Google announces a new product that integrates with Gmail inbox that will allow you to start conversations about things that you find interesting. Google Buzz is about location more than anything, sharing information about your day to day online is considered to be richer if there is a location tagged to the post. The idea is that your description will have more weight if the reader has an idea of your whereabouts. Buzz will let you share links, photos, and videos throughout your social network.
Google Buzz on your mobile phone (Information Provided by Google Mobile Blog):
Buzz.google.com: A web app that provides access to Buzz from your iPhone or Android phone's browser.
Buzz on Google Maps for mobile: The new Buzz layer allows you to see buzz near you or anywhere on the map. You can post public buzz directly from the layer, and even attach a photo from your phone. Also, try visiting a mobile Place Page to read recent comments or to post buzz about that place. You can access Place Pages from the web app as well, by tapping on the place name in any location-tagged post.
Buzz Shortcut from Google.com: You will see the buzz icon in the top right corner of the google.com homepage. Just tap on the icon to trigger the posting box.
Voice Shortcut: The voice shortcut, which is available in the quick search widget on Android and in Google Mobile App on iPhone, allows you to post buzz without typing anything. Just say 'post buzz,' followed by whatever you'd like to post.
Google Buzz at first glance seems kind of exciting and might be useful. Unfortunately, this is not some new social media idea, Brightkite.com has been implementing the same concept for a long time. Who knows, maybe Google's version will be superior? It seems like Google is focused on so many projects right now it's hard to believe they can manage providing a solid product. What are your thoughts, Brightkite or Buzz?
Below are screen shots of Google Buzz and Brightkite, look familiar?
Apple's iPad might have some competition in the coming months with the recent talk about a Google Tablet. Google just released the Nexus One which was their version of the iPhone in the US. It looks like Google now wants to curb the iPad (release date March 2010) sales with their own spin. Glen Murphy, Google's user interface designer, presented what the Google Tablet might look like and created a video of how one will use the device. If I had to guess, the Google Tablet will possess many things that the iPad lacks.
In 2009 Google announced that they would be releasing an Operating System, Chrome OS, which would work and be based around a web browser. This would be mainly for small netbooks, which would have fast boot up times and give the user ease of access to the sleuth of Google applications. Along with releasing a Chrome Netbook this year, Google is considering applying the same platform to a tablet, desktops, and flat screen T.V.s. It will be very interesting to see how we will apply Chromium to our lives.
"Chrome OS is still in development and we are constantly experimenting with various user interfaces to determine what designs would produce the best user experience". Now Apple and Google are in a feud! This is a good thing, because it will force them to one up each other which is great for the consumer. Without competition Apple could take its sweet time making the iPad the way that the users want it. Now Apple has to cater to the needs and demands of the consumer which is the way it should be. Apple will still be the powerhouse in this field of devices; they are ahead of the game in many ways. "It's easy to do hardware, it's really hard to create an ecosystem and Apple's got a head-start on everybody because they've been doing this for four to five years, based around iTunes", said Gartner analyst Robin Simpson.
Google is struggling to find its place in China amongst heavy censorship, evaluating its future with the Chinese people. "We like what China is doing in terms of growth...we just don't like censorship. We hope that will change and we can apply some pressure to make things better for the Chinese people," Google CEO Eric Schmidt said, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. Just two weeks ago Google dealt an ultimatum to China, unless Google was allowed to offer an uncensored search engine in China, it would no longer provide a censored search engine and would consider pulling out of China entirely.
China which has historically been known for its closed doors, keeping western ideals out of China seems to be the goal. Censorship is extremely thick, the Chinese people are forced to use censored search engines or use proxy servers to access the Internet in other countries which is illegal. Google obviously has a lot invested in the Chinese economy so to pull out completely would never happen; Schmidt hopes that he will be able to meet China in the middle. At the end of the day China will have the final say in this matter.
"We like the Chinese people. We like our Chinese employees ... we remain committed to being there", Schmidt stated last week on Google's fourth-quarter earnings' call. Something interesting to consider is that on the same day that Schmidt made those statements, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton commended Google for fighting censorship; Internet companies have a "shared responsibility" with the U.S. government in assuring free access to the Internet wherever you are in the world. Unfortunately, that is not an easy task and governments will want to decide for themselves what the people are exposed to.
Will Google succeed in changing Chinese censorship laws? Probably Not! Even if Google shuts down Google.cn, Schmidt is exploring its options in China. Google could still operate a software-development or research presence in China. I guess Google's battle with censorship in China will continue into the future!
With the holidays upon us, we wanted to take a few minutes to wish all of our clients a happy and healthy New Year. This newsletter will take you down memory lane as Webconsuls turns 10 years old, spotlighting those clients who have been with us for those 10 years, welcoming new clients and sharing some milestones.
Webconsuls turns 10!
Dick and Dennis actually met at an ARCO Business Seminar in June 1981; however, their careers took them on different paths. It was not until October 1999 when Dick and Dennis met again and decided to form Webconsuls.
Dennis likes to recall how Webconsuls came to be...he was recently interviewed by http://www.arcoalumni.com/ and here is their article:
ARCO Alumni Dennis Helfand and Dick Fay built entirely new careers post ARCO. Their focus is to help commercial clients "generate new and/or additional revenues through web presence marketing." Says Helfand, "We transitioned from a 'hobby' to a serious business enterprise very quickly. Webconsuls currently has about 90 clients across the US and a few based in Asia and Europe".
Having been Director of Public Affairs and Field Operations, at ARCO, Helfand took the 1985 Early Retirement Package at ARCO Alaska, "my wife and I bought a 120-bed country inn resort in New Hampshire's White Mountains National Forest area, which we operated from 1986 until 1997. In the mid 1990's, while at the inn, I became interested in learning about marketing the property via the Internet and pursued this activity with great interest. When we sold the inn, we were already realizing quite a bit of revenue from internet-generated leads."
After relocating to Newport Beach, CA, a number of my former NH-based competitors (friends nonetheless) contacted me to market their facilities over the internet. This became a sort of hobby, earning a few dollars here and there in the process. Then two serendipitous events occurred.
1.An inn owner and close friend had been trying to sell his property through Realtors. There were very few prospects and not a single serious buyer. I suggested selling his property over the Internet for a "marketing fee." This was in 1998 and I believe it may have been one of the first commercial property sales via the Internet. Best of all, my web marketing fee amounted to just about one percent of the total sales price!
2. The second fortuitous event was meeting my former Crude Supply Manager for lunch in 1998. I asked him about Dick Fay (W. Richard Fay) from ARCO Transportation Company. He said Dick recently retired and was looking to do something new and interesting.
The rest is history. Webconsuls.com was established in 1999. We formed an LLC and got serious very quickly. On-Line courses and technical publications gave us new skill sets and we gradually acquired outside specialists to assist us as our business grew. My wife Judy, a business analyst in the information technology field joined Webconsuls in November 2006.
We have seen our business thrive and look forward to continued growth and new experiences.
Clients come and go...
Over the past 10 years Webconsuls' team has had the privilege to work with over 300 clients in a variety of industries. Each client is unique and that is what makes web design, SEO and SMO so interesting and vital. Judy recently looked back to see which clients started with Webconsuls in the Fall of 1999 and of those which ones are still our clients. Interestingly enough, there are four! They are New Hampshire Campground Association, Motorcars East, Newport Channel Inn and Edna Deeb Law.
Here are some interesting facts from Webconsuls first business quarter: 22 clients, nine California clients, nine New Hampshire clients, four Connecticut clients, 31 invoices!
New Clients round out our base...
We are happy to introduce you to our newest clients and we invite you to check out their websites.
Dick Fay remembers how when they first started in 2000 Webconsuls could make some small changes to a site and viola!the site would be on the first page of Alta Vista. The number of competitors to most sites was measured in the hundreds, pay per click was in its infancy with something called Overture, Google was an upstart, and no one had heard of Social Marketing. Potential clients were trying to decide if they "needed" a web site. Websites themselves were usually static and straightforward.
Now some clients face thousands or millions of competitors for key terms, Google has about 70% of the search engine marketplace, pay per click is huge and requires expert management to be successful. Clients are deciding when to redesign their web site to keep it up to date with the available technology. Facebook, Twitter, blogs and video are staples of many successful businesses whose owners work hand in hand with Webconsuls to grow their business.
Webconsuls Grows and Evolves
Webconsuls has also grown and evolved over the last 10 years. We have added a third partner, Judy Helfand. The entire team keeps up with the latest in Search Engine Optimization. We have added specialists in web design, pay per click, social media, and link building. We have redesigned our web site several times to reflect our growing business. We have added a blog and links to news feeds on Search Engine Marketing and Social Media. Check them out:
Let us know if you have a twitter account and would like us to follow you.
Webconsuls' Team News...
As most of you know Malik Moosa-Soomar, our web development specialist and designer, was married to Zaheen Allibhoy on April 11, 2009. Dennis, Judy, Dick and Fran were happy to attend their wedding celebration in Austin, TX. Speaking of weddings, Dick and Fran were married February 20, 2009. Keith Hansen, our pay-per-click specialist, and his wife, Diana, welcomed a baby boy, Layne, on April 26, 2009.
We are happy to welcome Alycia Kaczuwka as our new Social Media expert. Alycia is working with our clients focusing on brand-building using tools like blogs/RSS, Facebook, Twitter and social bookmarking. She brings her extensive background in audience development and website design to social tools to keep the SMO process in focus as an integrated part of a web-based marketing plan. In addition, Alycia has a comprehensive background in web analytics using Google Analytics and Omniture to measure campaign performance and return on investment.
Happy Holidays
This year rather than send a small gift to our clients we are making donations to the following:
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Midcoast Maine The vision of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Midcoast Maine is successful mentoring relationships for youth in Knox, Lincoln and Waldo Counties, contributing to better schools, stronger communities and brighter future.
The Promises Foundation Miriam's House
The Promises Foundation is committed to restoring hope for families by creating a safe environment for mothers and their children to grow and develop the tools they require to live meaningful and self-sufficient lives.
When Apple released the long awaited iPhone it completely changed the mobile technology forever. Gone were the days of flip phones, mobile computers that could make phone calls became the bar. Every technology company has tried to create a rival to Apple's iPhone technology and have failed miserably. What's strange about the apparent lack of competition is the fact that Apple created a product that was far superior to AT&T service capability which in turn has created a lot of very unhappy customers. Since the beginning it has been one thing right after the other with the iPhone features and AT&T's inability to make certain features work. I personally know several people who gave up on the iPhone altogether, in search of finding a better product that can facilitate their needs. Google is one of those companies who have taken on the challenge of trying to provide mobile Internet users what they need. Their success with the Android was little and didn't do much to weaken Apple's grip on the market; so what did Google do, they went out and tried to make a better product.
Now, Google readies launch of an iPhone rival, the Nexus One. Named after the 'replicants' in Ridley Scott's science-fiction film Blade Runner and the Taiwanese company HTC procured the contract to create the Nexus One. Google will have full control over the Nexus One and it will have the Google logo right on the phone. Retailers expect Google to sell the Nexus One direct to customers through its website. I am optimistic that Google with not make the same mistakes that Apple has made and I am hopeful that they will create a product that is not hindered by the network providers inability to serve its customers.
All I can say is that in the UK there are four network providers that can service the iPhone, but in the United States there can be only one. "Google has approached several mobile phone operators in the UK, including T-Mobile and Vodafone, to gauge their interest in supporting its rival to the iPhone ahead of its launch in Britain next year", reports the Guardian. How is it that an American company like Apple could throw their American customers under the bus?
Today, November 28, 2009, I finally received eight Google WAVE invitations to distribute! But before I distribute them I thought I would share some of my observations about Google WAVE and some links to interesting articles about it as well.
Thanksgiving has come and gone this year. I hope you had a peaceful holiday. It seems Thanksgiving Day is always a day filled with various conversations that take place as dinner is being prepared and while one is waiting for the next football game to start. This Thanksgiving was no exception at our home, but now I am wondering how many families stopped long enough to engage in a conversation about Google Wave. That's right. You read correctly. We actually had a brief conversation about Google WAVE. I think it was Aaron who asked the question: "Ok, I waved, is anybody going to wave back?" To this Daniel grinned and said that he, too, had noticed that it doesn't seem to do a lot of good if you wave and no one waves back. What is with that? We collectively wondered aloud!
I received my invitation to Google WAVE on November 12, 2009, but I have been reading about it since May 28, 2009, when Google announced the WAVE to the world at its I/O developer conference. A follow up post on May 31, 2009, was even more interesting, particularly the comments by Yefim Natis. I was encouraged to sign-up to be a Google WAVE beta tester on July 22, 2009. But I believe I didn't follow up on that suggestion, as I was busy working on a number of Webconsuls' projects at the time. So when the big day came, September 30, 2009, I did not get one of the 100,000 original invitations. But that does not mean that I didn't follow the WAVE's progress along the way. On October 19, 2009, I enjoyed reading a TIME Magazine piece by Lev Grossman, Google Wave: What's All the Fuss About?
I think it was shortly thereafter that I began to really think about the WAVE. Some press was good and some press was negative, was the WAVE alternately and literally at its crest and ebb with each passing day? A friend questioned why I was not in a rush to be part of the WAVE. My immediate answer was really twofold and it continues to take shape, even now that I have my invitation and can send invitations to my friends.
Here are my thoughts:
1) I spent about eight years in an IT department where part of my job description included Quality Assurance, either directly or in a supervisory position. Quality Assurance or QA, as it is known in the business, is a very fancy name for being a TESTER. Test the system until you can break it! I believe the average pay for a QA with a few years experience is somewhere between $45,000 and $60,000. Now, let's multiply $50,000 X 100,000 beta testers for Google WAVE. What you must understand about QA and what Google figured out a long time ago is this: Testing has a way of sucking you in...not unlike a rip current! It is hard to stop, once you start. And many people want to be able to say they were in on the ground floor of this WAVE. Be assured Google is good about listening to your comments ("test defects"), as they are anxious to have a good product. They will make you feel "valuable", albeit you are an unpaid volunteer.
2) While I love the beauty of the ocean, as a youngster I had many bad experiences with rip currents. Growing up in Southern California the beach becomes part of your life, but it can mean certain death. Therefore, the word WAVE has not always had a pleasant connotation. Let's think about it: tidal wave (OMG), permanent wave (ugly hairdos), microwave (makes you sterile if you are not careful), brain wave (you hope you have them, but it is bad news if people are looking for them), rogue wave (think The Perfect Storm), wave of nausea (TMI), heat wave, cold wave, seismic wave, good-bye wave (almost always sad).
As I close today, I invite you to read a few more articles:
And...I want to share with you a YouTube video about the Laguna Beach Greeter (notice it is not the Laguna Beach waver). There was a time when the only road to travel between San Diego and Los Angeles was the Pacific Coast Highway. One of my most vivid childhood memories was riding along PCH with my family and seeing Eiler Larsen, the greeter who welcomed all who traveled through Laguna Beach until 1975. He waved his hand...it was a good WAVE.
As always, let me know what you think and leave a comment if you want an invitation.
It seems it is almost impossible to keep abreast of all the SMO and SEO news. You can scan the headlines on Google, Yahoo, your favorite newspaper or tech magazine and the amount of information is astounding. Just today I again realized I have an account with Google Reader which automatically sends me more information. I signed in and saw my Google Reader inbox had 851 items! I guess you now know I have been too busy for Google Reader. But this post is not about the Google Reader, it is about how to keep our Webconsuls' clients abreast of internet marketing news. Turns out Webconsuls set up SMO and SEO news feeds for you and our clients over two years ago. So again I ask the proverbial question: Is anybody "listening" or in this case reading?
The experts keep talking about Twitter. I have a Twitter account, I follow and am followed; however, there are a few things about Twitter that annoy me. Today I will just mention two: (a) some people provide TMI (too much information) or should I say information that is redundant (since they have more than one account) and useless information; (b) it often takes two to three clicks to get to the meat of the message. Let me give you a real life example. Today I signed into my Twitter account around 6:30AM (MST). I read a Tweet that said: "6 Reasons to Embrace Social Media Today Web 2.0 Journal". So I clicked on the link, but instead of being taken directly to the article I was taken to a TweetMeMe page that listed 65 Twitterers who had RT (retweeted) this article. I then click on the original link and I am taken to a blog post by Web 2.0 Journal. I read the article, it was interesting, but didn't really provide too much new information, it was more one writer's opinion. Just like my blog post today, is basically my opinion.
Here is my advice for today. If you want to go to one place and read the headlines for SMO, then I invite you to visit Webconsuls' SMO in the News Page. There you will find the current SMO headlines and you only have to click once! If you want to read the SEO news then visit Webconsuls' SEO News Page.
P.S. If you want to find me on Twitter, click here.
P.P.S. If you are wondering about today's photo...this is from 1974 when I was employed by the Cal State Los Angeles University Newspaper, The University Times, a daily paper in those days.
Do you remember Steve Martin in "Father of the Bride?" Certainly you remember Martin Short who played Franck Eggelhoffer, the wedding planner. But wait a minute; this movie is now 19 years old, so maybe you don't remember it or the characters. Yes, it is Saturday morning and I thought I would share some personal news and show you how if your planning a wedding your wedding planner no longer needs to hire an executive assistant, as we are discovering that the "Father of the Bride" role of Howard Weinstein can be replaced with Google, Franck's New Virtual Executive Assistant.
But first things first...Dennis' and my oldest son, Aaron, became engaged to Allison (Alli) Gubanich on October 15, 2009. Dan and I were in Las Vegas when all the excitement happened. As I understand it, Aaron set up the Scrabble board (both of his Grandmas would be proud) to welcome Alli home from class/work and the words spelled out "Will you marry me?" (Of course, I questioned how those words could ever really come together on a Scrabble board- to which Aaron rolled his eyes and shook his head - he is really a romantic!)
Aaron and Alli, the A Team, have known each other for quite a few years, but started dating in the Summer of 2007, at the time they both worked at Bluepoint. Alli is from the Philadelphia area. Her parents are Kathy and Chris Gubanich. She has two sisters, Nikki and Jessica. Dennis and I had fun meeting the Gubanich family when Alli graduated from the University of Arizona in May 2008. And of course since we moved to Tucson in March 2008 we have really enjoyed spending more time with Aaron and Alli.
Ok, so now you know the engagement happened October 15, 2009, and by the morning of October 17, 2009, Nikki Gubanich was sharing a Google document with members of both sides of the family! Nikki is Alli's older sister and she just finished her MBA this past Summer (congratulations by the way) so she volunteered to be the Project Manager. What is funny is that Alli said to me "I had never heard of Google documents and how you can share them!" So now we can all participate real time and keep each other informed.
This morning it occurred to me that this past week has been so crazy with returning from Las Vegas, catching up on work, that we (Dennis and I) really have not taken time to call and congratulate Kathy and Chris! I haven't even sent them a Gmail or written on their Facebook walls! I promise to do that today; however, I also decided to create a Picasa Album (Google Product) and share it with the family members. This album will allow us to enjoy old memories and chronicle the new memories over the next year. Google (AKA Howard Weinstein) will assist with Blogger, Gmail, Google Documents, and Picasa Web Albums. And that is just for starters.
So here's to the A Team (Aaron and Alli), Chris, Kathy, Nikki, Jessica, Dennis and Dan...congratulations one and all!
P.S. The picture on the Photo Album cover was taken Halloween 2008!
The last few weeks your Webconsuls' team has been busy and our blog has been quiet. I don't know about you, but it is amazing what you can learn in a month's time. Here are this month's five most interesting bits of information that I learned and I want to share with you:
1. Did you know that Gmail has a send limit? About a week ago we received a call from our client saying that she was sending out an email broadcast to her customers asking them to participate in a fundraiser for the victims of the earthquake/tsunami. All of a sudden she noticed that she could not send any email or receive any email. She called us and here is what I learned:
"In an effort to fight spam and prevent abuse, Google will temporarily disable your account if you send a message to more than 500 recipients or if you send a large number of undeliverable messages. If you use a POP or IMAP client (Microsoft Outlook or Apple Mail, e.g.), you may only send a message to 100 people at a time. Your account should be re-enabled within 24 hours." (Go here to learn more and keep in mind that many email services have a send limit, this is why some clients like to stay in contact with their clients by a newsletter service like or similar to Constant Contact.)
2. Twitter 2.0 seems to be just around the corner. Rather than have me rehash what someone else has discussed so eloquently, I will point you to the article. "Are We Ready for Twitter 2.0?"
3. Blogger does provide great on-line support. The other day I was on their site and I saw a section called "Recommended Articles and Discussion." One of the discussions was entitled "Too Many Good Bloggers are Giving Up" . Now, this caught my eye!!! So I clicked on it and enjoyed the conversation. If you have a blog and you have given up or you are thinking about giving up, I invite you to read the posts and join in the discussion. You might just refresh yourself enough to keep on BLOGGING!
4. During the past few weeks our team has been discussing the nature of our Webconsuls' blog. The questions raised are these: Should it be more technical? Or, do our readers want to learn more about the team as people and read anecdotal stories, as well? I will tell you that the team was split on this, but today I read an interesting article on an SEO/SMO newsletter. The article had to do with Social Networking pitfalls the 4th pitfall to avoid was this: "It's not about sell, sell, sell! If all you're doing when you visit the various sites and post your updates is pitch your latest program, product or service then it's no wonder you're not seeing results. Share information with your network, whether that's your own information or you're passing along information from clients and colleagues. The more you share, the greater your results will be. Whichever social networking arena you're active in (and it may be more than one) remember the "social" in social networking - it's to build relationships, make new contacts, and socialize. Inform your network, not sell to them." I think based on this guidance and our own practical experience from being part of Social Networking sites, new clients may come to you naturally.
5. Finally, as this Columbus Day Weekend gets underway, I know that our New England innkeeper, hotelier, restaurateur, livery, and entertainment clients will be busy beyond belief as the autumn brides and mountains blush and foliage season peaks; but won't they be surprised to learn that Tucson, AZ has its own foliage season! And yes, Mt Lemmon is 2869 ft taller than Mt. Washington!
This week's photos are from my days in New Hampshire. The one of the children is of Aaron and Dan enjoying a "Tom Sawyer" moment with children who were guests at the inn. Aaron and Dan were "teaching" them how to rake the autumn leaves and make Leaf People!
"Teach Us to Delight in the Simple Things"...Rudyard Kipling
Let me know what you think of Judy's "bytes"...see you next week.
Ever wonder how Google Maps can generate traffic data? It's quite simple how it works.
When you turn on 'My Location' on your mobile phone, it sends data which includes your location and speed to Google's headquarters which then provides accurate traffic data on Google Maps. With the amount of people using Google Maps now, it also provides the traffic on local streets (major streets that is).
Google Maps for Mobile is free. The website is compatible with Android, BlackBerry, Java enabled phones, Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Symbian S60, and of course the iPhone.
LeapFish.com is a search engine portal that allows you to search through Google, Yahoo, and MSN (Now known as Bing). Some say that LeapFish might even be competing with Google but I don't believe it can since its main search results are based off of Google's engine.
LeapFish does have some nice features though; it displays the Market Summary, top News, and Latest Videos from Youtube. The interesting thing about the videos is you don't have to hit play, simply place your mouse over the thumbnail and it will begin playing.
The search is nice because you have the ability to compare results from the top three engines and see where your site ranks based on the keywords you enter.
As for advertising on LeapFish you pay for the keywords as would with any other PPC Campaign except you keep the spot until you are willing to sell it. For Example, if you purchase "California Drug Rehab" you hold that spot for every time someone searches that until you want to sell it. It's interesting but not sure if it will last.
LeapFish has also been known for taking their client's money and it's possible those rumors began because of their advertisement slots.
Have you used it? What are your thoughts on this website?
Soup or Salad? That is the question, but wait! How has Google been asked that question over the last 7 days, month, year? Was it on the Web? A News item? An Image or New Product and how do you find out?
You find out by using the Google Insights for Search beta*
From 2004 to present it looks like soup gets the most searches in the winter, and salad gets the most searches in the summer, with soup winning the search battle over all.
Is Bing a decision engine, a surname, a candy bar, a slag heap? Over the past couple of months I have been reading a lot about Microsoft's new search engine BING.com. We are all familiar with Microsoft, right? We know about Live Search, Windows Live Search, and MSN Search. And now we have Microsoft's latest reincarnation, BING, and more importantly BING is being referred to as a decision engine as opposed to a search engine. I suppose MS is for all intents and purposes now a matchmaker! Not only is MS finding you mates to choose from they are determined to help you make the decision.
A few of observations about BING:
On the serious side: I want our clients to know that the Webconsuls' Team will be following and studying the impact of BING from an SEO standpoint. That is what we are tasked to do. There are a number of questions to be asked and answered, but we must do this responsibly. And on that front, Webconsuls will keep our clients informed.
BING is quite lovely to look at. Everyday the home page photo changes and these photos are dramatic. Google's basic home page is pretty blank, but works. Yahoo, which by the way is still my default home page has a lot of information and I have grown accustom to reading the news' headlines, clicking on finance, travel, etc, I have never had a Yahoo account or email account.
There are a number of sites that you can visit that will allow you to compare search results for BING to GOOGLE, like this one. And there is another site that lets you compare search results from GOOGLE, BING, and YAHOO. This site's search results are returned in a "blind" state and the fun feature about this site is that you can vote for which search results best suits your search query. You might be surprised which search engine's results you really like.
My final thought today has to do with the choice of the name "BING". I will say that writing this blog always gives me an opportunity to learn new things and today is no exception. Why "BING"? I understand that originally Microsoft was going to call their new search (decision) engine KUMO. They actually registered both trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. KUMO is a Japanese word that means spider or cloud. Hmmmm, well I guess we can all get the "spider" connection to the world wide web and in the IT world "cloud" is a metaphor for the internet, so I guess it could have cleverly worked. So I come back to question: why "BING"? I am going to assume, although I know that can be a mistake, that someone at Microsoft looked up the meaning(s) of the word "BING".
BING Toy Company founded in 1863, famous for the manufacturing of toy trains Bing is apparently a fairly common surname, and let's not forget Chandler Bing of Friends BING Candy Bar, made in Iowa BING cherries, all with pits Bing is another name for a slag heap which is a collection of the tailings or by-products of mining (DATA Mining comes to mind?) Bing is the name of a soft drink produced in England Bing is the name of Chinese flat bread Bing is also a phrase used by prison inmates to describe solitary confinement
Ok, maybe they didn't do a lot of name research, maybe they just liked the sound of "BING". Maybe they like saying "Bing and Decide". Whatever....I invite you to go to their Discover Bing informational site and learn all about it.
Webconsuls will continue to study BING and keep you informed. Let me know what you think.
On April 24, 2009, Darin McClure sent me a link to an article about YELP. The title of the article was "Yelp Allows Business Owners to Talk Back On Site". I read the article that day and I really thought it should be a subject for a blog post, but until today I have not had time to talk about it here. The more research I did about YELP, the more I realized I didn't know or understand a lot about this particular social networking site. Is your business listed on YELP?
I would like your input. Maybe you can answer some of my questions:
Do you have a personal YELP account?
Do you often write business reviews on YELP?
Do you rely on the YELP reviews?
Can you explain how the "search" program works in the back end?
Regarding #4: If I go to YELP and search for Mexican Restaurant in the specific zip code of 85705, then how can there be 160 results with the first result listed located in the zip code 85719? There is no rhyme or reason to the listings, they are not in alphabetical order, review frequency order, etc. Or am I missing something?
Now if I do the same search on Google Maps there are many more results, but they are listed in zip code relevancy order. In other words, Google lists first those restaurants actually located in 85705. Makes sense to me.
I hope that someone out there in YELP land can explain this phenomena to me.
This week I have been researching reported problems with Google maps. I have read through many forums, blogs, and news articles; however, last night I came across a Google forum in "Maps help". The topic was Incorrect information in Google Maps / local business center and the poster opens her post with this statement "To the poor already-beaten-up soul at Google who looks at and responds to these issues..." I implore you to read through this forum. It starts on April 1, 2009, and on April 6th Joel H Google Employee joins the forum to aid these Google users. Before you know it people are posting from all over the world and Joel H is being besieged with questions and he is responsive through April 22. Others keep posting but no word from Joel H. Where's Joel H Google employee?
I googled this phrase {Joel H Google employee} and found mention of him in other blog posts and other Google maps forums. I will say this, Joel H seems to want to help and if you read these forums carefully you will see he even admits when he is wrong.
I am going to give you two examples of what I have witnessed in Google maps for two of our clients.
La Fuente Restaurant in Tucson, AZ: Their Google map listing under local results for Mexican Restaurants Tucson AZ suddenly displayed the wrong domain name (that of a locksmith) and the wrong phone number.
Kingsleigh Inn Southwest Harbor, ME: Suddenly their Google map listing under local results for lodging Southwest Harbor ME disappeared; however, the inn next door to them is listed - including 78 reviews of the Kingsleigh and a number of photos of the Kingsleigh Inn!
I can only assume that somewhere worlds have started to collide in Google maps. I don't know why...some talk about duplicate listings, scrapings, mergings, suppressions, conflating listings...the bottom line is this is a "free" service offered by Google. I could offer the old adage "it is worth what you paid for it"...but really if your listing is wrong through no fault of your own how much is this costing your business?
My advice to every business owner is to check your listing. Take the time to review and learn about Google's Local Business Center. Here is a "How To" Google YouTube video "Local Business Center for Google Maps".
I hope Joel H Google Employee reappears in these forums and that Google can solve the "implosion" mystery. Let's remember these listings are the lifelines for many businesses, this is not a game of "Where's Waldo".
I am sitting at my desk right now. It is Saturday 6:51AM and the view from my Tucson home office is pretty spectacular. The doves are nesting in the porch eves, the hummingbirds are fluttering around the blooming ocotillo and the prickly pear are preparing to bloom. As a write, a little bunny just walked up on to the porch enjoying the early morning weather. This week the Tucson desert around our home has been particularly beautiful and I thought I would tell you about three ways to enjoy the living desert.
I don't want any of you to worry that my hints are going to cause you to do anything too strenuous. In fact you don't even have to physically be in the desert to enjoy the living desert. And remember, this is Judy writing today. I gave up hiking, backpacking, camping, and bicycling a long time ago. So here we go...
1. Rent or buy a copy of Walt Disney's The Living Desert. This film was released in November 1953! Yes, I know that is over 55 years ago, but it won the academy award in 1954 for best documentary and if you have never seen it, then you are in for a surprise. Below you will see a You Tube video clip from the movie that deals with the cute ground squirrels. My parents took my sisters and me to see this movie in 1954 and I have never forgotten the beauty of the blooming cactus.
2. If you live in a desert environment, particularly around Tucson, AZ, then just take a walk in your neighborhood. It is spring time in the desert and for the next few months the cactus will take turns producing beautiful flowers and fruit. Just yesterday I was retrieving my neighbor's mail and I had to stand back and wonder at the simple beauty of the living desert. And if you really think that a desert tortoise is just to be seen in the movies, here is a photo that Dan Helfand took last summer in Gates Pass a few miles from our home in Tucson..
3. For those of you who can not rent or buy the Living Desert and do not live in the desert, I invite you to watch my slide show of a RED TORCH CACTUS. This cactus is located outside my bedroom and Daniel decided to chronicle the blooming process. These photos were taken over the course of 24 hours. And you should know the flowers really are only in full bloom for one day! (I created this slide show using Googles' Picasa Web Albums.)
So I will sign off for the day, more living desert for me to see, sans snakes!
P.S. If for some reason my slide show is really not of a Red Torch Cactus, I hope one of my readers will correct me.
Major changes affecting SEO have taken place OVERNIGHT in Google's ever changing, ever improving algorithm. Straight from Google:
We are constantly looking for ways to get you to the web page you want as quickly as possible. Even if you don't notice all of our changes, rest assured we're hard at work making sure you have the highest quality search experience possible.
Semantic Technology vs Information Technology
Semantic Technology, forecasted to be the future of search, is built on contextual relationship and meaning. Traditionally computers were limited to very mathematical relationships. Context and meaning were relegated to only human activity, something computers were not equipped or built to provide. Evolving semantic technology redefines the type of intelligence which can be utilized. Computer programs have evolved from one on one preprogrammed predefined relationships to functions based on intuitive concepts and abstract relationships.
This is a profound change for SEO. Semantics is the study of meaning. Semantic Technology enables the computer to make cognitive jumps between related words based on context. Semantic based search will draw in words based on context not just content.
Starting today, we're deploying a new technology that can better understand associations and concepts related to your search, and one of its first applications lets us offer you even more useful related searches (the terms found at the bottom, and sometimes at the top, of the search results page).
Longer Snipets for Searches of Three of More Words
When you search for a phrase in Google you will notice that the words you queried are bolded in the results. The small description found with each search result is referred to as the snipet. When you put a short search in the query box, a search of one to three words, there is plenty of opportunity to display those highlighted terms within a two line snipet.
For searches of more than three words a snipets will now be occationally expanded to three lines to allow for the highlighing of more terms from the query.
Remember that your average searcher on the internet has gained in sophistication and that longer multiple word searches have become standard practice.
Snippets are what searchers use to choose which links from the search results will most likely solve their problem or answer their question. An extra line of snippet is more opportunity to provide quality information about your site.
One of the things I have wanted to do with my iPhone was to be able to view archived google talk chats via the device. If you are using imap, go to "Labels" under your Gmail settings you will see "Chats" but no way to select "Show in IMAP" Here is my "almost" workaround.
Once you have logged into your gmail account, click "Create a filter" (next to the search mail button) in the subject field place "Chat with" and click the "Next Step" button, check "Apply the label" and make a new label named "iChat" check "Also apply filter to X number of Conversations below." and click "Create Filter"
Then go to "Settings", "Labs" and make sure that you have "Advanced IMAP Controls" enabled for your account, and that you have chats set to archive. Look under "Settings" "Chat" and select "Save chat history"
Now go back to "Settings", "Labels" and check that your new "iChat" label is set to "Show in IMAP"
On your iPhone you should now see your iChats folder when you open the email app and your chats,
Check it out and tell me if it works for you, as I am only seeing some of my chats.
It is important to keep your web site current and up to date. Telephone numbers, employee names, addresses and other details change and need to be replaced with the current information. Searching your site first for all the edits to be made can save you considerable back and forth time with your Webmaster.
Find all the changes to be made
evaluate the text on the page for need to rewrite
send changes in one Word document to your Webmaster.
Here is a handy search tip to help you find those items which need to be replaced or updated.
In Google's search box:
type the exact text you are trying find
space
site:www.yourwebsiteaddress.com (using your address and leaving no space between the colon and the www)
For example, if I were searching www.webconsuls.com for "Darin" ...
Returned will be a list of all the instances where that term appears.
If you click the link labeled "Cached" the cached page will come up with your terms highlighted for easy spotting.
Send your list of changes in a Word document to your webmaster.
After the changes are made remember to refresh your page to see the changes. This is especially helpful with larger sites with lots of text and those with blog entries.
Google launched their G1 phone last year with the Android OS. Now you can get the Android OS on you Windows Mobile device without having to switch phones. XDA Developers, an online community that promotes tweaks and upgrades for your Windows Mobile device.
This isn't a hack of any sort. Its simply a Linux image running on Windows allowing you to launch Android. Best part is, unlike a ROM update from XDA Forums which replaces your Windows Mobile OS, you do not need to flash your device to run Google Android. A simple soft reset of your device (re-boot) will launch the Linux application.
Have you tried running Android on you Windows Mobile yet?
Let's look at some of the opportunity costs of NOT having a website.
How will people find you? Yellow Pages? You may want to rethink. The other day as I walked up to our door I passed my neighbor's doorstep and noticed the Yellow Pages had arrived. There was a copy on our front doormat as well. Upstairs there was a third copy.
I set mine inside.
The next day I noticed the Yellow Pages were still out on everyone's doorstep. After about a week and some rain I took it upon myself to remove the Yellow Pages and put them in the recycle bin.
What has happened? The Yellow Pages was once the first place a search for a service or product began.
By not having a website a good portion of consumers will not find you listed when they search for products and services.
You need customers to find your business. If they don't find you they will find your competition.
A website is flexible. Unlike print ads and other media websites can be altered and changed after they are "published" to the web.
A website can save you time by describing your services, answering common questions, and providing resources.
Websites are global. There is no geographical barrier to websites. With one website you have the opportunity to reach anyone in the world with an internet connection.
Prospective customers expect a business to have an online presence. By not having a website you risk appearing unprofessional and unestablished.
Websites can provide valuable data on prospective customers. Your website can provide your business with marketing information unavailable in other formats. Statistics regarding popularity of website content, information was most often viewed, where website visitors originate and exit, and if they converted. This important marketing information can be gathered and shown visually in a myriad of methods depending on the tools you choose to use. This information can be used to make immediate adjustments and improvements in your marketing efforts.
Websites give an opportunity for small businesses to compete with larger corporations. The internet has leveled the playing field. A small company can appear more established with a well designed website than a larger business or even a corporation.
Today was the 15th release by Google and within 100 days of its initial launch. Google announced this morning the first release of Google Chrome without the beta label attached to it.
We've been talking about Google Chrome since September and most of you already know what an amazingly fast browser it is. With the first release without the beta label, Google has improved the stability and performance of plug-ins (video performance in specific) which had issues in the beta version. When doing a benchmark test on V8 JavaScript engine, it runs 1.5 times faster on V8 benchmark. Google claims this will get even faster.
Google Chrome's bookmark feature is now even friendlier. Some users had problems in the beta release which have now been resolved. Now you can organize your bookmarks and import/export from different browsers.
Most users that use Mozilla Firefox also utilize the plug-ins feature. Hopefully in the next few days, Google will come out with extensions to integrate with Google Chrome.
What are your thoughts? Which browser would you say has the most potential?
Google is always adding and developing the services it offers for free. Sometimes I joke they are reading my emails. One day I may mention, "Gee, I would like folders for that ..." and a couple weeks later, or a couple days in some cases my feature appears. Call it selective attention, hundredth monkey effect or just the natural development of software.
As I made my transition from using Outlook to only Gmail and Gmail for your domain I bemoaned the loss of adding a task and attaching the referenced email. Loved that. Needed that.
The latest addition to Google Labs is Tasks. Now located below your "Contacts" link on the left margin. This from Google:
We put your tasks in the same kind of window as chats, so they're visible while you're scanning your inbox, reading mail, or searching (and in Settings, too!). Just pop your list out into a new window to use Tasks outside of Gmail.
To enable Tasks, go to Settings, click the Labs tab (or just click here if you're signed in). Select "Enable" next to "Tasks" and then click "Save Changes" at the bottom. Then, after Gmail refreshes, on the left under the "Contacts" link, you'll see a "Tasks" link. Just click it to get started.
Tasks will allow you to create a 'to do' list right within Gmail.
Tasks can be generated straight from an email.
Open your email, decide you need to add this task, from the "More Actions" drop down menu now you may select "Add to Tasks". The email will be added to your Task list with the subject line listed in your queue of things to do.
If you have your shortcuts enabled in Labs you can do this with Control + t, also:
Tasks can be prioritized. Tasks allows you to break down a project into manageable steps.
The Task window can pop-out and become a whole new window.
So while Google is possibly listening (and when aren't they) here is my wish list for Tasks:
1. An iPhone application to see and use my Tasks list on the go
2. Ability to combine Tasks lists from other gmail accounts into one master list
3. Add due dates for Tasks to Google Calendar
Ubuntu is an African word meaning 'Humanity to others' and is also a free operating system that you can use to breath new life into an old computer, host your enterprise or just get your feet wet in the land of *nix. Click here to order your free Ubuntu CD now.
This version of Ubuntu 8.10 is code named Intrepid Ibex. Do not be afraid to try it. Take the Ubuntu CD you get in the mail and boot your computer from it for a test drive!
Got Ubuntu? Everything you need comes on one CD, providing a complete working environment. Additional software is available online directly thru a pull down menu.
Above, Check out this old interview with Mark Shuttleworth, founder of the Ubuntu Foundation.
Ubuntu, an African word meaning 'Humanity to others', or 'I am what I am because of who we all are'. The Ubuntu distribution brings this spirit of Ubuntu to the software world. Give it a try, Let us know what you think.
The other day I signed into my Gmail account and noticed a new link at the top of the page. The link says: "New! Video chat." Usually I learn about new Gmail tools from Webconsuls' technical director, Darin McClure. What crossed my mind is why hasn't Darin sent me or us an email extolling the virtues of this new tool. Not like Darin to not jump on a Gmail bandwagon. Hmmm! I even reviewed the Webconsuls' blog to make sure I hadn't missed a blog about this new tool. Couldn't find anything.
I ignored the bold red font, "New! Video chat" for a few days, but yesterday I was a little curious. So, I clicked on the link. This is what I learned:
* Voice and video in Gmail only works with the newer version of Gmail in supported browsers: FF 2.0+, IE 6.0+, Safari 3.0+, and Google Chrome.
* Download the Gmail voice and video chat plug-in, quit all open browser windows, and install the plug-in.
* Sign in to Gmail.
* In the Chat section of your Gmail, select the contact you want to call. If they have a camera icon next to their name, you can make a voice or video call to them; just click Video & more.
Now the first thing to remember is that you need to have a web-cam. If you don't have a web-cam, then Google has made it easy for you to purchase one. According to their site: "We tried to make buying a web-cam easier by working with Logitech and Buy.com to offer high quality cameras at up to 30% off with free shipping until November 30th, 2008." The prices quoted range from $39.99 to $89.99. But, not to worry, I already have a web-cam, so I was good to go.
My browsers met the requirements, I downloaded the Gmail voice and video chat plug-in, I quit all open browsers, and I installed the plug-in! I signed in to my Gmail account and lo and behold, there I was in a little window...Judy at work! Great, right? Here is what I noticed:
1. My Web-cam sits right on top of my monitor, so I could see myself very clearly, but I could also see my co-worker, Dennis, at work at his computer desk. You see when we are both working my back is to him, a kind of "what I don't see won't hurt me" position. But now I could clearly see him working away.
2. I could also see the little camera icon next to my name in the "Chat" box on my Gmail page, but interestingly enough the only associate with a camera icon next to their name was Malik. I could see that Malik was on-line so I tried to connect with him with video chat. Well, he could chat, but what I discovered is that he was experiencing problems with Video Chat. To quote Malik: "crashes my browser every time though". Not good and I read on-line that other users were experiencing this problem. Bugs!!
You need to be aware that this new tool is being rolled out by Google, which means not everyone has access to the new tool at the same time. Don't assume that because you have access that all of your friends can access it, just yet.
Here is my first take on this tool: Fun tool. Free tool, unless you need to buy a web-cam. I don't really know if it will take the place of Skype, as Google video chat does not allow you to connect to landlines, but it is one more tool for the tool box. Whether it will be the sharpest tool in the box remains to be seen. Also, I noticed that once you have downloaded this new tool, there does not seem to be a way to just "turn it off" should you not want to be contacted via video chat. This is a little disconcerting, but maybe I just haven't played with it enough. I do know that the software is not activated unless you are signed in to your Gmail account, so maybe that feature is the main "shut-off" valve. In other words, you can be signed out of your Gmail account and still be running "Google Talk" on your desktop and chat with friends and co-workers the old fashioned way, sans webcam.
According to the official Gmail blog: 'Once you install the plug-in, to start a video chat, just click on the "Video & more" menu at the bottom of your Gmail chat window, and choose "Start video chat." You'll have a few seconds to make sure you look presentable while it's ringing, and then you'll see and hear your friend live, right from within Gmail.' The operative phrase in this statement is: "You'll have a few seconds to make sure you look presentable." Yikes!!!
Here is the bottom line: if you are always signed into you Gmail account, the webcam is running and you better be prepared for your friends and co-workers to want to video chat with you. You better keep your desk straightened, your hair combed and not be wearing your PJs at 3:00PM.
For the record, I un-installed the "plug-in" yesterday, because I don't want to be the first one on my block to use this software...I am going to wait for Darin, Lisa, Dick, Dennis, Malik, Keith, Dan and Dennis to "plug-in". I don't want to be the cheerleader and I am still wondering why the usual cheerleaders are not cheering...just yet.
To learn more, view the video below and I promise to keep you posted on this new tool. Let me know what you think by posting a comment here.
True to form Google is prepared for Election 2008. Check out Google's Embeddable Election Map. Watch real time election results. Use the drop down menu to alternate between Presidential race, House and Senate.
Here are some online resources for today's elections.
Get out there and vote. Don't forget your "I voted" sticker as many Starbucks, Ben and Jerrys, and Kripsy Creme etablishments will be rewarding those exercising their right to vote with a free tall coffee, free scoop of ice cream or star-shaped doughnut with red, white and blue sprinkles respectively.
Google's user friendly browser appropriately titled Google Chrome is the "Cat's Meow" of browsers. Your ability to navigate easily coupled with advanced applications makes Google Chrome worth its weight in Chrome. As with every beta project there will always be kinks to work out, and with every subsequent release Chrome can and will only get better. Google fixed scrolling with laptop touchpads and better reliability for those users who access the web through a proxy server. The new version of Chrome has improved performance and stability with a number of Plugins like Flash and Quicktime; they have also worked out a lot of security problems as well. Chrome added the ability to add words to the built-in spell checker.
If you already are working with Chrome then it will automatically update itself with the Third Beta within the next few days. I believe at a certain point in the near future Chrome will be the only browser you need to work with. In my life and work I use Chrome for 98% of my Internet activity, Chrome is by far the best browser I have worked with.
I enjoy reading productivity and organization books and blogs. This does not mean I always take the advice, but I do have a curiosity about how other people get things done. We all experience different demands, there is no single solution for any of us. Productivity gurus and email management specialist recommend using labels and not a file based system. Files are cumbersome and often take more energy and effort to maintain, while labeling is efficient and does not impede work flow.
What I want to share with you is the change I have made within my gmail account. I was terribly resistant to this change because as my post title confesses ... I am a chronic filer. Filing is what I know. Even though I had gmail, a web-based solution, I was still using Outlook to sort and file email.
Trusting my email to a label based system using gmail's search function seemed scary but I am finding it to be far superior. I have shed my Outlook program and am working only within the gmail interface.
What I am finding is that the opportunity to file an email in two different categories is a great asset. How often have you wanted an email in more than one place as a reference or a reminder? Labels give me an opportunity to "file" in multiple reference positions. "To Dos" and "Projects" categories can collect reference emails and be available with a click of the label, using the underscore and other unique characters in your labels enables you to separate these items from other labels and keep them promenent in your label list.
I will be using the search function in my gmail, labels will replace folders and my inbox will be my sorting area. Here is a video which gave me the inspiration for my current system and I must share that I am really pleased with the change and only wish I had done it sooner.
Google AdWords has in a beta test a bidding tool called Smart Positioning. The function of this tool aims to place your ad in the most cost-effective position each time it's displayed. Here are Google's words in how it works.
How Smart Positioning works.
Here's an overview of what happens when your campaign is opted in to Smart Positioning: 1. Smart Positioning calculates incremental CPC's to evaluate the effects on cost and click through rate that would be associated with a higher position for your ad. 2. Once our system determines the incremental CPC for putting your ad in a higher position, it compares the incremental CPC to your maximum CPC bid. 3. Your ad is placed in the highest position possible, as long as both the actual CPC for that position and the incremental CPC are less than your maximum CPC bid.
So essentially, this Google AdWords tool attempts to give its advertisers the best position given recent click data and the bid landscape. It then actually changes the max CPC in the account to reflect the bid it deems most 'efficient'.
I hate to always be the cynic, but with my history in working with one of the major search engines, I know that 'helpful' tools may or may not be as helpful as they are described, but they always work in the favor of the search engine.
Here are some things that make me question the tool and therefore whether I will use it or not in the long run. 1. Since my bids can be changed without my specific knowledge, I am dissuaded. 2. Because Google is providing this 'help' to multiple advertisers in competition with each other on the same keyword, I can see a problem developing; either the tool won't be very effective or certain advertisers will be favored and/or others hurt. 3. Google only provides help in ways that increase revenue as I stated earlier, so I cannot see this costing me less, but quite the opposite.
In conclusion of this early evaluation of a new bidding tool, albeit before it is in wide use, I prefer a bid to position model where I am paying the least possible for a particular position and I have real expectations on my cost and display position. When things can be open ended, Google can take advantage of the account without having to defend their actions. I know what their defense would be when you finally reach a customer service rep- 'in the terms and conditions it clearly states we can raise your bids'.
We like to tell them that there are a number of ways you can make your website move visible on Google's radar. Here is a list of those "Best Practices for a Google Friendly Site" And this info you can get right from Google.
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Google launched their G1 phone last year with the Android OS. Now you can get the Android OS on you Windows Mobile device without having to switch phones. 
