Tag: google

Hyperlocal Search Soars As Mobile Usage Grows

Posted on by Lab Team

Read original story on: USA Today

On Wednesday, Google released new search data highlighting the surge of localized searches. The report shows that Google’s location-specific “near me” searches have increased 34 times since 2011, and have nearly doubled in the past year alone. The vast majority of these local searches—80% in the last quarter of 2014—come from mobile devices, cementing mobile’s dominant position in the hyperlocal market. 

Moreover, the “here and now” immediacy of hyperlocal searches is great at moving consumers down the sales funnel. Half the consumers who conduct a local search visit a store within that day, with 18% of them making a purchase. Among people who are looking for places to dine out, nearly half of them—and 60% of millennials—search for nearby restaurants within an hour of going.

 

Google Is Putting Chrome OS Everywhere

Posted on by Lab Team

Read original story on: CNET

Without much fanfare, Google unleashed its Chrome OS onto a fleet of new devices, including the new Asus Chromebit dongle, Asus Chromebook Flip, and two laptops from Chinese manufacturers Hisense and Haier, earlier this week. Google has good reason to push out its Chrome OS, a simplistic browser-based operating system previously designed for its Chromebook laptop. The system serves as an entry point to get more people to use Google’s wide range of apps and services, keeping users within its ecosystem. And the more data Google can glean from the users, the more potential revenue it can make from targeted ads.

Why Google Is Dipping Its Toe Into Original Content

Posted on by Lab Team

Read original story on: CNET

Google’s game studio, called Niantic Labs, is reportedly adapting its popular mobile AR game Ingress for television. This is a surprising move, considering the aversion towards developing original content the search giant has demonstrated, but nevertheless an understandable one, given that Google can position the TV show as another layer of the game to increase its reach and influence.

Leading Tech Companies To Test Commercial Drones

Posted on by Lab Team

Recent announcements from Google, Amazon, and Facebook demonstrate the companies’ paths towards drone adoption:

  • Amazon’s plan to deliver shipments got a bit closer to reality last Thursday, as federal regulators granted the ecommerce behemoth approval, albeit with many restrictions, to test its unmanned aircraft.
  • Facebook will be testing its solar-powered laser-equipped drones this summer, as part of its internet.org project that aims to beam Internet access to remote areas or third-world countries that lacks the infrastructure.
  • Google was reportedly testing its delivery drone aboard last year, but recent reports claim Google is pushing to launch a fleet of high-altitude atmospheric satellite drones within months to provide Internet connectivity, similar to what Facebook is doing.

Google Fiber To Experiment With Targeted TV Ads

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Read original story on: AdWeek

Nielsen’s antiquated rating system has been criticized for years, yet no real challenger to the TV measurement behemoth has emerged—until now. Google is reportedly looking into providing real-time tracking and targeting capabilities for TV ads, similar to the systems it uses for digital ads, starting with trials in Kansas City with Google Fiber TV subscribers.

 

Why Uber Is Buying Its Own Mapping Solution

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Read original story on: Mashable

Uber has confirmed that it is acquiring the mapping and search startup deCarta for an unspecified amount.  Uber’s functionality relies on accurate locating and mapping technologies, and this acquisition seems to signal the company’s first step toward decreasing its dependence on the mapping services provided by Google and Apple.

This isn’t the first time that Uber has shown its interests in developing its own mapping system. Previously, Uber was reportedly planning to integrate Baidu Map for users in China through Baidu’s strategic investment. In light of recent news that both Google and Apple are developing their own car technologies, Uber might is clearly looking to step up its mapping game, starting with this acquisition.

How Google Is Positioning Waze To Be The Core App For Android Auto

Posted on by Lab Team

Read original story on: The Verge

Since Google’s acquisition of Waze in 2013, the real-time data-driven navigation app has been steadily growing its popularity among drivers. As a result, Google has decided to include Waze as one of the pre-installed apps on new Android phones, along with other Google staples like Maps, YouTube, and Gmail. With this move, Google is set to expose Waze to a larger potential audience, presumably readying it to take center stage of Android Auto system for connected cars.

Mobile First—Google Prioritize “Mobile-Friendliness” In Search Results

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Read original story on: TechCrunch

as more and more people use mobile devices to get online, Google has continued to adapt its algorithms for search results ranking. Most recently, the Mountain View company announced two notable changes that will optimize the search results for mobile users.

First, it will now take into consideration websites’ mobile-friendliness as one of its ranking criteria, putting mobile-friendly sites first for mobile users. Moreover, information from indexed mobile applications will also begin to influence ranking for signed-in users if they have the apps installed on their smartphone.

Google Reportedly Developing Its Uber Competitor With Driver-less Cars

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Read original story on: Bloomberg Business

Google is preparing to launch its own car-hailing service to work with its self-driving cars, which would put it in direct competition with on-demand car services like Uber or Lyft.  In response, Uber has announced a partnership with Carnegie Mellon University to develop driverless car and mapping technology.

Ironically, Google is also one of its biggest investors for Uber, as the search giant’s venture capital arm Google Ventures invested $258 million in Uber back in August 2013. And Uber currently uses Google Maps data to power its apps for drivers and riders, a fact that could soon change once the competition heats up between the two companies.

Update: New report claims that Google’s own car-hailing app is being developed for internal carpooling only.

Blurred Lines: Creating Content That Works

Posted on by Lab Team

Click to download YouTube Insights here.

Finding the best way to communicate with your target consumer is one part art and one part science. As an emphasis on cross-screen viewing and digital has become a core part of brand communications, the lines between ads and content have blurred. Google and IPG Media Lab partnered to understand consumer perceptions and effectiveness of branded content and video advertising.

To learn more, download and view the YouTube Insights here.