Newspapers plus Google equals Jealousy

Sometimes I'm a little annoyed by what I read and other times I just put my head into my hands and sigh quietly. Today I had one of the latter moments.

Newspapers in that bastion of political sophistication that is Italy have decide to sue Google.

Why?

"Because Google does not disclose the criteria for ranking news articles or search results."

(Read the original article in the New York Times if you too want to cup your face into your palms and mutter under your breath as well)

Yes, that's right, the Italian Federation of Newspaper Publishers want to know the exact details of the Google algorythm so it can change its website so that it gets more value from its content.

Note: Forgive me for asking, but isn't this what SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) companies do for a living without knowing the exact specification of the worlds biggest search engine? If I ran a company that did SEO consultancy in Italy right now (rather than just in the UK) I would be watching this case with some concern.

However, I'm sure Google will fight (or possibly just ignore) this action and the Italian authorities will throw this out, possibly on the grounds of the comment made by Danny Sullivan at Search Engine Land:

Finally, no newspaper editor of any quality would allow an external interest to walk into their newsroom and demand to know exactly how to guarantee a front page article about whatever they want. But that’s what the Italian papers seem to desire.

two ears, one mouth

Today in an online marketing forum, I answered a question about why company marketers are afraid of new methodologies such as measuring online conversations in social media.

My response was focused around the change of mindset that marketers need to have. There is a considerable difference from the traditional method of pushing your message (e.g. using television, radio, direct marketing, etc) and engaging with a target audience, not something that marketing departments have been used to.

Companies are now required to listen, understand and respond with relevance to what is being said online and responding inappropriately can create further issues.

I signed off with the suggestion:

perhaps the phrase "you have two ears and one mouth, use them in those proportions" needs to be adopted by online marketing now?

Socialnomics

Ignoring the Fatboy Slim soundtrack, this is a good summary of the current figures and impact of Social Media

How much Google WILL know about you

The other week I posted about Google and what it now knows about. At the end of this posting I signed off with the comment "What's next?".

Little did I know that Google, as well as knowing what you've done, it now has a pretty good idea what you're going to do. Yes, that's right, using its extensive index of what it knows already, Google can have a pretty good guess at what's going to be searched for.

So how does this help the company online marketer? Well, by predicting search trends, it gives you a pretty good idea what budget to set aside for paid search terms on errr.... Google Pay per Click.

Dammit, I should have seen it coming!

Palm Pre to challenge iPhone

No, I know I usually blog about corporate comms, newspapers and ecommerce strategy, but I couldn't let the launch of the Palm Pre go by without mentioning it.
"What do you mean by 'imminent'?" I hear you ask.

Ok, O2 in the UK are planning on a December launch of the 'iPhone challenger' but its already available across the Atlantic Pond and over here O2 are already turning on the buzz machine with this video:



So what does this video do?

Well, it provides what the UK version of Palm's website doesn't... it provides we with enough UK-specific information to still want one! We know its been out in the USA for over 2 months and some of us over here think its could be the answer (the question being "why doesn't my iPhone work when I wear gloves?")

Sure, you can browse along to http://www.facebook.com/palm (which is just a re-hash of their US-centric blog) but come on Palm... if the Pre is to be any good, you've got to get the market primed & ready for the anticipated Xmas launch... and that means starting very very soon doesn't it? Of else i'll have to face another winter without gloves........

Tweeting in the name of the law

Its not just companies that can benefit from the use of social media, other organisations and bodies can participate in the conversation. Take for example this list of UK charities on Twitter compiled by eConsultancy, from Amnesty International to http://twitter.com/unicef_uk.

Now even the Public Order department of the London Metropolitan Police has got in on the Twitter act: http://twitter.com/CO11MetPolice
There are no further tweets from this unit at New Scotland Yard* than their intial one yesterday, but lets see what they say.

*(who I may have had some positive dealings with in the past)

How much Google knows about you

In a lot of ways you've got to admire Google. They're a clever bunch of people who delivered a simple search engine that took pay per click advertising to the next level.

But they're so much more than just a search engine now, they are a personalised portal, an application provider, a map & street guide and so much more.

Just think...

• It knows what you look for (Google [personalised] search)
• It knows who you are (Google Profiles)
• It knows what you write (Google docs)
• It knows what you buy (Google Checkout)
• It now knows where you are (with Google Latitude if you have an Android mobile phone)

What's next?