Don’t Panic!

This has been a strange week. On Tuesday I was very worried about two things – Hurricane Hanna looked to be heading for a direct hit, and one of our clients took a major dive in Google for their key search terms.

It’s now Sunday, Hannah has passed by with little more than some extra rain, and the client has moved back up, better than before. So, a wasted week? No!

Here’s what I’ve learned from this:

Examine the Situation

Hurricane: We weren’t as ready as we should have been. What needed to be done? Where would we stay? When would we leave? What would we bring?

Website: Had any major changes been made? Were other companies affected the same way? What was being said at Webmaster World and other boards?

Taking Action

Hurricane: We made hotel reservations which could be canceled right up to the last minute with no penalty. We sorted through documents, cleaned out the old and organized the relevant ones. Bought extra candles, water and supplies.

Website: Looked through the code for anything that had gotten ‘messed up’. Checked out some competitors to see how they were looking. Analyzed the traffic that was still being sent from Google.

Waiting. And waiting.

In both instances there was a lot of waiting.

Hurricane: Once we had established that we were ready as we could be, there was little to do but check the NHC tracking maps and listen for local advisories regarding a possible evacuation.

Website: There was still plenty of traffic coming from Google, it was just some of the most searched phrases that had taken a hit. We weren’t banned at least! We still had good back links. Nothing was obviously wrong on the site. So…we wait.

Happy Endings

Hurricane: By Thursday it was pretty clear we should dodge the worst of it. Schools were closed as a precautionary measure on Friday, but other than some stronger than usual wind, and a little extra rain, we were fine. Yay!

Website: We tried to limit checking to once (okay, maybe twice) a day. On Saturday things were still not looking great – we had second page positions, but they were bouncing around between #19 and #20. Then, on Sunday, the storm blew past and the sun came out – back up to top 5 for both the affected search terms. Yay!

Conclusions

Somethings are just simply beyond your control. Yes, you should prepare for hurricanes and you can optimize for Google, but that doesn’t stop bad things happening.

What is important is that when it looks like trouble, then you know what to do.

Google’s Ambitions are Out of this World

It is said the when Alexander realized the size of his domain, “he wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer” – Google, however, just moves out to space.

Yes, having won the search engine wars, dominated the pay-per-click sphere and, presumably, it’s just a matter of time before becoming the number one browser, Google has taken the next step and left Earth’s orbit.

Well, OK, not quite, but they did launch their own satellite today, from a rocket emblazoned with the Google logo.

The Delta 4 rocket owned by GeoEye will provide Google with exclusive satellite imagery for Google Maps. According to the press release,

“GeoEye- …(is) designed to take digital images of the Earth from 423 miles and…the satellite camera can distinguish objects on the Earth’s surface as small as 0.41-meter or 16 inches in size.”

However, U.S. Government restrictions mean that Google will only be allowed to use resolution of 50cm – but with most commercial mapping right now at 60cm, it’s still a big improvement.

So, Google will have at least one satellite capable of reading your license plate from space.  And to think, some people are still worried about Google tracking their online behavior!

Twittering the RNC

Well, I had just about the most fun ever Twittering the last two nights. I love it anyway, but really saw how cool it can be to twitter with others during a live event.

I decided to watch the Republican National Convention the last two nights on my computer, so I could do some work during down moments. Because Twitter was up on my computer, I started offering up my thoughts as Governor Palin spoke Wednesday and Senator McCain spoke Thursday. I had great fun chatting with others live as the speeches took place, laughing at funny moments (Palin’s daughter licking her hand and swiping the baby’s hair), discussing the issues they raised, weighing in on how they were doing and a lot more.

It truly made the experience all the richer to share in the moment with others watching it and demonstrated the power of Twitter. I can really see how this would be a nifty tool to use at a conference, a sporting event or any other live event.

You may ask, how did you pay attention to the event and Twitter? Well, that’s the thing about Twitter. It seems like it would be a distraction, and it is a little, but it takes only a millisecond to read 140 characters of copy and not much longer to write 140 characters of copy. So you can glance down, take in the latest comments, jot out one every so often and still pretty thoroughly pay attention.

Anyone else Twitter a live event with success? Or hated it? Please share!

Microsoft Seinfeld Ad Debuts

So recently I noted that one thing that Microsoft was trying to do right to improve its image was a new ad campaign with Jerry Seinfeld. Well, folks, it’s debuted and well, it sucked… at least to me.

Why? It feels like Microsoft, despite being the resident aging geek, is making a last ditch effort to be a part of the cool crowd. Wow, the effort shows and it’s painful. Take a look at the video.

Find more videos like this on AdGabber

I mean first off, Bill Gates is TERRIBLE. How stiff and awkward is he? That’s exactly what they should be trying to get away from — stiff and awkward — and all they did is magnify it here by bringing so much attention to the ad.

And poor Jerry, his stuff just doesn’t make any sense. I mean, I’m all about off-the-wall comedy, but this just misses the mark and isn’t just off the wall; it’s out of the universe completely. Hopefully, this is not Jerry’s doing, but Microsoft’s. Microsoft, in their defense, says the ad will make more sense as the campaign moves forward.

What does this have to do with Microsoft? They’re going to invent something really cool down the road? Well, enough already. Invent it now, or really gosh darn soon, or the game may be over kids.

I hate to be so hard on Microsoft and Bill Gates. He is an amazing man and it is an amazing company that took computing forward in huge ways. I just want to see them adapt and be successful, and this just ain’t the way.

What do you think?

Chrome: What the World is Saying

OK, this maybe something of a cheat, but I have a good excuse. I had fully intended to download Google’s new browser Chrome yesterday, test it out and write up my thoughts, but with that hurricane looking like it was heading directly for my house, I had more pressing matters.

Now Chrome has been available for almost a complete day, the Twitterverse, the Blogosphere and maybe even some people in the real world, have had a chance to chime in with their thoughts. Which leaves me wondering what I can really add to the conversation with just a brief test time.

So, not wishing to seem redundant, I thought a round-up of reactions might actually prove more useful.

History

Wired pretty much has the definitive article about how Chrome came in to being, Inside Chrome: The Secret Project to Crush IE and Remake the Web. Highly-respected tech journalist Steven Levy gives a birds-eye view of the whole project, from its beginning to the actual release. Includes some interesting stuff – would you believe that Google actually, um, ‘fibbed’ about building their own browser?

“After a 2004 New York Times article quoted “a person who has detailed knowledge of the company’s business” saying a browser was in the works, Schmidt had to publicly deny it.”

Hmm…

How it is Different

The most current versions of browsers have been improvements upon older versions, but those older versions were for the original www – not today’s web of applications, JavaScript and ‘constant connectedness’. Google wanted to rip it up and start again:

“All of us at Google spend much of our time working inside a browser. We search, chat, email and collaborate in a browser. And in our spare time, we shop, bank, read news and keep in touch with friends — all using a browser. Because we spend so much time online, we began seriously thinking about what kind of browser could exist if we started from scratch and built on the best elements out there”

I Feel the Need – the Need for Speed!

You bank online. You check your email on line. You work, live and play online. So speed is a bigger and bigger issue. Chrome is certainly a step up, at least according to Jof Arnold:

Many others are saying the same thing. Techcrunch found that,

“After just ten minutes of jumping from site to site, I was amazed by how quickly I was able to get around. And unlike some browsers (I won’t mention any names), opening a slew of tabs doesn’t matter — it’s just as fast with or without tabs.”

Hicks Design call it “fast and nimble. In a Camino way”, Eamon Costello says it’s “seriously fast” and, at the time of writing, there are about 5 tweets a minute with the search string, “Chrome is fast”!

So, let’s assume it’s new and it’s fast – what does this mean?

It’s Google vs Microsoft

Chrome is obviously another shot at Microsoft. Which is why Google waited until they were dominant enough to really challenge in the browser wars. Clinton Skakun is rooting for an IE-Killer:

“Hopefully this browser reaches the eyes of enough IE6 and 7 users. If it kills IE it was all worth it!:D When it’s all said and done, we might just have a Internet Explorer Killer on our hands:) If it doesn’t kill IE, maybe it will cause a slight shrink their user base.”

But Hank Williams isn’t so upbeat:

“Microsoft has been fighting the browser wars with spitballs and plastic knives and they are still beating Firefox handily. So Chrome, from a business perspective, for the foreseeable future, is totally irrelevant.”

Some, however, think that the real challenge is not to Internet Explorer, but to Microsoft Office. Google has been rolling out it’s own Ajax applications, Google Docs, Spreadsheets, etc – a browser which can handle Javascript better, making these faster and more stable, will take yet more users away from desktop applications.  Preston Galla’s take is that,

“Google’s Chrome browser…takes dead aim at Windows 7 and Microsoft Office, and attempts to make both irrelevant. Google’s long-term goal is clear: Dominate the enterprise and small business market in the same way it now dominates Internet search.”

Actually, it’s Google vs Mozilla

There is already one great open source browser available, and it claims around 20% of the market share. Mozilla has also just renewed its deal with Google – so why would Google want another competitor in the mix?  Joe Wilcox has a suggestion:

“Google wants to keep that money it gives Mozilla and other browser developers…Chrome will compete with Firefox and other Google search-supported browsers. Oh, yeah, if that’s you, Google is doing evil. If you’re Mozilla and dependent on Google paid search revenue, your browser’s future is perilous. How ironic if Google does to Firefox what Microsoft couldn’t: Kill the browser.”

What Do I Think?

I’ve been playing around with it for the last day or so (I’m writing this post using Chrome right now), and it’s, sort of, well, underwhelming. Considering it has 3% of the market share in under 24 hours I expected something more. Although I’m not sure what.

Maybe I need to get used to it a little more. It took me a while to feel fully comfortable with GMail when I first began using that, and now it’s all I use. It’s certainly fast, no doubt, and it has the Google-feel to it that Docs and so on have too, but switching browsers is a pain, and I’d need a strong incentive to do that. I don’t currently think Chrome is it.

I also have a few concerns about monopoly and privacy. Do we really want Google to dominate in another field like it does in search? They have made the software Open Source, so perhaps developers can port some of the better parts over to the Mozilla project, which would be good for everyone. Right now, however, I’m not going to be switching from Firefox.

Have you tried it out yet? What do you think?

***Update***

Looks like I was right to have some fears about privacy – Jacob Morgan has the goods…

What Microsoft is Doing Right

Per my earlier post, I railed on Micrsoft for not keeping up with the times and being reactive instead of proactive. But, that said, Microsoft is doing some things right and it’s important to share that side of the story, as well.

One of these things is the image above: Photosynth. Dreamed up by Microsoft Live Labs, an arm of Microsoft whose mission it is to “advance state-of-the-art Internet technology and products,” Photosynth lets you take a group of photos and essentially “synth” (in English: paste or join) them together to create a 3-D image that allows you to sort of virtually walk through the scene.

Here’s how it works according to Microsoft:
“Using techniques from the field of computer vision, Photosynth examines images for similarities to each other and uses that information to estimate the shape of the subject and the vantage point each photo was taken from. With this information, we recreate the space and use it as a canvas to display and navigate through the photos.”

So, they’re trying. Keep it up.

Secondly, they’re trying to “hip” up their image. How? Well, wonder where Jerry Seinfeld’s been since Seinfeld (besides “Bee Movie”)? It looks like he’s got a new gig: the spokesperson for Microsoft. The company is investing $300 million, according to MSNBC, in a fall ad campaign featuring the comedian.

Not sure just plugging in a seemingly “cool” person (is Seinfeld really cool anymore?) into your ads is going to solve the problem. I think it starts at home and the type of products they’re developing, but if they keep paying more attention to LiveLabs and less toward creating operating systems that don’t work, they’re on the right track at least. What do you think?

From Facebook to Flickr: Use the Web to Plan Your Next Event

by Lyn Mettler

You’ve probably received more Evites than you can count, been invited to attend an event via Facebook or maybe even found some-like minded souls on MeetUp.com. If you’re planning an event, using the latest and greatest Web technologies is a great way to communicate, save time and attract more people to your shindig, whether it’s a wedding, a corporate luncheon or the opening of a new restaurant. Here are eight totally free Internet resources you can tap into to get your next event off the ground:

1. Facebook – One of my all-time favorites, Facebook is a social network that connects friends, colleagues and acquaintances from across all walks of life and it offers a handy event feature. You can invite anyone to come, on Facebook or not, and it will keep track of RSVPs for you. You, or attendees, can upload photos, videos, links, etc. related to the event and start a discussion on the “the wall,” a place where people can publicly post comments. www.facebook.com
2. MySpace – While Facebook is dearer to my heart, MySpace, for now, still has an important place, even though earlier this year it was surpassed by Facebook in the total number of unique visitors. MySpace also has an event feature, which is not quite as nifty as Facebook’s. You can invite anyone who is a user of MySpace, track RSVPs, post it to your MySpace blog and more. It certainly doesn’t hurt to post the event in as many places as possible. www.MySpace.com
3. Twitter – If you haven’t heard about Twitter, it’s a service called “micro-blogging” or posting a comment that’s 140 characters or less. You can “follow” other people’s “tweets” (read: comments) and they can follow yours. Set up an account just for your event, try to find the folks you’d like to invite to your event and “follow” them. Twitter etiquette says they’re supposed to “follow” you back, so you can then begin to post updates about the event and engage in dialogue with them about it, as well. Twitter makes a great conversation tool. www.twitter.com
4. Evite – This site is really like a digital version of the classic invitation you get in the mail to attend a function. Choose from a variety of designs, or create your own, and then send to your invitation list via email where they can RSVP and see who else is attending. But it does a lot more. In fact, they describe themselves as “your own personal party planner.” They provide you with an event checklist, budget estimator, drink calculator and other cool party planning tools. www.evite.com
5. The Knot – Brides and grooms only for this one. What a fab tool that I wish they’d had when I got married! Set up an account and you can track your budget and due dates, manage your guest list, create a customized Web page about your Big Day to share with friends and family, search for vendors and send a Save the Date by email. www.theknot.com
6. Jott – Jott is an voice to text service that lets you use email, text messages and mobile phones to keep track of reminders, post to Web sites (like Twitter and Facebook), create lists and more all with your voice. So, for example, while driving to a meeting I can call Jott on my cell, and 1) tell it an email I want sent to a contact 2) have it email me a reminder about something I suddenly remembered 3) post a “Tweet” to Twitter or a status update to “Facebook.” www.Jott.com
7. Remember the Milk – Need an easy-to-use way to keep track of tasks for your event? This is the answer. Create lists for different types of tasks (promotion, execution, vendors), which you can tag by subject. It will also send you reminders via email, cell phone, instant messaging services and more. You can share your tasks and lists with anyone you want, and even note your tasks’ geographic locations, so you can more efficiently plan outings. www.RemembertheMilk.com
8. Flickr – OK, so you’ve had the event, it went beautifully, and now everyone is rehashing the good times. Consider creating a group on Flickr, a photo social networking site, where everyone can upload photos of their grand time and download full versions of others’ photos to save or print. www.flicker.com

Technology is amazing, isn’t it? Just dive in, get your feet wet and next thing you know, your event will be smooth sailing.

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