From Google to Plus

Google finally over delivered. 

Google plus is a hit so far... and I say so far, because let's face it, if you're already on Google Plus, take a look around your circles, who's there? Social media and technology enthusiasts, that's who... and yes, they all love it, and so do you... But who are you again? Aren't you one of those geeks too? ...and I am not just pointing fingers, I belong here.

I thought it was worth pointing out though. The people in my circles so far? They're the twitter community.  Why? Early adopters.

Timeline vs News Feed

Wouldn't we all think that Google would have developed a complicated social algorithm to sort its stream? Well, it seems that on July 1st, the stream looked more like a news feed, as it was not organized by chronological order... and today, well, it seems it has changed to a timeline; definitely, a work in progress. 

The Marketing Difference

Google finally understood that Facebook's smartest strategy was exclusivity; a strategy previously used by the Small World network, but taken up a notch, to become a growth strategy rather than a mission statement. Google's limited users interface is almost as effective in creating word-of-mouth. Only, the target is different. Facebook aimed elites in the real world. Google Plus is leveraging on elites in the digital world; which certainly is creating a buzz, but will it work as effectively to shift the users from Early Adopters to eventually reach a majority. 

Google Plus Privacy

I won't go on and on about this section. I am sure too many people are tackling it already. 

I will just point out that the profile picture album is irrevocably set to "public". Moreover, something is more bothersome than Facebook when it comes to the share button, and I think I figured out why: it is on every single post on Google Plus, even if no picture or link is shared (unlike Facebook)!

About Google Plus and Facebook

Ok, so the design is really close to Facebook; Which makes it easier for Facebook users to understand and locate what they are looking for. Nonetheless, Google Plus is cleaner (design-wise) and offers more. It has a little bit of Skype (in Hangout), RSS (in Sparks), it is incorporated in everything Google, and offer a little bit of Twitter's follower/following form whereas people can add you to their circles without you having to "accept/ignore" and not everyone who is following you, is being followed by you.

Google Website Statistics

I might have spoken a little too fast when I wrote Facebook's untapped potential in using its profiles to give accurate demographic data to websites. Google seems to already be unto it! 

Google Webmaster Tools now have +1 Metrics... and I am really curious at the sort of characteristics they will be able to disclose thanks to Google Plus! If Google Plus works, people are more likely to be signed in to their accounts, they are more likely to +1 websites and eventually, web owners will get a more accurate audience description. 

Brilliant! Simply, brilliant!

Google +1

Back in December 5, 2010, the first rumors surfaced on the social aspect of Google that is to be incorporated in searches: Google +1. This new Google initiative is said to take over what was rumored to be called "Google Me".

Yet, unlike the rumors, Google +1 is not set to kill Facebook, it's only competing with social networks' "share" buttons, the digital version of word-of-mouth and an epic weapon for viral marketing. Google +1 will certainly shake the digital world, at least from a marketing perspective, social sharing has reached a new peak by being incorporated in searches.

I was happy to hear that Google +1 will not be directly affecting SEO (awesome), the only effect it might have would be an increased traffic to certain recommended sites which will indirectly affect the rankings (very fair).

Check this video, it was posted on Google's official Youtube channel... and if you would like to test this Google service first-hand, join the experiment, I did.

The New Google Algorithms - Google SEO

Google, our beloved Google, has announced on the 24th of February, 2011, that it was revolutionizing, once more, the way Google filtered its search results. The newest Google change is said to influence 11.8% of Google searches.  

Google is constantly working on its algorithm, but it is rarely that changes have such a noticeable consequence on Google's rankings. What's going on? 

Some of the websites most affected by this Google algorithm change are content-farms according to Sistrix's recent study... But the truth remains that Google did not voice any specific details on the latest changes, and all that can be found online at the moment are SEO experts speculations. 

What's important to note, for us here in Lebanon, is that the latest Google algorithm changes have only been applied to the US so far. A chance for us living in Lebanon... If you are using Firefox, you can now download the add on Google Global, and compare results with the US (my latest toy).

 Enjoy.

Google - Google Fun Tools

Google addicts - here's some interesting Google tools:

• Check out the keywords, before you use them on Google's External Keyword Tool
• Google Government Requests Tool, displays all the censorship requests received by Google, grouped by country with the percentage of queries Google responded to.
• Check out keyword search trends on Google through Google Trends and Google Search Insights.
• Use Google Goggles on your smart phone to search for a picture (taken by your camera) on Google.
• Find related links for your website, from your website in Google Labs' related links tool to improve your visitors experience on your website.
• Through Google's Follow Finder, find people to follow on Twitter.
• Finally, a useless but cute tool, Google Sets automatically continues a set of terms based on those you enter.

Google - Google Addicts

Google search might be part of most internet users' life, but Google's impact on mine is not limited to Google search. Google is an intrinsic part of my life, my online life that is. I am addicted to a few Google websites and a few more Google tools.

My daily chores:

Let's start with the basics. iGoogle is step 1 of my computer visits.

Then comes Google News, an awesome personalized collection of my daily news interests *total addiction*. 

Of course, I have to pass by my Blogspot, and just recently been checking Blogspot Stats in my Draft Dashboard. Ok, so the info is very minimal there.

So, Google Analytics is my next destination, irrevocably the traffic analytical tool I trust the most on the web (well, you have to make a decision, when the statistics differ from one tool to the other). There's also the Google Webmaster Tool, but my visits there are more of a weekly habit.

Not to forget Google Reader, my RSS reader of choice, oh, and I use Google's Feedburner.

I get a few daily e-mails from Google Alerts, amazing for brand management.

I do resort to Google images from time to time, and who doesn't use Google Translate, Google Map or Google Earth? You will also find me on Gmail, on Google Talk, on Google Adwords and Adsense... 

...And after all, aren't we all Google addicts?

Internet Privacy: Google and Facebook

While Google protects its users, Facebook might not be as concerned with their privacy.

After all the issues Google has had with governments, it finally fights back! April 20th, Google presents the Government Requests tool : displaying the amount of requests for data or content removal received from government agencies. The data shown were gathered between July and December 2009 and will be updated every 6 months.


What about Facebook? Well the news are not as reassuring. The Electronic Frontiere Foundation has recently posted information on how law enforcement agencies use social networking sites to gain access to data.. and Facebook seems very cooperative. Check this out: http://www.search-internetmarketing.com/2010/03/how-us-government-spies-use-facebook/

Evolution in Digital Marketing

It is funny how in order to determine the new trends in the market, you need to look at the teenagers... They tend to decide what's in and what's out.

There came a time, not long ago, when search engines (the likes of google and yahoo) were the search tools of choice. Back then, the new ways were being fought by traditional conventional thinkers. Information gathered from the internet was not a valid reference. Today, this mode seems to be more widely accepted.

Now even search engines are becoming outdated. When you tell a kid to look up information about a topic, the first thing he relies on is Youtube! ...It's catching on. Does it normally qualify as a competitor to Google? I suppose not. Was it intended to fill this place? Again, I guess not. However, what the user decides to do of a website is often out of the company's hands. This time, it's in their favor. There is inherent benefit in Youtube's offerings. Something they can seriously work on. Could it be the future of research, there, right in front of our eyes?

In order to effectively market a product today, companies should rely on several new forms of media. The digital marketing is no longer limited to banners and official websites (of which, by the way, one can seriously criticize the efficiency).

Today, marketeers should have four main considerations: blogs, facebook, wikipedia and youtube... and even those are bound to change in the near future.

The power is the consumers'.