” Roughly a third (33 percent) of requests are related to personal information on social media and directory sites. Another 20 percent relate to news and government websites that contain “a requester’s legal history.” The rest are diverse and span a range of content types and objectives. Top hostnames for requested delistings Source: Google “Three years of the Right to be Forgotten” (2018) Google said that more than half (51 percent) of requests come from three countries: France, Germany and the UK. Overall, only 43 percent of requests are granted. Private individuals make up most of those requesting delisting — Google says 85 percent in the report and 89 percent on the infographic. Non-private persons (entities, government officials) make up the rest. Minors make up 5 percent the private individual requester group. The report is the first time Google provided significant detail on its RTBF evaluation process. Interestingly, the company said there’s no automation involved. Below are the major criteria and considerations, which I’ve paraphrased for length:
Breakdown of those requesting delisting Source: Google “Three years of the Right to be Forgotten” (2018) Google also reiterated and clarified the scope of delisting, if granted:
One of the more interesting disclosures in the report is that there is a category of high-volume RTBF requesters. Google reports that the top 1000 requesters “generated 14.6 percent of requests and 20.8 percent of delistings. These mostly included law firms and reputation management agencies, as well as some requesters with a sizable online presence.” Categories of information associated with delisting requests Source: Google “Three years of the Right to be Forgotten” (2018) The full report is available for download here. The post Law and reputation firms generate 21% of Right to Be Forgotten delistings, says Google appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land http://ift.tt/2GOl2vc Google has added a new feature named Google Word Coach to the Google dictionary and translate boxes within web search for non-English searchers. When you do a search that triggers a dictionary or translate box, Google may show you this Word Coach that helps you “expand English-language vocabulary in a fun and engaging way,” a Google spokesperson told us. Susanta Sahoo shared a picture with us of this feature on Twitter: This launched in the Google search results a couple weeks ago. Here is a statement from a Google spokesperson on this feature:
The post Google Word Coach, a fun word game in the search results appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land http://ift.tt/2HOp200 Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land:
Recent Headlines From Marketing Land, Our Sister Site Dedicated To Internet Marketing:
Search News From Around The Web:
The post SearchCap: Google Shopping EU changes, page speed scorecard & Search Console bug appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land http://ift.tt/2osfDTN The post Start Your Day Positively! appeared first on Matt Morris. via Matt Morris http://ift.tt/2BRUOsw
But factor in the increasing prevalence of machine learning and other forms of artificial intelligence that are now fundamental components of AdWords and keeping up with the abundance of goodies can be both time-consuming and occasionally overwhelming. Never fear – if you’re looking keep sharp with cutting edge strategies and tactics for getting the most out of your AdWords campaigns, check out Brad Geddes Advanced AdWords workshop, running the day before SMX West on March 12 in San Jose. This one-day, hands-on workshop provides a deep immersion into everything you need to know to take advantage of everything AdWords has to offer today. Want to know more about what to expect from the workshop? Click over to Five questions for AdWords expert Brad Geddes where he explains why this full-day master class is a must-do experience for all serious paid search practitioners. The post Keeping your edge sharp with AdWords appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land http://ift.tt/2sXHZKC We’re just two weeks away from Search Engine Land’s SMX® West, the premier educational experience for search marketers obsessed with SEO, SEM, and online retail. Now is the time. Secure your pass and join your search marketing community in sunny San Jose! What’s in it for you?We’ll equip you with actionable tactics you can implement immediately to drive your search marketing results. Three days of dynamic and authoritative sessions, inspirational keynotes, hands-on clinics, vendor demos, and exceptional networking are sure to satisfy your SEO and SEM cravings. Choose your ideal passOur goal is to provide you the best conference experience imaginable – but we know that “best” can mean different things to different people. Choose from a variety of pass options to suit your specific goals and budget:
The choice to attend SMX West is easy. It’s selecting the perfect pass option that’s the trick! However you choose to join us, register now and prepare to be blown away by quality content, career-defining networking opportunities, and thoughtful conveniences that make SMX a rewarding experience. We guarantee it. T-minus two weeks! Hope to see you in San Jose! The post Just 2 weeks until SMX West! Register now & save $100 appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land http://ift.tt/2F92ybN In response to EU antitrust ruling Google Shopping now shows ads from competing shopping engines2/26/2018 A couple of weeks ago, we reported that links to third-party comparison shopping engines (CSEs) had been spotted in Google Shopping results in the UK. Now ads for products promoted by competing CSEs are showing up in the Google Shopping carousel in the UK (and possibly other EU countries). The inclusion of ads from competing CSEs is part of Google’s response to an antitrust ruling and massive fine issued by the European Commission last year. The example below, shared by a webmaster who goes by Gabs, shows an ad by ShoppingFM in the second ad slot in the Shopping carousel. The other product listing ads are by Google’s own shopping engine.
Google is appealing the European Commission’s antitrust ruling, but in the meantime, the company has established Google Shopping as a distinct business in the EU. In a new structure, that business unit then bids against other CSEs in the ad auction to give the competing engines “equal treatment” as mandated in the ruling. In the US and other non-EU markets, individual advertisers compete within the Google Shopping auction. A merchant’s visibility on Google Shopping in EU markets will now depend on how well it performs for Google Shopping and any other CSEs on which it purchases ads. This is in addition to its bid and the CSE’s evaluation of its expected performance for a given query. Because Google is bidding against other players, it will likely bid only as high as is profitable for it as a marketer. The ads were supposed to start showing last fall, but have been slow to roll out. Unlike the previous sighting of a link shown at the end of the ad carousel, the screenshot above reflects the format Google had put forward last September (shown below) and has apparently now settled upon. The post In response to EU antitrust ruling, Google Shopping now shows ads from competing shopping engines appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land http://ift.tt/2ozkQZj E-commerce and local search might seem to be exclusive functions. Local search is typically associated with store locations and driving offline purchases, while e-commerce usually involves online transactions. But recently the crowded e-commerce space has led online-only stores to encroach on the turf of local stores and services. Amazon opened a bookstore in Seattle and acquired Whole Foods. Warby Parker, the eyewear company, opened its first store in 2013 and now has 61 nationwide. Bonobos, Blue Nile and others are likewise opening retail stores. The reason for the bleed over is that online brands have realized the cumulative benefit storefronts are having to both marketing and sales, boosting both online sales as well as adding sales from stores. That’s a lesson that also applies in reverse to those whose primary business is a brick-and-mortar storefront. Many of the components of e-commerce are increasingly relevant as consumers use more devices and more media to research purchases that they plan to buy offline. Omni-channel customers now expect to start their search for goods and services in one place and continue it seamlessly in another whether on a different device, media outlet or store location. Here are six lessons from e-commerce you should use with your online content to provide a lift to your offline business. 1. Your website is your storefront, tooSometimes it is hard for brick-and-mortar stores to dedicate the same investment to their website as they do their store. E-commerce sites don’t have this conflict. Yet based on consumer behavior statistics, local businesses must realize that they likely have more visits to their website than their store and most in-store customers will visit their website first. A 2016 Google and Purchased Digital Diary survey found that 58% of consumers visited a retailer’s website or app before making an in-store purchase. Local Search Association’s (LSA, my employer) own survey of 8,000 consumers likewise found that a company website is the most used channel by consumers who are ready to purchase. Twenty-seven percent turn to a company website, even more than search engines at 24%. On the flip side, consumers are turned off by bad online experiences. A survey conducted by Vistaprint in 2016 shows: 45% of consumers are unlikely to buy from a business with a poorly designed website. This could be anything from a poor mobile experience to broken links, a confusing user experience or something similar. More compelling still, 34% were unlikely to buy from a business if they didn’t have a website. Realize that your website is an extension of your store and invest in a good online experience for your customers. 2. Make sure online information is accurate and up to dateYou wouldn’t keep a Christmas sale sign up after the New Year in your store. Don’t do that online either. While most customers are not likely to react as strongly as a Harvard professor who was charged $4 more than the outdated online menu prices he saw online, it can still impact business. That Harvard professor threatened legal action and notified authorities. There are plenty of reactions short of his that are still not desirable. My wife recently purchased a vacuum accessory just to be notified later that it was back-ordered, and then, a second time, that it was indefinitely out of stock. I can personally attest to the veracity of the phrase “unhappy wife, unhappy life” and do not recommend you tick her off with inaccurate online info. On the flip side, there are a lot of good reasons to keep online information just as timely and accurate as the information you have in the store. I was shopping for necklace charms for my daughters and looked at James Avery, an artisan jeweler based in Texas. Their online inventory by store was very helpful as I looked at some vintage letter charms. I was able to locate a store that didn’t just carry the charms, but the exact letters I needed. They were also careful to let me know when they didn’t have information I needed. James Avery partners with and sells their jewelry through Dillard’s department stores, however, it appears they cannot track inventory at those locations like they can in their own retail stores. Online, they make it clear that inventory searches are not available for the Dillard’s locations. Informing the customer when information is not available is much better than frustrating them with vague answers and wasting their time. 3. Don’t hide the ball from online shoppersThe shell game played on the streets of New York City (NYC) might be entertaining to watch, but it is not effective marketing. A study by Market Track found that 80% of those surveyed compared prices online before buying offline. Business owners might use that as justification for not displaying prices online out of fear that they will be undercut by a competitor. The problem with that mindset is that price is a core decision-making factor but not the only one. If a shopper is looking for the price and you fail to provide it, you are likely taken out of consideration. That was my personal experience. I’m in the market for a new mattress. As I’m comparing products, I’m looking at comfort, features and quality. Even though I’ve visited several stores, I can’t recall all the details of each mattress I’m considering. One store doesn’t list their prices online and, even though I’m not trying to figure out which mattress is the cheapest, I do need price to assess overall value. So that store is out. 4. Provide a full shopping experience onlineIt’s not just pricing information that isn’t always disclosed. Some feel that providing only basic information online will drive store traffic where customers can get the “full experience”. I’m certainly not underestimating the value of in-person customer visits, but today’s consumer wants more, not less, information online. LSA research found that 63% of consumers research a product or service online 50% of the time before making a purchase at a store. But many consumers research a product or service online even more frequently. Forty-six percent said they do online research 75% of the time before in-store purchases. As an example, online mattress companies might appear to be at a huge disadvantage to local stores, but they are competing effectively by providing rich amounts of information to compensate for the inability to test the mattresses in person. Effective use of video individualized for each mattress highlighting descriptions, features and comparison data comes close to mimicking a conversation with a sales rep. Charts, comfort ratings, and reviews also help decision making. Brick-and-mortar stores must match these online experiences just to stay even before they can realize their in-store product advantage. 5. In store product interaction still maintains an advantageOne thing that online stores cannot duplicate is the ability to touch, feel, smell and get a truly interactive experience with a product. They may compensate by offering extended return policies and lenient trial programs, but each of these requires a greater commitment than a store visit. LSA recently reported on a study that found the ability to interact with products was the top reason for most consumers to shop in-store. The only group for which this wasn’t true was Gen Z, 72% of whom said their top reason was to avoid shipping costs. Keep in mind this group has the lowest disposable income and likely spends mostly on small item purchases. With more product research being done online, in-store visits to interact with products is likely done at the tail-end of the purchase funnel. So these store visitors should be considered high-conversion leads. There are ways to combat the concern about showrooming. That consumer is still ready to buy -– give them reasons to buy in-store by highlighting price-match policies, easier returns without shipping costs, and the immediate gratification of buying it now. 6. Don’t forget to pay attention to third-party listingsBrick and mortar stores extend their storefronts using third-party sites such as Google Shopping and Amazon. Because of their interactive sales nature and API programming, it’s easy to understand the importance of keeping the information such as price and inventory up to date. But listings such as Google knowledge graphs and Yelp profiles are often relegated to the “set it and forget it” mode. After all, isn’t all of that information static? That’s a mistake that many make. Google and Purchased Digital Diary’s 2016 survey found that “37% of consumers visited a non-retailer website or app before an in-store purchase and 31% used an online map” where consumers commonly view the store profile. While not a substitute for a local business website, a third party does operate as a proxy in many cases. So while the information on those listings can be relatively static, it would be more effective if there were some updates. For example, add holiday hours or special events such as President’s Day sales. Update listings with new lines of products or highlight specific menu items. Upload new photos showing store renovations or redesigns. And conspicuously post any variation from your store’s status quo such as being closed for a private party. This is all information that customers searching for your business want and need. And failing to check these third-party listings can be costly. My colleague Greg Sterling recently wrote about his experience with furniture shopping. It seems a Google map listing indicated that a particular Macy’s store had an in-store furniture gallery. Armed with the sales catalog and intentions on buying $1,000+ of furniture, Greg headed to the store. Turns out they did not sell furniture at that location. Greg didn’t have time to visit another store before the sale expired, and for Macy’s, it was an opportunity lost. Closing thoughtsLocal business owners spend much of their time on site so it is natural to focus on a customer’s experience as primarily in-store. But today’s consumer often arrives at the store more informed and closer to making a purchase decision than ever before. Much window shopping is now done on a screen. In today’s cross-device, multi-media, omnichannel market, it pays to think like an online store and use some e-commerce strategies to provide a lift to your local storefront’s business. The post 6 smart e-commerce lessons to boost local business appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land http://ift.tt/2HMTWWQ |
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