Google Really Is The Borg

The idea that Google will soon be in a position to substantially control what happens on the internet is not a fantasy. Given their collection of data, the advertisers and product sellers, the publishers and readers, are all ultimately under the influence of Google opinion.

Given their search reach, what they determine to be worth reading is soon the common view. People use the references to link to and lift those sites in the other search engines' results. While they may show differences the top 100 across most engines have a deep similarity.

We face the possibility that Google is Big Brother and in Orwellian fashion Google determines what is news speak.

The recent launch of the Google Affiliate Network possibly shows a little too much of that manipulation.

They tell Publishers:



Google Affiliate Network can help you discover new advertiser referral programs and generate more revenue.

Easy to use

Save time with an intuitive user interface, fast-loading pages, and creative trafficking tools.

Tracking and reporting

Track conversions and member IDs for loyalty marketing. Schedule and save reports.
Automated payments

Receive electronic payments, consolidated across advertisers, twice a month. Choose from a variety of commission structures.
Support and development

Contact our experts for technical support or to help you find new revenue opportunities.

Publisher recognition

Earn AffiliateVIP status and enjoy exclusive marketing opportunities and greater visibility in the network.

Hold out that carrot and people will jump through hoops - remember when they were selling Gmail accounts on EBay.

And to Advertisers they promise filtering and success:

With Google Affiliate Network, you can manage a custom affiliate marketing program and attract publishers to grow your affiliate channel.

Affiliate marketing expertise

Consult with our affiliate marketing specialists on planning and distribution, account optimization, and technical issues.

Network depth and breadth

Choose from a wide variety of high-quality publishers based on detailed profiles and metrics.

Tracking and reporting

Track conversions, evaluate performance, and optimize your program with actionable data.

Network quality

Work only with qualified publishers who are continually screened, reviewed, and advised by our quality team.

Performance-based pricing

Rest assured that cost-per-action pricing means our interests are aligned with yours.


Will they lower AdSense income to push the affiliate advertising? Well they are supposed to be optimizing both sides.... but basically you put your companies in their hands. Fair exchange is no robbery - or this should be a win-win situation are cliches I expect to hear. But remember these are the guys who thought the Adwords minimum bids were a benefit to everyone - funny I seem to have helped finance all the work because I never saw a low CPC during that period.

Google seems ready to constantly be battling the government. Hey their lawyers are well trained by now.

To quote another Orwellian work: "All animals are created equal, but some are more equal than others" and I guess Google gets to make that determination.

Just a heads up.

If You Give A Mozz A Sandwich

I am hoping people are familiar with that classic "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie" - if not it is a children's classic.

The recent post over at SEOMoz about XSS security was informative - well worth the sandwiches sent as payment by Search Engine Watch for the heads up.



So the story goes...

If you give a Mozz a sandwich he (or she) will probably want champagne to go with it.

Then after a bottle or two or three - they will most probably need to go to the bathroom.

When they get to the bathroom, they will probably notice that their eyes are bloodshot and want some Visine.

While they are waiting for you to get them the Visine, they will probably come up with some funny ideas for linkbait.

"Search Marketers With The Most Bloodshot Eyes At Conferences" will be created and deployed as another excellent blog entry.

People will get annoyed at their inebriation being plastered on the web, and a huge discourse will ensue on the Mozz blog. Sides will be drawn, links to the action will occur, but that just means more comments.

So when the traffic dies down and all the social networking is done they will be hungry and want more sandwiches.

Now if you happen to be used as the next reference - whatever you do - Do Not Give The Mozz A sandwich.... because......


Hope you guys liked the sandwiches Matt McGowan sent you last week. And Rebecca, Rand, Scott and Jane (figuring the order of who gets mad first)... I was joking and could not pass up the story... and I did not title it "If You Give A Moz A Cocktail" - that will be the sequel!

Darren I know you did not share in the sandwiches, but will buy you a drink when I see you at next conference.

TechSet Coming To NYC

Watch out New York City the TechSet is crashing Internet Week. Stephanie Agresta just let me know that her band of mischief makers will be attending various events.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Mahalo Daily VJ Finalists Rated

Okay Jason Calacanis is promoting Mahalo Daily and giving people input Idol style where you can vote for the finalists. All attractive women so not too hard watching - though no blondes some may be bottle brunettes.

My vote from bottom to top are below.



Brazilian Fight Dancing does not cut it - needed more experienced fight dances moves - not articulate VJ.




This one thinks the MMA guys are articulate and then the video shows them as to the contrary, unless compared to her.



Not too bad but slow and a little boring.



Interview a bit weak, some questions are silly.




Great smile, confident interviewer and action holds attention.





good interview and well mixed video - holds attention to end.

Who To Vote For?

Okay not necessarily the usual topic of my posts but it is something that will impact it, in my opinion.

I like John McCain - he gave for his country in a very direct manner. You have to respect that... but he echoes Bush way too much and the president is one person who scares me.

Obama I hope is the right call. He should stop the bleeding caused by Bush economics... in all walks of life I cannot understand how people would vote for a party that takes from most of their pockets. The Democrats spends most of the money on its people in the broad sense, Republicans tend to have a smaller number they call its people.

Sunday is 4/20, Ultimate 420 Lists

Got to love the effort put into the EveryThing 420 post by the guys at Best of the Web. No doubt stoners through the world will be reading this on Sunday.

Rob you are the man... I now know who to come to for rolling out massive content.

Rebecca Lieb Leaves ClickZ

ClickZ has some big shoes to fill this week, with the announcement that Rebecca Lieb is leaving as Editor-in-Chief.

Having worked with her over the past couple of years, I know she will be missed.

No doubt we will see her in some other influential role in our industry and at the various conferences. Where ever she lands someone is gaining a great asset.

Rename SMX: The Danny, Rand and Matt Show

I have heard disturbing rumors that Danny Sullivan is trying to get Google to change the Google Dance from SES San Jose to an SMX event, guess an alternative one for SMX is not on the agenda and the conference battle is down to who has the best parties.

Danny recruited me to the SEW forums when they first started and the community was less of a battlefield. And through a series of attritions - or should I say SMX acquisitions - I became the editor. Elisabeth Osmeloski was the first and by far the best person to have the role.

Our industry used to be a friendly and open space where industry leaders gladly shared information with everyone. Now it seems these people are being limited to what conference they can speak at.

I would like to know Danny if you have told people they can only speak at one or the other of the events. Never seemed to be the case but have heard that this is now being told to speakers.

SEOMoz who I have always considered friends have become partners of sorts with SMX - I noted the whole family spoke at one recent event - father, mother, brother, Rand and other Mozzers. Guess the late night champagne drinking after the SES conference sessions are over.

And Matt Cutts... if you spent more time at SMX events you would be hard pressed getting anything done at Google. I definitely thought SES New York was going to have your cat speak at the search engine for pets sessions but maybe you were told it was not allowed.

Add the addition of Vanessa Fox to the SEL/SMX team and I guess you could call the California offices 'Little Google'.

Hopefully I am wrong about all this and the speakers that once were free to speak at any and all events will be back at other events soon.

As a newly started online marketing agency I know the need to attend the major conferences to get yourself out there and to build contacts with the various vendors - but have been told am 'persona non grata' at SMX... now what could I possibly have done to merit that decision?