Why Is Google Binging It Up?
Today, I got an IM from my good friend, Brian Edmondson, who asked if I'd seen Google today. I'm like, "No. Why?" Then, he asked me if I'm an SEO. Smart ass. LOL
What he was referring to was "Instant search," not really a new thing. You may have already been using it and just didn't know what it was called. What it does is to recommend keywords and phrases as you type. So, if you type in "lead generation," for example, it immediately gives you suggestions for websites you can visit as you're typing.. And this happens in miliseconds. You can search for any term, business or personal and it will do the same thing.
I don't know about you, but I've been seeing the auto-fill for a while; however the search giant just decided to announce this new development today, and are calling it "Google Instant." It's something that Bing has been doing since its inception, I think. Anyway, it's a Bing thing already.
But Google is going creative, too. I'm guessing that Bing's popularity is a little scary for Google, eh? Yesterday, they had those cool paint dots that moved with your cursor and formed the familiar logo in dots after a few seconds. They were fun. This morning, we had a blank logo (just the outline) and the colors filled in as you typed your query.
Also interesting.
But then, at the bottom of the traditional search page, Google allows you to select a "theme" for your search page. You can use one of your own, another picture that you find somewhere on the Web, or one that Google puts up in their public folder. I liked the interesting colored marble orbs in the lily pond, so that's what my personal search page looks like now. But… and this is a big but…
WHERE is your image map, guys?
At Bing, you can mouse over several hot spots and when you click it gives you background on the image square in question. Today, the image is of a small town on the Adriatic sea, and if you click on one of the hot spots, you get background on the bloody pirate queen Teuta. I find that really fascinating, but still prefer to use Google for search.
Yet, it's amazing to me that Google seems to be wanting to "Keep up with the Bingses." (BTW, If you need to know how to create an image map, Google guys… just let me know.)
But why do you think you need to play that game? You really don't. You still have the best search engine and no image maps or whatever won't steer me away.
