links for 2008-05-03

Blog covering corporate branding and design issues.

"For over a year, Microsoft has been experimenting with games to help build its search marketshare. Yesterday, I learned of one that certainly caught my eye: Indiana Jones Search". Aimed at users in the UK and Ireland, there are prizes to be won...

Backs up assertions from last year with a graph showing that the overwhelming majority of Facebook Apps are 'Just for fun' rather than being a genuine utility on the platform.

"In the UK, 91.8 per cent of people who search for a particular brand end up on the website of the appropriate company. However, in the US - where Google has never exercised such trademark control - that figure is just 84.2 per cent".

"Tesco has become the first UK advertiser to take a stand against Google's decision to allow brands to bid against each other for trademarked keywords. It will take the 'moral high-ground', stating it will not bid on competitors search terms".

Jaan Kanellis calls out a misleading article about how to do your own SEO from PC World.

"I just spotted Google is showing onebox results for queries relating to English football clubs. A simple club search query brings back their next fixture".