Thursday, May 12, 2011

Googland

Googland

[G] New ways to discover great apps on Android Market

Posted: 12 May 2011 02:57 AM PDT

Official Google Mobile Blog: New ways to discover great apps on Android Market

We've seen tremendous growth in Android Market lately. With over 200,000 apps supporting over 300 Android devices, we've had 4.5 billion applications installed to date. But with so many apps available, how do you find the ones you really want? Whether you're looking for the most popular apps, hot new apps, or just the very best apps available, we want to help make sure that you find what you're looking for.

Today, we're excited to announce 5 new features for Android Market focused on helping you find apps you'll love.


  • New top app charts - We've revamped our top app charts to be fresher and country-specific, so you get the most current, relevant results. We've also added top new free, top new paid, and top grossing lists, all right on the Android Market home page.   
  • Editors' Choice - These are some of the very best apps available for Android, as chosen by the Android Market staff. They span everything from games to productivity and beyond.   
  • Top Developers - We're also recognizing those developers creating the highest quality, most popular, and most notable apps available on Android Market. They'll get a special icon on our Android Market website, appearing wherever the developer name is shown, starting today for an initial set of over 150 developers.
  • Better related apps - On the left side of an app page, you'll now see two groups of related apps: apps frequently browsed by people who viewed this app, and apps that people tend to install alongside this app. For example, people who view ScoreMobile, my favorite sports score app, often also view other sports score apps, while those who install ScoreMobile tend to also install apps for specific sports leagues or teams. We'll also show you related apps once you decide to install an app.
  • Trending apps - Finally, we've added a new section to the Android Market homepage showing trending apps – those apps that are quickly growing in daily installs. Look here to stay ahead of the curve and find new apps as they get hot.
We hope you find these features helpful as you explore the many greats apps available on Android Market. These new features are available now on http://market.android.com, and will be coming soon to Android Market on phones and tablets.


Posted by Fernando Delgado, Product Manager, Android Market
URL: http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2011/05/new-ways-to-discover-great-apps-on.html

[G] New case study: How Enhanced CPC drives success with third-party bidding tools

Posted: 11 May 2011 08:18 PM PDT

Inside AdWords: New case study: How Enhanced CPC drives success with third-party bidding tools

Since we launched Enhanced CPC last year, many of you have used it to increase your conversions and ROI. In fact, approximately $3 billion in annual spend is now being managed through Enhanced CPC and Conversion Optimizer.

With Enhanced CPC, you can get more conversions at or below your current CPA by simply checking a box on your Settings tab. The feature uses your Conversion Tracking data to determine the likelihood that a user will convert and dynamically raises or lowers your bid for each auction based on this information. Since Enhanced CPC is designed to work with max CPC bids, you can continue to manage your bids as you always have—even if you use a third-party bidding tool.

W3i, a company that distributes and monetizes desktop and mobile apps, found success in using Enhanced CPC to complement their third-party bid optimization tool. Enhanced CPC incorporated Google's unique knowledge of the user and auction to automatically adjust bids that were set by the third-party tool, thereby "enhancing" its performance.

By using Enhanced CPC with their third-party bid optimization tool, W3i increased their conversions by 19.7% and decreased their CPA by 9.7%. It also reduced the amount of time that they had been spending on manually adjusting bids based on factors such as time of day and allowed them to focus on their business. You can download the full case study here.

To learn more about how Enhanced CPC works with third-party bidding tools, visit our Help Center. There, you'll also find instructions for enabling the feature in your account. Maybe the next Enhanced CPC success story will be yours!

Posted by Lisa Shieh, Inside AdWords crew
URL: http://adwords.blogspot.com/2011/05/new-case-study-how-enhanced-cpc-drives.html

[G] More accurate traffic estimates in AdWords

Posted: 11 May 2011 08:18 PM PDT

Inside AdWords: More accurate traffic estimates in AdWords

Today we're announcing an update to the algorithm behind the traffic estimates you see in AdWords. As a result of our updates, we hope to provide you with better statistics for estimated clicks, cost, and ad position. This change is effective now and affects all AdWords accounts globally.

You can find keyword traffic estimates in a number of places across AdWords including the Traffic Estimator, the Keyword Tool, and on the Keywords tab.

One of the most common uses of traffic estimates is to evaluate potential keywords and decide whether you should add them to your account. Traffic estimates are also useful in determining if your bids and budgets are appropriate for these new keywords.

In order to determine if you're setting an appropriate target bid, try entering a few different values in the Max CPC field the next time you use the Traffic Estimator. Look at how these different bids affect your statistics, and then decide which bid gives you the best return on investment. You can use the same process for trying out new budgets.

Let us know how the new keyword, bid, and budget traffic estimates are working for you.

Posted by Dan Friedman, Inside AdWords crew
URL: http://adwords.blogspot.com/2011/05/more-accurate-traffic-estimates-in.html

[G] Introducing new ways to reach your customers on tablets

Posted: 11 May 2011 08:18 PM PDT

Inside AdWords: Introducing new ways to reach your customers on tablets

With more than 165 million tablets expected to ship over the next two years, tablets are becoming a popular device with engaged, tech-savvy consumers. So we're pleased to announce that we're developing new targeting options to help you better connect with this audience. To give you greater control over your AdWords ads, we're changing the way you can target tablet devices.

In the next couple of weeks, the "Networks and Devices" section of your Settings tab within your AdWords account will include a new targeting option titled "Tablets with full browsers." While you've been able to specifically target Apple iPad devices in the past, the new capability will enable you to easily target your ads to the entire tablet device category. In addition, you'll be able to select more precisely the types of devices and operating systems on which your AdWords ads will show. For example, to display your ads on the Apple iPad, you'll be able to choose "Tablets with full browsers" as your device targeting setting and "iOS" as your operating system setting. Tablet targeting will be available initially for Apple devices only, but we'll expand ad serving to other specific devices in the near future.

Once this capability is available in your account, your ads will automatically start running on tablet devices and no further action will be necessary on your part. If your campaigns were specifically targeting Apple iPad devices, you may notice an increase in impressions and costs as we include more tablets in our ad serving options. If you don't want your ads to appear on tablet devices, you'll be able to specify this preference in your device targeting settings by following these step-by-step instructions.

For now, only standard text and image ads can be shown on tablet devices. So please make sure your landing page renders properly on tablet devices, as our system will automatically limit your ads from running on tablet devices if we detect that users will be led to a landing page containing a significant amount of Flash or other content that will not render properly. To learn more, please visit this Help Center article.

We're constantly working to provide our advertisers with new targeting capabilities for their AdWords campaigns. We hope that these targeting options will enable you to successfully connect with your customers across a variety of devices and platforms.



Posted by Nathania Lozada, Inside AdWords crew
URL: http://adwords.blogspot.com/2011/05/introducing-new-ways-to-reach-your.html

[G] New resource library in the Google AdWords Certification Program—continuing education and sales collateral right at your fingertips

Posted: 11 May 2011 08:18 PM PDT

Inside AdWords: New resource library in the Google AdWords Certification Program—continuing education and sales collateral right at your fingertips

We're pleased to announce the launch of a resource library in the Google AdWords Certification Program portal. We've developed this tool based on feedback from agencies and advertisers that they'd like a centralized place to access and download training materials, research, and resources to stay ahead of the digital curve and effectively adopt Google solutions. This new tool is currently available to users with individual certification program accounts who are based in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand (users do not need to be certified to access it). We'll be rolling out the resource library in the coming months to additional countries.


The library contains product and industry education above and beyond the certification curricula, as well as sales and marketing resources to help agencies and third parties acquire and retain clients. A sample of content includes:
  • On-demand eLearning modules
  • Market insights research
  • Case studies
  • Product one-sheeters
  • Relevant videos from the Google Business Channel

The "Recently Added" page will allow you to see the new resources in the library.


To get started:
  • Log in to your Google AdWords Certification Program account. New users can visit http://www.google.com/adwords/professionals/ and click "Join the Program."

    Note: While you don't need to complete the certification program to access the resource library, we encourage you to do so. Individual certification requirements are outlined here.
  • You can get a preview of what's available in the library from the home page. We've identified four key categories of information—industry research, case studies, continuing education, and product one-sheeters—and you can access samples of them by clicking the hyperlinks under the descriptions.
  • If you have a specific search you wish to conduct, you can enter it into the search box. From there, you'll see a list of relevant resources, which you can then expand to see a complete description and, if applicable, a download button. For the most accurate results, input detailed queries, and use quotation marks around the keyword phrase. In addition, if you're looking for something from one of the predefined categories, be sure to include this term in your query (e.g., "automotive" + "industry research", "YouTube" + "case study", "Google Analytics" + "course").

If you have feedback on the resources returned for your specific search results or have requests for additional content for the library, please submit your comments here.

Posted by Lisa Shieh, Inside AdWords crew
URL: http://adwords.blogspot.com/2011/05/new-resource-library-in-google-adwords.html

[G] Live online webinar on ‘Advanced Optimisation for the Google Display Network’

Posted: 11 May 2011 08:18 PM PDT

Inside AdWords: Live online webinar on 'Advanced Optimisation for the Google Display Network'

On Wednesday, May 11th, we'll be holding a live and interactive webinar about optimising AdWords for the Google Display Network.

The Google Display Network, which reaches over 70% of unique Internet users around the world, allows you to reach potential clients beyond search. It also has the advantage of reaching potential customers at different points of the buying cycle.

This live webinar will make recommendations for the optimal structure for your Google Display Network campaigns and provide various optimisation tips and tools—such as advanced bidding options, interest category marketing, AdWords Campaign Experiments, and reporting—that will help you in the optimisation process. We'll also discuss using Google Analytics and Website Optimiser to improve campaign performance.

The webinar will be presented by AdWords Specialists as part of the AdWords Online Classroom (UK) and will take place on Wednesday, May 11th, 2011,from 3 pm to 4 pm BST, so make sure to sign up now!


Posted by Nathania Lozada, Inside AdWords crew
URL: http://adwords.blogspot.com/2011/05/live-online-webinar-on-advanced.html

[G] 60+ young women recognized as Google Anita Borg Memorial scholars

Posted: 11 May 2011 03:58 PM PDT

Official Google Blog: 60+ young women recognized as Google Anita Borg Memorial scholars

The Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship honors the memory of Dr. Anita Borg, who devoted her life to encouraging the presence of women in computing and founded the Institute for Women in Technology in 1997. Anita passed away in 2003, and we created the Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship in 2004 to honor her memory. Anita's legacy lives on today through this scholarship and the organization she created, which has since been re-named the Anita Borg Institute for Women in Technology.

This year we'd like to recognize and congratulate the 65 Google Anita Borg Memorial scholars and the 82 Google Anita Borg Memorial finalists, all of whom attend universities in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East or Africa. These students will attend the annual Google Scholars Retreat this summer, where they will have the opportunity to attend tech talks on Google products, network with other scholars and participate in social activities. Students from the U.S. and Canada will attend the retreat in Mountain View, Calif., and students from Europe, the Middle East and Africa will attend the retreat in Zurich, Switzerland.

We'd also like to congratulate this year's recipients of the Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship for First Years. This scholarship is granted to young women in their senior year of high school who intend to study computer science, computer engineering, software engineering or a related program at a university in the upcoming academic year.

Here's a full list (PDF) of this year's scholars and finalists along with the institutions they attend. In the coming months, we'll also be announcing the recipients of the Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship in Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

For more information on all our scholarships, visit the Google Scholarships site.

Posted by Azusa Hanashima, Talent & Outreach Programs
URL: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/60-young-women-recognized-as-google.html

[G] A new kind of computer: Chromebook

Posted: 11 May 2011 03:58 PM PDT

Official Google Blog: A new kind of computer: Chromebook

(Cross-posted on the Code and Chrome Blogs)

A little less than two years ago we set out to make computers much better. Today, we're announcing the first Chromebooks from our partners, Samsung and Acer. These are not typical notebooks. With a Chromebook you won't wait minutes for your computer to boot and browser to start. You'll be reading your email in seconds. Thanks to automatic updates the software on your Chromebook will get faster over time. Your apps, games, photos, music, movies and documents will be accessible wherever you are and you won't need to worry about losing your computer or forgetting to back up files. Chromebooks will last a day of use on a single charge, so you don't need to carry a power cord everywhere. And with optional 3G, just like your phone, you'll have the web when you need it. Chromebooks have many layers of security built in so there is no anti-virus software to buy and maintain. Even more importantly, you won't spend hours fighting your computer to set it up and keep it up to date.

At the core of each Chromebook is the Chrome web browser. The web has millions of applications and billions of users. Trying a new application or sharing it with friends is as easy as clicking a link. A world of information can be searched instantly and developers can embed and mash-up applications to create new products and services. The web is on just about every computing device made, from phones to TVs, and has the broadest reach of any platform. With HTML5 and other open standards, web applications will soon be able to do anything traditional applications can do, and more.

Chromebooks will be available online June 15 in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy and Spain. More countries will follow in the coming months. In the U.S., Chromebooks will be available from Amazon and Best Buy and internationally from leading retailers.

Even with dedicated IT departments, businesses and schools struggle with the same complex, costly and insecure computers as the rest of us. To address this, we're also announcing Chromebooks for Business and Education. This service from Google includes Chromebooks and a cloud management console to remotely administer and manage users, devices, applications and policies. Also included is enterprise-level support, device warranties and replacements as well as regular hardware refreshes. Monthly subscriptions will start at $28/user for businesses and $20/user for schools.

There are over 160 million active users of Chrome today. Chromebooks bring you all of Chrome's speed, simplicity and security without the headaches of operating systems designed 20 to 30 years ago. We're very proud of what the Chrome team along with our partners have built, and with seamless updates, it will just keep getting better.

For more details please visit www.google.com/chromebook.



Posted by Linus Upson, Vice President of Engineering and Sundar Pichai, Senior Vice President, Chrome
URL: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/new-kind-of-computer-chromebook.html

[G] Think Insights with Google: a new site for data lovers

Posted: 11 May 2011 09:06 AM PDT

Official Google Blog: Think Insights with Google: a new site for data lovers

It's one of our guiding principles that data beats opinion. With that in mind, our marketing team has put a lot of effort into posing interesting questions—How do new mothers use the Internet? When do people really start their holiday shopping? What trends typify today's Hispanic web user?—and answering them with concrete information to help marketers make better informed decisions.

Starting today, we're sharing this knowledge at Think Insights with Google, a website where we'll publish our data-supported insights about digital marketing trends. From papers to case studies to videos, Think Insights represents the ongoing work we're doing to better understand how people use the web, and how marketers are adapting to this changing terrain. We'll update the site frequently, so if you'd like to keep up with our latest news, sign up for email alerts to satisfy your monthly Think Insights fix.

Posted by Jenny Liu, Senior Product Marketing Manager
URL: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/think-insights-with-google-new-site-for.html

[G] Meet May’s On The Rise nominees

Posted: 11 May 2011 07:52 AM PDT

YouTube Blog: Meet May's On The Rise nominees

A new month brings a new batch of up-and-coming talent for our On The Rise program. Our On The Rise nominees for May are in, and we invite you to check them out and vote for your favorite.

Here's how it works: we identify channels who have grown their subscriber base in the past 30 days but haven't quite reached 100,000. You vote on your favorite on the top right-hand corner of this blog. At the end of the week, the nominee with the most votes wins exposure on the YouTube homepage and the videos page as well as posts on Facebook and Twitter. It's all about giving a kick start to the next generation of Partners who will go on to do big things on YouTube. Past winners like emilynoel83, joshsundquist, and theslowmoguys have seen their subscriber numbers jump, all thanks to your support.

This month, our nominees span a range of areas, from musicians to educators to vloggers. Take a look at their channels and featured videos below, and cast your vote by May 18, 2011 at 6:00pm PST. We'll announce the winner via this blog and the YouTube homepage on May 27.

YourTeacherMathHelp

If you want to solve polynomial equations, or remember how to find the circumference of a circle, check out YourTeacherMathHelp. With hundreds of videos, you can find lessons to match what you are currently studying to make the grade or ace that standardized test.



DisneyKid1

"Young & Free" is Joseph Birdsong's outlook on life, but it's also the title of his first full-length album. In addition to producing music, rapping under the moniker DK1, and collaborating on the channel 5awesomegays, Joe has created comedy and art videos on his own YouTube channel since 2007.



PaulDateh

Violin. Vocals. Writing. The three words Paul uses to describe who he is and what he does. What this translates to is inspiring music that blends violin with a hip hop beat, or classical music with the soul of jazz. Paul's goal is to be a musician in every possible way, and given his latest tracks, and growing channel on YouTube, he is almost there.



CuteGirlsHairstyles

For more than two years, CuteGirlsHairstyles has saved many viewers from tired, boring hairdos. The channel hosts videos containing modern, original hairstyles for girls and young women, most of which take under five minutes to complete.



If you're inspired by what you see here, check out other up-and-coming Partners by visiting our On the Rise channel, which features nominees, trending partners and winners. Look for more featured rising partners on the Browse page.

Julie Kikla & Devon Storbeck, YouTube Partner Support, recently watched "Inbetweeners - Rude Road Trip - Red Nose Day."


URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/youtube/PKJx/~3/JDDdfPw49FY/meet-mays-on-rise-nominees.html
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)