Am I Hot or Not: Google vs Baidu (8)

Stephen Foley in New York, writing for the Guardian, makes the recipe for journalism look easy: Take two hot topics, stir them into a conservative consumme (xenophobia works well here), add a smidgen of stale statistics, saute in some speculation, strain it through an anti-corporate colander and you have: instant story.

He talks about Google trying to conjure up a potion to put some lead in its seach engine pencil in China. He fails to mention that they also need a dose of virtual Viagara in Korea, Russia and Japan to name three more….

But he does go on to say he is relatively, almost certain that Google might possibly join up with a Chinese music site to probably offer songs from Universal Music (home of the Soon-To-Be-Elevator-Music Artist’s Alliance) and conceivably (rumor has it) SonyBMG and EMI. Oh yes, and Stephen says “Warner Music, is also believed to have expressed an interest.”

He goes on to assert that Baidu is an “upstart search engine” (founded in 1999–one year after Google) operating in a “culture of piracy” and that it built its business on piracy and is getting “a large portion of its traffic from users searching for illegal music.” In Stephen’s world 7% is large– and no, I won’t make the obvious joke.  The 7% represents music searches he assumes to be illegal.

He finshes up his article by expressing his belief that a Google led “experiment with advertising-funded free music in China would be a significant break with the past.” He fails to note that EMI and Baidu already have a deal to live stream Chinese songs and they are working on more aliances with companies and artists.

No I don’t have a rose-colored display on my computer and I know how prevalent IP theft is in China both on and off of the net. But, I also know China is not alone, but they do make good headlines.

Search for Utorrent software–the program that allows you to crib virtually anything–and you will find that it is not de-indexed by Google nor are most of the sites that post anything stealable from movies to games. Isohunt.com a favorite site for world-wide free-downloaders, was hosted in the US until very recently. And I don’t think YouTube is going to be winning any award’s from the folks at Creative Commons. How many steps removed must you be before we eliminate you from the accomplice’s list?

Baidu is in China the country the west loves to hate: they will happily exploit China to make a buck as they demonize them in the press.

On a lighter note: I look at Google and Baidu this way: Who would I want to take to the prom? Baidu is the nerdy kid with the cheaper clothes (Google’s R&D budget exceeds a quarter’s worth of gross revenue for Baidu) while Google is always in the running for Court King or Queen. Baidu saves , Google spends. Google wears contacts and a night retainer, Baidu has hardware and emo glasses. Baidu returns my phone calls, Google’s dance card must be full….

I love the underdog, the laughing dance partner with two left feet and the kids that are never picked for dodgeball: bloggers with humility instead of journalists without borders.

Cast your vote for hot or not:

Google Hot or Not

{democracy:4}

Baidu Hot or Not

{democracy:5}

Posted 9 February, 2008 in Seach engine Optimization, SEM, SEO, Internet marketing China, Search Engine Marketing, Chinese Media, Baidu, china expert seo services guangzhou, SEO China Expert, 中文, Seo China, Chinese Internet, Asian Humor, China Humor, Humor, China web 2.0, Asia, Intercultural Issues, The Internet, 中国, In the news, China Business, China SEO

China SEO Expert Services (0)

SEO Consulting China

For paid campaign work, inclusion in Baidu or partnerships in keyword advertising on Chinese search engines please fill out the contact form at: Culture Fish Media

Unlike many other search engine consulting (SEO) firms, I can be quite flexible as I work with clients individually. From simple search engine optimization to full scale consulting I can assist. Work for Non-profits agencies is free.

SEO, SEM China Client Profile

Typical Search Engine Optimization Consulting Clients are owners of websites with a dedicated team of webmasters and programmers, or are internet website owners who can handle the basic coding required to undergo a successful search engine optimization campaign or have an employee who can assist them.

If you have no Internet expertise, I can provide team members who can do this work as independent contractors.

The Search engine consulting client (or the client’s webmaster) should be able to implement suggested changes with as little assistance as possible (or see above). I send all suggestions via email or transmit them telephone/Skype. I make things as simple to follow and and never complicate things.

The Search Engine Consulting client must commit to a minimum of 5 hours of SEO consulting. Ongoing work beyond the first five hours is negotiated after the first month. All search engine consulting services are on a pre-fund (up front) basis. Once your hours have expired, you must purchase more time via pay pal.

For search engine consulting clients, there are no guarantees: no minimum PR value and no guaranteed search engine positioning unless of course you purchase a PR package. I can then talk to you about guaranteed Page Rank in the engines.

I can advise on adwords campaigns, but will not manage the campaign. I take no commission from Google for any advertising. This policy leaves me free to make the best decisons for you.

Cost for Search Engine/ Chinese Market Consulting

$100-$200 per hour depending on needs…Free for non-profits

Writing Meta-tags and such are done at the same rate. It is always my goal to teach you or your team to do as much of this as possible yourself.

Most smaller websites can have all major problems dealt with in under 10 hours of consulting…

Posted 22 January, 2008 in SEO China Expert, 中文, UK SEO EXPERT, chinese serach engines, china expert seo services guangzhou, seo expert services guangzhou china, Search Engine Marketing, Seach engine Optimization, The Internet, 中国, Seo China, Internet marketing China, SEM, SEO, China SEO

China SEO Expert…. (3)

Cultural SEOI am not at the top of the rankings as a Martian Search Engine (SEO) expert ( I am only 3rd), but I might be after this post! The algorithms that govern what is and is not registered by search engines like Google and Yahoo! are shape-shifters: They catalog combinations from blogs and websites that can mystify, amuse and swindle you. For example, I am #2 in Google for Adult Pampers Makers even though I can’t remember mentioning diapers on this blog. Maybe, I am too old to remember using them and too young to worry about them just yet. I believe, like Robin Williams, that diapers are like politicians and should be changed frequently because they are both full…

But, I digress…

I know about this listing because someone searched for the term, and my analytics program identified from whence they came. There are other authentic one-hit wonders for which I rank highly, though I am clueless about why people searched for them or why I showed up tops. They ALL beg for an aside, but I am resisting, thinking that you can use your imagination: Pocket Fisherman Diagram, Plentiful Breast Pictures, Professor Asshat, China Olympic Professor Blog, Hairy Chinese Women, Wedding dress Market Report in China, I had my hepatitis shot, but the test says I have no immunity, Naked nurse teaching in China, Anais Nin commerative coin, American Prostitute Self, Naked nurse teaching in starbucks china, quota of America to China, You Tube Hong Kong Free Sex Video, How culture affects the way we use utensils, and Cartoon Photos of a man being massaged among hundreds of others…

Some SEO “Experts” list some of the keywords they claim to have earned in Google’s top ten rankings. They claim that these listings attest to their prowess, and they use these words to convince you that they can move your blog, site or company into a position where you will get more hits and gain international fame and fortune. Most of the words are like the ones above.

Far too many so-called expert Chinese SEO firms prey on clients using this strategy. And most businesses, woefully unaware of SEO methods, are bilked out of thousands of dollars every year. The cost for a “hot word,” one with search results in the millions (think “Buddha,” “free buffet,” or “online video game”), is staggering: the top ten in Google is 20,000 RMB a year ($2,500 USD). A “cold word” with low search returns (think “delicious rat recipes” or “Japan learned everything it knows from the Tang dynasty”) will pull 10,000 RMB ($1,250 USD) from your wallet.

So, as an example, “China Expert SEO Consultant,” at 2 million returns, would cost you 20,000 RMB and bring you absolutely no traffic. “China SEO Expert Guangzhou” will get you two hits a day. I’m always suspect of the word “expert” anyway: In bomb school, an expert was laughingly referred to as a “former drip under pressure”–never a good thing in explosives. It was a surefire way to tell someone was not what they purported to be.

I have many great search results I’m proud of, but were someone to actually come to them, I would worry about their mental health or my ego. I am number one for “American professor” in Google, hands down, and I frequently use this in lieu of a business card when I forget one. I am also in the Google China top ten for “American blog” (out of half a billion returns) and number 1 for “handsomest American in China” (move your Canuck ass over, Da Shan!) And in all humility, I found I rank quite high for “China blog about nothing” and “Lonnie isn’t exactly the sharpest guy in the world,” which isn’t exactly what you’d want when you are trying to build up your consultant site that’s already number 1 for “china business consultant blog” in Google, Google China and Yahoo.

If you are really interested in a legitimate search engine marketing provider, drop me a note at via Culture Fish.

FYI: I am doing SEO work or global marketing lectures free for nonprofit groups or companies who agree to donate my normal fee to the China Dreamblogue project.

For a quote or a assessment of an Expert China SEO/SEM project in Guangzhou or elsewhere you may need please fill out the form below at EXPERT SEO SERVICES CHINA

Posted 25 December, 2007 in Internet marketing China, Guangzhou, SEO, SEM, Seo China, Chinese Internet, Hong Kong Stars, The Sharpest Guy on the Planet, Censorship, The Internet, Seach engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing, China Expat, Beijing Olympics, UK SEO EXPERT, china expert seo services guangzhou, China Business Consultant, SEO China Expert, Chinese Media, 中文, American Professor in China, Guangzhou China, 中国, Greater Asia Blogs, Asia, Japan, China Expats, Asian Women, Asian Humor, China SEO, China web 2.0, Humor, China Humor, Intercultural Issues, China Editorials, Just Plain Strange, cartoons, In the news, Top Blogs, Weird China, China Olympics, China Cartoons, China Business, Gratuitous Cheesecake, Uncategorized