Getting Granular: The DigitalGrit Blog

Heard about Cha-Cha? (Search Engine, Not DiGregorio)

Have you heard about ChaCha?

This new search engine launched on Monday, and it's already making waves. Currently in "Alpha Mode" (rather than go "Beta," which Google's practically trademarked) the site is "Part Wikipedia, part Yahoo Answers and part About.com," according to Search Engine Watch.

How so? In addition to providing tradtional, algo-driven Search Engine results pages, the site will also provide real-time results via live "guides." Welcome to Social Search.

Like About.com guides, ChaCha's will be matched with their areas of expertise. Currently, 3,000 guides have been tapped to participate. ChaCha guides, who will be paid,can invite other guides to join as apprentices, fueling viral growth of the site. (Cool, huh?) Guides have to start of as apprentices and be trained by experts prior to any public interaction. (There's speculation that many of these guides will be pulled from 10 million-plus, cash-hungry college students.) Pay increases as guides gain experience, topping off at $10/hour.

Guides will also have profiles, adding to the community aspect of the site.

The site's a little shaky this first week (it was actually down, but had a nice smiley face on the screen during the outage) but reviews so far seem optimistic, if a little skeptical about providing enough guides for a fast-growing audience.

Give it a shot for yourself and let us know what you think!

Heard about Cha-Cha? (Search Engine, Not DiGregorio)

Have you heard about ChaCha?

This new search engine launched on Monday, and it's already making waves. Currently in "Alpha Mode" (rather than go "Beta," which Google's practically trademarked) the site is "Part Wikipedia, part Yahoo Answers and part About.com," according to Search Engine Watch.

How so? In addition to providing tradtional, algo-driven Search Engine results pages, the site will also provide real-time results via live "guides." Welcome to Social Search.

Like About.com guides, ChaCha's will be matched with their areas of expertise. Currently, 3,000 guides have been tapped to participate. ChaCha guides, who will be paid,can invite other guides to join as apprentices, fueling viral growth of the site. (Cool, huh?) Guides have to start of as apprentices and be trained by experts prior to any public interaction. (There's speculation that many of these guides will be pulled from 10 million-plus, cash-hungry college students.) Pay increases as guides gain experience, topping off at $10/hour.

Guides will also have profiles, adding to the community aspect of the site.

The site's a little shaky this first week (it was actually down, but had a nice smiley face on the screen during the outage) but reviews so far seem optimistic, if a little skeptical about providing enough guides for a fast-growing audience.

Give it a shot for yourself and let us know what you think!

End of an Era: Danny Sullivan Leaves SES

Shocking news to all in the Search Engine Marketing industry: Danny Sullivan, founder and organizer of Search Engine Watch and Search Engine Strategies, is moving on -- in his own words:

After ten years, I'm leaving Search Engine Watch and almost certainly leaving the Search Engine Strategies conference series as well. My contracts with their owners Incisive Media are expiring, and we've not been able to agree on new ones... [Incisive purchased both SEW and ClickZ from JupiterMedia earlier this year.]

In terms of Search Engine Watch, I'll be serving as editor-in-chief through November 30, 2006. As of December 1, I'm gone, except for an extremely slim chance I might do some columns for them going forward. It's so slim that no one should be expecting that it will happen.

As for SES, I'll still be chairing the SES Multimedia & Mobile Edition show this October in Los Angeles, then the SES Chicago show in December. After that, I'd say there's another extremely slim chance that I might do SES events on a case-by-case basis (again so slim that I'm not expecting it will happen). At the moment, I'm not contracted for any thing beyond those named (I'm currently listed as chairing the SES NY 2007 event, and I've asked that I be removed from the site).

SES has always been the biggest show for SEM and SEO firms, and DigitalGrit has participated in both the New York and San Jose events for many years now.

We're saddened by Danny's departure, and unsure of where the show will go from here. He's been a trusted leader in this space for as long as there's *been* a space, and we wish him well in whatever his next venture is.

...And whatever it is, Danny, count us in for a booth. ;-)

To keep up with Danny Sullivan, grab the feed from his blog, Daggle.

(Thanks to Andy Beal for breaking the news gently!)

End of an Era: Danny Sullivan Leaves SES

Shocking news to all in the Search Engine Marketing industry: Danny Sullivan, founder and organizer of Search Engine Watch and Search Engine Strategies, is moving on -- in his own words:

After ten years, I'm leaving Search Engine Watch and almost certainly leaving the Search Engine Strategies conference series as well. My contracts with their owners Incisive Media are expiring, and we've not been able to agree on new ones... [Incisive purchased both SEW and ClickZ from JupiterMedia earlier this year.]

In terms of Search Engine Watch, I'll be serving as editor-in-chief through November 30, 2006. As of December 1, I'm gone, except for an extremely slim chance I might do some columns for them going forward. It's so slim that no one should be expecting that it will happen.

As for SES, I'll still be chairing the SES Multimedia & Mobile Edition show this October in Los Angeles, then the SES Chicago show in December. After that, I'd say there's another extremely slim chance that I might do SES events on a case-by-case basis (again so slim that I'm not expecting it will happen). At the moment, I'm not contracted for any thing beyond those named (I'm currently listed as chairing the SES NY 2007 event, and I've asked that I be removed from the site).

SES has always been the biggest show for SEM and SEO firms, and DigitalGrit has participated in both the New York and San Jose events for many years now.

We're saddened by Danny's departure, and unsure of where the show will go from here. He's been a trusted leader in this space for as long as there's *been* a space, and we wish him well in whatever his next venture is.

...And whatever it is, Danny, count us in for a booth. ;-)

To keep up with Danny Sullivan, grab the feed from his blog, Daggle.

(Thanks to Andy Beal for breaking the news gently!)

Google Apps for Your Domain (plus screen shots)

Google heats up the battle against Microsoft's Live offering with Google Apps for Your Domain.

Not exactly a catchy moniker (just call it Google Apps? GAFYD?) but something for Microsoft to freak out about until their new offerings are ready for public use!

Right now Google Apps includes Gmail, Google Talk, Google Calendar and a Page Creator. OfficeLive is also in a free Beta, offering similar apps, plus hosting and analytics.

Read more.

Google Apps for Your Domain (plus screen shots)

Google heats up the battle against Microsoft's Live offering with Google Apps for Your Domain.

Not exactly a catchy moniker (just call it Google Apps? GAFYD?) but something for Microsoft to freak out about until their new offerings are ready for public use!

Right now Google Apps includes Gmail, Google Talk, Google Calendar and a Page Creator. OfficeLive is also in a free Beta, offering similar apps, plus hosting and analytics.

Read more.

Yahoo Pulls Blog Search to "Retool"

Yahoo has pulled it's blog search engine for now, although, according to Micro Persuasion, it is still featuring larger blogs in its news results (Gizomodo, Huffington Post, etc.).

But don't jump to the conclusion that they've acquired Technorati or Sphere (that's where my mind went), per Amit Agarwal and the NewsBlog, they're "retooling" their offering and the disappearance of blog results from the SERPs was only temporary.

So we'll keep our eyes peeled for Yahoo Blog Search 2.0....

[UPDATE: Remember this? Hmmmm....]

Yahoo Pulls Blog Search to "Retool"

Yahoo has pulled it's blog search engine for now, although, according to Micro Persuasion, it is still featuring larger blogs in its news results (Gizomodo, Huffington Post, etc.).

But don't jump to the conclusion that they've acquired Technorati or Sphere (that's where my mind went), per Amit Agarwal and the NewsBlog, they're "retooling" their offering and the disappearance of blog results from the SERPs was only temporary.

So we'll keep our eyes peeled for Yahoo Blog Search 2.0....

[UPDATE: Remember this? Hmmmm....]

Google & eBay in Bed for Ad Alliance Outside US - Click-to-Call Key in Deal

From AP:

In a deal between two of the Internet's most prominent properties, Google will begin selling advertising for Web auctioneer eBay outside the United States and help buyers quickly ring an online merchant to do business.

The arrangement announced Monday promises to introduce "click-to-call" Web site technology to a broader audience and potentially speed its adoption as a means of more quickly connecting online consumers with advertisers. It will allow potential buyers to call eBay merchants or Google advertisers by clicking a link on a Web page.

"We have a chance to create a whole new way for buyers and sellers to connect online and to create what we hope will be a significant revenue stream for both eBay and Google," eBay Inc. Chief Executive Meg Whitman said in an interview Sunday night.

While eBay set up a deal a few months back with Yahoo for domestic advertising, Google will now be handling all ads outside the US. Nice of eBay to share the love.

Also note that click-to-call is critical in this deal -- and it's not just a Skype thing. AP reports that both Skype AND Google Talk will be employed:

Last year, eBay bought the Internet phone service Skype. Google has its own messaging and Internet-based telephone service, Google Talk. Both services will be used in the partnership, though details were not disclosed. EBay does plan to rely on Google's international presence to build a worldwide market for Skype.

Promoting "click-to-call" advertising was also part of the deal eBay announced with Yahoo in May. Yahoo also has been testing the concept.

Read the article.

Google & eBay in Bed for Ad Alliance Outside US - Click-to-Call Key in Deal

From AP:

In a deal between two of the Internet's most prominent properties, Google will begin selling advertising for Web auctioneer eBay outside the United States and help buyers quickly ring an online merchant to do business.

The arrangement announced Monday promises to introduce "click-to-call" Web site technology to a broader audience and potentially speed its adoption as a means of more quickly connecting online consumers with advertisers. It will allow potential buyers to call eBay merchants or Google advertisers by clicking a link on a Web page.

"We have a chance to create a whole new way for buyers and sellers to connect online and to create what we hope will be a significant revenue stream for both eBay and Google," eBay Inc. Chief Executive Meg Whitman said in an interview Sunday night.

While eBay set up a deal a few months back with Yahoo for domestic advertising, Google will now be handling all ads outside the US. Nice of eBay to share the love.

Also note that click-to-call is critical in this deal -- and it's not just a Skype thing. AP reports that both Skype AND Google Talk will be employed:

Last year, eBay bought the Internet phone service Skype. Google has its own messaging and Internet-based telephone service, Google Talk. Both services will be used in the partnership, though details were not disclosed. EBay does plan to rely on Google's international presence to build a worldwide market for Skype.

Promoting "click-to-call" advertising was also part of the deal eBay announced with Yahoo in May. Yahoo also has been testing the concept.

Read the article.