It seems the new Google Checkout system, publicly stated not to rival PayPal, might be helping click-through rates for sponsored site links surrounding Google search results. Google AdWords rewards advertisers who receive a higher click-through rate with a higher position without having to bid more. Surfers vote with his or her mouse, usually clicking on the most relevent, most enticing ad. AdWords uses a formula taking into account how much the maximum bid an advertiser is willing to pay, mulitplied by the percentage of click-through the ad received in proportion to how many times the ad was seen. So it seems Google is now rewarding AdWords advertisers with potential for higher click-through with the added Google Checkout icon. This is assuming that Google Checkout is a selling point for someone choosing your offer over another.

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He’s done it again. Jeffrey Zeldman has just released the second edition of his wildly popular book Designing With Web Standards. I already ordered my copy!!

When I first read DWWS, I was blown away by the simplicity that Zeldman brings to tasks that seemed monumental in web design. Practically overnight, my understanding of information design and the tools used to publish on the web matured drastically (don’t mistake that for a claim of mastery!!). Despite the title, Zeldman makes clear, concise points which are rooted in practicality, not blind adherence to web standards or browser-specific sacrifices. You need not be deeply artistic or technical to benefit from his examples, just interested in improving your work and willing to step out of the box and attack problems in a fresh and practical manner.

Updated to include today’s hotly debated topics, DWWS covers the basic principles of design, while stopping to point out the fundamental role that standards-based design plays in search engine optimization, accessibility, web applications, and community-oriented sites.

If you are new to web design, you need this book. If you are experienced building websites and feel you’ve got it all figured out, you DEFINITELY need this book! Written for all skill levels, DWWS should be on every web studio’s bookshelf. It serves as both an educational read and a handy reference. What else can I possibly say? Go get it!!

Archived at my site.

Working in an environment where search placement is so precious, it’s hard to believe I’ve been misstating numbers in Yahoo and MSN’s favor. While looking at the Alexa.com home page today I came across an interesting bit of information that leads me to believe that the Google stronghold only continues to get larger. According to the findings Google has over 80% of the search market; with their closest competitor Yahoo at 9% and MSN coming in at miniscule 5.0%. Armed with that bit of information why would anyone optimize their site for any other search engine than Google; to me it’s simply a matter of fishing where the fish are biting?

For more information visit the Alexa Blog Here.