Yes, folks Google has announced on their very own blog that they wish to sell off Performics Search Marketing, the search engine optimization wing of the DoubleClick purchase Google wrapped up on March 11, 2008.

Tom Phillips of Google writes:

"It’s clear to us that we do not want to be in the search engine marketing business. Maintaining objectivity in both search and advertising is paramount to Google’s mission and core to the trust we ask from our users. For this reason, we plan to sell the Performics search marketing business to a third party. We believe this will allow us to maintain objectivity and the search marketing business to continue to grow and innovate and serve its customers."

In a sworn statement made by, Mark Lucovsky, a Microsoft senior engineer who left for Google in November 2004, recounted Ballmer's angry reaction when Lucovsky told Ballmer he was going to work for the search engine company.

"At some point in the conversation, Mr. Ballmer said: 'Just tell me it's not Google,'" Lucovosky said in his statement. Lucovosky replied that he was joining Google.

"At that point, Mr. Ballmer picked up a chair and threw it across the room hitting a table in his office," Lucovosky recounted, adding that Ballmer then launched into a tirade about Google chief executive Eric Schmidt. "I'm going to f***ing bury that guy, I have done it before, and I will do it again. I'm going to f***ing kill Google." Schmidt previously worked for Sun and was the chief executive of Novell.

Ballmer issued a statement disputing Lucovsky's declaration. "Mark Lucovsky's account of our conversation last November is a gross exaggeration of what actually took place," Ballmer said. "Mark's decision to leave was disappointing and I urged him strongly to change his mind. But his characterization of that meeting is not accurate."

In my humble opinion Steve Ballmer is making a grave strategical mistake. Fanned by the flames of his insatiable appetite to beat Google he is going to give Microsoft shareholders a black eye in lost share value. When was the last time investors poured money into number 2? Even if Microsoft purchased not Just Yahoo, but Ask.com as well, they would still be number 2. Tisk Tisk Tisk – pride comes before the fall.

Folks, I'm sure you have come across so called search engine registration websites that talk about search engine submission and web optimization for $9.99 or some other RIDICULOUSLY low price! No matter what you do, please PLEASE do NOT waste your time on such hogwash! Nor should you burn your money and pay $60,000 for SEO.

Here is the very succinct answer to both those questions. The keywords your clients will type into the search engines. Killed 2 birds with one stone (actually in real life I would NEVER kill any bird, unless they wanted to kill me for some reason, then I might). Some other questions I normally get are “How much traffic can I get?” Also, “How do I get my site up higher in the search engines?” And again, “How do I get Googley (yes, many people still call it Googley) to make my site come up like my competitor's site does? I answer all of these questions here and you will truly find it very informative!

There are 2 types of search engine marketing. Natural search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising. These 2 methods are not enemies. In fact, they are friends. However, in most cases, search engine optimization is FAR LESS costly than having to pay-per-click. If someone offered you 2 options – option 1 pay a flat fee of $2,500 upfront for a whole year or option 2 – pay just a measly little $1 per click, which offer would you take??

There was a time that Google engineers used an algorithm that gave sites great rankings if they exchanged links with related sites. That is simply no longer the case. Caller after caller that calls us that has used link exchange software or link exchange services has one common denominator in their story- I was ranked so well in Google, but for some reason I am now nowhere to be found. What happened?!

How many times have your heard the highly flawed concept of "content is king." How many forums and sites have you visited that make that statement? Well it finally happened! Some poor fellow called our office and said he has written 12,000 unique articles in the past 18 months and placed it on his 5 year old site, yet he is not coming up for a single competitive key phrase. Not one! Don't let this happen to you!

Why do so many firms still approach search engine optimization companies and give them tens of thousands of dollars and do not DEMAND a money back guarantee if the site does not hit the first page of search engines. Why even bother optimizing your site if your site is not going to end up on the first page. In addition, why do so many people turn to their web designer for website optimization and 6 months later find every one of their competitor's sites on the first page, yet their site is deeply buried in the search results. Why oh why?? I explore these topics and provide a clear and concise methodology of weeding out the wrong search engine optimization companies. A MUST READ for anyone who is contemplating hiring an SEO company.

Most people realize there is tremendous value and return on investment when it comes to search engine optimization, and most people know they need to do something and take action to get that traffic, but to their own detriment, most people procrastinate on getting the process of search engine optimization started. They do all the research, read all the materials, ask all the right questions, but they wait, and wait and then wait some more. All the while, they are losing months of missed business opportunities due to their lack of presence on the natural search results of the major search engines.