Marketing Pilgrim

While the Internet cynics are looking at the Google Screenwise project as something curious in light of recent Google moves, I find the general idea a bit refreshing and something that has been sorely missing from the equation for a very long time.

The page at Google which describes this service offering says the following

Google is building a new panel to learn more about how everyday people use the Internet.

The new project is called Screenwise. As a panelist, you’ll add a browser extension that will share with Google the sites you visit and how you use them. What we learn from you, and others like you, will help us improve Google products and services and make a better online experience for everyone.

Google’s SPYW (Search Plus Your World) certainly has elicited some strong reactions. We have heard many of them, read the long -winded diatribes and had every “expert” weigh in on the situation. That’s all necessary (I suppose) but when the rubber meets the road, just what level of impact this change in Google’s search methodology is will be determined by the Internet commonmer, not the Silicon Valley insider.

That’s why some research from AYTM Market Research that was passed through by eMarketer is interesting but I have some questions myself. First, look at this chart which measures people’s concerns about privacy and search.

Thanks to Avinash Kaushik

Created by Kashmir Hill, Forbes.

Search isn’t going anywhere. Social is great and it’s important and it is likely to continue to gain momentum. In fact, those in social should enjoy these early years because you can use growth numbers that tout high double digit jumps mainly because the industry is young and those numbers are possible.

Search used to see the same numbers but as shown by a report from eMarketer the days of the big, gaudy numbers are likely over and that’s fine for two reasons. First it is unrealistic to expect 30, 40, 50, 60 percent growth. It is unsustainable as more of the market gets on board. Less people not exposed means less growth. Second, there will still be growth predicted through 2016! How many industries can say that today?!

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This post comes from our Search News Channel sponsor WebiMax.

As Super Bowl XLVI is less than a week away, advertisers and marketers are firming up their ads that are expected to cost $3.5 – $4 million for a :30 second spot on NBC. While “Super Bowl commercials” are amongst the most exciting parts of the experience for the consumer (not the avid sports fan), marketers and advertisers should ask themselves if their commercial will effectively generate brand awareness and a purchase decision.

It seems as though Super Bowl commercials have become more of a battle of wit versus creating brand awareness. In recent years, more and more companies compete with each other and focus more on injecting humor into the ad versus focusing on making some sort of conversion. With the Super Bowl being presented online for the first time this year, perhaps advertisers should focus also on creating a viral marketing video that coincides with their super $3.5 million advertisement during the big game.

Google continues to make changes in different areas of their business. Apparently, how that business is defined is causing pains for Wall Street types which is rather amusing, but I digress.

The latest adjustment comes in how average search position is calculate. From the Google Webmaster Central blog we get an example of just how this is being done.

Let’s say Nick searched for [bacon] and URLs from your site appeared in positions 3, 6, and 12. Jane also searched for [bacon] and URLs from your site appeared in positions 5 and 9. Previously, we would have averaged all these positions together and shown an Average Position of 7. Going forward, we’ll only average the highest position your site appeared in for each search (3 for Nick’s search and 5 for Jane’s search), for an Average Position of 4.

High off their success in bringing SOPA to its knees, assorted superficial social extremists–ASSEs for short–have decided their next target should be Google. Not because of privacy issues, click fraud, or something that actually matters. No, the focus is on how Google+ is being intricately tied to search results.

Did you know that Google is…gasp…manipulating its search results for its own benefit? No, really. Apparently, Google+ is being forced down our throats and poor, helpless companies such as Facebook and Twitter are worried YOU are not getting the best results. They’re rallying a movement not seen since Google started adding paid ads to its search results!

I’m telling you! Facebook avatars and Twitter profiles are going to be changed over this! This is an outrage, one that even Hitler’s coming out of retirement to comment on (NSFW, btw).