Mike Blumenthal

Ask removes search box from default mobile search From the post:What Ask found in their user testing is that users would immediately go to the search box and start trying to use it. While this sounds like it offers what the user wants, the fact is that accomplishing simple things like finding our the weather …

Just received this email from Google: Search Ads on Google Mobile Search Hello Michael Blumenthal, We are happy to announce a new feature that will allow you to easily reach additional qualified customers who are searching Google from their mobile phones. In the next few days, your search ads will be eligible to run on …

12 Billion Local Business Searches. Do Yellow Pages Still Matter? – a good summary of a report given by TMP at SES on the complexity of customer behavior when using the internet to look for local goods. Measuring Local Search by Brian Wool. An overview of some of the choices in attempting to measure local …

In-car Google Local Search Google continues to push Maps to new platforms and venues. I see this type of market penetration as a way to achieve monopoly status ala the iPod. Segmenting Local Mobile Search Good article from Gerg Sterling at SearchEngineLand categorizing and documenting the fragmented nature of local mobile search. As he points …

Google’s new upgrade to easily allow Maps to be embedded on a web page has been widely reported. I figure the test of any new “easy to use” technology and whether it will propagate widely is the “Mike Test”. That is, if I can figure out how to use it in 5 minutes or less …

Google says mobile usage has surged this summer The Local OneBox has put local on the maps (so to speak). In terms of real traffic to real websites it has had a significant impact as a way to generate traffic in local and regional markets. That being said, Maps is still a poor step cousin …

The recent spate of mapspam at Google left a lot of questions about the future of local: •Will spam define local’s future? •How should Google respond to verified reports of Mapspam? •Is Google’s abuse reporting mechanism adequate? •When and what technical changes will Google make to prevent future abuse? •How can the integrity of maps …

Comparison of Google Maps on the iPhone and N95 Google Maps and the Onebox Hate Advertising Agencies!! EarlPearl has found some interesting aberant results on Google Maps at SEORefugee Local Housing Gets OneBox Treatment from Google  Miriam has noted the replacement of the Local Onebox with GoogleBase results. This seems to be a trend in …

Several weeks ago, I reported on the first cases of large scale mapspam at Google Maps. It was followed up with an interesting interview with one of the companies involved. Yesterday, on the Google-Maps-For-Business-Owners blog, the other company (apparently) responded: TOPIC: Why am I being blacklisted when I have techs in every metro area nationwide? …

From the Google Maps for Business discussion at Google Groups: == 1 of 1 == Date: Mon, Aug 6 2007 6:01 pm From: “Maps Guide Jen” Hi Mike, 1)How soon can we expect to see a technological solution to this problem? Relying on vigilant readers seems to be the proverbial finger in the dam. We’re …