We can use the iPhone here as a case study of how things may change. Before the popularity of the iPhone (and now other powerful smartphones) came about, the internet was a self-contained resource, with applications, information, and advertising. It was something accessed at home or at work, for homework or communicating. The internet is now something we use on a daily basis and nearly everywhere we go; it’s in most of our pockets and companies know they can reach us through it.

There are not only Display ads on our web pages and Paid Search ads when we look through search engine results, but ads running through our games, emails, and applications. We are exposed everyday to mobile websites with targeted offers and smartphone applications with integrated advertising. At every turn, we see how our connectedness increases the opportunities for advertising.

Imagine now, that you have not only a smartphone that runs independently on the internet, but a full laptop. All your applications, your personal information and documents, along with your browser, are now connected to and stored on the “cloud”. When you play a game, you see a banner ad for similar games. While writing a word document, you see text ad suggestions. You chat with a friend online and see ads for a new product.

While currently the Chromebook is limited to applications like Google Docs, Chrome, and some other small applications developed for the OS, larger companies like Citrix are already developing software for the Chromebook specifically. The programs we use on a daily basis like Outlook, Word, Acrobat, and others could potentially be a boon for internet advertisers who might offer free or cheaper versions of their software in exchange for advertising space.

By opening an entire Operating System to the internet, literally every aspect of the user experience is now available for advertising. While I can’t offer a critique on the Chromebook itself and how functional it may be, I can say this: having your life stored on the cloud may make things load faster and prevent losing your data, but once you give up a local system for a network, you agree to the terms of the internet. For internet marketers the success of the Chromebook could usher in a completely new marketplace for online advertising, however, users will have to be the first to reject or accept the notion of advertising in the personal computing experience. ­

Nothing is certain for the Chromebook’s future, but the possibilities are endless.

As Internet users look for information specifically tailored to them, several niche search sites are answering the call. NPR recently highlighted several religious/faith-based search engines that are increasingly popular among Christians, Jews and Muslims around the world. We wanted to take a closer look at these Web sites to determine how viable they are as Internet marketing opportunities.

SeekFind.org: A Christian “Search Engine”

SeekFind.org is a Christian search engine based out of Colorado that returns results only from sites they believe are consistent with the teachings in the Bible. At the time of writing, SeekFind features 33 approved Web sites. All of the Web sites are Christian-focused and gained approval through an application process found on the site. Their policies state, “Its primary focus must be on ministry, not selling products.” Based on this as well as other policies, the desire to sell products (even Christian products) is against their policies.

Based on our analysis, SeekFind.org is of limited use for Internet marketing purposes. If you are a Christian message-based site and primarily educational in nature, you might consider applying to have your site included. However, due to the low level of inclusion, this should be considered a portal as opposed to a search engine.

Jewogle.com: A Jewish “Search Engine”

While SeekFind appears to walk the line between portal and search engine, Jewogle.com, “The Famous Jews Search Engine”, doesn’t attempt to simulate a search engine (except in name). Upon your initial entrance to the website, it’s obvious that the creators are focused on developing a collection of biographies of famous/important Jews. An examination of their FAQ explains, “Jewogle is a site that celebrates the Jewish contribution to civilization and is well on its way to being a Jewish biographical encyclopedia.”

There are graphic ads on Jewogle that appear to be driven through sponsorship. Most of these appear to be affiliate in nature. Those interested in placing an ad on their site should contact the website administrators to determine next steps for inclusion in their advertising program. Compared to the two other sites featured in this blog, Jewogle receives the lowest level of traffic.

I’mHalal.com: A Muslim Search Engine

The creators of I’mHalal.com are truly creating a new search engine focused on Muslim-friendly information (as opposed to a portal). This site definitely impressed us. I spent some time discussing paid search and SEO with their support team (thanks to Faisal Sultan for his assistance!).

Paid Search advertisers might initially disregard this site as an advertising opportunity, as the current beta test of the site has no advertising. However, I’mHalal is currently in a private beta test of an advertising platform created by none other than Ted Huffman, one of the pioneers in search engine marketing (of Goto.com/Overture/Yahoo fame). According to Sultan, the advertising platform is expected to launch in the next few weeks. We hope to provide an update, along with some screenshots, once the platform (including keyword- and content-based advertising) goes live.

The area I’mHalal really differentiates itself in is its indexing. While the other two “engines” featured in this blog include a small amount of information (via selective inclusion), I’mHalal.com uses search technology to automatically crawl the web for Muslim-safe content. While this may increase the risk of undesirable content appearing in search results (since approval is automated), it also dramatically increases the volume of indexed materials, leading to increased inclusion and a more versatile search platform. While it’s too early to project the growth of this engine, the fact that it had over 3 million visitors in the first month shows they have significant consumer base already.

If you’re interested in increasing your reach to the Muslim population, we highly recommend taking a look at I’mHalal.com. In terms of traffic volume, they dominate over the other sites featured in today’s blog. In terms of business strategy, we feel they have the vision and tools in place to continue to grow over time.

Conclusion

When analyzing Web sites for marketing opportunities, it is important to examine the audience (including traffic volume) as well as creators’ intent. Consider traffic potential, the site’s strategy in terms of monetization and content relevance in determining the appropriateness of a website or network as advertising opportunities.

The Custom Search Themes allow you to choose from many different layouts and styles for your search results that can be selected and enabled instantly on your website. These Custom Themes provide maximum design flexibility, enabling you to customize every aspect of your site and optimize branding efforts.

The new Structured Custom Search has added attributes, such as Thumbnails and Actions that will be displayed in the search results. Thumbnails give a graphical glimpse into the site and Actions, such as “Download” and “Fullscreen View,” are utilized to enhance click through rates.  These links provide calls-to-action for readers and can be defined and customized for each site, adding a unique look to the search results.

Furthermore, you can now filter search results based on specific attributes as determined by the metadata you provide.  In years past the inability to “structure” or filter the results often meant on-site searchers were sent to an intermediate page that left them a click or more away from a result that would have fulfilled their query.  The new Structured Search feature, if setup correctly, mitigates the chances that one will be sent to an intermediary page, instead returning the most relevant result possible.

Wikipedia Custom Search Skin allows searchers to use Google Search within Wikipedia for other relevant articles related to the topic queried. This radically increases convenience, especially within Wikipedia pages with many links, making the research process faster.

For example, if you are on the NASA page within Wikipedia and perform a search on the word “Mars,” Google onsite search will return results presented in three tabbed groups: All Wikipedia Pages, Linked Wikipedia Pages and Linked Non-Wikipedia Pages. The first tab, All Wikipedia Pages, lists all of the existing Wikipedia articles that match the searcher’s query. The last two tabs provide relevant results that are linked from the NASA Wikipedia page, for example, information on planets, solar system, etc.

Overall, the new additions to Google’s Custom Search allows for a more focused and customized searching experience, creating better opportunities for not only Web browsers, but also Web masters looking to maximize their site’s usability.