Google Press Day 2006 Commentary

It's been two days now since Google's buzz in the press. Ok, when does Google not create press buzz? Obviously there are plenty of stories still on the printers (or saved on hard drives) to come out over the next few days.

I still think the Trends is most exciting of the newest bits that came out, though the more I think of it the more I can't wait to play around with the Notebook. Imagine, a notebook instead of Post Its. On your screen! I am a Post It fan like Marissa Mayer and often have a pad next to my computer to scribble and scratch notes on. I could use text pad or word pad or any number of on screen sources, but I don't. I'm more apt to look at notes again if they're physical. But if they were on the screen with me? That may be a different story. Google Notebook launches next week according to representatives.

Now, Google Trends is still in its infancy. Like many Beta or Lab projects, so there are kinks and errors and incomplete information to be had. Still, it's fun to compare keywords and trends across the continents. To me it's a throw back to what I studied in college, cultural anthropology. Now I'm focusing my studies in the "real world" and tools like Google Trends offer valuable fun to someone like me.

Google Trends allows you to type in keywords, even compare keywords, and follow the trends. It can be broken down regionally, geographically, monthly, by language, by country, anything you want.

Sure this will be something new to review when providing Ad campaigns for customers, but it will also allow insight into future projects and projections. Since I'm not one to meddle with the "Britney Spears" searches and move straight to SEM terms -- both offer hours of fun -- I can see trends that affecting my business and my clients businesses. Of course there are limitations and this isn't a tool to be used exclusively or even to rely upon when creating campaigns. Still, it's a good tool to check what you already researched to find just how true it is.

Although the Google Press Day did not focus much on advertising, it was mainly a search recap and refocus with product releases, the Google folks can't keep advertising too far from their thoughts. Why else would they provide such a tool, even if it is Beta, I mean Lab. Fun and games without a means to an end, sure they've done that before, but I think this is different.

Hopefully over the next few weeks Google press will elaborate on these gadgets (Google revealed Google Gaadgets Tuesday as well) and emphasize more of the search and ad roles to be taken.

Of course, I'm sure many of us are still wondering about the Google/Microsoft - Yahoo search engine uproar and the new releases of ad campaign tools all round. Google, since it's inception, has focused first on creating then on making money. At least it's appeared to be the case. But with the competition foaming for some action battle scars are inevitable.

Keep posted.

Kristen Owen, president of ContentWorth. Please send any questions or provide comments.