SearchInfluence

 

It’s safe to say that Netflix pissed off a lot of people when they announced major changes to their pricing structure this past July. The new setup went something like this: $7.99 a month for unlimited streaming and $7.99 a month for one DVD out at a time. However, if subscribers didn’t actively go in and select a new plan, they would be automatically subscribed to both. The price increase, which was 60% higher than the previous prices, did not go over well. Netflix stocks plummeted, and the company found themselves with several million less subscribers than they bargained for, not to mention the massive internet backlash that followed.

...

As expected from page 21 of the May 10 quarterly report to the SEC, Google will pay for a Department of Justice investigation into the use of American ad space for illegal Canadian pharmaceuticals. Finding that from 2003 to 2009, Google “both allowed and helped” Canadian pharmacies that tried to sell to US patients, this DOJ settlement avoids criminal prosecution. It’s also one of the largest forfeitures in US history, according to Rhode Island U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha. Crimaldi argues that Google may see long-term reputation damage from the case, which butts heads with the mantra of “Don’t be Evil.”

...

NEW YORK — Today, Inc. magazine released the 30th annual Inc. 500, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look at America’s independent entrepreneurs, an integral segment of the economy. This year, New Orleans-based internet marketing company Search Influence was included as an honoree on the prestigious list.

“This is great news for not only Will Scott and his team at Search Influence but for the entire Greater New Orleans region,” said Michael Hecht, President and CEO of GNO, Inc. “This recognition is very well deserved and serves as further proof that our region is fostering innovation in the form of entrepreneurship and new businesses.”

...

...

Over the past few years, Google has been investigated by the FTC over most aspects of their business, largely circling around their aggressive acquisition of properties to vertically integrate other services into their core search. As Google has added features such as Products, Maps, and Video searches and integrated them into the main search results, competitors have seen their traffic decrease as users stay on Google-owned sites.

Making good on a somewhat threatening letter from the Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights two weeks earlier, on June 23, the FTC continued their impression of Harvey Birdman. Issuing a subpoena “relating to a review… of Google’s business practices ...