New Blogger Templates are Finally Here

New Blogger Template Designer

New Blogger Templates are Finally Here - The Google Blogger team sent all of us an email this morning letting us know that they realize that their old templates have been used and abused and really just stale after years and years of the same. The new template designer is pretty cool. I haven't had much time to test drive the new Blogger updates, but at first glance, it looks cool. (Interior Design New York City) Go build a new blog today knowing that you wont have to settle for a template everyone else in the world has used for their own. The new Blogger Template Designer they have set up looks like there are so many looks, colors and images to choose from that no two Blogger Blogs will look the same... like snowflakes, beautiful snowflakes.

facebook Exceeds Google Traffic

Facebook recently surpassed Google as the top destination on the Web. Granted, the victory only represents one week, but with traffic on par with Google, and membership exceeding 400 million users, Facebook is primed to challenge the vast Google empire for online advertising dollars. Read More Here.

As an SEO, I keep wondering how this emerging rivalry will affect the Facebook Pages and Profiles ability to get ranked on Google for higher value keyword phrases. Google would deny any favoritism or prejudice, but I cant say I wouldn't block facebook from results if I were Google. But then they would need to worry about turning off their own loyal Google users who are also loyal facebook users.

Facebook's Ads appeal more to business owners, especially small and mid size companies. The reason? Very specific paths you can use in targeting your desired audience. Your ads are not wasted on the more general demographics. For example, say you're promoting a movie about Elves. You can specifically send your Ads to male facebook users who like the movie Lord of the Rings, and are between the ages of 12 and 40. You could get even more specific than that. Google does not allow for that. Google's Ads are based on the users search, but you gotta know that Google would love to be able to offer the specific targeting methods that facebook can and does. (Printed Circuit Boards)

To compete with that, Google must figure out a way to get its users to voluntarily offer up that private information that facebook "innocently" collects from us. That will be a challenge for Google. Now, if Facebook were to try and charge Americans a monthly fee, like they have in other smaller countries, I think a Google takeover of Social Media would be eminent. But, if Facebook keeps making solid moves, they will stay on top for awhile. The only thing that could hinder their success is if they tried to charge for the service. Google is free and would figure out how to give its users a "Free Facebook". 

Google TV is Coming

Google TV is coming. Even though Google is saying they wont address the rumors. My advice is to get in good with Google. Google plans on taking it's marketing style to Television. (Art of Learning) They have the money and know how to do it. Again I say, get in good with Google's graces, and hope she rewards you. Google will dominate this, and one of my favorite parts is the Google Android platform will be a big part of it. 

Google, Intel, and Sony have reportedly joined forces to develop a content platform for television called Google TV. According to The New York Times, the three companies are collaborating on the design of set-top boxes and Internet-ready TVs that will make Internet content easily available to consumers in their living rooms. Read the whole story on Information week.

Google Wave and Google Buzz

I have tried Google Buzz and Yahoo Buzz. Out of the two I honestly prefer Yahoo Buzz. There is something about Google Buzz being inside my email. I realize we all live transparent lives now, it just kind of creeps me out. But Google Wave, as discussed by THIS ARTICLE, is very similar to Google Buzz. Here's an excerpt from that article:

Google Wave and Google Buzz have an awful lot in common. Wave was billed as a reinvention of e-mail, a way for individuals and corporate employees to share ideas, media, and (new york interior design) conversation in a more intuitive format than e-mail. Buzz was billed as a similar type of social-media tool that allows for the sharing of ideas and discussion among a network.

Google China Shutdown

Google and the Chinese government have been in (Printed Circuit Board) talks regarding the self censorship of Google in China. Apparently the talks have not gone well. China is still being stubborn, and now Google is also being stubborn. China want Google to censor itself, and Google doesn't want to do it anymore. This is making the competition search engines in China giddy with excitement. Baidu is the leading search engine in China. Google is the second most used. Baidu would dominate if Google walks away. Read the Whole Article

My personal opinion is that Google should keep their foot down on this one. Censorship shows weakness. It says you don't trust your citizens to behave like grown ups. 

Yahoo and Twitter Join Forces

Yahoo! has become irrelevant. Art of Learning This is no surprise, it's been happening for awhile now. While Google dominates and shows no sign of slowing, players such as Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo! and MSN/Bing are looking to join forces for a chance to punch Google in the stomach. (Printed Circuit Board)

Twitter and Yahoo have made some recent moves. Here is what you can expect from the courtship:

1) People will be able to access their personal Twitter feeds across Yahoo!’s many products and properties, including the homepage, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! Sports, and others, letting them check in more easily on what’s happening with the people and things they care about while on Yahoo!.

2) People will be able to update their Twitter status and share content from Yahoo! in their Twitter stream, so they can easily share their Yahoo! experiences with their friends and followers on Twitter.

3) Yahoo! Search and Yahoo! media properties like News, Finance, Entertainment, and Sports will include real-time public Twitter updates across a variety of topics. Yahoo! Search users will immediately see real-time Twitter results today; go to Yahoo! and try it out.

Not sure why Yahoo! Buzz wasn't mentioned in all this, that seems like a no brainer. | I got my info from this website Here.

Google China Talks Ongoing

BEIJING — Google said on Thursday that it was in talks with China on the future of the US Internet giant in the Asian nation, after the leading Search Engine firm threatened to leave over cyber-attacks and state web censorship.

Google has made clear to the Chinese leadership that they will not be self-censoring their results any longer. Google wants the Chinese leadership ( PCB | Interior Design) to understand that they (Google) are prepared to exit the world's biggest online market, should the Chinese not cooperate. To read the whole Associated Press Release Click Here.