Marketing Pilgrim

The following is a special report from SMX West 2009.

Peter Linsley—Google

First up Peter Linsley of Google ran through some of the concepts behind Google images and also factors that may influence ranking of images on Google which included some of the following:

• Number of referring sites—so whether the image is used on more than one website is a key metric in Google’s ranking Algorithm.
• The text around the image and the kind of words contained is also a factor taken into account by Google.
• Also placement of image—and whether it is above the fold

Peter also suggested that other dynamic features were in play. For example can a user comment on the image via a comments box? Or whether the image could be rated somehow.

We are sifting through mountains and mountains of information and data these days. There is more to look at and digest and analyze and consider and ponder and complain about and on and on. Not only that but we now have so many friends that who has time for anything?

What you say? You still have the same amount of friends? What are you some kind of social media slacker? What’s that? Your definition of friend isn’t defined in terms of social media? What’s wrong with you?

The New York Times wonders aloud, and I think with good reason, what we are doing to the term friend. While this ‘debate’ has been whacked around by many it is one that is not likely to go away. The rapid rate of change in capabilities of Twitter, Facebook and every other social media outlet is changing our culture. But how and to what?

With all of the sniping that has gone on recently between Google and that annoying little pest that keeps landing on its shoulder called Twitter wouldn’t it be nice to learn how to get value from one or the other?

Over at TwiTip they’ve done a nice job of talking about Twitter’s search capability and what it means to someone who is actually trying to use it versus talk about it. Not sure how you feel but lately the company to company sniping between Google, Facebook, Twitter and everyone else is a little tiresome. Until it actually affects how we use these tools (they are tools after all not some kind of magic potion) why not just work on making their products better and stop yammering but I digress.

Say what you want about the Skittles experiment with social media, the campaign was effective in increasing the rainbow candy’s web site presence.

Hitwise reports a 1332% increase in web visitors on March 3rd.

Alexa–put the rotten tomatoes away–confirms this jump in traffic:

And Google Trends saw a spike in the number of people searching for “skittles.”

During Charlie Rose’s interview with Google CEO Eric Schmidt, the topic of future acquisitions comes-up. Of course, many of us expect Google to acquire Twitter. Schmidt explains:

I shouldn’t talk about specific acquisitions. We’re unlikely to buy anything in the short term partly because I think prices are still high. And it’s unfortunate I think we’re in the middle of a cycle. Google is generating a lot of cash. And so we keep that cash in extremely secure banks.

So there you have it! Google will acquire Twitter!

I know, I know, Schmidt didn’t actually say that, but since when does Google ever clearly express its intentions? "No intention," "unlikely," and "no plans" are all standard issue for Google’s executives and time after time the search engine proves that it plays word-games with the media.

by Matt Rebeiro

Just a thought: who else finds that Twitter is their new RSS feed? Yep, me too!

Further observation tells me there are only two things being discussed in the news: the global recession and Twitter. Seriously, when was the last time you read a news story that wasn’t about how we’re all poor and talking to each other in 140 character bursts?

In the case of the former (the global recession), Google has once again leapt to the rescue and are offering a Google branded solution; their ‘Tip Jar‘. Financial panacea? Hardly. Interesting bit of digital fluffery? Probably.

Anyway, when taking time out from solving the world’s financial ills one tip at a time, Google has decided to get—how to say—’snarky’ about Twitter’s increasing popularity.