Build Authority by Using Social Media & Other Daily Finds for March 5th 2008

Here are some great and newsworthy posts I came across today including Jeff Quipp from Search Engine people shows us how you can use social media to build authority, Ask gives up race for search market share and will become a site geared towards married women, AOL and Yahoo! are considering a merger (again), and finally, a study into whether paid search or paid content ads are better for actual site conversions.

Build Authority by Using Social Media (Search Engine People)
Jeff Quipp explains how can social media be used to help build authority. He describes the components to authority and then explains how social media can give a person advantages in terms of developing an
expertise as well as providing the necessary forum to promote this expertise.

Ask.com To Become a Site Geared Towards Married Women? (The Associated Press)
No doubt most have heard the news that Ask has given up in the race for search market share but this is crazy. From The Associated press: “In a dramatic about-face, Ask.com is abandoning its effort to outshine Internet search leader Google Inc. and will instead focus on a narrower market consisting of married women looking for help managing their lives.” Sounds like a joke but look at the source.

AOL and Yahoo Considering Merging (Again), But Will it Blend? (Mashable)
According to WSJ, Time Warner and Yahoo are seriously considering going together against Microsoft’s (hostile or unsolicited, whichever you prefer) takeover bid. Reportedly, the deal would include Yahoo acquiring Time Warner’s property AOL with Time taking a large minority stake in a new, combined company.

Search Or Content Ads? A Marketer’s Dilemma (WebProNews)
Jason Lee Miller writes, “One of the issues presenting itself after Google’s new focus on quality search ads is the question of which gets more bang for the buck, search or content ads?” The article contains a study that essentially reveals that paid search is better for actual conversions while content ads can be effective for branding purposes.