Newsletter July 26, 2005

Google Market Share Increases

Google Grows and Grows
The newly released June 2005 MegaView Search report ranks Google No. 1 with 47 percent of all searches conducted online, Yahoo! at 22 percent and MSN at 12 percent (see Table below). AOL Search held five percent of all searches, and for the first time, My Way Search made its way into the top five rankings, garnering two percent of all searches. “My Way’s unique anti-advertising value proposition resonates with a small, but growing market niche,” said Cassar. “As online publishers enjoy the growing demand for advertising inventory and continue to create more ad slots within a finite number of Web pages, this disaffected minority may become a force that the major players need to contend with.”

My Way Search is an easy way to test for search phrase relevancy between Google and Yahoo!  What I see from testing some search phrases in my web such as 'Dean River photographs' is that Google delivers consistently more relevant search results than Yahoo! or MSN Search.  Check it out.

Want a big boost to your Internet traffic?  Here's how.
We recently completed a search engine optimized press release project for A New Zealand client that generated over 150,000 page views and over 100 sales enquires worldwide in a matter of 4 weeks.  Total cost, about $600.  This work was conducted in cooperation with Sharon Dotson.  Sharon puts your public relations program on steroids. Search engine optimized press releases that are NEWS WORTHY are seen and read by 50,000 - 150,000 subscribing journalists and consumers the first weeks they go online.. More importantly, they get top Google search engine placement in a week or less. You don't even have to have a web site to get your business the exposure it deserves. A well written, well placed press release makes the phone ring or can drive traffic to your website.  Want to know more?  Read about small business online solutions on my web.

Skype me, baby!
I am communicating with more of my overseas clients using Skype for voice communications computer to computer, which is also called VoIP.  I am here to tell you that Skype works great.  And, it is FREE.  Voice to voice via computer is 100% free worldwide.  Works on Windows PCs or Mac and other devices.  I am also using Skype with domestic clients on both the East and West coasts.

Cool thing is that you can have a conference call for up to 5 Skypers for free.

Skype offers several services you pay for if you want them.  I bought voicemail for 15 Euros a year (about $18.50).  I can send voicemail up to 10 minutes in length to any of my Skype partners, and, if they call me via Skype when I am offline or busy, they can leave me a message.

You can get a SkypeIn phone number, whatever area code you want so that people can call you from any conventional phone to your computer.  This costs Euro 30.00 per year and includes voice mail.

And you can also get SkypeOut which allows you to call any conventional phone number in the world from your computer.  You buy time in advance, like a prepaid phone card.  Rates vary according to where you are calling and appear to be a little less per minute than the best phone cards.  Skype also has a chat feature, like Messenger, and can also be use to transfer files too large to email between computers.  Skype is good, very good.  I like it!  My Skype name is roncastle.

Free voice to voice via
computer, worldwide.
Check out Skype
Free downloads for Windows and Mac

More on the Google Sandbox

If you have a new web online after December 2004 you are in the Google Sandbox or Aging delay.  It appears from recent changes in web rankings for an Australian client that the delay is running about 6 months.  I have a workaround.  Read more here.