Without passion, a blog cannot become established as an authority or sustain readers. Forrester believes a lack of passion is the “biggest killer for most blogs out there.” He goes on to say that if a blog does not have passion, it will run out of steam before it can reach success.

Passion results in value, which leads to loyal readers. When businesses and people enforce these practices, the readers will go on to share this valuable information socially and produce links, which will establish the blog as a resource.

“This is a business like any other, and it requires time and investment,” said Forrester.

Incidentally, these are challenges that everyone faces including Microsoft and MSN. Due to their size, however, they also have scale to deal with. Forrester pointed out that social media helps, since it aggregates users’ sentiment and provides a means to communicate with them.

Microsoft recently put this into practice with Xbox when it addressed customer service issues through Twitter. It actually broke a Guinness World record for being the most responsive brand on Twitter. Apart from the record, this move additionally resulted in more links and a stronger brand.

In this interview, Forrester also offered up tips for conversion optimization that are addressed in his book, Turn Clicks into Customers.

“If you’re running an e-commerce-style business, it is critical that you optimize for conversions,” he said.

He further mentioned BeanCast, which is a marketing podcast that addresses some very specific issues such as the Twitter Tax and advertising in Captchas.

As he explains to WebProNews, mega SEO can be very challenging, but there are a few important aspects that people should remember when doing it. For starters, while content is king in many areas, it is not king in mega SEO. Wheeler says that structure is king with mega SEO.

“Without structure, your content won’t even be discovered,” he points out.

Crawl efficiency is another big factor with mega SEO. SEOs need to make their website as efficient as possible for crawling and indexing.

Finding and eliminating outdated content is also a large part of mega SEO. For Microsoft specifically, its IT department helped determine which content was old and whether or not it should be removed. From this exercise alone, Microsoft was able to remove 1-2 million unnecessary urls from their website.

In addition, there is the international element of mega SEO that is a challenge. It can be very difficult for countries to manage their SEO when the content is published to various places on a website. Although an international url policy helps this issue to an extent, there are still challenges with multiple content management systems.

“With mega SEO, it’s about making small strides over time… that grouped together, they really have a big impact,” says Wheeler.

Because mega SEO can be so difficult, Wheeler wrote an oath that he recommends SEOs read everyday. By reading it, he hopes SEOs will feel better about their SEO efforts.

Hanselman says a lot of people “have low blog self-esteem,” meaning they think their blog sucks.

Professional blogs have a sense of focus and bloggers who are not professional need to ask themselves why they are blogging and who is their audience.

Be passionate about the subject your are blogging about and have a focus. Hanselman says he blogs consciously and with focus.

Make your blog look tidy and protect it against comment spam. Also make sure you have a tempo when you blog, it does not have to be everyday, it can be three times a week.

Weitz, first of all, points out that the new features are simply an “evolution of our strategy.” Bing’s strategy is about connecting users with knowledge based on their intent. The engine is really trying to break down the queries just as humans do.

One of the ways Bing is trying to do this is with the left hand column on the search results page, which provides numerous categories related to the query. The engine has begun to refine the query across the top as well by including a number of tasks. For example, if the query is “Ford Focus,” the tasks might be Specs, Safety, Reliability, and Reviews.

On the mobile front, Weitz discusses the Windows Phone 7 Series and how the searcher’s intent is easier to determine on mobile devices. He also talks about the newly announced Foursquare application that really showcases the power of Bing’s Maps platform. The app essentially allows users to check-in with physical locations, zoom into the area and see specific tips that friends have left, and also see who else has checked-in and where.

Weitz advises marketers to take these new developments and understand that there are many more opportunities in search today that go beyond being the #1 algorithm link in search results. He said Bing is providing many ways that help users think beyond the current model and said it will continue to do so.

The advertisers that use Yahoo’s ad platform will soon be migrating to Microsoft’s adCenter. The full transfer is anticipated to take place over the next 24 months and will begin in the U.S.

According to David Pann, Yahoo’s Vice President of Search Advertising, the company hopes to have the U.S. migration completed in time for the holiday season this year. However, if meeting that timeline means sacrificing quality, Pann told WebProNews that Yahoo would simply move the timeline to ensure the highest quality transition.

After the deal is implemented, Microsoft will be in charge of the core advertising platform for both companies, which specifically includes matching, ranking, pricing algorithms, and more. Yahoo, on the other hand, will maintain its responsibility for the consumer experience.

Speaking about the benefits of the deal, Pann said it was a “win” for advertisers, consumers, and publishers.

“It’s really a win for advertisers with a single buy getting access to more inventory, it’s a win for consumers for a greater relevance, and it’s a win for consumers and publishers since they have greater access to a new set of participation and inventory.”

In spite of all the changes the deal will bring for advertising, Pann was quick to say that Yahoo is still innovating and would continue to do so.

Keep watching WebProNews for more on Yahoo’s current innovations as well as information on company’s mobile and real-time efforts.

Just for a recap, Microsoft will power Yahoo Search and Yahoo will become the exclusive search advertising provider for Microsoft’s search engine, Bing. Recently, WebProNews had the opportunity to sit down with Shashi Seth, the Senior Vice President of Yahoo Search Products, to learn more about how the alliance between the two companies would be integrated.

First of all, Seth points out that the full integration will take between 18-24 months. As it takes place, he is quick to say that users will continue to receive a compelling search experience from Yahoo that goes beyond the traditional search page.

In spite of the partnership, each engine will maintain its individual areas of focus. For Yahoo specifically, Seth says, “…What our users will continue to find is that not only can they find that great content that resides on [the] Yahoo network on Yahoo Search, but also that we can take people from Yahoo Search to the appropriate properties etc., in the right context…”

According to Seth, users will likely see slight modifications to Yahoo Search over the next several months as the Microsoft integration is completed. However, the companies have not yet decided if they will do a major launch with new features and functionalities.

There are still many questions regarding Yahoo such as the company’s level of commitment to search, implications on advertisers, future innovations, and more.  Keep watching WebProNews for more information on these very issues directly from Yahoo.

As Steve Murtha tells WebProNews, the server is based on the Microsoft Home Server OS and is about value propositions.  The first value point that the server provides is protection. If a hard drive fails, someone could lose several years’ worth of pictures, video, and more.

The HP MediaSmart Home Server has a backup of up to 10 PCs or laptops in a household. In addition, it provides backup in the cloud with its third party ISPs through the open API.

The second value proposition is sharing. The server can stream media from the home server to networked computers. It also streams content to TVs, Xbox 360s, and mobile devices.

Thirdly, the server provides remote access. A user can access their home server from anywhere in the world via a URL, which allows for easy sharing of data.

The HP MediaSmart Home Server is available at prices starting at $299.

Short for “Your Voice,” UVO allows users to control numerous devices in a car such as the radio, CD player, devices that can plug into the USB-connected drive located in the center console, and more. In addition, users can place and receive calls and stream media over their phones if they connect to the system with Bluetooth.

In the above video, a Microsoft representative demonstrates the voice-command features by telling the system to call Bill Gates. Windows Embedded Auto is capable of recognizing contacts in a person’s phonebook as well as spoken digits.

Although UVO does not have all the features of Sync and MyFord’s technology, Microsoft said Kia wants to keep costs low and affordable. You can expect to see UVO in Kia vehicles later this fall.

Windows developed a platform for Ford to build a system that would allow users to transfer the cab of their truck into a mobile office. On the back of the 2011 Ford Super Duty, there are enough tools for a user to build a shed, boat, and more.

The inside of the truck is equipped with all the tools needed to run a business. These tools include fully functioning Internet with a Sprint 3G connection, word processing, Bluetooth enabled keyboard and printer, and more.

The one stipulation is that the truck has to be in park in order to enjoy all the functionalities of the mobile office.

Both Microsoft and Ford believe this innovation could take contractors and construction workers into the 21st century.

He goes on to say that Bing realizes that searchers are not looking for links from a search engine. Instead, they want to conduct actions. Bing is trying to make this process easier by adding various features to the search experience and by categorizing search results.

The two sides of semantics that Bing is attempting to improve with its search engine are the query side and the document understanding side. On the query side, Johnson says the searcher should not have to speak the language of the engine but should be able to speak naturally. Since there are such a large amount of text documents on the Web, Bing wants to understand these documents better so it can provide better ranks, captions, and eventually, answers directly on the results page.

As Bing progresses in these areas, the engine expects to improve the user interface as well as expand its focus areas beyond travel and shopping. Johnson says Bing has potential to provide a “significantly better user experience over the next few years.”

When was the last time your ad was viewed? Did a person react and convert on the spur of the moment or, did he see an ad several minutes ago and then see something else that triggered him to take action?

As Colborn tells special guest WPN correspondent Jeff Ferguson, marketers must factor all these variables into their decisions. They also need to consider topical aspects, seasonal aspects, and appropriate aspects.

The list of variables could go on and on, but marketers need to remember that there is no exact formula or process in determining the conversion point. There is however, one constant in every campaign and that is continuous testing.

In summary, Microsoft will power Yahoo Search and Yahoo will become the exclusive search advertising provider for Microsoft’s search engine, Bing. Microsoft’s AdCenter will operate self-service advertising for both companies, but each company will maintain its own separate display advertising business and sales force.

In an interview with WebProNews, search industry leader Danny Sullivan summed up his thoughts by saying what the deal meant for each company. He said, “[A] big win for Microsoft, a lot of questions for Yahoo.”

The deal will likely face a close antitrust review from regulators especially regarding Steve Ballmer‘s claim that the partnership would provide a stronger competitor for Google.

It is still early, but nonetheless, there are many unanswered questions associated with the deal. Could Yahoo have bargained a better deal? How will Google respond? Is the deal a good move for Yahoo? How will the partnership influence the future of online advertising? What are the impacts on the SEO industry?

Even Danny Sullivan said it was too early to accurately speculate on what may happen, but he did say he didn’t expect any dramatic changes for SEO.

Provided the deal is granted regulatory approval, Yahoo and Microsoft said they hope to have their partnership finalized by early next year.

More than 1,000 companies responded to the survey and 59.3 percent of those respondents revealed that they were not planning to switch to Windows 7. A mere 5.4 percent said they would implement Windows 7 by the end of this year, and 34 percent said they would come on board by the end of 2010.

Despite the short-term outlook, ScriptLogic said they are confident when looking at the long-term. During the first year of Windows XP, the adoption rate was only 12-14 percent.

Could it be that Google’s announcement to enter the operating system market impacted these survey results? Do you plan on adopting Windows 7 for your business? Will Windows 7 redeem Microsoft after its Vista woes?

Google Chrome OS is open source and will initially be intended for netbooks; however, the system is said to be equipped to power large desktop systems as well. The three main aspects of the operating system are speed, simplicity, and security. Although Google will construct its own windowing system, the new OS will run on top of the kernel from the open source Linux OS.

According to the Google blog post making the announcement, the OS will not be available to consumers until the second half of 2010.

As Google prepares to enter the operating system market, many questions come to mind. First of all, is this a direct attack against Microsoft since Bing appears to be making legitimate progress? Will Google’s OS exist as a serious contender to the alternative operating systems? How will consumers and computer manufacturers react? Will Google be hit with more antitrust investigations?

Although there are many unanswered questions associated with this news, one thing that is certain is that Google has just taken on a challenging mission.

After Yahoo rejected Microsoft’s offer to buy the company last year, many people seemed to give up on the search engine. Since Carol Bartz took over the reigns at Yahoo, expectations of the company’s future have been mixed. Some view it as an impossible battle, while others view it with optimism.  Is the optimism because they think Carol will seal a deal with Microsoft or because they think she will turn the company around? Carol is initiating many changes to the company including an upcoming re-branding effort.

Next is Microsoft who recently rolled out its latest search effort: Bing. Microsoft has long wanted to compete in the search arena and hopes that Bing will allow it to do so. Although it is still too early to tell, initial data reports have been promising. Nielsen Online found that on Bing’s first day, it came close to surpassing Yahoo Search for the second spot. WebProNews spoke with Hadley Reynolds, an analyst with International Data Corporation, who said Microsoft’s biggest challenge would be getting users to switch from Google. He went on to suggest that Microsoft needed to continue to innovate the user experience if they want to grow Bing’s audience.

What does all this mean for Google? The other engines have a long way to go to catch up with Google, but does that insinuate that Google is untouchable? There have been some reports that indicate that Google and even its co-founder are slightly unnerved by Bing. Despite its vast success, Google has also been feeling heat from the government over antitrust concerns.

There are many questions regarding the future of the search engines. Although it appears that Google is not going anywhere for some time, I think we can all agree that the war among the search engines is definitely heating up.