Digital Marketing News: Google Releases New Guidelines, Amazon Sues Fake Reviewers & Starbucks Goes Silent

#1 Google Releases The Full Version Of Their Search Quality Rating Guidelines

Google has just released the full version of their Search Quality Rating Guidelines, a 160 page PDF document, aimed at helping Google search quality raters understand how to rate the search results they are testing.

Earlier this week, the October version of the document was leaked, as it was 2012 and other times. They did officially release an abridged version back in 2013 but has now decided to release the full 160 page version that was previously only available to these Search Quality Raters. Search Engine Land

#2 Amazon Sues 1,000 Fake Reviewers

It seems that Amazon shares the concern over reviews and its business model increasingly relies on reviews for their ability to move product. Because of this, Amazon is taking the unprecedented step of suing 1,000 individuals over faked reviews. The lawsuit, which was filed on October 16^th in Washington state court, alleges that these reviewers were leaving fake reviews for products, sometimes for as little as $5 per post. Search Engine Journal

#3 Google’s Q3 Earnings: How Did Mobile Search Perform?

Google recently released its Q3 earnings, citing strength in overall results and calling particular attention to the mobile search business.

In terms of key metrics, Google reported that paid clicks rose 23% year-over-year (YoY), while CPC dropped 11% YoY. These findings are aligned with what we saw across paid search. From where we sit, we also observed that paid search ad spend was driven solely by smartphone investments, with spend up 66% YoY. Search Engine Watch

#4 Starbucks Shows the Power of Silence

This year, the coffee giant opted for a plain red with no designs, a move that – strangely – people found infuriating. For the first several days, Starbucks responded by not responding. Initially, Starbucks’ silence was most likely because the brand was scoping the lay of the land before it took action. The conscious decision may have come later, once all the digital defenders started to come out of the woodwork.

Having a secular cup – not the first one, either, since snowmen and sledding aren’t Christmas-specific imagery – doesn’t necessarily equate with denouncing Christmas, a holiday that the brand’s Jewish CEO doesn’t even celebrate. ClickZ

*Featured image via Starbucks’ Newsroom

Join the Conversation

How have your paid search campaigns performed this year? What does next year hold for your campaigns? What are your thoughts on Starbucks’ red cups?