Google Music: Play Your Music Instantly, Anywhere

Today the Music Beta by Google comes to its official debut in a more advance platform which is officially called Google Music.

Launched at Google I/O last May was the Music Beta by Google, a service that let people access their personal music collection easily to the cloud for streaming through computer and Android devices. The Music Beta has the capacity to upload a music collection up to 20,000 songs. By using cloud-based apps technology streaming your music anywhere at anytime made possible.

It comes with innovative and personalized way that people can discover, purchase, share and enjoy music in a style. Google Music automatically sync your play list and music library both purchases and uploads to your devices such as computers,laptop or tablet. One more amazing thing with Google Music is that you can listen to your albums, favorite artists and play list of songs available even if you're offline. This way you can have more time to listen on your music collections while having less time to manage it. Rediscover your own library by using a feature called Instant Mix and start creating play list of songs when you're not shopping for new music.


Google Music lets you discover, buy and share music, wherever you want, whenever you want.

Discover.
Find music you love. Check out Android Market for staff-picked rising artists and great bands from your favorite genres.
Shop.
Buy now, listen now, sync never. There are hundreds of free songs and millions more to buy on Android Market.
Listen
Access your Google Music library anywhere and anytime - no syncing, no wires.
Organize.
Anything you get from Android Market is automatically stored in your Google Music library and you can add up to 20,000 of your own songs -- all for free.
Share.
Sharing is caring. For songs purchased from Android Market, you can share a listen with your friends on Google+.

Log-in to your Google Music Account ( Currently available in US Only)
- http://music.google.com/music/listen

Shopping Music on Android Market

Shop music on Android Market and listen instantly using the Google Music app.

* All your your music purchases from Android Market automatically appear on Google Music.
* Add up to 20,000 more songs from your personal music collection on your computer for free.
* Access to your entire music library instantly with the Google Music app, and save your favorites for offline playback.
* Share a free full play of the songs you purchased from Android Market with your friends on Google+.
* Learn more about Google Music at http://music.google.com/about
* Available in the U.S. only.

Install Google Android Music Application visit:
-https://market.android.com/details?id=com.google.android.music

Google+ Page: A Business Page with Google Plus

Google Plus started and rolled out only for human individuals that uses regular Google+ accounts in order to participate in. But then even it was intended only for real individuals, many businesses saw this social networking site as an oppurtunity to market their services and products. In fact despite of businesses, brands and any non-human weren't allowed to participate on the known circle networking site still they made use of regular Google+ accounts as a way to participate in.

Now, Google started to open the fastest growing social networking site to Businesses, Brands, Places & More.

Introducing Pages for Google+

"A leap forward in building relationships between businesses and people"

In the new Google+ Pages program, a business can create Google+ Page by using Tool to Create Page under a regular Google+ account. Once you already access this tool, you'll be then asked if what kind of page you are going to create given the five categories that includes:

-Local Business or Place
-Product or Brand
-Company, Institution or Organization
-Arts, Entertainment or Sports
-Other


Create your Goolge+ Page and start to:

SHARE - Start real conversations with the right people.

Build a closer connection and relationship with your customer by sharing thoughts, links, photos and promotions. Get live feedback and interaction by with your customers at the same time via multi-person video chats around the world. With Google+ Pages you can Publish Posts, Launch Hangouts and Manage Circles.

PROMOTE - Social sharing. Google reach.

With Google+ Page you can now promote your site, from promoting it yourself with Google+ Direct Connect and the Google+ badge. Help others promote you via +1 recommendations, Connect your +1's, +1 on search, +1 button sharing to Google and +1 on display ads.


MEASURE - Get in to know.

Understand your Google+ activity and know how people engage on your business by tracking what people are saying about your business, how many +1's your business receives and how these affect your traffic. Get and know your data via Google’s measurement tools such as Google+ search, Ripples, Social analytics, Analytics on a Page and get ready fo Google+ API integrations.


To know more, read from Google’s help page on the topic: About GOOGLE+ PAGES

Google Webmaster Tools: Subdomains As Internal Links

Google classifies subdomains as internal links as they continue to change the way of categorizing link data in Webmaster Tools. Webmaster Tools lists links on two separate categories, that is sorting the links pointing on your site as: the links coming from other sites, and links from within your site.

The update will not change the total number of the links pointing on your domain but will going to present it in a different way giving you an idea on which links are the one that actually came from your site and which links are coming from other sites. The catch is "Google is now considering those link coming from a subdomain" as internal links. To give an example considering a link from blog.seouragon.com to www.seouragon.com will no longer show as a link from external domain, but merely will be a link from internal domain.

Google Explained:

"Most people think of example.com and www.example.com as the same site these days, so we're changing it such that now, if you add either example.com or www.example.com as a site, links from both the www and non-www versions of the domain will be categorized as internal links. We've also extended this idea to include other subdomains, since many people who own a domain also own its subdomains-so links from cats.example.com or pets.example.com will also be categorized as internal links for www.example.com."

The number of your external links may appear to go down on the Webmaster Tools lists links due to this changes, but take note that total number of links (internal + external) will not be affected.

What will be the impact of this to the subdomains? Will subdomains be less listed on Google search results or be grouped in the Sitelinks pack? Take into consideration on what Google did in order to less the results from the same domain by introducing the 12 sitelink pack. For now, lets wait on how Google handles and treat the subdomains on their search result.

Google Start Out Verifying Google+ Accounts

Google starts out the verification badges to Google+ in order to make sure that the celebrities and public figures joining Google+ are of really who they claim to be. It appears right of the account name as Small gray badge, circular check box that when mouseover tells you “verified name.”

On Google’s Wen-Ai Yu announcement Friday evening in a Google+ post and accompanying video she explains that verification right now is focused on:

• Public Figures
• Celebrities
• People who have been “added to a large number of circles”

This Google+ verification badges will symbolize that the celebrities and public figures that you add or follow on your circle are the real one. This is an important factor to people to add others to their circle and continue Google+ user engagement.

Unlike facebook and twitter where in the use of celebrities and public figures is quite a mess, with this method of verification you are assured that you are following the real persona. A great move from Google+ aside from the recent addition of games that is tremendously helpful in order to keep people coming back to engage and patrionanize Google+ accounts.

Google does promise that they’re planning to expand the verification program, as you can see in the video announcement above.

Search Engine Travel Search: Google Hotel Finder vs Bing Travel

Comparing Travel Search User Interface Google Hotel Finder vs Bing Travel

Google Hotel Finder User Interface

What is Google Finder?

Google Hotel Finder is a new experimental product that makes it easier to compare and book hotels that are found across the web.

• Google Hotel Finder’s user-end layout is minimalistic.
• Most results immediately pull up a photograph of the hotel, google places reviews and key information of the hotel.
• You no longer need to open a new browser tab for each hotel result.

Bing Travel User Interface

What is Bing Travel?

Bing travel helps you plan trips and book flights and hotels with confidence because you'll know the right time to travel and buy. You can compare, filter, and sort flight and hotel results from hundreds of airline, hotel and agency websites.

• Bing Travel has a bit crowded layout.
• Too much white space on the left side and a little heavy text.
• Offers a variety of services to compare.
• Results feature high-quality photos and a helpful amount of information.
• Hotel result,comparison and search redirecting to a whole new page.

Comparing Travel Search Features Google Hotel Finder vs Bing Travel

Google Hotel Finder Features

Search just the places you want

Draw simple shapes to define the neighborhoods (yes, more than one!) that interest you.

See popular locations

Don’t know your way around? Map highlights the areas that are popular with visitors.

Keep a shortlist

One click adds hotels to your shortlist, where you can review them easily.

Find the best deal

Looking for the best time to visit? Compare a hotel’s current price with its typical one.

Bing Travel Features

Rate indicator

Gives you option to have list or map view. On List View, each hotel price has a Banner rating under it to tell whether it’s a good, average, or bad deal. Using Map View you will see and give you an idea according to the colors to where the more expensive or affordable hotels are.

Customization filters

Narrow down the result by using Customization filters that includes brands, amenities, and distance from other destinations.

Search history

Shows what you’ve been perusing on the site during your last visit, which was convenient.

Choosing the best option next time you plan your vacation? Now you decide between Google Hotel Finder vs Bing Travel on which will give you the best Destination Comparison in Travel Search. For more information about Google Hotel Finder and Bing Travel do visit:

Google Hotel Finder Help Page

Bing Travel Resources Page

Yahoo UK & Others Organic Search Results Transitioning to Bing

European properties keep your eyes open for Bing search results on Yahoo as soon as today. All of us noticed that rankings over yahoo got big changes due to the Organic Yahoo-to-Bing transition. Looking back Yahoo completed their transition on the US property back in August 2010, now the current status of the transitioning over to Bing’s search technology is happening in europe.

Yahoo UK & Others Organic Search Results Transitioning to Bing

According to the update sent by Yahoo, expected this Wednesday August 3, 2011 Yahoo will be migrating the organic results of Yahoo’s European properties to Bing's search index. Organic search results in the European market will be move to Microsoft's Bing platform. Broad-based transiton that began in the United States in which Yahoo completed their transition on the US property back in August 2010.

Included on the organic search transition over to Bing powered results are Yahoo UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. For the paid search ads Yahoo is not transitioning paid search results at this time, transitioning will only be the organic results.

In order to to be prepared for this changes and make sure that you keep your organic search result ranking, Yahoo says:

• Compare your organic search rankings on Yahoo! Search and Bing for the keywords that drive your business, help determine any potential impact to your traffic and sales
• Decide if you’d like to modify your paid search campaigns to compensate for any changes in organic referrals that you anticipate
• Review the Bing webmaster tools and optimise your website for the Bing crawler, to help ensure your site is prominently listed in both Yahoo! and Bing organic search results.

Search alliance of Yahoo's search-engine share with Bing's hopes to compete more with Google. For Bing to boost the capability of normal growth and development partnership with other companies is vital, one to take note is deepening their alliance with Facebook that helped make search more social.

Pinoy Blogfest 2.0 : Advocates Social Media for Social Good

Pinoy Blogfest 2.0

With Filipinos once again acknowledged as among the most active social media users — via FaceBook, Twitter, Multiply, Tumblr, Flickr, YouTube, etc. — Filipino bloggers are challenged to explore the potential of social media as a transformative force in Philippine society. “Social media as an agent for change” will be the theme of Pinoy_Blogfest 2.0, happening on Friday, 05 August 2011, at the TriNoma Activity Center in Quezon City.

Leading the discussion will be prominent social media activists Usec. Manuel (Manolo) L. Quezon III and Ms. Gang Badoy, who will share their thoughts on these two basic questions: How can we harness the power of social media for the social good? Can bloggers become positive change agents through social networking?

Both Usec. Quezon and Ms. Badoy will be the main speakers during the Blogger’s BIO (By Invitation Only) programme, scheduled from 7:00 to 10:00 pm as the culminating activity of Pinoy_Blogfest 2.0 on Friday, 05 August 2011.

Manolo Quezon is a popular essayist and blogger, who is currently an undersecretary of the Presidential Communications and Strategic Planning Office. Prior to this, he hosted The Explainer and The Explainer Dialogues on ANC cable news channel. He also headed the Speaker’s Bureau and was a columnist and editorial writer for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and was the assistant managing editor for the Philippine Free Press weekly news magazine. Usec. Quezon has received various awards for his professional work, including being named “Opinion Writer of the Year” in 1994 and 2005 by the Rotary Club of Manila’s Journalism Awards, one of the oldest journalism awards in the country. He also won the 1st Prize for the Essay in English for the Carlos Palance Memorial Awards for Literature in 1997.

Ms. Gang Badoy is a media practitioner and alternative educator. A product of the Assumption San Lorenzo High School, UP Diliman and the Indianapolis-Purdue University, she worked first for ABS-CBN in San Francisco and became news desk editor for NBC’s Eyewitness News. In 1999, she accepted a post with the Diocese of San Jose, California, and worked closely with Catholic Relief Services. She came home to the Philippines in mid-2003 and joined Jesuit Communications (JesCom) and spearheaded workshops on “Media and Ministry” for the East Asian Pastoral Institute. Primarily a writer, Ms. Badoy founded Rock Ed Philippines, an alternative education volunteer group that works for a more interesting way of presenting socio-civic issues to the youth. She also devotes time to giving media literacy lectures in campuses all over the Philippines, and is a staunch volunteerism advocate. Ms. Badoy was awarded as one of the Ten Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS) and Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) for 2010.

Pinoy_Blogfest 2.0 is a whole-day event, with several Social Activities targeted at various audiences. These are open to the public, as follows: 10:30 am to 12:oo nn – The New Workplace; 01:00 pm to 02:30 pm – It’s A Digital Life; 02:30 pm to 04:00 pm – Photography; 04:00 pm to 05:30 pm – Healthy Living. With expert resource persons for each of these social activities, the public will surely find the sessions both educational and entertaining. On-site registration will give the audience a chance to win raffle prizes and other give-aways.

Pinoy_Blogfest 2.0 is organized by GADGETS Magazine, with the support of The Coca-Cola Export Corporation, Teletech, Canon, Globe, Pony, Neo, Asus, Western Digital, Archos,
BenQ, JBL, Sennheiser, Manila Bulletin, Business Mirror, and TriNoma.

StumbleUpon Surpasses Facebook, Takes Over Number One “Social Sharing” Spot

How did StumbleUpon Surpasses Facebook as the No. 1 source for social media traffic in the U.S.?

Facebook allow user to “Like” and “Recommend” accross the web with more than 750 million users which is a huge advantage versus 15 million registered users for StumbleUpon but with nearly 850 million stumbles each month.

Facebook use to generate close to 70% of traffic based on social sharing that number has falling below 40% . On January 1st StumbleUpon accounted for about 43% of the U.S. social media traffic , while Facebook accounted for about 38%. According to the latest numbers by StatCounter StumbleUpon may be small compared to sites like Facebook but it sends the most social media traffic around the web.

Traffic Generation Difference Between Facebook and StumbleUpon

-While Facebook is a tremendous traffic generation tool, it requires time and creation of relationships, ie more “likes” to a website’s page or more shares by visitors.

-StumbleUpon is different. A new site has a chance to “go viral” very quickly if the right mix of natural thumbs up come in.

Here’s a look at social sharing stats from the US:

StatCounter racked up total shares on various networks and found that while Facebook use to generate close to 70% of traffic based on social sharing that number has falling below 40% while StumbleUpon accounts for nearly half of all social shared links. To get more in-depth comparison visit: http://gs.statcounter.com/#social_media-US-monthly-201001-201101

StumbleUpon may send out lot of traffic for other websites, however it doesn't mean that it gets a lot of traffic for its own. Still Facebook is the most visited website accross the world.

Among social media sites tracked in this segment by StatCounter include MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, Reddit, and Digg. StumbleUpon and Facebook are way ahead of the other 5.

Microsoft Upgrades Mobile Bing

Microsoft Makes Mobile Bing More Social

Microsoft’s Andy Chu announce the feature upgrades of Bing mobile site and having the UK version of Bing for mobile browsers at SMX Advanced session called “Up Close with the Bing Business Portal".

"Today also marks our expansion across the pond with the launch of Bing for Mobile browse in the UK. In addition to the above updates, customers in the UK will see: a redesigned homepage, enhanced local listings, auto suggest, image search, and driving and walking directions (and real-time transit in London)."

Some of the upgrade will be the "Share on Facebook" which will be rolling in search results and local business listing. Microsoft also enabled a hybrid map/list “split view” for Bing Maps and local listings. Bing also added search history and trending topics on the drop-down search auto-suggest.

Share on Facebook

At least for now Share on Facebook is available on all HTML5 devices, the only piece that is specific to iOS devices is the ability to share apps, and will be soon come out on other platforms. The difference of this Share on Facebook compared to Facebook/Like which was integrated into search result, is that this Share on Facebook allows users to share any search result or listing on their friends on facebook. Now you can share a hotel or restaurant listing to get some reviews or feedback within your network. This kind of process on some point may generate Likes for a business or brand that is being shared around.

Maps/List View

You'll see expandable map at the top whenever you get directions on mobile version of Bing Maps.

- Directions list is reflected in the map image.

- Dynamically changes as you scroll through each step.

- Driving directions, transit and walking directions

Search History and Trending Topics

This upgrade may also generate incrementally more searches for Microsoft.

(Features below is currently available only to US users)

- Drop down search suggest menu on m.Bing with relevant search history and trending topics.

- Your personal history is indicated by a small clock icon

- Trending topics have an associated “magnifying glass” icon next to them

Source: (Search Engine Land: Greg Sterling)

Google Wallet: Mobile Payment System

Google Wallet “Your phone will be your wallet. Just tap, pay, and save.”

Unveiled in an event in NYC on May 26th 2011, Google's Stephanie Tilenius announced Google Wallet. From coins, to paper money, to plastic cards and now the next big shift payment through a mobile device.

Google Wallet, using NFC (Near Field Communication - set of short-range wireless technologies), the enabled app would combine user's credit cards, coupons, gift cards and other receipts in one handy device - a smartphone. Nexus S 4G will be the first phone to deliver this service, as Sprint will be the first carrier.

Google Wallet is an Android app an "open platform" that makes your phone your wallet. It will store digital versions of your existing credit cards into on your phone. The mobile app will be a live app on Nexus S 4G from Sprint. Near-field communications (NFC) chip is also an important requirement for phones in oder for you to simply tap your phone to pay and redeem offers.

How it Works

Payments

Give your smartphone some credit

Tap your phone to pay with the virtual payment cards stored in your Google Wallet.

When Google Wallet launches, it will support these cards:

• Citi® MasterCard®
• the Google Prepaid Card
• gift cards at participating merchants

Google Offers are deals on products and services at local or online businesses. Whenever you buy

Offers & Loyalty or save a Google Offer, it automatically syncs to your Google Wallet so your offers are always with you. Google Wallet can also store loyalty cards for participating merchants.

Security

Google Wallet is designed and engineered to enable safe, secure payments. In fact, Google Wallet’s security features go beyond what’s possible with traditional wallets and cards.

Google Wallet is another product of innovation that will make it easier for us to pay and save some upon purchasing the things or goods we want. Both businesses and consumers will benefit once this new technology rolled out for implementation.

For more details about this new service of Google you can visit http://www.google.com/wallet

Google Business Photos

Google Business Photos is formally announced today at Social-Loco conference in San Francisco Google’s Doyenne of Local Marissa Mayer. Google Business Photoshoot are rolling out in some selected cities in the US, Australia, and Japan. Google sponsored photographers are currently scheduling photo shoots with local business owners to take interior shots of their business. The types of businesses that are currently served are restaurants, hotels, retail shops, and other storefront businesses.

The photos gathered by Google photographers will appear in business Place Page to help out and give users more information about the business. Having interior photos on your business listing is a great way to showcase your business to customers. By adding business photos on your Place Page, it will help you to enhance your listing and let your business stand out among other competitors.

Get discovered on Google it's free! To apply for an official Google photo shoot of your business, call fill out the online Business Photo Shoots application. Here: http://maps.google.com/help/maps/businessphotos/

Google Toolbar 7: Faster, Sleeker, and More Personalized

Google Toolbar 7 the new version is simpler, cleaner and help speed up your searching. The instant Search integration will help you to make searching and browsing faster. Fresh look and new features, Google Toolbar 7 searching has now gone from vast to instant. See result as you type. The tools that you use most will remain visible on you toolbar for easy access while buttons that you haven’t used will be moved to "More" button to make your toolbar tidier.

Google Toolbar 7 Features:

• Share any web page with your friends right from the Toolbar.
• Contribute and read helpful information on any web page with Google Sidewiki.
• Translate web pages instantly with automatic language detection.

It's available from http://google.com/toolbar


Here's more about the Toolbar

Search with Google Anywhere:
Access Google search from the Toolbar on any site.
As you type a search, Toolbar will automatically show suggestions for what you are searching for.
Sign in to the Toolbar with your Google account and get personalized search results based on your search history.


Find things faster:
Quick Scroll: Quick Scroll lets you jump directly to the content in a page relevant to your search.
Highlight: Click the Highlight button to see all the words that match your search terms on any web page.
Word Find: Each word you enter in the Toolbar search box gets its own Word Find button. Click the button to see where that word appears on a page.


Translate languages:
Visit a site written in a foreign language and Toolbar will offer to automatically translate it for you.
See the translation of a single word on a page just by rolling your cursor over it.
You can set Toolbar to always translate pages in certain languages in Toolbar Options.


Personalize your Toolbar:
Select tools in the More» menu and Toolbar will adapt and automatically make the tools you use easily accessible.
Choose from useful tools like web page sharing, bookmarks, spell check, and auto-fill for web forms.
Visit the Custom Button Gallery to add buttons to help you quickly search or visit your favorite sites.

Google Map Maker: Google Users Become Editors of US Map

New! Google Map Maker for the United States, Google finally let its users edit, add and update the map of United States for millions to see in Google Maps.

Google Map Maker same as Google Maps lets any Google user to sign-in to edit, add and update the places they know. to To ensure the accuracy and quality of Maps edits, after user saved an edit it will be reviewed by in-house moderation team. Once Google approve and accepts user contributions and map edits, within minutes it will go live on Google Maps.

With Google Map Maker users can make the map more detailed and complete starting from neighborhood, hometown, entire cities, road networks and universities. This new product from Google will ensure every place cared about by users can be represented on the map. Speeding up the time for online maps to reflect the changes whether fixing or adding details — roads, universities, bike paths, and others so that changes appear in Google Maps and pushed live to all users.

Google is also adding some new features for users, integrated within Google Map Maker is a Street View so users can use imagery to help guide their edits. Advanced search options is also added for users to find exactly what they’re looking for.

Start adding your local knowledge to the map.

• Add businesses and building outlines.
• Move place markers to the right locations.
• Build a detailed map of your school campus.

See live mapping by users around the world!

Learn and discuss

• Learn about Map Maker and how to get started.
• Get tips from the Map Maker Help Center.
• Ask questions in the Map Your World Community.

Bing Announces New Bing Business Portal (BETA)

Bing Local Listing Center has it's new brand called Bing Business Portal.

This time Bing taking it to a new level looking to compete Google Places which recently had its integration of Google Hotpot on it. The Bing Business Portal will let you claim,” verify, and manage your local business listing on Bing in much easier way through their easy to use listing tools.

Some of the changes of Bing Business Portal (BETA) over the previous Bing Local Listing Center are the ff:

• Quicker verification for business listings via phone (mail option available as well)
• Improved interface to make it easier for SMB market to use
• ‘Cartoon’ format making it easier for businesses to follow the process
• Deals integration with Facebook
• Support (rumored to be real people using those antiquated phone things) with help forums

These changes are great and helpful for business in terms of areas of internet strategy. Bing Business Portal will allow businesses to preview their listing in desktop and mobile view. They also included a feature allowing you to create a mobile site version of your listing and including a QR code as well. Adding more to it Bing Deals will roll out in desktop and mobile search.

Claim and enhance your business listing on Bing. Its free!

"More customers are searching Bing to find businesses and services in their local area. Claiming your business listing can help increase your visibility and influence customers to visit your business."

Take time to complete and make accurate business listing in Google Places, Yahoo Local Listing and Bing Business Portal or in other third-party service providers. You'll have better chances to be found by customers that are looking for you if you have accurate and complete information on you business listing.

To learn a bit more about the Bing Business Portal, you can read keynote Q&A on Bing's Business Portal FAQ.

Google Analytics Useful Guides, Tips and Tricks Collection

Gaining and better understanding of Google Analytics. These articles/blog will guide you on how to segment and analyse your incoming data, it will help you understand as well as giving you insights of your website. Below are some blogs/articles which have created some excellent best practices, tips and usages for Google Analytics filters:

• Creating a Google Analytics filter for Image Search – Yoast
• Search Term Categorisation in Google Analytics - l3analytics
  
• Google Analytics Filter for Tracking SEO Rankings - atelier-seo
  
• How To Track Mobile Visitors In Google Analytics - localseoguide
  
• Google Analytics to Tracking Google Places - Dhrub Raaj
• Tracking Local search Traffic with Analytics - Blumenthals
  
• PPC Keywords Filter for Google Analytics – E-Nor
• 5 Must Have Google Analytics Filters – Search Marketing Ads
• Basic Google Analytics Filter: Track Site Subdomains – Marshall Ball
• Stop Google Analytics From Stealing Your Valuable AdWords Keyword Data – Get Elastic
• Need the IP address of your visitors in Google Analytics Reports? Is it possible? – Merkados
• Track SEO rankings with Google Analytics – Yoast
• Custom Filters for GA: Part 3d – Luna Metrics
• Filters for GA Part 4c: Cascading Custom Advanced Filters – Luna Metrics
• Know What Your Customers Want: Analyze Internal Search Data With Google Analytics – Conversation Marketing
• Filtering Yahoo Mail and Live Mail in Google Analytics – 100 Dollar SEO
• Google Analytics Keyword Filters – Schawel Consulting
• 7 Google Analytics Filters To Help Understand Your Visitors – Doted Guru
• Google Analytics Filter to Remove Trailing Slashes – Splike
• Some Basic Information About Lowercase Filters – ROI Revolution
• Google Analytics Regex Filter Tester – Analytics Experts
• Tracking social networks with Google Analytics using filters – Brian Clifton
• How To Creata a Filter Google Analytics Help
  
  
  
  

Google Hotpot now Integrated with Google Places

Google Hotpot - the once stand-alone product would become an integrated part of Google Places.

Some five months ago Google launch Hotpot as a recommendation engine for places which attracted millions of users who rate and review venues as well as adding friends to get personalized recommendations. Adding a more personal touch and view of the world, Google released Hotpot both for iPhone and Android apps encouraging more users to recommend, rate and review places. Hotpot also expanded to support more than 47 languages.

Hotpot project manager Lior Ron once wrote on the Official Google Blog, “Hotpot is really going places: to a Google search box near you and around the world.”.


Few days ago, last April 08 2011 on the official Google blog, Hotpot project manager Lior Ron writes, "Based on this success, we’ve decided to graduate Hotpot to be a permanent part of our core local product offering, Google Places."

Google Hotpot now integrated with Google Places, Hotpot - the dish, that describes a shared eating experience will now graduate. Though the Hotpot product name will be discontinued the technology will be embodied and be part of Google Places. Both web and Google mobile apps users can expect more “Hotpotness” in Google Places, they will have more big plans and will be adding more features to Google Places in order to make it easier to rate, discover and share the places.

"Rolling Hotpot into Google Places helps simplify the connection between the places that are rated and reviewed and the more than 50 million places that already have an online presence through Google Places—places that millions of people search for and find every day on Google," project manager Lior Ron explained.

Blogger Dynamic Views for Authors and Readers

Blogger Adds Customizable Views for Readers

Blogger just added five new dynamic templates to present your blog content to your readers in different exciting ways. These five new views are made possible by using the latest in web development which includes HTML5, AJAX and CSS3 as Google continues its effort to overhaul its blog platform adding a fresh and new look to explore your favorite Blogger blogs. The new five Blogger Dynamic Views are mosaic, flipcard, sidebar, timeslide and snapshot. Mosaic and Flicard is almost similar to each other which features a wall of thumbnails and once click will zoom filling the screen, while minimizes when it's click again. However Sidebar, Timeslide and Snapshot is a sort mix putting together the content, photo blogs, and text blog.

Blogger Dynamic Views advantage and benefits:

Infinite scrolling: read more posts without having to reload or click to a second page

New layouts: different views suited to different types of blogs

Speed: download images as you view them, not all at once in advance

Interactivity: there are now more ways to experience and engage with blog content

To try the different blogger dynamic views simply add “/view” on the end of a blog url, like http://seouragon.blogspot.com/view then just tap the sidebar button to change the template view of the blog. Remember that these new views are only available to public Blogger blogs with feeds fully enabled where in public and readers don’t need to sign in.

If you are a blogger and you want to enable dynamic views just follow these steps:

1. Log in to your blogger account.

2. Go to Setting then click Formatting

3. Under Formatting look for Enable Dynamic Views and set it to YES.

4. Then Save Settings.

If you're using chrome while reading on a Blogger blog you can install this Chrome Extension for dynamic view which can be found here: Blogger Dynamic Views Add On .

After installing it just click on the Blogger icon when it appears on the browser toolbar, select the view, and you'll be redirected to the dynamic view you preferred.

Google Plus One For Search Results And Ads

Google Plus One it is. Google's Social Network project which appeared in techrunch article entitled "Google Toying With Naming Social Product “Google +1″ As Sergey Brin Gets Involved" last December 2010 finally been launched. The project was originally named as "Emerald Sea" but then eventually change its name as the project progresses and pick the final name of the product to be "Google +1" or "Google Plus One". The name itself was derived from the functionality of the project which is to give your approval to the sites which you like or recommend to others the things that interest you in the search result.

Google Plus One

Rumors quickly erupted that this new service form Google will rival the Facebook Like Button. Is this Google's version of "Retweet" and "Like." Perhaps it is since users aren't doing something alone on the web, it's social. So what it's gonna be called then "+1ing" sounds terrible. One thing you can also notice is that Google did not launch the project as a stand alone social website but they have included it on their current services mainly the Gmail and Google search result. Hope that things would not turn out to be like what happened to Google Buzz and Google Wave in their attempt to make search more social.

Now search marketers are concerned if this service will going to affect the search engine rankings of websites since the searchers or users are involve in the Plus One Vote. Logically, users preference to plus one a webpage or what they found on search result will give it a positive webpage quality/relevancy score. Will Google use this as a signal to adjust and include Google Plus One on its algorithm? For now as an experimental service Google stated that the Plus One feature will not initially affect the rankings of search result but Matt Cutts said "When someone recommends something, that's a pretty good indicator of quality".

Google Plus One is another sign of innovation and improvement from Google delivering search result that is most relevant to users query. I think Google nailed it right in the head this time. Hitting two birds in one stone, Google Plus One will play a major role Googles algorithm in providing quality search content on the web as well as a chance to penetrate social web community letting users to interact by sharing and recommending the things that interest them across the web.

Facebook Places Philippines Goes Live

As for me and other Filipinos out there who are anticipating and fan of facebook places, the long wait is over as Facebook Places Philippines is now available. Just like Foursquare, Gowalla, or Yelp users here in Philippines, you can now share where you at by checking-in to locations via Facebook Places . You can open touch.facebook.com in your Web browser or use the Facebook for iPhone app on your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad and start checking-in to places here in Philippines.

Facebook Places Philippines

You can tap Check In to check the list of nearby locations then tap the place you want to check into. After that you can choose to comment on what you are doing in that place and tag your friends as well. Then in order to show it up on your news feed press Check In button.

Facebook Places is powered by Bings mapping engine, if you want to add your location you can do it by pressing add, and then fill out the name and description of your place. List of available places or locations will appear if its been already added on Bings Mapping engine or other people already added and check ins are made.

Also business owners can use this in order to put their business establishment on Facebook Places and turn it into a proper Facebook Page in which they can use it as a map in order for customers to locate them easily. So here is a quick guide on how to do it:

How to Set Up Your Business Page

Here’s a step-by-step to help you get started.

Sign up for your business page here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php

1.You need to be a Facebook member in order to create your business page, so if you aren’t a member, jump on board.

2.Upload your logo and any related business pictures, including your locations, facilities, products, etc.

3.Fill in all your company information, including a link to your company’s web site

4.Share your new page with all your friends on Facebook

5.Encourage your employees who are likely already on Facebook to become a fan and share with their friends

6.Promote your Facebook page on your web site and on other social media sites. See how one of my clients has added her Twitter and Facebook profile links right to her home page: www.villagedermatology.net

7.Update your page regularly with news about your company, products, and services.

How to Claim Your Business on Facebook Places

Using Places on your mobile device

How do I create a new Place?

To create a new place, follow these steps:

1.Access the Places application on your supported device.

2.Click "Check In."

3.Click the "Add" button to the left of the Places Names search box.

4.Enter a name for the new Place as well as an optional description of it. Then, click the "Add" button at the bottom right of the page.

5.You will then have the option to both write a description of what you are doing at the new Place, and/or tag your friends there

6.Click the "Check In" button to share your visit.

So there you go, check in to your favorite places and expect to see your friends location and what they are doing via Facebook Places Philippines.

Google Panda Update Episode 1: The Phantom Panda

As Google continues to revolutionize and improve the quality of its search result, new algorithm shake up has taken place to address the duplicate,content farm, low quality and spammy search result in order to filter out and reduce the rankings of low quality sites which are less helpful for users. Matt Cutts announced on his blog way back in January about the launched of the algorithm change in order to decrease or irradicate "content farms" and "spammy or low-quality content" in Googles search result. The answer is their major algorithmic update known as the "Google Panda Update".

What is Google Panda Update?

"This update is designed to reduce rankings for low quality sites—sites which are low-value add for users, copy content from other websites or sites that are just not very useful. At the same time, it will provide better rankings for high quality sites—sites with original content and information such as research, in-depth reports, thoughtful analysis and so on." - Matt Cutts, Google’s head of spam.

At first it was known as the Google Farmer Update as labeled by media which started to roll out in February 2011 and made major significant changes in Googles algorithm. The big algorithmic update immediately impacts almost 12% Of US results, noted to be one of the most noticeable algorithm changes of Google that attacked on the relevancy of their results.

Article directories definitely took a major hit and most of their site pages dropped their keyword rankings and traffic. This only shows how Google influence and takes control over the web that in a single algorithm update, search result will be different. Though Google didn't officially said that they are going after content farms, both “scraper” sites (those sites who are pulling contents from other sources or those sites that don't have original content) and “content farms" (those sites that has pure web-spam content or sites with shallow and low-quality content) are the affected and badly hit of this Google Panda Update.

For me I'm impressed by the big leap made by Google in order to improve their search result and ranking. This algorithm update will reduce the low quality and spammy sites from appearing in Google's search result and make the web ecosystem friendly which will take search quality in a higher level.