Google & Verizon Team Up for New Net Neutrality Framework
The concept of net neutrality is that the internet should remain free and open to all. So if 2 given users pay for a certain level of internet access, then these users should be able to connect to each other at the subscribed level of access.
Google and Verizon have released a joint public policy proposal for the open internet detailing how broadband providers can govern how their consumers receive content over the internet.
Why? Currently, a lack of broadband competition gives the providers a reason and ability to discriminate against web-based applications and content providers violating the basic design principles of the “end-to-end” internet: openness, transparency, and user choice and control. Most internet users in established countries receive broadband service from either, a phone company or a cable company, but a large number of people in less developed countries only have one or no choice at all!
The proposal, announced earlier this week by the companies’ CEOs in a conference call, is meant as a legal framework. It intends to please consumers who want to choose what they access on the Internet and how they access it. It would ensure that no internet traffic of any kind is prioritized over any other kind (with the exception of viruses, spam and the like).
The joint proposal is said to safeguard net neutrality. The policy states that “The FCC would also monitor the development of these services to make sure they don’t interfere with the continued development of internet access services.
Here’s hoping that this proposal doesn’t follow the cable TV model by offering a basic service for $X, but putting all the content that everyone wants into the ‘premium plans’, where it can be accessed, but only for a price!
Facebook Pages vs Google Places – Which is Best for Your Small Business?
Over the weekend I was chatting to a hairdressing friend about his decision to set up a Facebook page for his salon. While he had taken longer than many to set up the page, he saw it as essential marketing.
What I find interesting is that I know for a fact he hasn’t set up a Google Places listing for his salon yet, and it got me thinking why?
The question of “Facebook Page vs Google Places page will confront many small business owners soon, if they haven’t already been through that decision process.
Quick answer = BOTH!
In all seriousness, SMBs do need both, BUT if you’re a time poor small business owner (which means you’re like 99% of other small business owners), then Google Places is probably the place to start.
Facebook is definitely a great place to engage with existing clients and potentially attract new clients (especially now that Facebook pages are indexed in Google), but it takes time and effort to create and build the engagement buzz.
Google Places on the other hand offers a range of immediate low touch benefits. Here’s 4 reasons why you should start with a Google Places page:
- Firstly, when people go searching in Google for a local business, it’s more likely they’ll see a Google Places listing at the top of the results page above where the organic Facebook Page listing is likely to appear.
- Secondly, you’re more likely (there will be a few odd exceptions) to get exposure from your Google Places page on generic local searches than your Facebook page. (e.g. Dentist New York)
- Google Place pages are optimised business listings, with the goal being to drive enquiries to your business.
- And lastly, it’s almost set and forget. Well that’s not entirely true, as Google Places pages perform better when you continue to optimise them with citations and reviews etc. – but even a basic Google Places page with basic contact and business info is more likely to attract business than a never used Facebook page with the same basic info.
While Facebook continues to build itself as the Search 2.0 alternative, Facebook Pages will continue to grow in importance, but for now; my money is on Google Places as your starting point.
- Where do you sit: Do you prefer Facebook pages or Google Places pages?
Click Here To Read Original Post on INeedHits.com
New Yahoo! Search Powered Features Keep Coming
You’d think that Yahoo! would be winding down their investment into search related developments given the Search Alliance finally coming to fruition – BUT you’d be wrong!
Yahoo! is continuing to test and invest in search powered features, with the goal of leveraging the new Search Alliance and ensuring the Bing integration is generating the best experience for their users.
Search is evolving to mean more than entering keywords in a text box – at Yahoo! we believe it’s also about finding the right information at the right time. To help people discover information they want online, we’re enhancing and rolling out new search-powered features across the Yahoo! network.
One of the features that are already generating positive results for the former search titan is “Trending Now†lists – which provide users easy access to searches generating the greatest buzz.
You can find the Trending Now list on the Yahoo.com homepage, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! Sports, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Finance, omg!, and more. When you click on any of the terms on the Trending Now list, you will find the latest information about a hot topic and discover related content from Yahoo! Search.
Yahoo! is also working on some new News based search features. The screen shot below highlights testing of how related information will be integrated into news posts.
So while the search results might be coming from elsewhere, Yahoo! is very much committed to ensuring that they’re integrated in the most engaging way – it’s all about holding their market share!
Click Here To Read Original Post on INeedHits.com
Google ACE to Help Advertisers Measure Campaign Changes
Google have launched a new tool that aims to help advertisers test and precisely measure the impact of changes to their AdWords campaign.
Called ACE (AdWords Campaign Experiments), it’s a free tool that measures the impact to changes to your keywords, bids, ad groups and placements. The tool has just been rolled out to all U.S. advertisers after a successful 2 month beta trial.
Here is how Google explains the tools use:
With ACE, experimental campaigns run side-by-side with the original campaign in a simultaneous split test. This approach lets you run shorter tests that start and stop whenever you like, with less concern about your results being affected by seasonality or other factors. You get more precise impact estimates and more chances throughout the year to test and improve performance.
Google says that fluctuations in demand, shifts in competitor tactics, and even changes in the weather can complicate things if you are evaluating your campaign yourself.
The video below, provided by Google, explains the tool in more detail.
Advertisers will automatically see the ACE tool under Campaign Settings in their AdWords account. Google advises non-US advertisers to stay tuned as the tool will be rolled out to other countries very soon.
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