Abstract

YouTube is the world’s third most popular internet search engine, and second in search volume, in addition to being the fastest-growing video format and the one that big social web platforms are betting on. Internet users solve many of their needs by learning from the content of videos posted by other users or organizations in that format. In this context, libraries have both an opportunity and the obligation to respond. Increasingly, many librarians are venturing into the world of video, but in most cases they do it from a bibliocentric perspective rather than a focus on the user’s needs or end goals. The text shows examples of uses and offers some suggestions for improvement.

Abstract

The article reviews the most pressing needs of information professionals regarding search engine optimization (SEO), focusing on the evolution of the discipline in recent years. A wide range of factors need to be considered in ranking a piece of information in the calculation of its value to a question or query on a search engine like Google. Given the need for more weapons with which to improve website sin more diverse areas of knowledge, 88tools for working in the field of search engine optimization are listed and classified, along with content management modules and seminal articles on the subject.

Abstract

Web criticism in general and search engines criticism in particular have increased in parallel to the importance they gained over time. This paper proposes a categorization of these weaknesses of search engines and the web in order to provide a conceptual clarification. These shadow zones are classified into three levels: technological (issues that directly depend on the technology, whether the limitations in indexing, the list of results or relevance calculation), cognitive (the problems of access and interpretation of the contents by the user) and political (privacy, censorship and other matters affecting people's rights and freedom). In conclusion, we highlight the importance of transversal and interdisciplinary approaches to understand the full complexity of these questions.

Abstract

The origins, disciplinary relationships and main applications of cybermetrics and webometrics are explained, in order to proceed to a discussion of the current situation regarding the methods used for extracting web information and indicators from publicly available sources. We performed a comparative analysis of three techniques to measure the prestige, impact or visibility of academic institutions, including: 1) the survey, limited by its subjectivity and small sample sizes, 2) citation analysis, also hampered by small populations but which offers more reliability because it relies on peer opinions, and 3) link analysis. Link analysis is considered the cornerstone of webometrics and the large numbers involved is to be appreciated. It can identify patterns despite being the method that is most “noisy” because of the richness and diversity of motivations for linking. The unfortunate demise of Yahoo Site Explorer, the main source of information on links, is reported and its absence will force a rethinking of the techniques and a search for alternative sources of this valuable type of data. Some alternatives are studied, including the use of mentions such as titles, names of institutions or individuals and so-called reference or quote URLs, and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. It is noted that this new approach is especially useful for web 2.0 tools.

Abstract

The role of specialized bibliographic databases in the current environment of online information search dominated by search engines and large multidisciplinary databases is described. The databases usefulness for searching specialized information and the need for intermediation of the resource centres for research are discussed.

Abstract

Google is a tool for retrieving high-value information, but its growing adaptation of search results to commercial criteria, based on an alleged adaptation to user preferences of the links offered, presents some problems. Now it is neccessary to filter the information, to use operators or to modify the queries in order to obtain the desired results. Some tips are offered for information professionals who want to rebel against the false concept of relevance and find what we’re looking for.

Abstract

The changes that Google have introduced in the search results for “guessing” user’s preferences, and trying to give results closer to their intended search targets (and also for the sake of advertising), can hinder some uses of the search engine. For example, unlike when it was less “intelligent”, now Google gives biased results toward local information deemed to be nearer to the user, or corrects the spelling of common terms when looking for the unusual ones.

Abstract

In relation to the beginning of Europeana, the need to reflect on the information retrieval systems that are being implemented in this type of resources is considered. Frequently, digital repositories, libraries and harvesters are not applying retrieval systems that can compete with a search engine like Google. The existing quality tools in the traditional documental resources are not being applied either.

Abstract

Knowing the factors that search engines consider in their ranking results is key for webmasters. This knowledge is an advantage for a website’s owner, as the site improves its position in ranking results, and for the search engines because they have access to more information about the site’s content to determinate the ranking. Websites that use search engine optimization techniques avoid the use of images without alternative text and try to link and be linked by related content sites. Good use of these search engine optimization (SEO) techniques is called “white hat SEO”; its main feature is that websites are designed with users in mind and without forgetting how search engines work. Nevertheless, web design oriented toward search engines rather than users is possible; it means websites are designed for ranking results, abusing SEO techniques to deceive search engines, such as with hidden text or small fonts, two of the most common strategies. When search engines discover these unethical techniques, called “black hat SEO”, websites are punished with poor rankings.