twitter vs. tumblr vs. the next big thing - it’s up to Google.

It’s no secret that twitter is the current media darling and most popular up and coming “web 2.0″ website.  Twitter, in its simplicity, is honestly a very valuable application.  It has done everything from help a student who was arrested in Egypt get released, provide amazing data for the swine flu hysteria, and help bring much more awareness to the current Iranian conflicts during this years presidential elections.  Originally, I was cautious of the practically of a service such as twitter.  I was content with my facebook status updates.  Twitter won!  I am drinking the kool-aid.  Everyday, I see new uses for it.  I am constantly finding new music, learning new photoshop and SEO tricks, and finding out when other colleagues in the corporate world are taking their afternoon bathroom breaks.

Personally, I don’t update often on twitter.  I believe I have some valuable insights and opinions, but I am not organized, nor do I have the time, to constantly update my status with ideas, opinions, and what I am eating for lunch.  One day, I hope my economic situation allows me the success and time to devote a decent amount of time to participating in the constant information exchange revolution that is in our midst, but I am not sure if twitter will still be the micro-blogging leader when that day comes.

Twitter is great, Oprah uses twitter, Shaq uses it too, but for how long?  Twitter is still a VC funded startup with no current long-term profit model.  I am not naive, I know both internally, and in the news, analysts are predicting ways for twitter to become a profitable media giant.  Until this model is released, there is no long-term certainty twitter will last longer than a few more years.  Granted, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, or any other tech giant could offer the tremendous fee to acquire twitter.  But I am hesitant that any company will fork over the large sums of money required until there is a real profit model.

Additionally, there are rumors that twitter has a 40% fall off rate after initial sign-up.  Analysts are speculating that 2 out of 5 people that sign up for twitter only tweet once and never come back.  This is understandable.  If you look at how many soccer moms signed up the day Oprah put her first tweet online, you would be completely shocked.  As Oprah goes, so goes the a large percentage of women.  She has that much power.  Some believe that many people sign up for twitter, think it’s just another way to tell their friends what they’re doing, and don’t use it again.  This is honestly a great possibility, but as I said in my opening, I don’t tweet every day and I still find great value in the use of twitter.  I wonder how many people are out there that actively use twitter and either don’t actively update their status OR may not sign up at all.  These are just a few thoughts that I will have to research in the very near future.  I will post these results as soon as I have some proven statistics to back up my findings.

Moving on, as twitter gains prominence, every person who was pissed off that they didn’t think of twitter first is now trying to create their own twitter… only better.  Enter tumblr, etc. etc. etc.  There probably hundreds of new twitter clones on the internet by now.  Can one of these clones actually offer better or similar features and gain enough market share to present a real challenge?  This is very possible, and tumblr could have a chance.  tumblr has some great functionality and encompassed everything I would want in my micro-blogging suite including easy access to video, images, quotes, etc.  I think the GUI of tumblr is also very well laid out and could possibly start to gain a substantial market share.  Will this turn into a big myspace vs. facebook battle?  I don’t know.  But, I wouldn’t be surprised if the premium is too high for companies to acquire twitter, they make take a very close look at one of twitters main competitors, especially if one has a decent share of the market.  I firmly believe that within the next year Google will own twitter, tumblr, or something similar.  If they don’t, they will have something developed in house similar to what’s already being developed in Google Profiles.  Google needs to own micro blogging the way it owns us with gmail, youtube, and search.  At the end of the day, Google will choose the winner.  Whether they pick twitter, tumblr, or create their own.  Google will win again.

Google Searchology - Mobile Keynotes

Today is Google’s Searchology.  It’s a time when Google unveils all the new tools related to search.  Here are some notes I listened to during my brief time viewing the conference.  I focused on mobile as I believe this section of search is going to be the main area of expansion over the next few years. 

Mobile search is growing faster than PC search

This is obvious.  With the introduction of the iPhone, Android enabled phones, and expansion of blackberry.  mobile search is growing faster than ever.  I completely agree with Google regarding this and I am interested to see how google monetizes adwords within the mobile platforms.

Challenge of devices - hundreds w/ widely varying capabilities

Google has had a difficult time creating a mobile platform that works seamlessly among all different types of phones and carriers while working with the strengths and weaknesses of each Technology.

Mobile search is inherently local. 

Mobile search is going to continue growing as the locality of mobile search allows for location specific results - specifically with with restaurants and services.

People use mobile search because:

• complete 

• easy - effortless to search ann get answers
  

• local - knows where I am and acts as such

mobile web and web are different but google wants to enable users to reach all aspects of each platform

***google is combining search query history from your desktop with your mobile environment.***

In the coming weeks, if you are logged into your google account on your desktop and mobile phone and enter a query on either, you can review your search history on your phone and visa verse.  The presenters used a plane flight number query as an example for this new service.  In my humble opinion, this is an amazing feature that is going to mend the gap between mobile phone and desktop connectivity even further.  The ability to seamlessly utilize both services together is an amazing concept and should be taken advantage of to the highest extent.

 

That’s about it on the notes i took for Searchology - Mobile.  If I think of anything else I will surely update you guys asap.

Google Maps API and SEO

In recent months, I have been working a lot with the Google Maps API.  I have been utilizing the API to optimize landing pages for “multiple location” websites.  In customizing these sites for the API, I have discovered that Google’s organic listings absolutely love when a website utilizes their Maps API.

In less than two weeks, I have seen my organic listings skyrocket up the pages with very little additional SEO practices in place.

Obviously Google loves relevant content, but as Google expands it’s capabilities and customization techniques, geotargeting has become much more relevant.  In this particular case, creating a website encoded with the Maps API for all locations has exponentially boosted optimization at a much quicker pace that normal.

In a nutshell, if you have a geo-specific website you are developing, I highly recommend implementing a geographic KML file and implementing it into your websites using the Maps API. 

KML is an extension of XML that pertains to geographic locations in Google Maps and Google Earth.  It’s a very thorough and organized markup language that is useful in presenting data to the search engines.

Example of KML code:

 Utilizing this particular KML file, I was able to geocode over 20 locations on one page in the API and include, address, phone number, location image, and a link to each individual page.  This created an insane amount of relavence and quality information for Google to boost this website up the organic listings.  

 

As you can see above.  There is a ton of relevant information included in a very small and precise space.  This information utilized by the API is a great way to gain instant optimization.

In the next couple days, i will create a step by step tutorial on how to fully integrate this technology into any website.

Web Analytics - A look at Google Analytics

Analytics software is a vital tool for any online company.  Luckily, the folks down at Google created an amazing toolset for FREE!  Google Analytics is incredible.  While there are other web analytical tools available online, they can be avoided because Google is just that good. 

Why do you need Web Analytics Software?

Analytics tools allow you to find out an amazing amount of information about who’s coming to your site.  Once the system is set up, you can track everything from number of unique visitors to how people have come to your site.

For instance, with google analytics installed on my other blog, I can find out what percentage of traffic is coming from referred websites like Digg and reddit.  I can also find out the average time spent on my website and see which articles are the most popular.  With that information, I can customize my future blogs to maximize traffic.  On top of that, I can find out which keywords people are using to come to my website.

 For the sake of explanation,  I have included this sample screenshot of the Google Analytics Dashboard. 

From this example, you can see a graph showing the average time people spent on this particular website.  If you were to click the links on the left, you could see similar graphs with their respective breakdowns. 

As you move down the page, the information gets more complex when further breaking down the information.  As you can see, this is a very comprehensive program that can provide an amazing amount of information.  With this information, you can optimize your website to generate more traffic - which in turn will generate more revenue.

Google also continually updates this product.  New Features are always being added to help you get more out of your websites.

 

If you do not have this system installed for your website, I highly recommend setting it up today!

 

http://www.google.com/analytics/

Not Showing up on Google? try SEO for success

Would you like to generate more traffic for your website? of course you would! The problem is that most small businesses don’t know how to use the internet to drive traffic to their website.  Just because you have a web page doesn’t mean that people are going to look at it.  You have to use the web to direct traffic to your website.  This is where Search Engine Optimisation and Marketing become key.  

What is Search Engine Optimization?

Search Engine Optimization also known as SEO is a way to develop your website and content in a way that draws the search engine to it.  Using a combination of meta tags, key words, inbound and outbound links, websites can get the upperhand on their competition and boost through the ranks.  

Obviously, there is a little more to SEO than keywords, links, and meta tags, but with a little patience, anyone can take the necessary steps to move up the search engine ladder.  SEO doesn’t happen overnight.  it takes weeks and even months for the changes you make to actually blossom.  

Remember that SEO is a long process, like anything of value, you are typically not going to see results in just a day.  Take your time, do some research, acquire the tools necessary to boost your website to the top of google and yahoo!

Luckily, here at yourthinkbox.com, we are experts at Search Engine Optimization.  Our team has over 5 years of experience in designing campaigns to encourage SEO growth.  Let us handle the hard work.  Please feel free to contact us for a free quote.