Weekly Digital Roundup (9.9.13)
Yahoo underwhelms with its rebrand and Android surprises everyone with its KitKat reveal. This week, we're reminded how important user sentiments and reviews are to the online community and to every single brand. Without further ado, here’s what we found to be the biggest news, so you may comfortably remain snuggled under a rock.
Yahoo…?
As part of Yahoo’s ongoing effort to give its brand a facelift, the company unveiled a new logo last week after 30 days of dropping different variations. The consensus is that the fresh look failed to impress, with many preferring other teaser iterations or even the Yahoo intern's design. Let's hope they change their minds on the logo, and perhaps address the real issue at hand: their cluttered homepage. Right? Right?
Give Us a Break
Android has deemed its approaching OS 4.4 update, “KitKat,” keeping with the tradition of naming each after a member of the dessert family. The mobile giant struck a deal with Nestle, agreeing not necessarily to exchange stacks of money, but rather to do something “fun and unexpected.” We're excited to see what comes of it!
Search Every Tweet Ever
Startup Topsy has capitalized on Twitter’s lack of comprehensive search, offering free, real-time indexing, search, and analysis of the Twitter stream to the public. When considering photos, linked pages, and other related material, that makes 425 billion pieces of content at your fingertips. Read up on it here.
Whisper Speaks Volumes
Secrets may not make friends, but they do make for great social outlets. Whisper, a mobile app where users anonymously share their private affairs, is taking off with the help of several venture capitalists. Folks say it’s going to make some waves and change the way people interact on social, when they don’t have to worry themselves with upholding a profile persona.
Apple's App Store Algorithm
Speaking of apps, Appurify released a report showing that user ratings pull a lot more weight on rankings within the iTunes app store than ever before. This will affect how and when developers push versions of their applications, and in turn, the way consumers convey their opinions on that platform. Voices shall be heard, and apps will feel the burn.
Keyword Planner Prevails
After a letting out a warning in May, Google has finally let the Keyword Tool go on to join Google Reader in the graveyard of Google products past. Keyword Planner is now the only option for SEOs and SEMs to do their integral keyword research. For those of us who are still mourning the loss of Keyword Tool, Search Engine Land has created a guide to help you move on and embrace Keyword Planner.
Minor SEO Updates
Overall, it’s been a sleepy week for search. After a summer full of algorithm changes, it seems as though Google is finally settling down, or so we hope. Search Engine Roundtable put out this Google webmaster report with the full scoop on some minor updates that were made this past week.
A Sweet Status
Facebook ice cream? It's a thing! Well, kind of.
Have yourself a super week.
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