Archives for the month of: December, 2007
Newer Entries »

Google’s Grassy Knol

December 17, 2007 //
1

It was announced last week on the official google blog that Google are currently testing out their latest project Google Knol which is a wiki based information source populated by knowledgeable contributed and edited by the users.  This is obviously a direct competition to Wikipedia and is based on the same principles and ideas. 

Apparently the challenge posed by Larry, Sergey and Eric was to find a way to help people share their knowledge, and this was their solution.  At the moment the tool is only open to a select group of invited individuals and the tool is in its first stage of development and testing but with the speed at which Google tend to do things I cant see it being long before its launched to the public.  According to the article goal is for Knols to cover all topics and to highlight and credit authors, something which is rarely done online. 

Much like on Wikipedia users will be able to submit edits, questions, comments, additional content etc etc but they can also include Adsense ads in relation to their article and earn a percentage of the revenue earned through these ads.  This is where Knol might steel a march on Wikipedia as Wiki users participate for free and have no option to earn money.  It is a nice touch from Google as they are appearing to be giving back to the contributors when in reality they are obviously taking the Lion’s share of the profits for themselves.

One question that does need to be asked is what does this mean for Wikipedia, and in particular their search rankings?  They do very well in the natural results and Google have often been criticised for ranking the site so well.  Could it be that we will start to see the demise of Wiki’s search rankings once Knol is introduced, now that would be convenient!  However Google might not even need to do this as they say in their article “A Knol on a particular topic is meant to be the first thing someone who searches for this topic for the first time will want to read.” Which suggests to me that the Knol’s may become a part of the Universal Search page and appear above all the natural results anyway.  Could the end be nigh for Wikipedia?

Tags: , , , ,

Tags , , , , ,
Categories Google, Search Engine Optimisation

Marks sets outs stall for Facebook

December 17, 2007 //
0

In last weeks media week Microsofts’s UK head of marketing, Alex Marks, discussed microsofts marketing strategy and attempted to justify the money they had pumped into Facebook.  Denying it was a simple land grab and a chance to hold of a Yahoo or Google purchase Mark’s validated the purchase by speaking about how Facebook satisfies a basic human need to communicate and engage with fellow human beings.  He also goes on to say how internet behaviour is becomingly increasingly commnuity based seemingly suggesting that the future of the internet lay in propoerties such as Facebook.  Apparently we are no longer talking about social networking sites but social utility sites much more than quirky communication tool and are becoming a tool for managin offline relathionships online.  With the sum totoal of its wares so far the exclusivitiy of banner advertising on Facebook Microsoft has a long way to go before they convince anybody that they got a bargain for their £118M stake.

Tags: , ,

Tags , , ,
Categories Social Networking

Facebook remove the is

December 14, 2007 //
0

Its finally happened after a long period of speculation. Facebook have removed the “is” from the status option. I speculated a while ago about what they may replace it with and I have to say I’m disappointed they went for the easy option and just removed it all together. I would have liked to have seen some imagination used into what it could be replaced with they have gone for the safe option and simply removed it.

facebook changes status options

Tags , , , , ,
Categories Social Networking

Gambling Fools

December 6, 2007 //
0

I used to think gambling companies were pretty intelligent when it came to online advertising. I have dealt with a few of them and due to the size of the online market in their industry, and prioir to a few months ago, the restrictions which prohibited them from using many of the traditional forms of media, they are usually pretty clued up. Many have large in house teams to deal with their online activity as it is a key to their business and over the past few years more and more gamblers are turning to the internet to feed their addiction 24 hours a day and away from the environment of the traditional bookmakers.

A couple of searches today however have made me think otherwise. The biggest sporting event this weekend, and the most eagerly awaited boxing contest of the last 12 months, takes place this weekend in las vegas when Ricky “the hitman” hatton goes toe to toe with floyd mayweather for the title of best pound for pound fighter in the world. This event is a bookmakers dream, all the hype, all the build up and unlimited interest. But yet when I search on phrases related to the fight and specifically betting on it the big players are conspicuous by their absence searches on “hatton odds”, “mayweather odds” and “hatton mayweather odds” produce just 4 results in total. In the past when I have been involved in gambling campaigns attention to detail and the major sporting events have been key to their success but it appears that they are missing a trick at the moment. I know boxing isnt one of their major sports for account driving but surely this weekend would be a time to make hay?hatton vz mayweather
Have a Free £25 bet on totesport

extrabet

Play Rummy For Money
Play Free Online Gin Rummy and Kalooki with Friends

Back or Lay at Betfair.com. Click Here!

Tags , , , , , , ,
Categories PPC

To “is” or not to “is”

December 5, 2007 //
0

It was reported on the social networking weblog today that Facebook is finally bowing to user pressure and using the “is” from the Facebook status function.

I have been wondering how long this would take to occur since the massively popular pressure group was set up within Facebook’s own network campaigning for it to be removed.  It has not happened yet and there is no indication of when it will happen but it will be interesting to see what it will be replaced with.

An obvious option would be to remove the verb all together and allow the user to write whatever they want after their name.  But another option could be to have a drop down list of verbs to choose from when setting your status so that there is one for every occasion.  This way the Facebook traditionalists (if there are any!) can continue to use the “is” yet those wanting more flexibility should be able to construct whatevere status they wish.

Tags: ,

Tags , , , ,
Categories Social Networking
Newer Entries »