Google gets down to business: searching for customers
Dear Google Friends,
You undoubtedly know Google as the search engine that
delivers the results you want with speed and accuracy. Increasingly,
more businesses have discovered that Google is also a great
tool for reaching very targeted audiences of potential customers.
Others have found Google an effective way to add a valued
customer service to their web sites.
In this issue of the Google Friends newsletter, we'll give you a peek
into the business of search and Google's unique approach to filling the
growing need to connect users with the information they want.
Walmart shops for customers with ads on Google
What's the secret behind the rapid growth of Google's advertising
program? The answer is Google's unique approach to online advertising.
Google runs only keyword-targeted text ads. That means you don't see
the ad unless you're searching for information on that specific topic.
And because there are no animated banners competing for attention, the
text ads are read carefully by users, who frequently find them to be as
valuable as the actual search results.
This combination of visibility and utility has resulted
in clickthrough rates many times higher than those for banner
ads elsewhere. But Google doesn't leave well enough alone.
Our Advertising Operations group provides a high level of
client service, including "maximizers" dedicated
to improving response rates through scientific testing of
ad copy. That's why such mainstream companies as Acura,
Cisco and WalMart have chosen to advertise on Google.
For more information about how you can advertise on Google, visit:
http://www.google.com/ads/index.html
Google goes wireless in Malaysia with Chilipadi
In addition to advertising, Google also provides search services for a
wide range of online companies. Our newest partner is Malaysia's
leading provider of wireless content and application services,
Chilipadi. Chilipadi will provide direct access to Google's wireless
search from its mobile portal so users in that country can find the
information they need from almost any wireless device.
Google currently licenses its search services to more than 130
companies in more than 30 countries. Customers include Yahoo! and
its international properties; NEC Corp., developers of BIGLOBE, a
leading Japanese portal; and NetEase, one of the largest portals in
China. Wireless partners include OmniSky, Nextel, Palm Inc. and
Pixo.
To read more about Google's agreement with Chilipadi, go to:
http://www.google.com/press/pressrel/pressrelease45.html
Google endows universities with free search
While Google cares about building a business, we also believe that our
search engine can make the lives of web users better. In order to
promote the free flow of information, Google now offers free site
search to universities and educational institutions worldwide.
Those schools that sign up for the program can take advantage of
Google's powerful search and navigation capabilities, as well as
detailed reporting and a customizable "look and feel". Among those who
have already enrolled are Duke, Rice and Stanford Universities, as well
as Mills College, Rochester Institute of Technology, UC Irvine and UC
Berkeley.
If you're a university webmaster interested in moving to the head of
your class, you can sign up for the Google university program here:
http://services.google.com/googleuniv/login
A new Engineer-in-Chief: Wayne Rosing takes the helm
Google's growth over the last two years was in large part driven by an
outstanding chief engineer, Urs Hoelzle. Urs took on the temporary
assignment of managing the then small engineering staff early in 1999.
Over the past year, he developed the staff (along with Google's
technology) to its current industry leadership position. In
recognition of his contributions and his desire to focus more on
technology development, Urs has been named the very first Google
Fellow.
Taking on Urs' staff oversight responsibilities as VP of Engineering
will be Wayne Rosing, one of the industry's most respected technology
managers. Wayne joins Google from Caere Corporation, where, as Chief
Technology Officer, he managed all engineering for their optical
character recognition products. Prior to that, Wayne founded Sun
Microsystems Laboratories and headed the team that developed the
technology base for Java as President of Sun's FirstPerson subsidiary.
Wayne's experience and expertise are already being felt around the
Googleplex facility, and expectations are high for great things to come.
To learn more about Wayne, read the press release at:
http://www.google.com/press/pressrel/pressrelease46.html
The leading expert on search puts Google first
The acknowledged expert on all things search is Danny Sullivan, Editor
of Search Engine Watch on Internet.com. After polling the readers of
his Search Engine Report, Danny named Google "Outstanding Search
Service" and "Most Webmaster Friendly" in the first ever Search Engine
Watch Awards this month. This honor is especially gratifying given Mr.
Sullivan's intimate knowledge of the intricacies of every kind of
search service available online.
You can read more about the awards by going to Search Engine Watch at:
http://searchenginewatch.com/awards/
Tell us how well we're speaking your language
If you use Google to search in other languages, we need your help.
We've put together a short survey form to solicit feedback about our
search in languages other than English. Are the instructions clear? Are
the results useful? Your comments could make a big difference in
improving this service. It should take less than 5 minutes to complete
and can be found at http://www.google.com/survey/intl.html
Keep on Googlin'
The Google Team
