Today we see what Google has been working on with Real Time Search. Integrating search results from Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and other news feeds, Google search results show a small scrolling bar of results. The importance that Google attributes to the real time results determines how high the scrolling real time results display.
Google also introduced Google Goggles for Android phones. In it’s infancy, Goggles will make your head spin with the possibilities for the future of Visual Search.
Google has identified over 100 000 businesses in the U.S. as “Favorite Places” based on user reviews on Google Maps and they have rewarded them with QR Stickers – Window Decals like the one below.
When snapped with a smartphone camera the two dimensional bar code hyperlinks to the business Google Listing which shows the user reviews and Google Map listing for the business. (Learn more about What is a QR Code and Why you should know)
In related news, starting today on Google’s local site for handheld users, Google provides top-level search categories like restaurants, shopping, gas, lodging, etc. on the front page. Click that button and you’ll see the closest-by search results ranked by user rating.
New Business Interest for Google
Encouraging guest reviews is vital to any business success and although Google Maps reviews have been around for quite a while, the new sticker campaign is a not-so-subtle brand builder for Google Maps revealing yet another business interest – Google business reviews. For businesses, Google uses the sticker campaign to ask: “Want to become a Favorite Place on Google?“, reminding business folk to ensure that their listing on Google Maps (aka Google Local) is accurate in the Google Local Business Centre. Never mind that you’ll be increasing the accuracy and value of Google Maps database in the process.
Guest Reviews Matter
If I were TripAdvisor (fresh with a new restaurant review iPhone app) or Yelp whose iPhone app which beckons reviews on all kinds of businesses, I’d be more than a bit concerned about these stickers. Each has worked hard at building recognition for their own brands as the de facto standard in ranking businesses. Of course Google has been in the business of ranking all kinds of businesses online for much longer (search engine rankings) and have established considerable consumer trust. Expect the sticker campaign to raise the importance of Google Maps reviews in the eyes of many.
Brand Building by Association
Association with a well respected brand is an excellent marketing strategy. Businesses that link to their TripAdvisor reviews, or have an app in the Apple iTunes store know this well. For the “Favorite Business of Google” sticker recipients, just having the sticker on the window is likely to encourage even non-smartphone users to form a favorable opinion of the business. After all, folks may know about TripAdvisor or Yelp, but most everyone has a generally favourable opinion of the Google brand.
Google Friend Connect adds some social sauce with new Gadgets but there are better options to serve the needs of your ideal guests. This post addresses a few of the new gadgets and better alternatives.
Friend Connect Widget
Google Friend Connect is featured in the side bar on this blog. Until now, Friend Connect Widget [...]
Get Greater impact from Twitter on your Website Search Ranking:
Perhaps the biggest benefit of the recently announced Google / Twitter deal is that Google can now see all those links that are tweeted.
Links have always been the secret sauce for getting your Website to rise above others to the first page – or even the [...]
Time to review a little Search Engine Optimization, now that Google Shows Twitter Tweets in Search Results:
Twitter Status in Search Results
Just googled “Twitter Lists Embed” and to my surprise found Pete Cashmore’s Twitter Status in the search results. It looks just like all the other search results and shows up high in the list [...]
Twitter Lists = People Tags
This week Twitter Lists spread across the Web and early adopters have created lists of the people on Twitter that matter most to them.
It’s very early in the people tagging game with Twitter Lists. But, link this new tool with last weeks news of partnership deals between Google, Bing and [...]
“Everything is related to everything else, but near things are more related than distant things.”
The First Law of Geography according to Waldo Tobler is also a key component in Googles algorithm to determine search ranking. Google looks at how closely search phrases are spaced in the search box, and on the page, as [...]
At Web 2.o Summit Marissa Mayer, (Google CEO) opened her short presentation with a curious statement:
Listen for yourself…. (it’s only 15 seconds)
After announcing Googles partnership with Twitter, Mayer said,
“We will be featuring their tweets in our search results, as well as building a real time search ummmmm . . . ” Then she changed the [...]
Microsoft search engine Bing inked a deal with Twitter that includes tweets in search results. Microsoft announced the deal onstage at the Web 2.0 Summit today. The non-exclusive deal made it easy for Google to piggyback on the Bing announcement with their own announcement of a commitment to feature Tweets in search results.
Significance [...]
To say I’m excited about Facebook Fan pages would be the understatement of the year. Ever since Google extended social networking to your Web page with Google Profiles and Google Connect I’ve been waiting for Facebook’s response.
Finally, Facebook goes beyond the Walls
It’s taken a while, but by using Facebook Fan Boxes (Embeddable Facebook Pages), [...]
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