UPDATE: Since writing this post a watchful and attentive reader (Michael of CloudSherpas.com) has pointed out that PicLens has been re-branded and launched as Cool Iris. I find myself using Cool Iris almost exclusively for image searches via Google images or Yahoo photos. Extremely useful and worth everyone’s time.
A picture is worth a thousand words. Right? Well, along that same line of thought several visual search engines have been developed. Here is a quick rundown:
- Kartoo: This is the best visual search engine for determining relationships of sites based on your search term. They group similar listings in folders and show the interconnected web that we weave….presumably through a link popularity algorithm.
- Quintura: This site is visual only in the sense that related search terms are displayed in a large column on the left hand side.
- Searchme: Coverflow for your search results. ‘Nuff said.
Overall, I prefer Searchme as a visual search engine. The interface is clean and the results are comparable to Google. We all love eye candy and Searchme delivers in this area.
One thing to note about visual search engines would be their SEO/SEM implications. If visual search catches on (I wouldn’t be surprised to see this feature in Gng sometime soon) than not only will your current SEO/SEM efforts contribute to your success but the visual layout will also be an important factor. An interesting mix of SEO and user interface design efforts will be required to rocket you to the top and……more importantly……capture those eyeballs with a click.
Security and privacy implications aside (see the NSA reference in the title of this post), July 11th is set to be a day that brings a renewed focus to mobile marketing. What am I talking about?
- July 11th is the launch date for the new 3G iPhone.
- July 11th is also the launch date for the App store in iTunes.
From an internet marketing perspective, you should care about this date even if you do not own an iPhone (only a few million of us do at this point). You should care because the launch date of this new phone is likely to place a renewed emphasis on the GPS chip that is already in many smart phones today. I’m not giving Apple credit for putting a GPS chip in a cell phone……hardly……but I am giving them credit for putting the tools required to take true advantage of this functionality in the hands of developers.
Keep your eye on the ball. Here are a few trends to watch:
Geoblogging: location-aware blogging adds a new layer to one’s posts and comments on the internet.
Location-based Advertising (Are we calling this something else yet?): You are in a new city…….say, Seattle…..and you really want a cup ‘o joe. Power up the GPS enabled cellphone with Google Maps loaded on it and off you go. Oh yeah….and Google Adsense will be adopted to provide coupons/discounts to those stores closest to you. Location based advertising will be HUGE.
(but you already knew that)
What I really like about Seth’s blog posts, books and public talks is his ability to boil things down to the most simple terms.
You should read his most recent post on B2B marketing. Twice.
The challenge for B2B marketers is still how to most effectively use the internet to their advantage. I’m still seeing far too many corporations struggle with how to engage their prospective clients online. Sure, sure….you can do some basic things.
- Publish a white paper.
- Hold webinars for new product releases.
- Make sure your email marketing habits are consistent.
But at the end of the day I can easily argue that B2C marketers have mastered the “art of the close” online.
Here is a interesting point/counterpoint on whether or not social media will have an impact on search:
Point:
How Social Networking Could Kill Web Search as We Know It
- “Search, as we know it, is dead.”
- …the people in your online social network should know you better than a mathematical equation…
- …we are essentially meta-tagging ourselves through our social networking memberships…
This point is an interesting attack on search and how the game is changing. In previous posts I have argued that social search is ultimately Yahoo’s strategic bet.
Counterpoint:
Finding the Right Signals to Rank Search Results
- “Search has always been about people.”
- “It’s about getting people what they need.”
- “Signals from your friends are better signals, stronger signals.”
All of the quotes from this counterpoint come from Udi Manber, VP for search quality at Google. The message here? Google is paying attention and is well aware of our collective ability to tag information. Ultimately, this can only help Google to deliver better search results….not hurt them.
I’ve always been a bit confused about the rise of MySpace during this time of all things Web2.0. To be honest, MySpace completely baffles me. Not from a “Why would people sign up for this service?” perspective but more from a “Rupert Murdoch paid *what* for this?!!?” perspective. Don’t believe the hype.
Now, Facebook is a different beast altogether. You have a generation of college students out in the workforce who spent a good portion of their college careers hanging out on Facebook. They are still visiting the site regularly but their lives have shifted to the business world.
Enter Twitter. This short messaging phenomena has had a solid 1.5 to 2 years of growth and even Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have an account. Evan Williams strikes again.
OK…still with me?
Enter Qik. This one was a point of no return for me. Buy a Nokia phone (more will be supported as this product moves out of Alpha) and stream *live* (fairly decent quality) video to the internet. An impressive service indeed…
So lets pull it all together.
You are a real estate agent (for example). You build a network of prospective buyers on Facebook (immediate notification is not key but staying in the loop for your clients is a must). You build a network of real estate professionals on Twitter (immediate notification in short message form is a must for this group). Then you stream live video of properties for sale via Qik.
Qik sends an automatic update to Twitter (immediate notification for real estate professionals). The whole thing is eventually archived on Facebook (to keep your prospective clients in the loop).
Your cost for these services? Currently they are all free but require that you painstakingly build a network of individuals and groups that are interested in what you have to say.
I hope you’re still with me.
