my g - rant

When it comes to the internet, my parents are like dinosaurs. They stumble around with awkwardly short limbs, and it seems like their brains have shrunken to the size of walnuts. Simply said, they are internet-clueless. Yet, when my father, who doesn't know how to check his own email, is asked a question he doesn't know the answer to, he will reply, "I don't know; Google it?"

Google has become the answer to all of our needs. Seriously, count how many times you use Google or Google's products per day. I can tell you already that I've Google searched at least five different terms today, and a couple of Google images. Jeff's email telling me to write this post? Through Gmail. This blog itself? Blogger, a Google product. I've opened school documents in Google docs, read some blogs in Google reader, and watched a music video on YouTube. Just today. And I haven't even been online that long. (Well, maybe that's a lie.)

And that's not it. Google's network includes hundreds of other websites that people use every day. Food Network website? A Google partner. Ever notice that if you search something on the New York Times' website, you get that cute little "Sponsored Links" box that looks eerily similar to some other search site...what is that search engine called...wait, I'll Google it.

Google is so widely used because its technologies are the first of their kind, reliable, and usable. Monopoly? Well, it's the best. It can't help that. What, do you want it to stop being the best, so other companies can have a shot? I think they'll pass. Future? With such an adaptive outlook and innovative technology, they'd better be around for awhile.

For advertisers, Google is a dream come true. Let's think about it. 74% of the U.S. population is on the internet. Google's AdWords, with the content network, reaches 80% of the people on the internet. The internet is becoming the second highest media source for information and news purposes (after TV), and for a huge number of people, Google is the place where they start their info search. Using the keywords they type in, Google can match its advertisers to potential target members by demographics, time of day, season... and it's CHEAP. Advertisers can pay by cost-per-click or cost-per-impression, and the constant advertising space auction means that the little guys have just as much of a chance as the big players to get a good ad spot.

In the U.K., internet advertising spending just passed TV commercial spending to become the number one media source for ad spending. Search advertising is 60% of internet advertising, and Google dominates search advertising. In other words: this is where the ad money is going. Google's future looks pretty safe there.

Google's impact on the internet? What do you mean? Google IS the internet. And they rock at it. Will they end up turning us into those creepy ranting insular people on the Bing commercials? Maybe. But at least they will do it in style.

(Erm...sorry about the little rant. I am currently representing Google for an advertising media pitch. So thanks for giving me an easy topic, Jeff.)