Month: June 2008

Flash Is Searchable

This is a Big Deal. Now, I want to know: how will Flash files be ranked? Any ideas? Adobe is a major competitor to Microsoft in this front. How will Microsoft make Silverlight searchable? And will Google index all both equally? (My take: Oh yes it will. If it…

This is a Big Deal. Now, I want to know: how will Flash files be ranked? Any ideas? Adobe is a major competitor to Microsoft in this front. How will Microsoft make Silverlight searchable? And will Google index all both equally? (My take: Oh yes it will. If it does not, that spells trouble in any congressional hearing…)

7 Comments on Flash Is Searchable

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Google’s Affiliate Network: This Is A Product Launch? No, It Is Not.

Google rebranded its Performics affiliate network, which it acquired as part of Doubleclick, as "Google Affiliate Network," apparently sometime over the past few days. I say "apparently" because I can't find any actual Google press release on the subject. It was blogounced, apparenty: Announced on Performics' blog, and possibly…

Gan

Google rebranded its Performics affiliate network, which it acquired as part of Doubleclick, as “Google Affiliate Network,” apparently sometime over the past few days.

I say “apparently” because I can’t find any actual Google press release on the subject. It was blogounced, apparenty: Announced on Performics’ blog, and possibly a few key blogs, like TC and a few others, were told about it, or possibly they just noticed that all of a sudden, Google had a page for the “Google Affiliate Network.” Look, I love blogs, but we’re not that good.

Interestingly, Danny at SEL has not weighed in. He’d be the first one I’d want to hear from if there was really news, given his deep understanding of the search-driven affiliate marketplace, which quite honestly is fascinating, but a saddled with the kind of kharmic weirdness often associated with the domain industry. (They are kissing cousins, in a way…)

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Second Day Story on Ad Planner

MediaWeek reports: After taking several days to digest the news, the digital media world has reached the conclusion that the launch of Google’s new media planning product isn’t likely to bring upheaval to the Web metrics business. And it probably doesn’t represent the feared first step towards total advertising—and…

MediaWeek reports:

After taking several days to digest the news, the digital media world has reached the conclusion that the launch of Google’s new media planning product isn’t likely to bring upheaval to the Web metrics business. And it probably doesn’t represent the feared first step towards total advertising—and ultimately world—domination by the search giant either…..

“They need to add so many things, it’s not even a consideration at this point,” said David Smith, CEO, Mediasmith, who pointed out that Ad Planner lacks deep demographic data and a reach/frequency function. “It’s absolutely not ready for prime time.”



True for now, but don’t get comfy thinking that version 1 of this product is going to be the last version…knowing David, I bet he’s watching this pretty closely.

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Sergey Leaves Google (OK, not THAT Sergey…)

From Dare's blog, a posit that folks are leaving Google for Microsoft, driven by his anecdotal observations and blog post from a guy named Sergey Solyanik: So why did I leave? There are many things about Google that are not great, and merit improvement. There are plenty of silly…

From Dare’s blog, a posit that folks are leaving Google for Microsoft, driven by his anecdotal observations and blog post from a guy named Sergey Solyanik:

So why did I leave?

There are many things about Google that are not great, and merit improvement. There are plenty of silly politics, underperformance, inefficiencies and ineffectiveness, and things that are plain stupid. I will not write about these things here because they are immaterial. I did not leave because of them. No company has achieved the status of the perfect workplace, and no one ever will.

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Youch.

If you have the time, and the will, read this from Adam at Fortune. It's one Yahoo employee's rant about the ongoing turmoil…and it's really, really dark humor. Really, really dark. As someone who has, in a minor key, been through really tough times as the head of an…

If you have the time, and the will, read this from Adam at Fortune. It’s one Yahoo employee’s rant about the ongoing turmoil…and it’s really, really dark humor. Really, really dark.

As someone who has, in a minor key, been through really tough times as the head of an organization that is failing, I really empathize with the leaders at Yahoo. But I completely empathize with the employees, who, in a market that is, honestly, pretty shitty, can only hold on and try to laugh a little. From the note:

As for the Google deal, HOORRAY! Now, you might be thinking that we employees – particularly those in Search – who have spent most of our waking hours trying to do battle with Google might in some way be disappointed that we are now getting into bed with the enemy. Au contraire! We love it! Nothing indicates a job well done better than outsourcing your own job to the competition. Am I right, or am I right?

1 Comment on Youch.

Adsense as Distribution Vehicle

Google knows it has distribution. Distribution is the key to the old school method of media success. Think cable: We have a monopoly on getting programming into homes, so you have to go through us! Therefore, we make shitloads of money. Want more examples? OK: Newspapers. And magazines. And…

Petergriffincrotchshot

Google knows it has distribution. Distribution is the key to the old school method of media success. Think cable: We have a monopoly on getting programming into homes, so you have to go through us! Therefore, we make shitloads of money. Want more examples? OK: Newspapers. And magazines. And movies. And…well, just about every packaged goods media model on earth.

Well, on the web, distribution is a sort of different deal. Some will argue it’s key, others will say search has obviated the economics of distribution.

I think the answer is somewhere in the middle. Sure, if you have great content, search and the force of many will find it, and eventually you will end up with a Boing Boing, or an Ask a Ninja, or a Dooce or a Mashable.

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Google Boils Another Ocean: This Time, It’s In MSFT and Apple’s Seas

Nifty toy or serious play? You never know with Google. Google has introduced the "Google Media Center": a free Windows-only software that lets you stream photos, videos and music from the computer on to your TV. Huh….

Nifty toy or serious play? You never know with Google. Google has introduced the “Google Media Center”:

a free Windows-only software that lets you stream photos, videos and music from the computer on to your TV.



Huh.

2 Comments on Google Boils Another Ocean: This Time, It’s In MSFT and Apple’s Seas

“Take 48”: Friday 6 PM to Sunday, 6 PM

(A trail on Mt. Tam) (Cross posted from the FM blog) In the past few years, the weekend has taken on a new meaning for me. In short, it's now defined by work. The weekend is when I catch up on work I can't get done during the week,…

Mt Tamalpais Lg-2

(A trail on Mt. Tam)

(Cross posted from the FM blog)

In the past few years, the weekend has taken on a new meaning for me. In short, it’s now defined by work. The weekend is when I catch up on work I can’t get done during the week, in particular work that requires long form thinking, the kind of thinking that powers drafting considered memos and strategy documents, even posting to this or other blogs.

It’s also a time to clear emails and burnish out the odd To Do item that never quite Got Done during the week.

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It’s Over. Google Wins.

Increasingly, when I talk to folks in the industry, and they ask me my view on search, I say the above. In search, it's over, Google wins. WIth Yahoo flailing, and Microsoft hiding in the weeds, search is slouching toward a natural monopoly. We may as well call it….

Increasingly, when I talk to folks in the industry, and they ask me my view on search, I say the above. In search, it’s over, Google wins. WIth Yahoo flailing, and Microsoft hiding in the weeds, search is slouching toward a natural monopoly. We may as well call it. Sure, there are really interesting startups. But….nothing that interesting.

So now what? Well, the situation is ripe for disruption, ain’t it? It was during a terrible recession that Google made its name (2001-3). What might be next?

19 Comments on It’s Over. Google Wins.