Posted by Manuela Barreto @ June 24th, 2008 in Search Engine Optimization

Just recently Google Trends decided to go a bit beyond the usual keyword platform and instead has adapted it a bit more towards SEOs, webmasters and site owners by launching its new feature, the Google Trends for Websites. Its a useful tool that allows you to see how popular your favorite site is, by giving you the estimate number of visitors over time.

Google website trends is entirely free, however, in order to see the actual figures you must be logged in your account, otherwise it will only give you the time period without the number estimates.

The other good thing is that you can compare amongst sites. The tool allows you to choose up to 5 websites to compare and the system will give you the estimate of unique visitors to each site on graph charts by also showing you each site’s popularity according to region, as well as other similar searches made by users. View or click example below.

One last tip folks, and not surprisingly, Google is not willing to give out any stats regarding any of its own properties. So forget about looking up google, youtube, orkut, etc. Nice try, but no cigar.

Check out Matt Cutt’s blog for more details.

Posted by Manuela Barreto @ June 23rd, 2008 in Media News

This time its for real. No more pranks or April Fool’s jokes of the sort. Google is launching a space race open to enthusiasts worth $20million. The space race is known as Google Lunar X Prize; and its quest is for a privately funded team to develop its own robot, send the robot off into space, make it travel for 500mts. on the surface and send it back to Earth with pictures and videos.

Its impressive how much we have evolved since 1969 when Neil Armstrong was the first human being to set foot on the moon and launching a rocket into space was a major odyssey. Now people are doing all sorts of things with the whole ‘moon theme’. Virgin Galactic is one and now Google is experimenting with this new competition, one which must not have any governmental involvement whatsoever.

Google is giving absolutely anyone and everyone; scientists, students, engineers, businessmen, the opportunity to explore space and inspire new discoveries that could shift humankind. So far there’s 14 teams with different ideas and models of reaching the moon. It is entirely up to them to decide the best and most efficient strategy to hit the white powdery surface- what counts is that they come back safe and sound. Of course, finding the right sponsors to raise the millions needed for the mission also counts- big time.

The idea was a creation between X Prize Chairman, Peter Diamandis and Google’s Sergey Brin and Larry Page. X Prize is the foundation which was inspirational for this race; its a $10 million+ award given to the team which fulfills its goal encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship.

One curious fact, Celestis, a company which spreads cremated human remains into space, has recently agreed to partner up with two of the teams to work together into carrying human ashes to the moon, for those whose wishes are to rest in ‘absolute’ peace.

Posted by Manuela Barreto @ June 20th, 2008 in Mobile Marketing

As if being king of kings amongst all search engines wasn’t enough, Google is also scoring similar on mobile search.

Leaving its competitors shamefully behind, once again, Google was able to grasp 61% of the mobile search market as reported by Nielsen. Then, and I’m going to have to steal Mike Slocombe’s (from Digital Lifestyles) way of saying, Yahoo! ‘limped’ a couple miles behind reaching a mere 18%, followed by Microsoft’s pitiful 5%.

Reports state Google users conduct an average of 9 searches a month, compared to Yahoo! with only 6.7 searches. Coincidentally, results show a similar tendency to that discussed on my previous article about Google being the leader in online search. For both mobile and online users Google is clearly the #1 search provider. Reports also showed, as we are probably curious, that both Yahoo! and Google users generally look for basic and local information.

However, at this point, what all mobile providers are struggling for and in ’search’ of (except Google) is being top of the list. Google’s outstanding 71.5% dominance of the Web search market, already talks for itself, hence, it is obvious it will only go higher and maybe even outrun the mobile search market, this agreeing with Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s comment, “Mobile looks like it will ultimately be the highest of ad rates.”

Let’s wait and see.

Posted by Manuela Barreto @ June 19th, 2008 in Social Marketing

Its not all about the looks, is it? Clearly, for the professional (social) networking site, LinkedIn, looks are just added value, or maybe just plainly irrelevant. I specially like how Brad Stone from the nytimes.com plots it out as a site that ‘…could hardly look less exciting. Its pages are heavy with text, much of it a flat blue, and there are few photos and absolutely no videos.’ That’s basically how I would describe LinkedIn.

However, this said, its obvious that its sole purpose is that to provide a pool of professional contacts from over 150 diverse industries worldwide. In addition, its platform allows you to insert your personal and professional information along with accomplishments while at the same time being able to invite former colleagues or friends to join your trusted circle of contacts.

The reason why LinkedIn is now a protagonist regardless of its ugly looks, unlike Facebook and MySpace which are utterly colorful, user friendly and ‘fun’ interactive, the social media with over 23 million users, is about to attain a valuation of more than $1 billion. Just on behalf of Bain Capital Ventures, they received a cool $53 million. Its worth understanding that its function goes beyond sharing pictures with friends and leaving comments or poking people here and there. Its more about creating a rapport among interesting individuals all sharing the same professional outlooks and willing to share contact details in order to increase their personal repertoire of valuable sources. Its also serves as way to find potential talent, service providers and business opportunities to name a few.

More lobbying, less mingling.

According to BusinessWeek, the career oriented site logged 7.7 million unique viewers in May, a 146% increase from a year ago. Among sites of this genre, the only companies to have attained as high a valuation as LinkedIn are YouTube, purchased by Google for $1.65 billion in 2006, followed by Facebook, valued at $15 billion by a $240 million investment by Microsoft.

Keep it up.

Posted by Manuela Barreto @ June 18th, 2008 in Search Engine Marketing

I guess its safe to say competition is officially over between search engines. Google has literally ’stomped over’ as Search Engine Land says, all existing providers. The latest stats as Compete plots out, go something like this:

Google: 71.5%

Yahoo: 13.3%

Microsoft Live: 10.6%

Ask: 3.0%

AOL: 1.2%

Impressive. But we kinda already knew this. So one thing is the share of total searches and another is the actual number of searches that are being executed, and as shown in the graph below, once again, Google continues to crush the rest.

Although these results reflect only up to May, perhaps we should give search engines a chance to catch up, at least Microsoft, who’s working hard at gaining points with its Live Search Cashback, together with Microsoft Live Search Club. We’ll have to wait for the new statistics before we see how these portals have been impacting users- but what is clear is that users are loyal to Google.

On the other hand, efforts such as Google’s implementation of search boxes for sites right underneath their listings could definitely be a way to boost traffic.

Or maybe even the latest from Google, which is that of sympathizing with the gay community by adding a nice, bright rainbow divider between the organic search results and paid search results. Just type in ‘gay’ or ‘homosexual’ and you’ll get your rainbow. Hey! its one way to go about it! I think its pretty cool, plus, makes pages look quite colorful.

Posted by Riccardo Campaci @ June 17th, 2008 in Marketing Analysis

Last week, Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs showed off the new iPhone 3G, the long awaited successor of the first Apple mobile phone. It doesn’t matter if you love Apple’s style, or haven’t been sleeping for months just waiting for the new phone to be announced; or if you hate all those bunch of black silhouettes with white headset cables sticking out their ears.

Since it was first unleashed on June 29th 2007, the iPhone has revolutionized the mobile phone market, creating a new way to access online services. Despite some minor missing features, the real breakthrough of the iPhone was the relevance given to browsing; together with e-mail client; the browser being the foremost door of reaching Internet content. The iPhone has a full built-in browser, and now, thanks to the new 3G connectivity, the surfing experience will be faster and smoother than ever.

Obviously, this new online experience will provide a brand new way for advertisers to reach their potential customers. Regardless the immense number of phones sold everyday, up to now mobile advertising has struggled to take off, basically because mobile phones have not quite represented an actual medium to transmit promotional messages good enough to reach a wide audience efficiently. Unfortunately, the development of mobile advertising strategies have been dilatory up until today.

As suggested by Adage, from now on, no more delay: with the iPhone (and every iPhone-like device) things are going to be different.

Firstly, the new browsing experience is being widespread all over the smart-phone customers interested in having this new Internet experience right in the tip of their fingers.

This tendency is evidenced by the relevant number of web apps (online applications downloaded from a browser but more similar to a native application rather than a classical web page), already developed for iPhone. The official page counts over 1700 web apps for the Apple device.

These applications could be used to host an advertising platform indirectly, or just promotional messages, advertisers could potentially use as “online showcases” to display its offered products.

Secondly, we do need to remember that Apple has opened another door, a door that leads straight to the iPhone core. With just a few simple steps, everyone can join the iPhone “road map”, get the software development kit and compile their own iPhone application; not just a web app, but a native software. Consequentially, advertisers could begin to evaluate opportunities to develop native applications made for both promotional and functional purposes.

Let’s think about - for example - a hotel brand, like Accor or Best Western: could both be great ideas to develop ideal hotel-maps that take advantage of GPS technology (embedded in the last iPhone 3G and in other devices), for showing the geographical distance between your current position and the nearest hotel while you’re on-the-go.

The decisive point here is that in order to plunge into the mobile advertising market, advertisers should not limit themselves by just trying to catch an existing ad space; they have to create that space, by trying to satisfy user demands by offering something useful, that’s readily available on the mobile, thus reaching their promotional goals.

Posted by Manuela Barreto @ June 13th, 2008 in Media News

It ain’t over ‘til the fat lady sings. What do we know about Microsoft and Yahoo!. The latest is that supposedly, they’ve called it quits.

Yahoo! issued a communication declaring that all intentions and possible transactions regarding what could have been a partial or ‘all out’ merge with Microsoft, have come to an end. ‘With respect to an acquisition of Yahoo!’s search business alone that Microsoft had proposed, Yahoo!’s Board of Directors has determined, after careful evaluation, that such a transaction would not be consistent with the company’s view of the converging search and display marketplaces, would leave the company without an independent search business that it views as critical to its strategic future and would not be in the best interests of Yahoo! stockholders.’

I guess this time it is for real, and it’s not a way to profit and/or gain play time since Yahoo!’s stocks have fallen dramatically, 13%, after ending talks with Microsoft. Yahoo! declared it intends to preserve its search business nature and not link it to the tech mogul, for it would defeat its purpose and would trigger Yahoo!’s future strategic growth, as well as, clash with stockholder interests.

However, this whole merging revolt did raise a new ‘possible’ deal between Yahoo! and Google, which we know came about after the test run of the Google ad system, that occurred earlier in the season; which in the end resulted very positive for both companies.

Now they’ve partnered up for search technology where Google will serve as a full-time AdSense advertiser for Yahoo!’s search pages and all other services.

Note: Yahoo! is not giving in to Google, it will continue its search functionality and remain king of its castle. Scott Fulton from BetaNews gives us all the juice on his post, ‘Google, Yahoo make the deal: AdSense on Yahoo Search.’ Basically, the way it works is, advertisers pay Yahoo! for clicks on search results within the Yahoo! network, while advertisers whose results on Google appear on the Yahoo! owned network, will have to pay Google directly.

Posted by Manuela Barreto @ June 12th, 2008 in Mobile Marketing

Talk about desperately wanting to secure all possible URL matches, misspelled or not, for the new generation iPhone.

To be honest, I really don’t know whether to laugh or cry when it comes to Vodafone’s triple hit or miss set of links.

You’d think people would know how to spell iPhone by now, (I guess not in Italy) given that its one of Apple’s most popular products. Wait! what am I saying, ALL of Apple’s products are popular (and cool), but the iPhone, as Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO declares, and I will have to agree, is “the phone that has changed phones forever”.

So let’s take a look at what Vodafone’s links look like for our 3G iPhone:

URL #1 : http://ifone.vodafone.it

URL #2: http://ifon.vodafone.it

URL #3: http://iphon.vodafone.it

and of course, the one and only http://iphone.vodafone.it

But then again, why wouldn’t they do that when its pretty clear the new, revamped iPhone will actually generate them massive site traffic, hence boost Vodafone’s sales. And for only $200, the iPhone is now within reach of a much wider consumer market and practically serves as a magnet to pull customers from other mobile phone operators like TIM or Wind, which I’m sure haven’t pulled the same ‘link trick’…yet.

To know more about the ‘really big thing about the new iPhone’, Stan Schroeder plots it out quite nicely for you on his article.

Posted by Riccardo Campaci @ June 11th, 2008 in New Media Tips

Every time we talk about business, we use words like “effectiveness”, “potential”, “conversions”, “redemption”, “ROI”, eCPM and so on. Maybe sometimes we forget to talk about an aspect strictly related to our business, regardless of its nature. I’m referring to relationships; as suggested by Ben Wills on Marketing Pilgrim, business in not only ABOUT relationships, but - in many cases - business IS the relationship.

This blogger is focusing his thoughts on Social Media environment, but, if we cannot always say that business IS the relationship, we could definitely state that most of the time business has something to do with relationships. Someone could argue that, in some cases, we do not need to “relate ourselves” to another person. Let’s take Google AdWords for instance: AdWords works by itself. We set and run a campaign, and Google does the rest for us. Why would we need to start a relation with someone when we have the AdWords control panel? In the Internet advertising market, a player could come to think that everything can be done automatically, through just the control panel and the “enter” button.

But PPC Hero give us an advice that we must not forget: after going through some issue on his AdWords campaigns, John was poorly assisted by Google’s “customer care desk”. We all know that Google still has the best SEM platform (maybe because it is actually the best one or just because it is linked to the most used search engine), but when we are left alone, without help, in front of an aseptic control panel, we could start to think twice about our relationship (and our business) with any service provider, even by the name of Google.

The more we want our business (any kind) to keep growing stronger, the more we need to build a stronger connection , and focus our attention not only on the business objective, but also on the business rapport.

Posted by Manuela Barreto @ June 10th, 2008 in Media News

We know Google has clearly established if not the most powerful and recognized brand in the history of online marketing. At least if anyone were to mention the word internet to me, the first thing that pops in my mind is Google, and I’m sure I’m not the only one out there (except some really old or vintage individuals who haven’t transgressed into the modern world yet).

I’m going to have to agree with John Battelle, ‘Google is the most impressive and important development in the history of marketing since the invention of television.’

Funny thing, they’ve grown to be what they are, where they are and secured a spot in people’s minds without much marketing. Its what’s particularly impressive. And you’d continue to think Google does not need to market itself in order to get more business. And why would they, if they’ve done such a great job up to now.

Truth is, the search colossus has not been fully blindfolded by the whole internet euphoria, instead its managed to deposit some faith on old school advertising, like Outdoor ads, to continue boosting its brand. This really caught my attention.

The moral of the story is, if Google feels the need to advertise, so should everyone else in this world!

Then, as I kept browsing the net, I found another article, on TechCrunch, which reinforced Google’s reasons to advertise at all. And it makes perfect sense that Google would want to spend 250k/month on approx. 5,000 outdoor ads in order to gain search market in Russia, until eventually defeating the all-timer local champion Yandex, as displayed in this comScore report. As a result, Google needs a push when it comes to established and close-knit markets such as Russia’s, where users are pretty much settled with their local search provider and don’t need or are oblivious to the fact there’s something else available.

And to wrap up, I just wanted to comment this is not the only step Google has been taking in order to leverage its business. The latest idea to monetize YouTube, as AdvertisingAge explains, is to let content creators sell ads. Why? Because being the largest video site doesn’t necessarily equal $$$. So by allowing content producers to sell advertising on their YouTube channels, the revenue is split between the creator and YouTube.