Google succes started with 1 good idea : pagerank.
Every webpage is given a rank calculated with a sophisticated algorithm (how many links from other pages go to this page).
Thanks to this “pagerank”, google search feedback to users to best results.
I’ve found this infographic that lists all the changes applied to the algorithm years after years.
A lot of work ! Impressive, isn’t it ?
(source)
In 2011 , 96% of google revenues came from advertising.
This infographic gives the breakdown of these advertising revenues.
My prefered number : the cost per click for “Cheap car insurance” is $33.97 !
(source : wordstream)
Some key numbers about Google.
My prefered ones :
(via Search Engine Journal)
2 years ago I wrote a post about the need of offline mode for google services (google documents and gmail).
Offline mode is really a missing feature especially for people who travel.
Image via CrunchBase
2 years ago, google used to use a plugin “google gear” to implement a minimal offline mode : mails were accessible and documents were in read-only mode.
Where are we 2 years later ?
Nowhere.
Google gears has disappeared.
For gmail an application is available in the chrome webstore, but it’s not really good as it’s not consistent with the normal way to access gmail.
Google promised to implement offline using html5, but it’s still not available.
If anyone knows about the roadmap, let me know !
I’m a big user of RSS.
I use google reader on a daily basis to browse throw more than 160 sources.
This is efficient, powerfull and really help me to be sure not to miss informations.
Something I’m missing is the possibility to share my rss feeds subscriptions.
Of course I can “export” them in an opml file, and then email this file to my friends, but isn’t it old fashion ?
I would love to be able to share my subscriptions like I can make my lists public in twitter.
This functionality should be embedded in Google reader standard features.
Anybody can help ?
I’ve already posted about lastpass, the service I use to secure all my passwords in one single place.
A new tool is now available : the “security challenge“.
This tool will screen all your your login/passwords recorded in your lastpass vault and give you statistics
I did it.
The first result was obviously terrible : many duplicate passwords.. I basically use 4… and quite weak passwords.
Then you can imagine that changing all these passwords (I’ve 260 websites secured in lastpass) will be a big pain. This is where lastpass can help again.
Based on the list of all the web sites, it propose you to directly open a new window on this site, then you go to the “change password” option and change it. Of course you still need some time to do it, but it helps a lot !
I love when services like that really gives added value that you did not expect…
Thank you lastpass !
LastPass is a password manager that promise you “The Last paswword you have to remember”.
The principle is to record all your passwords in a simple place and remember only one which is your lastpass password, like the key of your safe.
I use the service since few years now to secure all my passwords for all the services I use (I’ve more than 200 sites secured).
Lastpass proposes a chrome extension I use everyday when I’m connected : at home, at work.
The main reason I use it is because of the chrome extension : it makes the access to the service simple and easy.
This simple extension is the access point to the lastpass service and gives access to your “lastpass vault” where all your passwords are secured.
The extension is also screening the pages you’re browsing and if necessary proposes you to automatically fill login / password. It’s really very well done.
I hope you’ll enjoy it !
