Generation Nerd

Search engine indexing is the retrieval of web documents and data by an automated software program – a spider or bot. These data are then placed into a digital index that is used to filter a query’s key word/s in order to locate URLs for search engine results.

Previously, search engines could not read the programming of comments on most public websites because the spiders could not break down comment system codes. This meant that when a query was entered on a search engine, comments were never uploaded to search engine results because the index did not store any comment content.

On Wednesday, November 2, Google confirmed that Googlebot, which is the spider behind all of Google searches, can now read content that is loaded in AJAX and Javascript codes. So, any website that employs the comment services: Disquis, Livefyre, Intense Debate, and Facebook Connect add-in are now indexed by Google.

Yes, we said Facebook Connect add-in…but, before the ‘invasion of privacy’ debates start, let us clarify. Comments or postings on a third-party website are not subject to that users Facebook privacy settings. So, when a Facebook user signs onto a third party website their posted comments are accessible by Google. Please note we are describing what happens off of a third-party website or a public profile.

Comments are not lifted off of Facebook’s actual social media site as long as the user has privacy settings. If your profile is open, then consider your personal Facebook page a public website and, therefore, fair play to Google.

Now, considering the fact that there is an increased likelihood of showing up on a Google search, one might presume censorship of their comment content.

For those of us who enjoy venting – now it is even more important to remember that there can be serious consequences for what you post. Do you really want your complaint about a controversial topic, client, boss, manager, or job to end up on first page Google for all your friends, family and co-workers to see? Didn’t think so.

Casting a spotlight on comments may encourage us to filter our posts, which, for the sake of everyone out there, could be a great thing. Imagine a digital world where (more) comments were actually insightful, constructive, and relevant feedback or ideas.

Now, onto the business side of indexing:

Matt Cutts, Head of Google’s Webscam team, explains that the ability to index these comments makes their search engine results more dynamic.

These dynamic comments can help increase business and topic presence, which increases a company’s Google PageRank. Social media influence extends its relevance past the social media platforms to overall business presence on Google. Companies that interact more with customers will be indexed more frequently, which means better SEO, which means more presence, which means… awesome.

On the flip side, what if comment results overshadow more relevant data that are born from credible sources and businesses. Ideally, when a customer types your brand name into Google, you want actual information + your website to come up… will the abundance comments be more popular than your webpage?

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The data cloud is the future and where we’ll soon share our data, spread out in all that storage, and use our computers like access terminals. For many, using Google Docs was their first encounter with this virtual storage and everyone seems to be anticipating the “Cloud from Cupertino” with baited breath. But are you ready for your ISP to turn off the tap if you actually use all that the cloud has to offer?

It’s happened to one Seattle man. Andre Vrignaud seems a bit of a “Data Hog,” going over a massive 250GB of data traffic in a month, but service provider Comcast won’t even consider upgrading him to a business account. He’s a gamer who shares video, pictures, data, and music. Sure, he seems like an inordinately heavy user, but is he just ahead of the curve? Will we all be sharing over 250GB a month soon? (more…)

Businesses and social media can work together like chocolate and peanut butter. It may not always seem like a fit at first, but when it clicks, it’s genius. However, the question of measuring ROI always arises. What can be measured in future sales against intangibles like the audience engagement and brand goodwill engendered through social media. But what if the answer lies in integration with social media tools?

American Express just made it work with Foursquare, and it might just illuminate the future of social media marketing. The deal is this: You go to a store, “check-in” on Foursquare, and get offered a surprise store special only redeemable by paying with AmEx and applied straight to your card. No fuss, no coupons, and a great incentive to “check-in” everywhere you go.

Amex and the vendors who sign on to the promotion gain measurable results in the dollar amounts spent by card users, who also tend to be a desirable demographic. Previous successful deals with large brands like Pepsi prove Foursquare may actually be worth their outsize $600 million valuation. If currently only 4% of adults are using location-based services, will such big name partnerships drive their adoption? (more…)

Last week, Apple inked a cloud-music licensing agreement with EMI Music. They’ve signed Warner Brothers, and are working Universal and Sony.

But why isn’t the headline about EMI signing up with Apple?

EMI already tested the waters with an iPad app, so it’s clear they’re embracing the union. It’s a little startling to remember there still are music labels when you’ve gotten accustomed to buying individual tracks. Labels rank lower in public opinion than the guys who delivered the iPod.

File sharing and portability broke the old music models. More importantly, “sharing” was the point. Napster set expectations for free music ten years ago. When you can freely stream Pandora , YouTube, or less legal resources, on demand, few still leave their soundtrack to chance. (more…)