Digital Remainders: Viral Videos, YouTube Search Ads, Huge Spam Ring Busted

It’s been a busy week in digital marketing land. In addition to the big stories we’ve covered, here are a few you may have missed:

Agencies dote on their viral videos, but can’t agree on metrics. Seventy percent of agency execs plan to increase budgets for viral, according to a survey conducted by Feed Company. But about equal numbers said their videos were a success if viewed 100,000 times, 250,000 times or 500,000 times. For those who doubt those budget increases, remember that in the scope of a large media buy, these projects cost peanuts.

YouTube is experimenting with sponsored placements in its search results. However marketers should be wary of assertions that the site operates the “second largest” search presence, ahead of Yahoo, as has been reported. Truth is, many of those queries are better thought of as navigation than search.

World’s largest spam ring busted. A network of unsolicited e-mailers peddling prescription drugs and “herbal male-enhancement” remedies was the biggest in the world, according to Spamhaus. The FTC coordinated with New Zealand authorities on the crackdown.

Blog search pioneer Technorati bought an ad network. AdEngage, a network for independent sites, will be combined with Technorati’s four-month-old media network. The idea is to develop a self-serve ad network spanning blogs and other social media sites. The platform now exists only in “private alpha” mode.