Microsoft will rebrand Bing Rewards into Microsoft Rewards in an effort to broaden the program and gain a better understanding of how individuals browse, view and use its products and services.

Google has finally released Duo, the video calling app for phones running iOS and Android operating systems, taking on Apple FaceTime. But will the images and audio from the app become another data point that Google will use to target advertisements?

Brands have their own torch to carry -- the one consumers pass from seeing a search ad to making a purchase. What are people searching for on their mobile devices when it comes to Olympic-related questions on sports, athletes and events?

Google presented 12 search agency execs with a Google Search Excellence Award, but how does that tie in with Wal-Mart Stores' acquisition of Jet.com for $3 billion in cash. The mega retailer called the company in a press release "among the fastest growing and most innovative e-commerce companies in the U.S."

Search marketers focusing on ads that entice consumers to make a purchase by eliminating sales tax might be wasting budgets and clicks for the exception of luxury items. While the overall price of the item remains important, whether or not consumers pay tax on an item doesn't greatly influence which retailer shoppers consider when making a purchase, according to a recent study.

Yelp released earnings Tuesday noting improvements in the U.S., but international challenges remain a factor. Communications with Google have improved, but the search engine still remains a contributor to Yelp's traffic woes.

About 48% of views that a campaign will gain occur in its first week after it goes live, followed by 22% during the second week and 90% happening within the first month, according to a study on content released Tuesday.

Bookstores are betting big on keyword search terms related to Harry Potter. While The Cursed Child, billed as the eighth and last Harry Potter book, doesn't feel as if it's connected with the epic story that Rowling told during the prior seven novels, it's still driving a ton of search traffic from engines to stores.

Facebook's move toward paid advertising requires the site to have a strict quality score, similar to Google and Bing. The social site wants to make one thing perfectly clear: Publishers cannot lure visitors to their site with misleading headlines.

Shopping with mom for back-to-school clothes usually ended up in my favor, but there were frequent disagreements on what I could wear and how much she would spend for my new wardrobe. When building the copy for paid-search ads, here are some tips and catch phrases that parents just don't want to hear.