Marketing Pilgrim

^It’s headlines like this that are the reason the WSJ will never ask me to write for them.

New research from BIGresearch (not to be confused with TINYresearch…these are the big-boys) suggests Yahoo is tops among search engines, when it comes to influencing purchase decisions.

“If we tally the ranking of search engines’ influence on category purchase decisions…Yahoo! (is) number 1 with a score of 13, with 1st or 2nd place finishes in every category, MSN number 2 at 21, AOL number 3 at 23, Google number 4 at 26 and Ask Jeeves number 5 at 32…”

That’s all I have. I have no idea how large the sample was or how they actually calculated the most influential.

Hat-tip Frank!

ClickZ summarizes yet another study on the predicted growth of digital advertising and online marketing.

The Internet display ad category is expected to grow at a four percent compounded annual growth rate to $2.4 billion by 2010. By contrast, JupiterResearch’s much rosier prediction for display ads forecasts $7.2 billion by 2010. During the same period, Parks Associates sees search experiencing a 14 percent compounded annual growth rate to reach $9.7 billion. JupiterResearch’s forecast places search at $7.5 billion in revenues in 2010.

So does Google have the required government license to operate in China? Yes and no.

They don’t have their own license, but are using that of one of their partners.

“Google has a partnership with Ganji.com through which Google has the required license to operate Google.cn,” said Google spokeswoman Debbie Frost in a written response to questions about the report.

Is this legal? Not even a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Information Industry seems to know. eBay has the same situation, so Google should be ok.

USA Today reports AOL is planning to launch a whole host of new services as its shift from a subscriber model to an advertising strategy.

The upgrades will come via its instant messenger client, AIM.

…building a MySpace-style network onto AOL’s market-leading instant messaging service…integrating video search from Truveo, which it bought in December…AIM “will be a full voice platform — competitive with Skype.”

In less than a week, Search Engine Strategies will kick-off in New York City. It’s shaping-up to be the largest SES show ever, and I’ll be there to present the “Reputation Monitoring and Management” panel.

If you’re staying until Thursday, you may as well join me again at the regional Shop.org meeting – ok, so Danny Sullivan will be there too – where I’ll be heading-up a roundtable on “Online Reputation Monitoring” – are you sensing a theme here?

If you’re planning on attending, drop me an email and let’s grab a beer coffee.

CNet reports that Google could face a second subpoena, should the U.S. Justice Department successfully get the information it wants from the search engine.

The American Civil Liberties Union warned Friday that if the first subpoena is granted–giving the government’s expert the information to use to evaluate the effectiveness of porn filters–the ACLU’s legal assault on the same antipornography law will require it to target Google as well.

This makes it even more important that Google wins while at the same time making it a little more difficult for the judge to side with the DOJ.

Growing up in England, I know how hard it is to find a good butler. Ask Jeeves has enjoyed the service of Jeeves for more than 10 years and today announces his official retirement.

We’ve got our lawyers looking over Jeeves’ non-compete to see if we can have him join Fortune Interactive.

So long Jeeves…it’s been a blast!