Bing 

Microsoft Office hits pause on forcing Bing search in Chrome, Firefox

Rather than automatically changing default search engines for Chrome and Firefox, administrators are required to opt-in for it to do so network-wide. Microsoft recently announced a new “extension” as part of an update to its Office 365 ProPlus software that forcibly changes company-wide Chrome and Firefox search engine defaults to Bing search, automatically, from what is likely set to Google. After considerable backlash, the company is reversing course, a bit. In a predatory fashion, the extension automatically seeks out, through the network and local device file systems, installations of independent browsers (Chrome…

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Social 

Facebook Local is the social network’s stab at Yelp, Foursquare

Facebook’s new app lets people find nearby things to do and places to go. Facebook’s year-old Events app hasn’t turned into the Google Calendar competitor it was primed to become. So the social network is relaunching it and redirecting its aim at local search platforms like Yelp and Foursquare. Last week, Facebook debuted Facebook Local, a refurbished version of its Events app that aims to help people find nearby things to do and places to go and make Facebook more of a player in local search. [Read the full article on Marketing Land.] Opinions expressed…

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SEO 

SEOs talk pivoting and planning for a future after COVID-19

Hear what these veteran SEOs are doing to help clients adapt to business during and after the pandemic. “If there is no interest whatsoever in your vertical, the best you can do is look inside and try to reorganize your company and help your customers in the best way you can,” said Pedro Dias, managing partner at apis3 and former Google search quality analyst, addressing what brands and agencies should prioritize in light of the ongoing coronavirus crisis. With demand declining for a huge range of goods and services due…

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Marketing 

What to Expect When Migrating Marketing Automation Platforms

Don’t let FUD keep you chained to a marketing automation platform that’s no longer a fit! Many marketing leaders are evaluating whether or not their current technology stack provides the right foundation for their marketing strategy. Often, those contemplating a move fear that migrating to a new marketing automation platform will jeopardize their ability to drive revenue. While this is a valid concern, you can keep your revenue engine humming while making the move to a platform that’s right for your business now (and into the future). In this webinar, experts…

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SEM 

More PPC advertisers pause campaigns amid coronavirus upheaval

For many marketers, last week was a tipping point as the U.S. grappled will coronavirus measures. “It’s surprising how fast things have changed in just a couple of days,” said Brad Geddes co-founder of PPC management tool Adalysis in an email Friday. “We’ve seen a LOT of campaigns suddenly paused. Everything from travel (even travel agents who are often booking trips 6 months to one year in advance) to car dealerships, event venues, restaurants, etc.,” said Geddes. “If you have to leave the house to engage in the service, it…

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google 

Google tests ‘Curbside Pickup’ badge for local Shopping ads

Local Inventory Ads gain prominence with “In store” mobile experience and “Curbside pickup” option. “Curbside pickup” badges are now appearing on eligible Local Inventory Ads in Google Shopping One area where Google has an edge over Amazon? Local retail. In response to COVID-19 restrictions, Google has been giving local businesses more messaging options such as special store hours, pickup and delivery options and more in Google My Business. Now, it has also enabled “Curbside pickup” badges for Local Inventory Ads. Curbside pickup. Google has been piloting the “Curbside pickup” feature with a small group…

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Latest News 

Senators Will Introduce Coronavirus Data Privacy Bill

A group of senators will introduce legislation to help protect consumer privacy as companies focus on using data to help combat COVID-19. Governments and companies around the world have turned to big data in an effort to map the spread of the coronavirus, and try to get ahead of it. One of the most publicized efforts is being undertaken by Apple and Google, as the two companies work on a contact tracing API. The API, and subsequent apps, will use anonymous Bluetooth keys to keep track of the phones an individual has been…

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Bing 

Bing adds snippet controls to help sites control their search result previews

Google began supporting these new controls last September and now Bing adds control for snippets. Bing announced Wednesday that it now supports new snippet controls with robots meta tags to help webmasters manage how their search results are displayed in Bing. These new controls work via robots meta tags in HTML or X-Robots-Tag tag in the HTTP Header. New meta tags to settings snippets. Here are the three new controls Bing offers: “max-snippet:[number]” — This lets you specify the maximum text-length, in characters, of a snippet in search results. Here is the…

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Social 

Facebook demystifies its search platform, says searches performed off-site don’t factor

The company issued an explainer on how Facebook search works. Facebook confirmed this week that searches off of the platform do not influence Facebook search results. Aiming to be more transparent about how Facebook’s search graph works, product manager Yee Lee explained all the things that do — and don’t — impact Facebook searches in a blog post Friday. Factors that influence Facebook search results. According to Lee, Facebook search results are guided by a user’s behavior on the platform: from posts shared by Friends, Pages they follow, Facebook Groups they belong to,…

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SEO 

Adapting your SEO strategy to soften the impact of COVID-19 on organic traffic

Test and identify problem areas to better amplify your value proposition while staying relevant to the trends people are searching for. It’s no longer news that coronavirus has upended the way we live our day-to-day lives. Unprecedented unemployment rates, emptied shelves where toilet paper and Lysol wipes used to sit, an innumerable amount of people working from home – this has become our new reality. We know the ways it has impacted our lives personally, but how has consumer behavior and the way people search changed as a byproduct? What…

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