Google’s Silent World Domination

I had recently been discussing with a friend, how Gmail has taken over the world of E-Mail just like Google had taken over the world of web searches.

But the beauty of this Internet Giant is not just it’s innovations. Google has mastered the art of introducing its innovations very quietly to the world, ensuring very little pickup by competitors.
Here is the latest in the innovation launched by the Giant. Behavioral targetting in their search ads.

Read more about this in a great article by Gord Hotchkiss, first published in Mediapost’s Search Insider, on August 9, 2007 .

Google: Inching Towards a more More Targeted World

Would you buy insurance online?

Researchers are coming up with answers that I always knew. Even web-savvy customers will NOT buy insurance online.

One keeps getting flooded with mailers and offers to log online and buy insurance from insurers. Although like any other tech-savvy consumer, I use these websites to gather information and do my home-work, but I would NEVER BUY it online from these websites. The mere nature of this product requires long term investment. The promises made by the insurer need to be maintained for a long time after the purchase has been made.

So if I need a long term product like insurance I will still pick up the phone and put a face on the insurer. Although these days insurance agents in India are also not that reliable. But that’s a subject for another blog.

Meanwhile, if you are interested, read the full report on this topic in the article by Bill Keneally.
Insurance Technology: Then and Now

Google trends: Good not great…

Google trends, is a cool tool that maps the trends in items/keywords searches on Google search engine. The search engine has one of the biggest shares in the market. So the kind of trends it can come up with are undoubtedly going to be amazing, and closer to reality.
The tool offers trend analysis of items being searched on Google a’la graphs and bar charts. However, that is about it. If one wanted to use this information to fuel a marketing campaign, one would be hard pressed for details.

The tool, launched almost a year back (I know that’s REALLY OLD in internet age!) only gives a graphical view of the trends, but no information on the chart scale or actual volumes. But then that would be letting the cat out of the bag, won’t it?

A lot of Google’s business relies on this data to choose effective search terms for its advertisers. Displaying the information on a free-to-all-the-world tool will be silly! So till the time, google trends becomes a paid tool for advertisers, all this tool will be, is a cool toy.

There are short articles available online about how to interpret google trends charts.

Increase blog traffic with Google

If you’ve got a blog, this is a MUST SEE site; The Hottest keyword list on Google trends. Hot Trends, launched around mid may this year gives a listing of the hottest searches on Google on any given day, or in the last hour!
Plus it maintains a daily history! So you can change the date and see what were the hottest searches on a given date. Although, understandably, you cant search for a date before 15th May 2007. (Given thats when this kewl tool was launched!)
Now I don’t need to spell it out, but I will. If your blog or web site had a targeted audience (unlike this blog ), say web developers. On a given day you could check this list to see what was the hottest keyword being searched on Google. If the keyword that came up was say ASP.NET, write a post on that topic, and capitalize on the peak in searches for that keyword. This obviously would be a great hit with the business oriented blogs.
However this list is only available for keyword searches in USA as of now. Google, the rest of the world is waiting!!!

5 reasons why Quillpad is better than Google

Google being the giant it is seems to overshadow the better tools being provided by other smaller players. Thats not surprising. Lately there has been a lot of talk about the Google Indic transliterator tool. I deicded to try it out v/s an older tool that has been in the market for an year. Here are the top 5 reasons why quillpad is better than Google indic transliterator.

1. You don't need to know the EXACT spelling. Quillpad lets you write the same word in multiple ways. Whether you write rashtrapathi, rashtrpati or raashtrapatee, you get the same correct hindi translation. On google, each spelling has a different hindi translation.
2. Quillpad can learn a new language within hours. Quillpad uses a machine learning module, that allows it to learn a new language in a few hours, that too without any code change. Google tool on the other hand has no such options.
3. Quillpad can transliterate conventional english words, google can't. Try typing words like officer, organise, imagine...on both quillpad and google transliterator. You get really wierd and funny translations on google. Quillpad performs beautifully.
4. Quillpad can translate in 8 Indian local languages, Google can't. Right now google tool only works for Hindi and is being coded for other languages. Quillpad already trans;ates in 8 Indian local languages
5. Quillpad also works on your mobile. The quill engine can work even with a mobile phone keypad. Google tool is still in the PC world.