Google Buzz launches
In 2010, Google revealed its latest attempt to create a social network and compete with Facebook and Twitter. And they called it Google Buzz.
Buzz was tied to two main elements – Gmail and mobile. But would users want social networking to invade their inbox?
As we noted at the time, there were a couple of “risky” features. The launch was generally greeted with heavy criticism and Buzz would quickly become a privacy nightmare that would hang on for dear life until Google tried its luck again with Google+.
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Also on this day
Expect more messages in Google Search Console
2022: Google finished the migration of all the messages into the new Search Console interface.
Google gives more visibility to local news publishers
2022: Google announced an improvement to its ranking systems meant to help searchers discover stories from “authoritative, relevant local news sources.”
Google tests bulleted lists in ads
2022: Ads could contain up to three bullet points.
Google Ads API v10 is now available
2022: Additions included general availability for Smart Campaigns and support for Local Service Ads campaigns in open beta.
Microsoft Advertising launches Cruise Ads
2022: The vertical-specific ad format was only available to advertisers targeting customers in the U.S.
Microsoft Ads to replace Manual CPC with Enhanced CPC by end of April
2021: Microsoft said eCPC increases conversions while lowering CPA, but some advertisers worried about loss of control.
Google’s updated phrase match simplifies keywords and worries advertisers
2021: What advertisers were gaining and losing, and what they could do to prepare for the rollout.
Bing Webmaster Tools adds social sign-in feature
2018: You could now log into your Bing Webmaster Tools account using your Google or Facebook login.
Search in Pics: Google soda lab, escape ladder & cupcakes
2018: The latest images showing what people eat at the search engine companies, how they play, who they meet, where they speak, what toys they have and more.
AdWords Converted Clicks sunsets for good in March
2017: The old metric would vanish completely as Conversions measurement fully takes over.
Google is testing a new way to report offensive Autocomplete suggestions
2017: A feedback tool was in limited testing, with hopes to launch it worldwide.
Data: Google monthly search volume dwarfs rivals because of mobile advantage
2017: Google likely had more than 30 billion queries per month across platforms.
Update: Brands saw bigger search lifts from releasing ads early online than actual Super Bowl ads
2017: Game day ads drove incremental lifts in branded search for CPG, almost none for B2B brands, Quantcast data showed.
Survey: Alexa the most frequently used assistant, Cortana seen as most accurate
2017: Nearly 60% used voice because it was faster or easier than typing.
Bing updates iOS search app with new ways to create video lists & find homes for sale
2017: With the new 6.11 version of Bing’s iOS search app, results for a “homes for sale + ZIP code” query returned real estate listings for specified ZIP codes.
Bing refreshes weather search results with interactive slider to see forecasts throughout the day
2017: Snowbirds could also get quick results for snow conditions at U.S. ski resorts.
Google Letting Official Representatives Of Knowledge Graph Boxes Suggest Changes In Search Results
2016: You could quickly make edits to Knowledge Graph cards that you represent directly in the Google search results.
[Updated] Bing Ads Experiencing Nearly 2-Day Reporting Outage
2016: Engineers said they were working on a fix and that historical data was not lost.
Official: Google AdWords Rolls Out “Upgraded URLs” For Tracking Parameters
2015: Ads would (usually) no longer be re-set and sent back to editorial review when tracking criteria change.
The Debate Over Whether The “Right To Be Forgotten” Should Apply To Google.com
2015: Both Google and the EU had credible positions on whether RTBF should be applied globally.
Bug Turns Google “Anti-SafeSearch” On, Provides Porn Results
2013: Strange search queries that should have returned no matches turned Google into a porn search engine.
Google’s First Hired Employee, Craig Silverstein, Quits
2012: After about 14 years at the company.
Bing Now A Full Point Ahead Of Yahoo In Search Share — comScore
2012: And both remained very far behind Google.
Foursquare Brings More Search Refinements To Mobile Apps
2012: You could filter places results by four categories: “I haven’t been to yet”; “I have been to before”; “My friends have been to”; “Have Foursquare specials.”
Google: We’re Better Now Than 2000. Okay, Let Us Test It!
2011: He compared a “time capsule” of search results he saved from Google’s index in 2000 to the present day to show how Google had improved in terms of spam and search quality.
Google Switches AdWords Color Back To Yellow From Purple
2011: The change lasted less than seven months.
Google Will Make $10 Per Android User In 2012: Report
2011: Google’s mobile ad business was worth roughly $1 billion on an annualized basis. But it was growing rapidly.
Facebook’s 2010 Metrics: Dominant & Still Growing, comScore Says
2010: Facebook was the fourth most-visited US web property overall, with Google and Yahoo still atop that list.
Super Bowl Sparks Twitter Record For Sporting Event
2010: A new record for Tweets-per-second (TPS) for a sporting event was set: 4,064.
IAC Q4 Earnings: Search Growth 3% But Takes $1 Billion Loss On Ask.com
2010: Much of the search growth came from toolbar searches, which was up by 35% in terms of revenue.
Bing, Google & Yahoo Gear Up For The 2010 Winter Olympic Games
2010: The search engines unveiled their special coverage sections and search features
Will Google Succumb To “The Innovator’s Dilemma”?
2009: Could “real-time search” disrupt Google’s dominance?
Live Search Adds Fourth Search Ad To Top Of UK Results
2009: Microsoft said that the same change to US results had been “positive since the launch.”
Google Tests Tweaked Search Suggestions User Interface
2009: Google made Google Suggest the default behavior for the main search box.
Twitter Reveals Google Engineering Layoffs?
2009: Google was reportedly laying off qualified engineers as part of a mandate to reduce headcount across the board.
Google Tests New Maps In Search Results
2009: The map was embedded within specific listings.
“Retail Search Presence Study” Shows Online Product Sellers Far Outpace Traditional Retailers In Search Results
2009: Online retailers had a strong presence, representing well over 30% of the listings shown.
WSJ: Yahoo Plans To Reject Microsoft’s Offer
2008: Because massively undervalued Yahoo.
22 Links To Coverage About The SEO Is Bull Debate
2007: Just some of the coverage.
Powerset Licenses Xerox PARC Natural Language Tech
2007: Powerset won the rights to natural language search technology from Xerox PARC that it hoped would make it the new Google, when it finally launched.
dMarc Founders Tuneout Of Google AdSense For Audio Plans
2007: The founders left Google due to differences of opinion and remuneration.
From Search Marketing Expo (SMX)
Past contributions from Search Engine Land’s Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
These columns are a snapshot in time and have not been updated since publishing, unless noted. Opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and not necessarily Search Engine Land.
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