Google Insights for Search Shows Trends Over Time
Google just released Insights for Search, a new service that lets you enter one or more keywords and compare their popularity and use over time. Search results include geographical information, related news articles, related searches and rising searches.
The service bears a strong resemblance to Google Trends, with some added features such as the ability to distinguish from similar phrases that mean different things, and added a heatmap showing where concentrations of searches came from.
Google Talk Now Available for iPhone/iPod Touch
Google has released a version of Google Talk optimized for the iPhone/iPod Touch. The new web application will only run in the currently active window, however, and you will not be able to receive messages if you navigate to another window or close the Safari application.
With the release of iPhone/iPod Touch 2.0 software this coming week, I wonder why Google has chosen to spend the time and effort to create a web application instead of a downloadeable native Google Talk application for the iPhone.
There will most certainly be other third-party applications that will allow you to instant message through all your IM accounts (some already available if your iPhone is jailbroken).
Google Shuts Down Cross-Channel Conversion Tracking in Adwords
Google sent an email to Adwords users today notifying them that cross-channel conversion tracking in Adwords will be discontinued on August 25, 2008 and all conversion data and reports will be deleted. See full email below:
Dear AdWords Advertiser,
We regret to inform you that we will no longer be providing cross-channel tracking in your AdWords account beginning August 25, 2008. As of that date, the feature and its related data will be removed from all accounts. If you’d like to keep a copy of your cross-channel conversion data, please make a record of it for yourself before the removal. AdWords conversion tracking will not be affected by this change.
As an alternative to cross-channel tracking, we encourage you to use the free Google Analytics service to track all your online marketing efforts. Analytics offers the same functionality as cross-channel tracking, plus much more. It shows you how people find and explore your site, which keywords are really working, which ad text is the most effective, and where your visitors are dropping off during the conversion process. To get started using Analytics, visit http://www.google.com/analytics/features.html.
If you already have an Analytics account and would like to track your non-AdWords online advertising campaigns, you’ll need to tag your destination URLs with special variables. Visit http://www.google.com/support/googleanalytics/bin/answer.py?answer=55518 for instructions.
Once cross-channel tracking has been retired, we recommend that you remove the cross-channel tracking code from your site.
We apologize for any inconvenience this change may cause you. If you need further help transitioning from cross-channel tracking, please contact us at http://adwords.google.com/support/bin/request.py?ctx=cuffhelp.
Sincerely,
The Google AdWords Team
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Email preferences: You have received this mandatory email service announcement to update you about the retirement of an AdWords feature.
Google Inc.
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043
Google Redesigns Search Results for Blackberry
Google has redesigned the search results for Blackberry devices, vastly improving usability, speed and overall design.
Take a look at the video to see the new design:
Google Mobile Community Added to Groups
I’m very excited that Google has added a Google Mobile Community to Google Groups. The group will serve as a place to get help from other members about using Google Mobile products, such as search, Gmail, calendar, and more. Google now has many of its services available for many types of mobile phones.
Google to Provide Search Technology to Yahoo! Grows Closer to Search Monopoly
Google announced a partnership with Yahoo! that would give Yahoo! properties access to Google Adsense ads. Yahoo! will still have its Yahoo! Search Marketing ad system and the agreement is non-exclusive, so Yahoo! can potentially integrate other ad networks as well.
Still, the agreement between the two largest search properties on the Internet has some worried about monopolistic practices. Many would have rather seen Yahoo! strike a deal with Microsoft than Google.
Google responded in its press release by stating:
- This is not a merger. Rather, we are merely providing access to our advertising technology to Yahoo! through our AdSense program.
- This does not remove a competitor from the playing field. Yahoo! will remain in the business of search and content advertising, which gives the company a continued incentive to keep improving and innovating. Even during this agreement, Yahoo! can use our technology as much or as little as it chooses.
- This does not prevent Yahoo! from making similar arrangements with others. This arrangement is not exclusive, meaning that Yahoo! could enter into similar arrangements with other companies.
- This does not increase Google’s share of search traffic. Yahoo! will continue to run its own search engine and advertising programs, and the agreement will not increase Google’s share of search traffic.
- This does not let Google raise prices for advertisers. Google does not set the prices manually for ads; rather, advertisers themselves determine prices through an ongoing competitive auction. We have found over years of research that an auction is by far the most efficient way to price search advertising and have no intention of changing that.
Only time will tell if this helps Google get one step closer to a true Monopoly.
Real Time NASDAQ Quotes on Google Finance
Real time stock quotes from the NASDAQ index are now available from Google Finance. The service works on Google.com, Google Finance, Google Mobile and Personalized Google.
Google announced in January that it was working on real time quotes, and just announced today that it was complete.
Google Sites Now Available to Everyone
Google Sites, once available only to users of Google Apps, is now open to the public. Google Sites is a collaboration tool for sharing information with a group such as a club, company, organization or team.
Google Sites lets you create a website with several different types of content:
- Web page
- Dashboard
- Announcements
- File cabinet
- List
The interface is very easy to use, and makes it extremely easy to create a public or private website customized for your particular project or company. If you’ve been looking for a low-cost (i.e. free) solution to compete with Backpack or Basecamp, give Google Sites a try.
Google to Offer Free Software to Manage Ad Networks
On the heels of closing it’s acquisition of DoubleClick, Google is privately beta testing Google Ad Manager, a free web-based software to help publishers manage their inventory of paid ads. The new software was developed solely by Google, and will allow publishers to rotate Google Adsense ads in addition to ads from other ad networks. It does not require the user to use Google Adsense.
According to Google, the new software features:
- Inventory management
- Yield optimization
- Ad targeting
- Trafficking, ad delivery, and order booking
- Creatives and rich media management
- Reporting
- User interface navigation
- Account administration
The software is in private beta with select publishers, but you can sign up for the beta and receive product notifications and announcements.
Microsoft to Acquire Yahoo! - Google Stock Plummets
On news that Microsoft was trying to acquire Yahoo! for $44.6 billion, Google’s stock plummeted and closed down 48.40 points (-8.58%). Microsoft’s bid to take a larger slice of the search and online advertising market had a strong impact on Google’s stock as investors grew weary of a combined Microsoft/Yahoo!.
The combined company would still not come close to matching Google Search’s global market share. According to Hitslink, Google’s total marketshare is 77.11%. A combined Microsoft and Yahoo! would only total 15.66%.