What are the key warning signs to look for in hiring an SEO according to Google? 'By all means, feel free to walk away if the SEO:'

• owns shadow domains
• puts links to their other clients on doorway pages
• offers to sell keywords in the address bar
• doesn't distinguish between actual search results and ads that appear in search results
• guarantees ranking, but only on obscure, long keyword phrases you would
  get anyway
• operates with multiple aliases or falsified WHOIS info
• gets traffic from 'fake' search engines, spyware, or scumware
• has had domains removed from Google's index or is not itself listed in Google

• Inktomi Unveils Web Search 9 - 'Inktomi Web Search 9 combines algorithmic and editorial relevance techniques to better interpret user intent and deliver more accurate, comprehensive search results...' - let's try and spot a search engine that doesn't.

• More Search Engine Strategies - a listing of Jill Whalen's articles covering the Search Engine Strategies conferences.

• Beating Big Brands at Search Engine Marketing - Clickz marketing article.

• Overture, Google win Yahoo berths - Cnet cover the bidding war going on between Overture and Google for Yahoo Japan traffic.

Many advertisers see the first place in a Pay-Per-Click campaign to be the ultimate objective no matter the cost. This is not always the case with second, third and even fourth proving to be the best spot in many campaigns. In an article covering the Adtech conference at the New York Hilton on Monday, James Beriker, CEO of Search123 is quoted:

Another misconception: people think their company has to come up first in the search listing... Don't let your ego rule that you have to fall first,' he said.

Boasting top places on Cnet.com, ixQuick.com, Galaxy.com, and Mamma.com will not pull the top advertisers in the market but Kanoodle can be a reasonable low level backup PPC depending on the online industry targeted.

To find out more about Kannodle.com - click here.

Lycos expands it's paid search submission services and increases pricing at the same time: Lycos Expands Paid Search Services

Grant Cowell, guest writer at Search Engine Watch and CEO of Grantastic Designs, Inc, attempts to answer the question with the following conclusions:

• Find out what you can do in-house and what you need to outsource
• Spend for things lasting value - content, optimization, research
• Closely monitor what is actually working to maximize budget
• Consider additional education
• Make best use of online resources
• Enlist an SEO specialist for at least consulting

 - Search Engine Marketing Services from New Zealand
 - Full Article (Search Engine Watch Membership)

'If you think about it, the goals of Yahoo and google are very different from each other.

Yahoo:

Wants their visitors to stay on their web site and do something. Many things they want... page views, groups, etc.

Google:

Wants their visitors to click on one SERP result and that be the very page their visitor needs/wants. They know if the visitor is given what he/she wants quickly, that visitor will come back again and again.

Two very different goals.'

For more on the discussion see here.

'The service works by users texting the command 'QLIX' followed by their search keywords to 83050 (25p/39c per Qlix). Following this, Qlix sends a confirmation SMS detailing the number of results found. When users check their email, they will find the search results waiting in their inbox, reminding them of their interest and allowing them to start the online exploration of the search they launched from their mobile phone.'

europemedia.net: Search the web with an SMS

A combined effort by a number of local bodies and businesses (including the Christchurch City Council and Christhchurch City Libraries) there is also a Canterbury Search available that 'only gives results that are connected in some way with Christchurch and Canterbury. No need to work your way through hundreds of search results when you are looking for local information.'

See www.localeye.info for more info...

On doing a quick search on 'search engine optimisation' this answer came up from the question: 'We want to get great search engine coverage especially by google.' - Answer, Subject: Re: Google search engine coverage. Not a bad guide for dos and don'ts when dealing with Google.