BMW.de and Ricoh.de Violate Google Guidelines
The German versions of the websites for BMW and Ricoh were penalized by Google earlier this month for using a series of Javascript-redirecting pages, more commonly known as "doorway pages." These pages violated Google's guidelines that state, "Make pages for users, not for search engines. Don't deceive your users or present different content to search engines than you display to users, which is commonly referred to as 'cloaking.'" In response, Google removed BMW.de and Ricoh.de from its search results until the violation was fixed. Look for Google to remove other websites, particularly non-English ones, as it places more emphasis on its spam-removal efforts.
MSN and Yahoo! Look to Reward Programs to Increase User Loyalty
MSN has rolled out a new rewards program called MSN Search and Win, while Yahoo! is considering a rewards program of its own. Such programs follow in the footsteps of sites like Blingo.com that give out prizes to searchers. MSN's program will reward users when they search on certain keyphrases: if a user searches on a phrase that is earmarked for a reward, a link will appear at the top of the results page for MSN Search and Win. When users click that link, they will be eligible for prizes, including gift certificates, electronics, and magazine subscriptions.
Jeeves Heads to the Retirement Home This Month
It's official. Jeeves, the knowledgeable butler from Ask Jeeves, is retiring. This development was originally reported several months ago, and it appears that Ask Jeeves is now ready to replace Jeeves and rebrand itself as Ask.com. The formal announcement will likely come at the Search Engine Strategies conference in New York at the end of February. Until then, you can check out Jeeves' retirement page.
AOL Launching a Host of New Services
AOL will launch several new services in the coming months, including video search and In2TV. In addition, several AOL Instant Messenger enhancements will be introduced that will allow users to make voice calls over the Internet and to create personalized webpages (similar to My Space) that link to their buddy lists. While video search and voice-calling capability are standard features on other search engines and messaging platforms, the In2TV service could be a differentiator. The ad-supported, on-demand service will allow users to watch episodes from numerous classic TV shows for free. Look for In2TV to debut in March.