On June 25, 2009 at 5:20pm EST, TMZ announced the death of pop star Michael Jackson with a bit.ly link (a shortened link made to post on sites like Twitter). The news shocked the world, and at its peak, the bit.ly URL was getting 42 clicks every second. It's a perfect example of how people want and expect lightning-fast news.

Marketers can reach more than just Facebook friends or Twitter followers with real-time messaging now that search engines index the latest updates from social media sites.

AirWare, the manufacturer of anti-snoring aid Brez, has overhauled its marketing strategy to include a DRTV campaign and paid search to drive online and phone orders. The DRTV spots, created by Philadelphia-based Impax Marketing Group, will begin airing in March.

Microsoft and Yahoo are preparing to implement their search partnership, which gained approval from the US Department of Justice and the European Commission on February 18.

The answer to this question lies in understanding what you should expect from machines and people, with the goal being to strike the right balance between your staff and technology. At our agency, we call this "humanology."

Google has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Aardvark, a company that runs the social searching site Vark.com. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Yellow Pages and local search company RH Donnelley emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on February 1 under a new name: Dex One Corporation. The company will continue to offer its Dex-branded suite, which includes online and mobile search services, print yellow pages directories, voice-search platforms and pay-per-click networks.

Citysearch has launched CityGrid, a content and advertising network for local markets. The platform aggregates advertisers from company partners, enhances their listings' by adding Citysearch content and distributes it through a pay-per-performance ad engine to partner Web sites.

Environmental technology manufacturer GE Analytical Instruments has chosen search marketing agency 90octane to increase international awareness of its redesigned site, www.geinstruments.com.

Search marketing service and software company Covario has acquired fellow search marketing firm NetConcepts. Both companies will operate under the Covario brand, headquartered in San Diego. The teams will also be integrated, with no layoffs planned.