Category: Online Marketing

Google believes in experimenting and here is another example. I do not know why it is not happening on other computers (or why is it happening only on my computer for .co.in). When something is happening only to you then you are suppose to share it with others. So here is the snapshot of the new SERP look (click on the image to enlarge it).

My first 30 sec analysis on the change.

• My eyes were trained to look at Google’s content (or Search results). Now with this change I had to see the left menu first and then the content.
• It looked as if Google is other sections like books,new,images or groups. May be an introduction phase. It can be good for relatively new surfers but for regular surfers it is a distraction.
• Overall I am not liking it. Btw does that matter for Google?

Where you able to see the new look?

As I mentioned at various forums (1,2,3) that phase 2 of blogging is about integration with established services for promotion. In web 2.0, distribution of content is a must and phase 2 of blogging is all about distribution and promotion. This tuesday I devoted some time to understand technorati (I will be writing about how technorati tags work) and feedburner. I did not spend enough time exploring feedburner but just created a feed (http://feeds.feedburner.com/ajinimcblog).

Today I decided to give a look at the statistics and it was great to know see that 24 people have subscribed in one day. The stat is only available for 5th Dec as we started on 5th Dec.

Here is the distribution of the feed readers.

Feedburner is a great platform to share your blog content with blog readers. I do not have any option to contact the subscribers and thank them for their appreciation. I am thankful to everyone for such an appreciation which helps me motivate myself. I will try to blog regularly :).

Some tips for feedburner users
Replace all the feed links with feedburner feed links. Keep things simple. I have converted all my feeds to feedburner feeds.

This is a guest post done by my friend. He sent me this screenshot of his gmail account with google ads.

I thought Google is very strict with adult websites but here we see an example of bad description for google ads which uses hinglish words to trick Google. Search for the word in google and you will get to know the meaning. May be some advertisers are using hinglish to trick google. May be the word means something else somewhere but it appeared to an Indian and he was shocked. May be Google needs to give it a check to ensure that they are not tricked.

Microsoft might have launched MsDewey.com powered Live.com. Can the search hostess MS Dewey bring lady luck for MSN search. I have serious doubts. But there are no doubts that Google is ruling the Internet search industry and with the coop attempt (which also includes an adsense revenue sharing mode for CSE) Google is growing stronger and stronger.

(You can choose Yahoo and MSN from the above pic but Google is obvious)

There are various explanation for Google’s success like

• They have better architects and they are on drive to hire more using the money muscles. (1, 2, 3, …). Does that mean if Mr Bill Gates (oops Mr Balmer now) hires better architects they can beat big G.
• Google’s interface and overall theme is simpler. Does that mean if Yahoo makes a clean page they will win?
• Competing with Google’s search engine is no longer about search results quality, it is about brand and distribution.
• Plenty more arguments in similar lines.

Here is the reason why Yahoo and MSN can’t beat Google in near future, THE DATA.
Once Peter Norvig said, “Worry about the data first before you worry about the algorithm”. I am sure this is more relevant for Data mining but I think it hold very true for Google’s success. It has collected immense data which can be used for better search experience (They may use Behavioral targeting soon if not already). Google can collect data using toolbars,analytics,adsense,cookies and with almost every G product. Some links about Google’s data collection:-

• Google Data Collection Embeded in Firefox 2
• Why does Google trap user data?
• Where Does Google Draw the Data Collection Line?
• Google Watch – Facts or Myths, you decide.

For SEOs look at the result for “auto loan” and this is result of data muscles powered by some algorith. Google knows the browsing habits of Indian surfer (The data is available to them). How will yahoo or MSN beat this SERP?

# Google.com listing
1. http://www.bankrate.com/brm/rate/auto_home.asp
2. http://www.bankrate.com
3. http://www.eloan.com/
4. http://www.autoloanlocator.com/
5. http://www.autoloans.com/
6. http://www.banksite.com/calcs/autocalc.html
7. http://www.lendingtree.com/
8. https://eloan.com/s/show/auto?context
9. http://www.carloan.com/
10. http://www.capitaloneautofinance.com/

# Google.co.in listing
1. http://www.hdfcbank.com/personal/loans/new_car.htm
2. http://www.myiris.com/loans/auto/tipsAuto.php
3. http://www.myiris.com/loans/article/autoArt.php?autoartno=3
4. http://www.icicibank.com/Pfsuser/loans/carloans/alhomepage.htm
5. http://www.autoloanlocator.com/
6. http://www.sify.com/finance/loans/
7. http://www.cars.com/go/advice/financing/calc/loanCalc.jsp
8. http://www.surfindia.com/finance/auto-loans.html
9. http://www.economictimes.indiatimes.com/articlelist/754990.cms
10. http://www.theautofinder.com/

Here is another post to my orkut series before I go to sleep. I am sure I am going to have bad dreams as I just saw few more Matt Cutts videos where he was speaking about supplement results and usual 301 redirection stuffs. To avoid bad dreams I am going to read first few chapters of Esther (Bible) before I go to sleep. Just joking. I just read that Orkut doesn’t require invitation.

Google’s social network, Orkut, doesn’t need an invitation anymore. You can sign in using your Google Account.

The invitation was one of the reasons behind Orkut’s failure to compete with MySpace. Now that Facebook is also public, the competition will start to become interesting.

from googlesystem.blogspot.com

The reason of failure caught my attention, the invitation. Almost 60% of the users are from Brazil and I think India comes third (I am missing the Orkut link which showed me the exact stats). I think it is a typical case of “cultural marketing”. In India and Brazil people are very much connected with each other and want to do so, Orkut just made it simpler. Invitation was never a problem in India. Is invitation the reason for orkut’s failure then is Gmail a success in US? I think its the culture and the broken complexity that mattered. In India many who found Internet complex found Orkut comparatively very simple.

Recently when we had our choir practice at our house many asked me to send them an Orkut request and I did that that very moment. Does some culture find the invitation stuff a little difficult? I think I have something new to study tomorrow (Sad that I only know about Indian culture, I never been to any other country but have met many evangelists and missionaries from various countries. I think web forums will make it happen).

http://www.orkut.com/JoinCreate.aspx, this is where you can create a new account for orkut.

Do you think invitation can be a reason behind Orkut’s failure in some part of the world? Did you find invitation a barrier?

I wrote about “Is Orkut’s Memetic strength a misinterpretation?“. Now finally Orkut has accepted it as a part of its service. In short,

• Orkut developed a feature for use A (for adding tidbits of information to your profile).
• Market misinterpreted it and used it for B (for chatting).
• use B became its strength.
• I blogged about it and many people read about it :).
• Now use B is accepted as a part of Orkut. It remains no more a misinterpretation.
• Lesson learned – The dumbest customer is smarter than your smartest developer, let them define it. (Also read “Marketers should be dumber than customer” and “Why programmers are Lazy and Dumb” ) 

Now this reply button which is recently added explains the acceptance of use B. Also it tells you that initially Orkut scrapbook was not made for chatting.

Is this a good move?
In my honest opinion (IMHO) this (adding the reply button) is a bad move. Why so? As it will stop people (few if not many) from visiting other’s scrapbook, which will dilute it’s memetic strength. When I visit others scrapbook to add a scrap I can generally notice,

• a new common friend who is not added to my list scrapping there.
• Some of my friends changing their avatars and people discussing about it.
• Some other tidbits.

All the above bulleted points kept Orkut live and viral. IMO Orkut should remove it, I used to get dozens of scraps by changing avatars and people used to find me from other’s scrapbook.

I hate to explain people what SEO means as in my opinion SEO is waste of time unless you know what’s next. Reading what is there in public and then applying it is a big risk. I always said (and will continue to say) that best SEO is no SEO.

Hedir has impressed me with its latest Friday 13th releases. Before I get into my offer to Hedir members, let me tell you that Hedir is challenging and threatening digg.com, reddit and similar sites as it has multiple diggs and multiple reddits now. I loved to shill for Hedir and will continue to do so till the world accept it as the best directory.

Do read http://www.hedir.com/cafe/13-thefriday.html, I always knew that Hedir is born of character not of personality, they knew what they were doing. Great work.

Going back to my special SEO section for Hedir. I may (no guarantee but) offer some real secrets for hedir members. I am no expert else I would have been hired by yahoo to make yahoo #1 for keyphrase “search engine” in yahoo :). There are no experts in SEO field only good observants, I am happy to be one but do not want to force you to believe it. Here are some advices you may want to adopt.

Exclusive Hedir Advice : Do not check yahoo backlinks when you are logged in to yahoo account, same for Google. Also do not check backlinks regularly. Do SEO activities and then restart your dialup connection to get a new IP. Uninstall all the toolbars. Clear cookies after every SEO activities. I generally do not offer such depths. This is only for Hedir members.

Complete discussion available at http://www.hedir.com/marketing/about17278.html#47251 and ask questions