Facebook Search versus Google Search

The Flashlight Search Marketing team are big fans of blog and article share.  This week we would like to share with you an article we read over at The Next Web website .

The article discusses 'When, why, and how Facebook will take on Google in search'.

Here is a snippet from the article:

"Facebook and Google have been on a collision course for years, and their competitiveness has only increased with the release of Google+ just 14 months ago. As the service becomes more and more popular, one has to wonder how Facebook feels about the search giant encroaching on its turf. More importantly, one also has to wonder if Facebook has plans to hit Google back where it hurts"

Continue reading here: It's inevitable: When, why, and how Facebook will take on Google in search at The Next Web.

The idea of your search results being influenced by people in your network is what Google+ is all about. Facebook are simply doing the same. Or is it the other way round...?

The Next Web article gives further reasons to set a Facebook page for your business.  If you need any help with this, let Rocktime's Flashlight Search Marketing team know.

Author: Sarah Griffiths

Latest Update to Google Products

Rocktime's Flashlight Search Marketing team are tasked with keeping their clients up to date with latest changes to the three main search engines, Google, Bing and Yahoo.  This week we are reporting on the latest updates to Google Products. Reported over at the Google Blog, titled 'More spring cleaning' dated: 28/9/12.

In summary Google are closing down some of the less popular products, so that they don’t spread themselves too thin.  They have also reported on several product updates to benefit their customers.

Google write: 

"Technology offers so many opportunities to help improve users’ lives. This means it is really important to focus or we end up doing too much with too little impact. So today we’re winding down a bunch more features—bringing the total to nearly 60 since we started our “spring” clean last fall" .

The latest products to be put on the chopping block include the below:

AdSense for Feeds: which allowed publishers to place adverts on their RSS feeds (closing December 3rd for more information visit the AdSense Help Centre)

Classic Plus: which enabled people to upload of select images to use as their background on Google.com (Closing November 2012)

Spread sheet Gadgets: which enabled you to add customised features into Google spread sheets is being turned off. (Early 2013)

There are also several updates for the benefit of their customers:

Update to Google Storage: the storage available in Picasa and Google Drive will be consolidated.  Users will have 5GB of free storage across both services. (Being actioned November 2012)

Google Insights for Search: which we love, is being merged with Google Trends. Also they no longer will allow you to compare traffic to and audience of different websites. (in effect now)

Our favourite change is that they have introduced +1 reports in Google Webmaster Tools, to help publishers measure +1 activity on their pages.  They have also stated that measuring social media remains a priority for Google Analytics and will post another improvement update soon.

If you would like to find out if you are benefiting from having an awareness of Google Products, why not talk to the Flashlight Search Marketing team today.

Author: Sarah Griffiths

Geek Video of the Month

This month’s Geek Video of the month, was spotted over at www.notcot.org. The website which seeks to bring you ideas, aesthetics and amusement. For more random videos and inspiration you can follow NotCot on Twitter here.

I am a huge fan of Lego, so when I was invited to source this month’s Geek Video of the month, it had to be this jaw dropping Lego masterpiece, which as I type is being shared between lego geeks across the social networks.

The Great Ball Contraption took more than 600 hours to create over two years, and is being referred to as ‘the most insane Lego machine ever built’.  After being launched on YouTube it went viral in just 2 days.!!  At the time of writing this blog, the video has had over 5 million visits and it continues to rise.

I think the popularity in the video is because the machine has no real purpose and the detail that has gone into the build, for no reason other than, because he can, is just awesome.

It was created by Lego genius Akiyuki (YouTube account here: http://www.youtube.com/user/akiyuky) in his living room and transports little balls at a rate of one ball per second.   My personal favourite parts of the Lego machine masterpiece is the digger that moves the balls and the firing of the balls into the basketball net. Genius!

Let us know below what your favourite part is in the comments section. Happy viewing!

Also, this may interest you, I found out over at Lego’s Wikipedia page that the Lego Group's motto is det bedste er ikke for godt which means roughly 'only the best is the best' (more literally 'the best is never too good'). I wonder how they will encourage Akiyuki to continue his amazing work. I also found out that the company name “Lego”, derived from the Danish phrase leg godt, which means “play well”.  Well after watching this I think I have found a new hobby, it’s play time ;)

Author: Sarah Griffiths