Google Made Big Change to Its Images Search

Google.com changed its Images Search again today. In the past, if you search a keyword for pictures, in the past, you will get an images list, a page displaying 20 images (5 x 4) .Now it turns into a much more different page.

The changes include

1. There are 6 or 7 pictures in one row, and the image will self-adjust its size to fit the page.

2. All pictures displaying in one page, when you search a keyword, for example, accessories, you will go to a page, the images on the first fold of the page are already downloaded and displaying, instead of turning to the next page for more pictures in the past, you can scroll down the page, while you checking the pictures on the first fold, the rest of the pages are downloading.

3. Number of results do not change much, in the past, each page contains 20 pictures, and 50 pages in total, so there were almost 1000 pictures in the result for one single search; now Google Images only displays around 30 pages, each containing, 30 to 40 pages. However, you will find there is some change in your indexed image number.

4. Google Images use JavaScript to display its images, the images file name and source are not displayed unless you put the mouse over the image, then the image will pop up, showing the image name, size and source.

5. The file name now will display on the result, in the past, the file name did not show on the page.

6. When you click on image, you will go to the image source page; there is also a Google frame there like the past, except some change in appearance.

7. When you do the instructor search, for example, “site: www.virtualvillage.com”, the result page is still the old one.

8. This change only happens to google.com, other Google websites don’t have the change,.
The significance of the change:
A. The ranking Algorithm could have some change, since the file names display, I think Google images will consider more about this factor;

B. You will need more neat and attractive file name for the image file, for both Google image bot and human readers;

C. The number of images indexed change.

The Chinese search engine Baidu used to have similar images search change before, but now it changes back, maybe because its users boycott the change, or confrontation a technical difficulty, not sure if Google will keep the change in the future, or it is just a testing for its users reaction.

Now You Have to Provide Phone Number to Get A Google Account

In our office today we noticed a strange occurrence. While signing up for a new gmail account we were told that in order to verify the account we need to give Google a mobile phone number, so that they could send us an SMS verification. Aghast we tried again.

On further attempts the message vanished. Sign up proceeded as usual.

A little more research found the following in their help section:

I don't have a mobile phone, can I sign up?
If you'd like to sign up for a Gmail address, you need to have a mobile phone that has text-messaging capabilities. If you don't have a phone, you may want to ask a friend if you can use his or her number to receive a code. Also, if you know someone who already has a Gmail address, you can ask them to email an invitation to you.

One of the reasons we're offering this new way to sign up for Gmail is to help protect our users and combat abuse. Spam and abuse protection are two things we take very seriously, and our users have been very happy with the small amount of spam they've received in Gmail. We take many measures to ensure that spammers have a difficult time sending their spam messages, getting these messages delivered, or even obtaining a Gmail address (spammers will often use many different addresses to send spam). Sending invitation codes to mobile phones is one way to address this, as the number of addresses created per phone number can be limited.

…

Will Google keep or use my mobile phone number?

Google will use your phone number to send an invitation code in a text message to your phone. In doing so, we store each phone number to make sure it is used to create a limited number of accounts. Your number will also be associated with your account to avoid unnecessary future verifications for other Google services. For more information, please review the Gmail Privacy Policy: http://mail.google.com/mail/help/privacy.html. In accordance with this policy, your number will never be sold or shared for marketing purposes without your permission, nor will we contact you using this number without your express permission.

Obviously the intent of this is to prevent mass email signups, but we can't help but wonder if there is some deeper purpose to all this. With Google's push into the mobile market recently—with hosts of mobile apps, phone oriented services like latitude, and of course Google Android—the integration of mobile phone numbers with Google accounts may be part of a broader integration of mobile phones and Google services.

Source of this Article: Viki Sudios

Features of Baidu’s Dictionary

Baidu has a dictionary service, which offer word/phrase translation between Chinese-English and Chinese to English. I use Baidu Dictionary a lot to check my spelling (I have a spelling problem; someone said it is an illness).

In the past if I tried to use the Dictionary I have to type the URL dict.baidu.com, but recently I find out that use word combination can get the Dictionary in the search result directly.

For example if I want to know the English word for “苹果”, I can use the query “苹果 英文”, it is like an operator to get me a dictionary result. With this action, Baidu will earn many online dictionary users if these users don’t care how sucking Baidu Dictionary is!

It is not a single case how Baidu changes / improves its product to fit the users’ searching habit. I use the word combination a lot, so do many other Chinese users, I know how huge the consequence can be.

The following screenshot is to tell us Baidu suggests word combination according to search volume , baidu has another powerful product Baidu Top, it shows the most popular search terms on Baidu.

This can be a good inspiration to all of us. If we pay great attention to the user search habit, we can make some change in Chinese online marketing. Baidu has been trying to SEO its own web pages and insert those pages into the search result, it is not wise to confrontation Baidu using the normal approaches, however, it is a sure good way to use Baidu’s own pages to do the marketing for your own website or business, which will we talk about later.

Google v.s China - Conflicts Between the Two Regimes

So Google moved its servers from mainland China to Hong Kong earlier this week, and continues providing services to users in mainland China. I heard cheers for Google’s move, and I also heard mocking voice. One of my clients wrote to me and asked for information - recently he has been planning to launch a new Google Ads campaign for his food distribution business in China. I told the customer to put his money back into his pocket for a while.


Google’s biggest move is to stop self-censoring its web search results, as it agreed when it negotiated with the Chinese government years ago. Some of Google's other services such as YouTube, Sites and Blogger are totally blocked and Docs, Picasa and Groups are partially blocked for a long time ago.

Google may win applaud from some human rights and free speech advocates, but I do worry about what it may cause to the investors. The day when Google redirect its google.cn domain to google.hk, many more search results appearing in the list, some of those were not accessible in the past in mainland China.

David Drummond, SVP, Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer, in his announcement said that Google was aware that this move could piss off Chinese government and Google.hk could be blocked any time. Google even made a new page to offers a summary of Google service availability in China: www.google.com/prc/report.html

Consequences? Of course, Baidu will take more of Google's market shares, some confidence may lost for Google, more and more SEO experts will pay more attention to Baidu and other Chinese local search engines. If Google is title wiped out of mainland China, online marketing would be totally restructured, for some method and approaches need to change.

But I can assure you that this is not the end, so what will happen? My guess there could three endings:

1. Chinese government blocks Google web search service, as the response Google totally withdraw from mainland China, all services are suspended.

2. Chinese government blocks Google web search totally, Google withdraw from mainland China, but only operate AdSense in Chinese market.

3. Google keeps operating through Hong Kong, but China will temporarily block it when a user search a sensitive key phrase like "Tiananmen square protest", but this won't affect our main business, for most of the pages are still accessible.

I believe No.3 has the biggest chance to happen, so Chinese government does not have to take full responsibility of driving Google out, and Google can keep most of its business; it is very unusual if the Chinese government does nothing about it. But before everything is getting clear, I will suggest you do nothing but wait and see.