On September 18 2007 Google announced to the world that it has decided to add, for free, an online presentation tool to its online software bundle that looks and behaves much like Microsoft’s Powerpoint.
The new program will be included in Google's free software bundle, called "Docs," which users must be online to employ. And the company will sell a souped-up version to businesses, universities and government agencies for $50 a year per user.
Why is this important? Well, because Google, the search engine giant, and Microsoft, the software giant, have locked horns across many fronts with each challenging the other on their home turf. Google is determined to make inroads into Microsoft’s software hegemony through the gradual deployment of quality, free online software. Microsoft is determined to muscle in on Google’s online ad market through the deployment of technology that, they promise, will deliver more targeted search results and better returns to advertisers than Google’s successful AdWords program.
What does it mean for you as a webmaster? First of all a certain amount of caution. Optimise for Google and keep an eye on developments. Secondly opportunity. Microsoft’s online ad program is geared to presenting ads not just through websites but also across all the platforms Microsoft is active in. These range from the successful Xbox to Office software distributed under Terms and Conditions which make the serving of ads part of the deal.
On the surface of it Google’s dominance of the online ad market and of search is such that Microsoft looks like a spent force. But the Redmond company has deep pockets and as such has poured $2 billion dollars into the development of its online ad platform. No one with any common sense would discount the potential impact of that kind of spending and you should not either.
In making sure your site is visible to search engines work with Google in mind, not least because whatever works with Google will place you with MSN but do not get blinkered in your approach and forget that we live in an incredibly fluid online world and survival for you requires an awareness of what’s going on.
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I’ve led the discussion on how social media and SEO are changing the processes we use to work and live, online, with the publication of my book ‘The Social Media Mind’. I combine experience in journalism and blue-chip corporate management with a penchant for explaining complex issues in simple terms. Contact me for media interviews, presentations and panel discussions
