This is a guest post by Resource Nation’s David Liu.

Yahoo has announced that it will end its paid inclusion program, formally called Search Submit Pro, by the end of 2009. The move comes after complaints against the search engine that claimed that having paid advertisements included in organic search results generated biased results for online marketing campaigns.

Search Submit Pro (SSP) allowed users to pay for page inclusion but not page rank, which allowed Yahoo to both guarantee page results but steer clear of offering a higher ranking. Having guaranteed page inclusion does, however, still allow web designers to optimize their pages for better search results.

The result allowed Yahoo to monopolize their search engine results, which turned key searches into full page ads for Yahoo SSP clients. Key searches for words like “refinance” on Yahoo came up with an entire page of SSP results, making it impossible for non-clients to show up on Yahoo’s top 10 results. Also, of the first 100 results for “refinance,” 80% were Yahoo SSP clients as well.

An additional search for “home mortgage” yielded 80% of SSP clients on the first page, allowing only 20% of Yahoo’s organic results to be listed. Complaints against paid inclusion had mainly focused on Yahoo’s SSP results taking over traditional SEO practices like pay-per-click ads and keyword manipulation.

Yahoo’s decision to end the use of paid inclusion had nothing to do with PR, however, and instead focused on their merger with software behemoth Microsoft. At their July press conference, Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz had originally declared that they would “decide on that later.”

Of all the search engines interested in the new merger, the smaller web developers are probably the happiest to see the demise of paid inclusion. While most of these search engine developers were in Yahoo’s corner in 2003 when SSP was first introduced, the Yahoo’s monopoly quickly showed that Google would still be king.

Many people in the search engine field have declared that getting rid of SSP can most likely bring back some life to smaller SEO practices. Yahoo knows this better than anyone, having said that their official SSP stop date of December 2009 was chosen to to allow their advertisers time to adjust.

While the merger between Yahoo and Microsoft seems to be on the verge of revolutionizing some factors in the search industry (BingHoo, perhaps?) many talking heads still claim that Google won’t see any competition for the next two years.

Resource Nation provides free tools, tips, and purchasing advice for business owners and entrepreneurs in over 100 business categories ranging from phone systems to credit card processing. Whether it’s connecting businesses with local and national pre-screened vendors, or offering easy service comparisons on a VoIP service, Resource Nation empowers business decision makers by providing the information they need to make smart choices.

David Liu is a writer and comedian based in San Diego, California. He writes extensively for Resource Nation and VoIP service, an online resource that provides expert advice on purchasing and outsourcing decisions for small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Kelley Blue Book recently launched the Trusted Marketplace, a car-buying site that matches shoppers to new and used cars. The LA Times has more:

In the past, Kelley’s car buying, dealer lead mechanism was cleverly partnered with used inventory giants Cars.com or, in more recent past, Autotrader.com, serving up dealer leads and sharing revenue with the partnered company. The new venture aims to serve both consumers and dealers in a more judicious way.

…when it comes down to who has more used car listings, Autotrader is tops with 3 million listings nationwide and Cars.com with 2.5 million new and used cars. Kelley has partnered with aggregator, Vast.com who culls listings from other pay-per-lead online sites such as Dealix, AutoUSA, AOL, Overstock.com and Autobytel Inc. But, ultimately, the largest input will come from the monthly 12 million car buyers KBB attracts who are first looking for the value of their current car and second, shopping for a new car. But is it a case of the cart before the horse?

I don’t think it’s a case of putting the cart before the horse. Kelley Blue Book’s main advantage is its strong, trusted brand. Once it grows its database to the size of its competitors’, and continues to convince users that it has their best interests at heart, it stands a good chance of coming out on top.

If you’ve encountered a virus in Facebook’s Fan Check application, you’re not alone. Legions of people have speculated that Fan Check, an application that tracks your friends’ Wall and photo activity to determine whether they’re your “fan” (or stalker), is actually a virus.

According to NetworkWorld, Fan Check is not a virus. However, hackers have taken advantage of users’ fears by proliferating Fan Check “removal” sites that actually put malware on your computer. PCWorld describes how googling a solution to the Fan Check virus could actually make your situation worse:

The scammers are trying to capitalize on the concern that many Facebook members have about the application. At this point it’s unclear whether it’s problematic itself or not.

“The phrase ‘Facebook Fan Check Virus’ is currently a hot trending topic on Google, with many net users searching for information. However, hackers have set up websites pretending to be about the ‘Facebook Fan Check Virus,’ but which really host fake anti-virus software which display bogus warnings about the security of your computer in an attempt to get you to install fraudulent software and cough-up your credit card details,” Graham Cluley, a senior technology consultant at Sophos, wrote on Monday in his blog.

Twitter altered its Terms of Service Friday, as a precursor to monetization. Erik Sherman has the scoop:

# “Twitter is explicitly saying that content can and will be shared with others that “partner with Twitter for the syndication, broadcast, distribution or publication of such Content on other media and services, subject to our terms and conditions for such Content use.” Use of content can be made without any compensation to the people who created it. Given the ecosystem of add-on services that Twitter doesn’t make money from, you can understand the approach. But it also opens the door for the company to monetize content in a number of ways, including publishing collections of tweets on a subject or even analyzing content of tweets and making them available to companies that might wish to know what people are doing or saying.”

# “Twitter notes that it has always kept the door open for advertisements, but the old TOS simply didn’t mention the term. Now it seems that the “Services may include advertisements, which may be targeted to the Content or information on the Services, queries made through the Services, or other information.” Other information is certainly going to include profile data for behavioral targeting. In addition, “… you agree that Twitter and its third party providers and partners may place such advertising on the Services or in connection with the display of Content or information from the Services whether submitted by you or others.” If they’re going to include ads, I can see how this would be necessary. But should they go that route, it’s going to potentially upset the millions of users who have been accustomed to getting a free lunch.”

# “The section on privacy points to a separate privacy policy. Twitter gives itself the option to “use your contact information to market to you, and provide you with information about, our products and services, including but not limited to our Service.” Interestingly enough, I can’t find any language that would allow Twitter to share the information with third parties that aren’t directly performing functions or services for it. So advertising may be an option, but sharing or renting customer data, other than through being acquired or selling off the assets in case of bankruptcy, doesn’t seem to be.”

More.

Twitter is bound to lose customers if it takes the wrong approach to monetization. Who wants their tweets sold? And who wants to see more ads? And whose business, at this point, actually depends on Twitter for revenue? When all is said and done, it’s a relatively easy service to replace or ditch.

Twitter needs to do more to make itself irreplaceable to customers before it starts trying to monetize through ads or selling tweets. Why not license Twitter software? Or sell out to a bigger company, where it can become part of a broader multimedia strategy? Trying to monetize off consumer information and inserting ads will only alienate users.

The new People of Walmart blog relies on user-submitted images of “outrageously bad / ugly / creepy / crazy shoppers” that grace the aisles of the world’s largest retailer.

Based on their About page, the guys who started the website seem pretty cool. I can’t quote my favorite bits here, but part of their philosophy reads:

There is no reason to send us pictures of people that are seriously and unfortunately handicapped so don’t be an asshole. We are trying to have some fun here and there is a difference between someone who is mentally challenged and a person who has a fu Manchu and is still rocking MC Hammer pants.

We would also like to stress that we are in no way liable if you get your ass beat by Bubba when he catches you taking his picture.

I’m really curious to know two things:

• how Walmart is going to react
• how the site owners are going to monetize the site

Image Credit: Brave New Films, Flickr

The term (virtual assistants), around since the Internet became widely available, encompasses anyone who telecommutes and does administrative tasks for other businesses, usually on a contractual basis. Most do tasks such as document preparation, paperwork and accounting. Some have niche areas, such as bilingual translation or creative services.

“You meet people at the conferences who say, ‘Oh, after I was laid off four times, I decided to become a virtual assistant,’ “ said Lauren Hidden, marketing director for IVAA. “They get tired of the insecurity of being an employee.”

The article cites hourly wages as ranging between $20-$75. As more companies downsize, virtual assistants can only become more marketable.

Many perform tasks outside of general administrative work. Some manage Twitter accounts or social networks, blog, research, translate, edit, market, analyze, bean count…the opportunities for “virtual assistance” are almost endless. I wonder whether the term is going to grow to encompass all kinds of online functions, and certain job titles–blogger, market researcher, translator–are eventually going to translate to “virtual assistant with blogging skills,” etc.

Regardless, the field looks promising, especially if you’re looking for a work from home opportunity. The International Virtual Assistants Association (www.ivaa.org) and independent sites like Home With the Kids (www.homewiththekids.com) can get you familiar with virtual assistant opportunities.

This has to be my favorite story all summer. The holy city went online this month. Jerusalem.com seeks to become the virtual gateway to religious, historic, and modern-day Jerusalem. They hope to bring ‘the Jerusalem experience to anyone in the world’.

In addition to getting information about the many faces of Jerusalem (including religion – duh, but also Real Estate and Shopping!), visitors can actually submit vocal prayers that are being heard in real speakers overlooking the old city of Jerusalem. The angels over at Jerusalem.com report that hundreds of prayers have already been submitted from more than 72 different countries.

Other services includes lighting candles at Jerusalem’s holy places, planting olive trees in the city surroundings and exporting the different religious calendars to your outlook. Another important hub on the site is the tourism & culture channel, which offers the most updated and comprehensive information about modern-day Jerusalem, with full guides for the city hotels, restaurants, events, attractions and more.

And more – like Bruno, who is featured on the homepage. Classy.

Michael Weiss, the site’s Founder calls the site one “that belongs to every friend of Jerusalem throughout the world who wishes to interact with the city and feels as closest as possible to physical Jerusalem”.

And at $750,000, Jerusalem.com is the most expensive domain ever bought in Israel. 

Image Credit: Jerusalem.com screenshot

This week Amazon.com Inc. sent a letter to California legislators threatening to sever business relationships with affiliates in the state if they passed a law forcing the Seattle based company to collect and remit California sales tax.

Last week Amazon sent letter to North Carolina and Hawaii as they got closer to passing similar legislation. The states are looking to require e-commerce companies with online affiliates in their state to collect tax. These affiliates receive commission from sales that are the result of links on their own websites. According to the WSJ, the letter sent to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and leaders in state government called the proposed law, AB 178, unconstitutional and said it ”ultimately would require sellers with no physical presence in California to collect sales tax merely on the basis of contracts with California advertisers” .

Geoffrey A. Fowler reports:

Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner, a Democrat, said that the law could raise nearly $150 million in revenue for the state when she proposed it in February. The California law is based on one passed by New York last year, which Amazon and Overstock.com Inc. have challenged in court. Ms. Skinner’s bill is still pending its first hearing in committee.

Aside from desperately needed revenue for the State of California, the new tax law is hoped by some to ‘level the playing field’ between brick and mortar stores and online retailers. They cite boarded up store fronts and struggling local economies.

I don’t know about you, but when I buy online, it’s not because I’m saving the 10% sales tax (yes, where I live it’s just under that). It’s because shopping online is convenient. It’s time efficient. Sure I might save a little on with the discounts and tax savings, but I make up for it in impulse purchases and shipping costs.

Do online retailers really have a competitive advantage, and if so, does it have anything to do with sales taxes?

Image Credit: Robert Scoble, Flickr

I recently contracted a designer to redesign my websites and take care of some of the more technical aspects of site management that I just don’t care to figure out. It was a big decision, but it was time. After doing some research I settled on a designer I found online. My husband, who works 100% offline, was a little shocked that I would, with the click of a few on-screen buttons, transfer a substantial sum to a virtual stranger’s PayPal account.

Isn’t that a little risky?

I suppose it is. I guess someone could have gone to the trouble to create several websites, run ads, and spend a half hour on the phone with me only to make off with my deposit. However, I’d be taking just as big a risk if I’d met someone down at the local coffee shop and procured their services that way? No risk, no return. 

But I’d even go so far as to say in some cases it’s less risky doing business with someone you only know online. The Internet is making the world smaller. Word gets around fast online. Treat someone unfairly or fail to deliver and your name will be quickly circulated. Just like in a small town. 

It’s really interesting to me how we’re becoming more and more comfortable doing business across the virtual landscape, avatars substituting for face to face familiarity and texts taking the place of the handshake.

I’m still not ready to buy a diamond online, but I don’t trust those guys in person either. 

What do you think – does doing business online require more or less trust than doing business the old fashioned way?

Image Credit: striatic, Flickr