Google announces that page load speed will be examined as part of the quality score algorithm. Webmasters will now need to think long and hard about cheap, slow hosting.
Yahoo opens up its search results
Yahoo! announces new programme to allow web publishers to create plug ins to control the information shown on the Yahoo! SERPS.
Search market share remains constant in January
comScore report into search engine market share in January shows that Google is still way out in the lead. Even if Microsoft does buy Yahoo! there will be a lot of ground to make up.
Google expands AdSense online video ad programme
Google launches adsense video ads. Beta programme now available to adsense publishers.
Microsoft will not increase its bid for Yahoo
Microsoft refuses to increase bid for Yahoo! Bill Gates urges the Yahoo! board to have a long hard look at the offer.
Online advertising grows, Google’s share drops
Google’s market share drops for the first time in two years, but it remains the dominant force in US online marketing.
Yahoo set to reject Microsoft offer
Yahoo! say no to Microsoft offer. Yahoo! decide that the bid from the US giant undervalues the company and reject the approach. What next in the battle against Google?
Google launches new UK mobile search service
As Yahoo! announces job cuts in the UK, Google launches new and improved mobile search service.
Chinese search engines growing in popularity
Chinese search engines gather momentum. Baidu.com and Alibaba.com are ranked in the top 10 of the world’s most popular search engines.
Yahoo announces fall in profits
More doom and gloom for Yahoo! Disappointing financial performance mirrors search engine usage.
Chinese search engine launches in Japan
Baidu launches in Japan and hopes to perform as well as it has done its native China. Google and Yahoo! are likely to feel the pinch.
Yahoo using del.icio.us for search results
As Yahoo sees market share slip further, it introduces del.icio.us results to its SERPs. Will this improve the quality of the results and help boost the search engine’s market share?