Understanding the Google Connection

Understanding the Google Connection

In 2003, Google noticed Blogger and made an offer to purchase the blogging
platform from Pyra Labs. Google had been known in the online world as the
search engine powerhouse that was extending its reach to include online
advertising and more. In fact, Blogger could be considered one of the first in
a string of acquisitions made by Google to extend its brand and its strength
in the online market.



It turned out that Google’s timing was perfect, and Blogger’s hundreds of
thousands of users quickly turned into millions. Google benefited from new
access to millions of customers, and Blogger users benefited from a series
of redesigns and upgrades to the software program that made it easier to
use and added more functionality than ever. Those upgrades and redesigns
would allow the new Blogger to retain its position as the leader in a market
that was growing more and more competitive every day. The blogging platform
that was once considered the “beginner’s tool” continues to attract new
users at a staggering rate.

Blogger users can now leverage the power of Google and its many products.
Considering the availability of Google applications, users of Blogger can
easily incorporate them into their blogs to advertise, publish content from
mobile phones, upload and embed videos, and send RSS feeds to their feed
readers. Here are several Google applications that users of Blogger can incorporate into their blogs:

? Google Docs: With Google Docs, users can create documents, spreadsheets,
and presentations. Google Docs is particularly helpful when
bloggers want to share documents with other people or publish presentations
on their blogs.

? Blogger Mobile: If you use a mobile device in the United States, you may
be able to publish content on your blog directly from that device. Take a
look at Chapter 15 for details about blogging via your mobile device.

? Google Earth: Google Earth is a perfect tool for creating maps for your blog.

? Gmail: Gmail is an excellent free email program that can be accessed
from any computer.

? Google Groups: You can join Google Groups that interest you in order
to network and share information with like-minded people. Alternatively,
you can start your own Google Group. Each of these activities can help
drive traffic to your blog

? Picasa: When you upload photos to Blogger, they’re stored in your
Picasa account, which comes free with Blogger. You can also organize
and edit your photos by using Picasa.

? Feedburner: Feedburner is the most popular Web content feed-management
program online. You can share your blog’s feed using Feedburner
for readers to subscribe to using their feed reader of choice, such as
Google Reader.

? Google Toolbar: Using the free Google toolbar helps you save time
because redundant tasks are quicker to perform with a click of the mouse.
Additionally, the Blogger instant-blogging feature, BlogThis!, appears
directly on the Google Toolbar.

? Google Reader: Google Reader allows you to subscribe to blogs and to
follow those feeds from any computer or certain mobile devices.

? YouTube: You can upload your own YouTube videos to embed in your
blog, or you can use YouTube to find videos by other users that you
want to share in your blog.

? Google Video: Google Video is a video search engine as well as a site to
upload videos that you can link to or embed in your blog.

? Google AdSense: AdSense is an advertising system you can use to display
ads on your blog in order to generate revenue.

? Orkut: You can use the Orkut social networking site to promote your
blog.