This day in search marketing history: February 1

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by Samuel Pordengerg Feb 1, 2023 News
This day in search marketing history: February 1

The first headline on Search Engine Land was "Bing is cheating, copying our search results".

According to Danny Sullivan, Bing has been watching what people search for on the internet and using that information to improve its own listings.

The story began in May of 2010 when Bing returned the same sites as Google when someone entered strange words. In October of 2010, the results for Bing had a greater overlap than before.

Dozens of media outlets picked up the story as both companies went into a war of words.

Bing's search results were called a "cheap imitation" by the search engine.

Bing defended their monitoring of consumer activity and called the sting operation a spy novel.

On the same day as Bing's Future of Search event, there was more than one thing happening.

Oh my gosh, what a day!

Also on this day

Auto-tagging added to Google Merchant Center free listings

URL parameters were added to your URLs for better measurement.

Microsoft rolls out portfolio bid strategies and automated integration with Google Tag Manager

The portfolio feature balances under- and over-performing campaigns that share the same bidding strategy.

Google Search launches about this result feature

The feature made it easier for people to learn more about the search feature they were interested in.

Google adds Black-owned business label to product results

There was a label that said "identifies as Black-owned" and it showed in the product listings.

Marketers say COVID vaccines create hope for quick return of in-person events

Business travel to training seminars, conferences and trade shows used to be unsafe due to the conditions that were present.

Video: Dawn Beobide on Google confirmed vs unconfirmed algorithm updates

Barry Schwartz talked with Beobide about the page experience update in the next video.

Bing Ads rolls out multiuser access with single sign-on

Users were able to have one email and password for all of their Bing Ads accounts.

Restaurant owners can now edit menu listings in Google My Business

It was possible to put a structured restaurant menu in mobile search listings.

Google Assistant adds new media capabilities ahead of HomePod release

It's now possible to wake up and use voice to find out where you left off.

Google wins ‘right to be forgotten’ case in Japanese high court

The high court of Japan ruled that search results are protected by the law.

Google’s Fake Locksmith Problem Once Again Hits The New York Times

Companies that aren't based in the local area set up fake locations to trick the search engine into thinking they're there.

Valentine’s Day Searches Start Now: When They’ll Peak Depends On The Category

Bing provided key trends on Valentine's Day related searches, which included gifts, candy, flowers, restaurants and jewelry.

Google Search iOS App Adds “I’m Feeling Curious” To 3-D Touch

There is a menu for the "I'm feeling curious" button on the app.

Google Expanding Candidate Cards, Will Also Offer Primary Voting Reminders

Users were able to get a combination of candidate-generated content and third-party content about the primaries and the election when they searched for it.

Where Yahoo Might Again Compete In Search: Mobile

With the right content and user experience, Yahoo could have made more money from mobile.

Google Settles With France: No ‘Link Tax,’ But €60 Million Media Fund

The debate over France's plan to charge for linking to French news content came to an end in the year.

Google Submits Formal European Antitrust Settlement Proposal

In order to address the four areas of concern, the proposal had to address them.

Microsoft Sued By Company That Won Patent Lawsuit Against Google In 2012

The two patents that pertained to the ranking and placement of ads in search results were issued in the 1990's.

The Lead Up To the Super Bowl: How Are We Searching?

The answer was on multiple devices.

Search In Pics: The Google Business Card Collection, Silver Android Statue & Golden Gate Bridge Pin

The images show what people eat at the search engine companies, how they play, where they meet, what toys they have, and more.

French Court Fines Google $660,000 Because Google Maps Is Free

A free high-quality mapping tool is beneficial for both internet users and websites, according to the company.

Google Pledges Crack Down on Unscrupulous AdWords Resellers

Agencies were required to give their clients metrics on costs, clicks and impressions on AdWords at least monthly.

Blekko Bans Content Farms From Its Index

ehow.com was banned from its index in the year 2011.

Speculation, Intrigue Surround Google’s Delayed Cloud-Tunes Music Service

Licensing issues caused the service to be delayed.

Google Finally Adds Check-Ins To Latitude, With A Couple Twists

Automatic check-ins at places and reminders to check-in at locations could be sent by Latitude.

Google New Local Ad Category Invades The “7 Pack”

The local business ad allowed a business to stand out on the map or in the map related listings on the SERP.

The Latest On Google News Sitemaps

News publishers had until April 2010 to modify their news website.

Report: Google To Bring More “Transparency” To AdSense Revenue Sharing

According to a report, the sales boss for the company said that they would consider giving more transparency about revenue splits.

AP & Google Reach A Deal – Sort Of

An agreement was reached between the AP and the search engine. It was not clear if this is a long-term deal.

SEOmoz Leaves The Consulting Business To Focus On Software

Open site explorer was recently launched by the agency.

Can Google Kill Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 6?

The support for "very old browsers" was going to be discontinued.

US Appeals Court Allows Google Street View Trespass Lawsuit To Continue

The Boring couple had first sued Google in 2008 for taking pictures of their home which was on a clearly marked private road.

2000 In Review: AdWords Launches; Yahoo Partners With Google; GoTo Syndicates

In the year 2000 there were major events.

Can Searchers Find The Superbowl?

In order to connect with people, search engines and websites need to improve.

Scoring The Superbowl Ads & Search: Do Broadcast Marketers Get Online Acquisition?

The year was 2009, and it was the year of the website.

Microsoft Makes $45 Billion Bid To Buy Yahoo

Microsoft was ready to make a bid of $32 per share for Yahoo, but the company turned it down. There is more coverage of the proposal.

Mine The Web’s Socially-Tagged Links: Google Social Graph API Launched

Developers were able to discover socially labeled links on pages with the help of the API.

“Open Network” A Reality, C Block Of 700MHz Spectrum Hits $4.6 Billion “Reserve Price”

The rules required that legal consumer devices be allowed to access the C Block broadband network.

Up Close With Yahoo’s New Delete URL Feature

Pages would be crawled, but wouldn't get index.

Google News Engine Bugging Out

Graphics weren't loading and searches weren't working in 2007.

National Pork Board Goes After Breastfeeding Search Marketer

The National Pork Board had a trademark on the phrase, "The Other White Meat".

Google Fensi: Google’s Asian Social Networking Site?

It was a social network. Do you mean a game? Either service or something else. It's possible that we never know.

Marchex Launches Review Aggregation Feature ‘Open View’

Open View aggregated user and expert reviews and generated a summary in a few paragraphs.

Google To Kick Off X Prize’s Next Fundraising Campaign

The X Prize wanted to create radical breakthrough for the benefit of mankind.

Aussies Turn Out For Battle Of Sydney; Google Gets Shot Down

Residents didn't go as planned when it came to the flyover by the search engine.

From Search Marketing Expo (SMX)

  • How marketers can adjust to redefined keyword matching

The columns have not been updated since they were published. The author's opinions are not necessarily those of search engine land.

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