During October new versions of both Microsoft Internet Explorer and Firefox were released, marking the latest stage in the competition between these two browsers.
During August Microsoft launched its pay per click advertising service adCenter, in the UK, replacing Yahoo’s provision of adverts to the MSN search engine.
We have been busy setting up new accounts on this tool, which offers a good level of functionality, and the ability to target adverts by time of day, and demographic, through analysing details of Microsoft’s Hotmail, and Passport users.
Following the success of the pay per click advertising model, the race is on to use auction based, pay for performance models beyond text adverts, with Google recently announcing the introduction of video commercials online.
Google plans to provide video adverts through its AdSense content network initially (other websites which syndicate Google adverts), targeted to the content of the pages that the user is viewing. Payment is made when a user clicks to view the advert.
There are 2 new search engines of note this month that are starting to attract press attention. Snap is a relaunched version of an old search tool, now offering a range of interesting features and display options. Zibb is a new business search engine developed by Reed Business Information and an example of a search tool focused at a ‘vertical’ search market.
Google Trends is one of several new offerings from Google Labs – known as Google’s “technology playground” – where Google showcases its favourite new ideas and offers new technology for trial by users. This new tool provides some fascinating data into the search trends for different terms on Google over the last few years.
Yahoo! launched its new site design during May, initially on Yahoo.com but with a preview tab on the UK domain as well. The new look site offers more access opportunities from the home page, which you would expect from a market leading portal service, and whereas search takes a prime position on the site, the original Yahoo! directory service has been further relegated from view.
Last year Google launched its Sitemaps program, which allows webmasters to submit details of all their website’s pages in xml or text format, so that they can be considered for inclusion in Google’s index. In the past few days, Google has announced additional new features for this program.
Another new tool has just been launched by Google. This time it’s Google Talk, which marks their entry into the VoIP market, allowing users to make free phone calls over the Internet.
Following our feature on the new Google Earth product last month, we felt it only fair to review MSN’s new Virtual Earth product in this issue, as it has recently been released in a beta version. By enhancing its established local search tool, MSN is clearly playing catch-up with Google’s impressive new application.
Following hard on the heels of Google Local and Google Maps (May
newsletter) comes Google Earth. This new product requires software to be downloaded for free to your PC (as well as a broadband connection) and combines some practical search functions with some amazing quality satellite imagery. Together, these offer a powerful and fascinating view of the world.
