Google Releases Official Buzz Share Buttons

Google’s next order of battle for Google Buzz – Share Buttons. If you’ve felt envious of sites such as TechCrunch and Mashable which were quick enough to come up with their customized Google Buzz Share Buttons, Google will now let you do the same without having to hack through some codes and all. And it’s also the official Google Buzz Share Button.


So Google announced that starting today expect to see Buzz buttons around the web particularly on sites such as The Huffington Post, Glamour, YouTube, Blogger, MySpace, GigaOM and more. These buttons will make it easier for you to share and post interesting items you encounter around the web to your Google Buzz account.

In addition, independent sharing widget provides such as “Share This,” “Shareholic” and more have started implementing the Google Buzz share button.

If you want to have a Google Buzz button on your own sites/blogs, you can easily do so by getting the codes from buzz.google.com/stuff. You can customize your button in a few clicks, copy the Javascript code, paste it to your blog/site code and you’re good to go.

And while you’re there, you might also want to grab the code for putting a follow me on Buzz button as well. This will make it easier for your friends and fans to follow your Buzz posts.

Source: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-releases-official-buzz-share-buttons/19981/

Multilingual SEO: Things to Remember

Google has recently done a series on the usability of multilingual websites and it got me thinking about multilingual SEO. How do you, in fact, optimize the same website for keywords in multiple languages?

But let’s start with the core basics. In simple terms, a multilingual website is a website that has content in more than one language. And such website has a lot of on-page stuff that is often done wrong. Let’s take a look at some common issues:

1) Language recognition

Once Google’s crawler lands on your multilingual website, it starts with determining the main language on every page. Google can recognize a page as being in more than one language but you can avoid crawler confusion by doing the following:

* Stick to only one language per page
* Avoid side-by-side translations
* Use the same language for all elements of the page: headers, sidebars, menus, etc.

Some web editors create code-level attributes automatically but these attributes are not very reliable, so keep in mind that Google ignores all code-level information (from “lang” attributes to DTD (Document Type Definitions) during language recognition.

2) URL structure

A typical pet peeve of SEO but even more so with multilingual websites. To make the most of your URLs, consider language-specific extensions. Language-specific extensions are often used on multilingual websites to help users (and crawlers) identify the sections of the website they are on and the language the page is in. For example:

http://www.website.ca/en/content.html

http://www.en.website.ca/content.html

http://www.website.ca/fr/content.html

http://www.fr.website.ca/content.html

This is a great way to organize URLs on a multilingual website because not only does it help the user, but it also makes it easier for the crawler to analyze the indexing of your content. But what if you want to create URLs with characters other than English? Here’s how to do it right:

* Use UTF-8 encoding for non-English characters
* Make sure your UTF-8 encoded URLs are properly escaped when linked from within your content

i.e. if a URL contains an é, which is a non-English character: http://www.website.ca/fr/contént.html

here’s how it will look properly escaped: http://www.website.ca/fr/cont%C3%A9nt.html

* But if you have to escape the URLs manually, use an encoder such as one from Meyer Web or look for others

It is important to note that Google directly extracts character encodings from HTTP headers, HTML page headers, and content. There isn’t much you need to do about character encoding, other than watching out for conflicting information – for example, between content and headers. While Google can recognize different character encodings, use UTF-8 on your website whenever possible.

3) Crawling and Indexing

Another common area of focus for SEO. On multilingual websites, follow these recommendations to get more pages crawled:

* Avoid redirects based on user’s perceived language: they could, in fact, prevent both users and SEs from looking at more pages on your site.
* Keep the content for each language on separate URLs
* Don’t use cookies to show translated page versions
* Cross-link page by page

Last but not least, please remember that Google does not recommend automatic translations.

By getting the on-page basics right, you will set a great base for your multilingual SEO in the future and, unlike so many others, you will not have to beg (in multiple languages) SE crawlers to come and index your content.


Source: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/multilingual-seo/19903/

Google to Launch New Voice Desktop App

When Google acquires Gizmo5, a VoIP service that provides P2P VoIP calls and calls with normal landlines and mobile phones, it wasn’t clear as to how Google will possibly use Gizmo5’s technology. Although, Gizmo5 could very well provide Google Voice an endpoint for calls, Google didn’t do much to make this happen, until now.

According to TechCrunch, Google is currently testing a new Google Voice desktop application built on the Gizmo5 technology. This application will finally allow users to make and receive calls from their desktop without needing to attach their Google Voice account to an existing phone number.

The said app is currently under Google’s “dogfooding” system, meaning it is currently being tested by Google employees themselves before putting it out for public beta testing soon. How soon? In a weeks or so perhaps since Google has started testing the app this week.

Source: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-to-launch-new-voice-desktop-app/19797/

GoDaddy Joins Google China Boycott : Stops Selling .CN Domains

Never one to back down from a chance to gain publicity, GoDaddy.com has announced that like Google, it too will be halting operations in China. I’m not sure how much of a percentage of the Chinese market uses GoDaddy, but this seems to be a serious announcement by the domain registration and hosting company.

If anything, the decision by GoDaddy will limit its reselling of .CN domain names more than anything. Less .CN’s on the market? This could be a good thing.

WashingtonPost.com reports

GoDaddy.com Inc., the world’s largest domain name registration company, told lawmakers Wednesday that it will cease registering Web sites in China in response to intrusive new government rules that require applicants to provide extensive personal data, including photographs of themselves.

The rules, the company believes, are an effort by China to increase monitoring and surveillance of Web site content and could put individuals who register their sites with the firm at risk. The company also believes the rules will have a “chilling effect” on new domain name registrations.

and from the Godaddy announcement :

“There appears to be a recent increase in China’s surveillance and monitoring of the Internet activities of its citizens,” said Christine Jones, general counsel for Go Daddy, at the Congressional- Executive Commission on China (CECC).

Jones said the new Chinese policies required every website owner to submit photographs, business information and individually signed forms, as well as their physical address, email address and telephone numbers.
“We didn’t want to act as an agent of the Chinese government,” Jones said. “We can’t let them be strong and us be weak all the time. We just have to stop it, and then we’ll start offering .CN domain names again.”

Source:- http://www.searchenginejournal.com/godaddy-china-google/19364/

Top 3 Websites To Build A Free Resume Online

When you’re looking for a job, you don’t have a lot of chances to catch the interest of a potential employer. After the cover letter, the curriculum vitae (CV) or resume is one of the first documents recruiters see. To keep them interested in you, this document should highlight your strengths, be easy to scan, yet look unique and interesting.

You may wonder what the difference is between a CV and a resume? The main difference is the length. A resume is a one or two page summary of your education, skills, and experiences. A CV covers more details and is primarily used when applying for jobs in academia, education, science, and research.

A great way to quickly compile a resume and not forget about any details are online tools. This article covers the top 3 websites to create a CV or build a free resume online.

1. CeeVee

Don’t be misled by the name. As I said, the main difference between a CV and a resume is the length. So simply limit yourself to the essential details and this CV builder will create a document that qualifies as a resume.

CeeVee essentially works like editing an online profile. You’re not guided through the process step-by-step, you can fill in the information in any order you please. To customize your document, you can add sections to your resume, remove existing sections, and add as many entries to each section as you like. You can also choose from three different themes, which will affect both the display on the website, as well as the output document.



The resulting CV or resume can be shared online, downloaded as a PDF, or you can print it.

2. Free Resume Creator

This tool isn’t as pretty as CeeVee, but definitely a more advanced way to build a free resume online. Another advantage is that you don’t have to sign up to use it.

You start by selecting your desired resume style. In the next steps you fill in your personal information, education, employment, and any additional information. Before completing the document, you can choose font styles and colors.



The document can be printed or downloaded as PDF, HTML, or plain text. If you would like to save the document online to come back and edit it later, you will have to sign up.

The PCman Website also provides online services to create a cover letter and reference page.


3. Advice Resources CV Builder

This CV or resume builder leaves you with two options. You can either view a list of templates and download any you like or take the step-by-step builder route. Neither requires you to sign up, but to save your CV online, you have to create an account. However, this can wait until you have seen the result.

Building your CV is done in 12 steps. The tool polls for your name, contact details, motivation, work experience, skills, education, additional qualifications, personal interests, referees, and finally your preferred layout. You can then download and check the result as a .rtf document and eventually go back and edit your CV.



As the screenshot above reveals, Advice Resources provide additional material to prepare yourself before building your CV. You can build your job seeking skills, your CV confidence, and your CV knowledge.

Before you send a resume to a potential employer, make sure the service you used to build your resume works as expected and your document is thoroughly formatted and does not contain spelling errors.

Source:-http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-3-websites-build-free-resume-online/

Gmail Goes Social With Google Buzz

Google introduced a social networking tool called Google Buzz Tuesday that allows sharing of status updates, images, and videos via a new Gmail tab called Google Buzz. The Google Buzz features will also be available on Android based phones as well as the iPhone (via a Web-based application) allowing for real-time updates to your Google Buzz feed that can show up on a new version of Google's mobile maps.

Google says the new Google Buzz tab will begin showing up on about 1 percent of Gmail user accounts starting today. Google says the rest of Gmail users will be able to see a new Google Buzz tab in their accounts within a week.
  
Five Core Features

Google hopes that instead of conversing on Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace, you'll instead turn to Google Buzz for sharing status updates, photos, and videos. How will the search giant convince you to make Google Buzz your social network of choice?
  
1. Blends With Gmail

The main way of accessing Google Buzz will be through Gmail. Below your inbox, there will be a tab for Buzz, allowing you to read status updates, photos, and video. The 40 people you converse with the most in Gmail and Gchat are automatically added as friends. Buzz updates also appear in your inbox if someone comments on your updates or comments, or someone directs a Buzz to your attention by using the familiar "@" symbol. 

2. "Page Rank" for Status Updates

Google brought up that familiar criticism of social networks, that no one cares if you ate a bagel or stubbed your toe. To compensate for noise, Google Buzz lets you like and dislike status updates, and learn over time whether to show or collapse status updates from your friends. It also looks for conversations outside your direct group of followers and adds them to your feed as recommendations. 

3. Media Gets Pulled In

Photos from Flickr and Picasa and video from YouTube appear as thumbnails in Google Buzz. Click a YouTube thumbnail, and the video will expand to play inline. Click on a photo, and it'll expand to fill most of the browser window, with the rest of the gallery in a narrow strip along the bottom of the screen.
If you post a link in Buzz, you'll automatically be able to append images and the headline from that Web page. Finally, you can pull in tweets from Twitter (but no Facebook updates) into Buzz. Unfortunately, you can't send your Buzz updates out to Twitter or other social networks. 

4. Mobile Features

Google Buzz will be available as a mobile Web app, letting you dictate status updates by voice and geotag your posts. When looking on Google Mobile Maps, Buzz updates appear directly on the map, so you can read location-based updates. You can also look for any recent Buzz updates posted near your current location. 

5. Private and Public

With each update you send, you'll have a choice of making it private or public. Private updates can go to all of your Buzz followers, or just a select group. Public updates are posted on your Google Profile page and are immediately indexed for Google Search.

source:-http://www.pcworld.com/article/188897/gmail_goes_social_with_google_buzz.html/

Track Your Keyword Positions with SEO Ranking Monitor

I have something new and awesome for you: SEO Ranking Monitor. The features I liked most of all:

(!) Sleek and usable interface;
(!) Nice-looking visualization tools;
(!) No clutter: no unnecessary features.
So let’s take a look at the tools settings and options.

The Process

Start by clicking “Settings” to configure tracking:

• Domains: add your domain here;
• Keywords: enter your keywords to track. You can add keywords one by one or in bulk. You will also need to tag each keyword for better report organization.
• Competitors: add your SERPs competitors to compare rankings;
• Google Analytics: grant access to your Google Analytics account to see results from your rankings;
• Search engines: select the search engines to track rankings in. You will have a huge choice of multiple Google local versions: 

The results

Here’s where the real fun starts. You will have access to multiple tables and charts visualizing your stats.
SERP monitor: here you will be able to see a table containing your current rankings for each keyword in each search engine and the most recent change. You can export the whole table to Excel and filter the keywords by tag:

Competitors Monitor: this table compares your rankings with your competitors’ ones. Click through tabs to see the comparison across all tracked search engines:


Domain Monitor: this table represents your summarized domain stats in all chosen search engines:

• Average rankings of the tracked keywords;
• Backlinks;
• Indexed pages:

From each table you can access cool charts visualizing your ranking fluctuation:

Dashboard: summarizes it all by visualizing your stats in really nice-looking charts that will let you see your rankings distribution:

This is one of the most usable rank tracking tools.The tool also appears to be really affordable and complete in terms of all required features. You can also try the tool for free