Any good salesman knows the word “No” is the first step in negotiating a better deal. Microsoft knows it. Microsoft had offered to buy its rival's search business but was turned down by Yahoo last month.

Shorter is not necessarily sweeter – especially when it comes to subject lines in emails. Dela Quist, CEO of London shop Alchemy Worx, says Email marketing analytics have led them to discover a sweet spot for how long subject lines should be.

Images and video still aren’t searchable, but in a major cyber-step forward Adobe is now working with Google and Yahoo to make Flash files searchable online.

AdWords pay-per-action beta will be phased out in August 2008 as part of Google’s integration of DoubleClick. The integration will make the DoubleClick Performics Affiliate network part of Google.

Companies are constantly looking for new business, but two-thirds of companies seeking new customers continue to overlook the easiest and most lucrative avenue they have to generate new sales.