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Social Networking Gets a Second Look From Google & Yahoo!

By Li Evans

So what about Social Networking?  This is one piece of the social media puzzle the big search engines are still trying to figure out.  None of the major search engines have really figured out  just what it is that makes Social Networking sites like MySpace and Facebook so popular, yet.  Yahoo has "Yahoo360" and MSN has "MSN Spaces" both of which get a resounding *yawns* when mentioned.  Google has "Orkut", but other than Brazil and Iran, Orkut barely makes anyone's radar. 

To be honest, I don't think any of the search engines have really put much effort into creating their own social networks, they are more concerned with acquiring the popular ones.  A lot of what's been created has been more just happenstance, not by any concerted effort or defined strategy.  Born more out of "lets try this" situations, you have a hotmail account, MSN Spaces is there.  You have a Yahoo email account Yahoo360 is there.  Try and find Google's co-op is a little harder, but you get the point.  There's been no mass adoption of these network because they are just "there", and their creators are more known for providing other services, not for their social network.

This all could be changing, this week came news of Yahoo!'s new effort called Mosh (check out the cool screen shots too), and Google's put forth a new effort called SocialStream.  It looks like the search engines are definitely taking a harder look at creating their own network to be adopted by the masses.

Surprise Welcome Gifts

By Li Evans

Just a side bar type of post to pass along a great big "thank you" to both Robert Clough and Jennifer Laycock at Search Engine Guide.  About a month ago I started guest blogging for the team over there, focusing on small business issues related to search.  I also gave them an update about SES Latino, which I linked to here.

Yesterday evening after I got home from work, there was this huge box on my porch.  I though maybe there was some kind of mistake, seeing as I hadn't ordered anything larger than a comic in the last month.  I open up the box, which was considerably light for its size, brush away the peanuts and was floored.  I looked at who it came from and was just astounded that someone could get a gift "so right" for me.

If you don't know, I'm a rabid Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel fan.  Along with Vanessa Fox and Danny Sullivan, there's another rabid fan I learned of - Jennifer Laycock.  One day we were discussing Buffy-ology and Jenn showed me a link to the infamous Angel puppet that was for sale, and then along came a Spike puppet.  I was ga-ga, since I adore the Spike character.  Well, take a look at what was in the box:

Thanks Jenn & Robert! :)

Summertime Fun in DC - SEO/SEM Meetup!

By Li Evans

With temperatures here in the Philly area reaching 100 it's one hot reminder that we're now in the middle of summer.  Personally this is my favorite time of year, and if it could stay this way all year round I wouldn't mind at all (perhaps I should move to Florida?  maybe follow in Loren footsteps? :) ).

Along with summertime comes fun, and that's just what is in store next Friday night (the 20th) and Saturday the 21st for any SEO/SEM who wants to come and join us down in the Washington D.C. area.  A number of us from the area are getting together Friday night for dinner & drinks in old town Alexandria.  Those of us staying over are then going to meet up again on Saturday (the 21st) for lunch.  Update: We're staying/meeting up at the Embassy Suites Alexandria - Old Town (1900 Diagonal Road, Alexandria, Virginia, USA 22314 Tel: +1-703-684-5900).

If your interested in joining us, drop me a line smg *a-t* searchmarketinggurusDOTcom or head on over to Search Engine Tigers and give Simon a shout, we'll get you all the information you'll need.

Google Aquiring Postini

By Li Evans

Google released a press release this morning announcing that it is acquiring the "leader in on-demand communications security and compliance solutions", Postini based in San Carlos California. 

Postini describes themselves as:

"..the global leader in on-demand solutions that deliver on the promise of Communication Security and Compliance. With Postini, your company is protected against increasingly malicious internet-based attacks. Your compliance is ensured for government, industry, and internal mandates; and you can re-establish increased productivity for your users."

Google's reasoning for acquiring the company seems to lean towards more security for Google Apps, since they've received a "tremendous" response with "over 1,000 small businesses signing up for the service every day."

The Google blog even has a welcome post for the Postini team.  The Enterprise Team at Google also has a bit more of an explanation on their blog too.  And if that weren't enough, there's even an FAQ pdf document that provides even more detail.

Congrats Postini!