Google as the Authority for Mobile Content
May 13, 2013
I my Google monographs, now out of print, I covered some of the early systems and methods Google developed to rank and identify “good” content. Now keep in mind that “good” is not the Manhattan Smith grad type of selectivity. Google’s “quality” processes involve mostly numerical recipes, data about who wants to advertise and for how much, and some “configuration” functions which give the algorithms some spunk.
I read “Google Launches Content Recommendation Engine for Mobile Sites, Powered by Google Plus”. The write up hooks the systems and methods to Google Plus, which is what makes sense. Google wants to make Google Plus a go-to social network, either crushing or buying such outfits as Facebook, LinkedIn or others. Google Plus is also working overtime to remain hip, timely, and relevant.
Information which is ready to heat and consume. No time consuming reading, analyzing, and evaluation. Image source: http://goo.gl/Tyy8a
What better way to achieve this that making Google Plus into the 21st century identify of what’s important and (more importantly) what’s not important. I think that those who think their content is important may have an opportunity to purchase some traffic, which is definitely supported by the Google infrastructure. Google is about revenue, not about objective search in my opinion. Your mileage may vary.
Here’s the passage in the write up I highlighted:
As Seth Sternberg, Google’s product manager for the Google+ platform told me last week, the team set out to create an “awesomely seamless experience to find more content” on the mobile web. On mobile sites, he argues, publishers often see high bounce rates because users have a hard time finding interesting additional content to read on a site once they have finished reading an article.
I like the use of “awesome” and I circled the “high bounce rates”. Yes, definitely an opportunity to deliver a better solution to mobile users. Those tiny devices just don’t delivery content and user access the way my three wide screen monitors and old-school, clicky Rosewill keyboard deliver the content bacon.
Several observations:
First, the application of Google recommendation technology to mobile is indeed a very significant step for the Google. No one expects humans to keep pace with the new content flooding the tubes of the Internet. The simplicity and appeal of “let Google do it” may make life tough for some folks.
Second, due to Google’s significant footprint in mobile, wherever Google goes has a significant impact. The mobile aspirations of outfits with fewer resources than Google are going to have to work overtime to make their business models hum. Online has a charming quick. Online services tend to form monopolies, squeezing out secondary and tertiary services the way weeds choke the trees next to the Harrod’s Creek post office, which still is open on Saturday.
Third, developers may just find it easier to embrace the Google. Yahoo is allegedly suffering a mild form of eczema from the Microsoft search deal. As Yahoo valiantly tries to deliver on the former Googler’s business strategy, Yahoo may just find it better, faster, and cheaper to open the door to Google’s walled garden.
Fourth, users who are now struggling to read above the 8th grade level may just take what the giant services deliver. Who wants to think about a query and then read a list of results. Once that’s done, the user bristles at the thought of opening documents, ingesting them, and then analyzing the content for the needed information.
Nope, just nuke that information burrito in the Google microwave. Recommended content is ready to consume. Very modern and very, very appealing to advertisers and those who will pay to be included.
Stephen E Arnold, May 13, 2013
Sponsored by Augmentext, the original flash frozen information burrito.
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