Don't focus on beauty, focus on function: Adam Lasnik, Google

The Google India Searchmasters 2009, held today at RMZ Infinity on Old Madras Road presented an excellent opportunity to interact with Googlers and learn more their work.

The gathering of webmasters, bloggers, and other search engine optimization (SEO) specialists made the event memorable. It is rare to find so many Googlers in India interacting with this community, but then, this conference aimed to change that! And it did!!

Presenters ranged from Adam Lasnik, Google's first Search Evangelist, Koti Ivaturi, Strategist in Google's Search Quality Team, Dr. Rajat Mukherjee, Group Product Manager who is working on Google's Custom Search platform, Ankit Gupta, who is working on making mobile products discoverable and accessible, to Deepak Kumar from the Google Analytics team, who also works on Google's Website Optimizer.

The photo shows Google's Adam Lasnik making his presentation!

Of course, there were Vivaik Bharadwaaj, manager of Google's Search Quality Evaluation team in India and Korea, and product manager, Alok Goel. Both were responsible for putting together this event in India, for the first time ever! Kudos, guys!

Bharadwaaj set the tone, stating Google's desire to build a strong relationship with the Indian webmasters' community. He touched upon some of Google's India specific initiatives, such as Orkut, India Corporate Blog, Google Bus (which has just been launched in Tamil Nadu), Transliteration Tool, Mobile Search, Onscreen Keyboard, Webmasters' Forum, and now, Searchmasters!

Speaking on Webmaster Central and Best Practices, Adam Lasnik highlighted three areas for best practices: discovery, accessibility and promotion. Google's guiding principles are fairness, effectiveness and stability. Google's tools and blogs are its two key resources.

How to get good links?
Commenting on good links, he said those were essentially from trustworthy, relevant and from choosy resources. These links are similar to votes that are given consciously.

There are ways your website can get good links. First, create a notable site with original and compelling content. [Wow, I just did a check on Google for my other blog, and received a whopping 4,950 results! Hope I am on the right track!] Next, participate thoughtfully in communities. Also, make your page easy to share and link to.

"Don't focus on beauty, focus on function," Lasnik advised. "Content is really the foundation." Be original, by having your own information and commentary. Make that content compelling, especially the kind that people would be willing to share with others. Also, make that content accessible.

Website accessibility tips and tricks
First, make sure that your web page or website is accessible to both users and to Google. Ensure that all of the pages load and that users can navigate the site successfully. There is a need to ensure that everyone can see what's available on each page. Most importantly, everyone should be able to understand the content provided.

It helps when users are able to bookmark their favorite pages and also share pages with others. They should also be able to transact appropriately on the website as well. "The most important thing here is TEXT," stressed Lasnik. "Your core content and navigation should be in text," he advised.

Lasnik further provided some tips for testing accessibility. One, access your site with different browsers -- a golden tip, most webmasters generally overlook! Next, make sure that you not only browse the website but also transact! Also, have your colleagues explore and complete specific tasks on your website. "Ensure that people and search engines understand what your web pages are all about," he added.

Moving on to page titles, he advised the webmasters to create title tags that are brief, descriptive and compelling. Good titles are specific to the page. You can also consider adding the organization's name. However, care should be taken that the title tags are phrase based, and not a sentence!

Those of you who aren't doing it yet: make the most of your website's images! "Use Alt text, and use descriptive filenames," said Lasnik. Describe the image appropriately in plain text as well. A key note: be kind to other web users and optimize your images!

Some next steps
It is important that searchmasters and webmasters make their web pages discoverable. "Ensure that your site has an HTML sitemap. Add an XML sitemap as well," advised Lasnik.

Next, help users to access and understand your content. Create descriptive and distinct title tags. Annote all images with appropriate Alt text, and all media, with thoughtful surrounding text.

Touching on keyword density, he said that was not something Google really looked at! He added that keyword stuffing actually violated webmaster guidelines. According to Wikipedia, keyword stuffing is considered to be an unethical search engine optimization (SEO) technique. It occurs when a web page is loaded with keywords in the meta tags or in content.

Tackling copied content from your sites
Most bloggers and leading Web sites are plagued with their content being copied by others on to other web sites or even blogs. In fact, I myself spend some time on the Web searching for copied content from my blogs. Well, there's really nothing much I can do about that!

When posed this question, Lasnik referred to bloggers and web sites making use of the DMCA or The Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

As per Wikipedia, The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a United States copyright law that implements two 1996 treaties of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It criminalizes production and dissemination of technology, devices, or services intended to circumvent measures (commonly known as Digital Rights Management or DRM) that control access to copyrighted works and it also criminalizes the act of circumventing an access control, whether or not there is actual infringement of copyright itself. In addition, the DMCA heightens the penalties for copyright infringement on the Internet.

Google Webmaster tools -- see your site like Google sees it!
Koti Ivaturi drew everyone's attention to Google's Webmaster Help Forum. He urged Webmasters to use these tools so that they can see their own sites as Google does!

He referred to the sitemap tools as well, which provide links to tools and code snippets that allow you to generate sitemap files. Google has recently added the Webmaster Help Forum, a new platform.

In the next post, I will discuss the salient points needed to design your site for mobile phones. In fact, Google seems to have a great solution, using the GWT (Google Web transcoder!

Google SearchMasters Conference 2009 is here!

I consider myself really lucky and delighted at being invited to attend The Google SearchMasters Conference 2009, which will be held this Saturday in Bangalore.

It will present me a great opportunity to learn all about how Google functions, or at least, how its well known search engine functions.

It will be wonderful opportunity to learn about how Google's webmaster resources can help folks develop and build better websites. Attendees will learn how to leverage the different webmaster support tools and improve their website's performance.

There's this brilliant resource from Google for Webmasters. They can connect with the webmaster community, and research and ask specific questions. Users can also learn and see how others are reaching their websites. Besides, you would get to learn how to make your website more search engine friendly. I would surely like to know a bit more about Google Analytics.

Well, I certainly look forward to the Google SearchMasters Conference 2009!

Virtualization overdose at C-Change 2009

The recently held C-Change 2009 in Kathmandu was exciting and fun! However, I felt that most of the vendor sessions were quite drab! Especially, having two sessions on virtualization were a bit too much! Turns out, it was a virtualization overdose!

I sometimes wonder, this technology has been around for quite a while now, and it is still being touted as a hot technology! Wonder, whether IT is really slipping, sometimes!

I did meet up with several CIOs as well and the majority wasn't really impressed with this line-up of discussions. Even I, as a tech journalist, attend conferences, hoping to see and hear something new. In that context, even the presentations from Frost and IDC disappointed.

The panel discussions stood out well, and it was quite clear that the CIOs want to have more say and involvement with the event. Peddling vendors alone, or having some overdose of technologies isn't really going to help anyone.

It was so good to see CIOs totally captivated by the sessions taken by Dr. Ganesh Natarajan and Som Mittal of NASSCOM, Jagdish Khattar and Paranjoy Guha Thakurta.

One other heartening thing to note was the interest of CIOs in undertaking some team exercises, a la C-Change 2008. Maybe, the organizers will include it all over again in the next edition.

My next blog could be on photonics!

My semiconductor blog has been doing fairly well, with God's grace and my parents blessings. This blog, as I said earlier, is more of my fun blog, where I can afford to NOT do serious writing.

I would just like to inform those who are interested that I propose to roll out a new blog on photonics -- another topic very close to my heart!

Bordeaux in France, recently hosted the "Invest in Photonics" show, which was a grand success, despite the ongoing recession. Initiated by the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce, it was co-organised with ALPhA (Aquitaine Laser Photonics and Applications) and the CEA (French Atomic Energy Commission). The second edition of this event will be held in 2010.

Last year, I was fortunate enough to be part of the Webdesign International Festival (WIF 2008) in Limousin, Limoges, in France, thanks to the initiative of good friend Aude Bourliataux. While researching on photonics in Europe, I came across Elopsys, the competitiveness Cluster for 'microwave, photonics, secure network technologies and digital design' in the French Limousin region. And, that increased my curiosity! How did I miss this, while being actually present at Limoges?

Aude was very quick to help me out, and even re-introduced me to Claire, head of Pôle e-Design, whom I also know from the WIF 2008 event.

According to information from Aude, Elopsys has been developing technologies to cover the entire signal emission-transmission-reception-processing chain. Its expertise covers cutting edge fields in electronics, information technology and microwave technology, electronic and photonic components for communication systems and networks. Since 2009, Elopsys Cluster has integrated a new skill in digital design.

The Elopsys Competitiveness Cluster comprises: 70 members, 70M€ financed, 100 projects approved, more than 150 partners, 20 start-up created and three setting-up! Wow, that's quite a lot! Firms such as Thales and Cisteme are based here as well, so that's very interesting!

I need time to mull over photonics, folks! :) And, many thanks, Aude!

What are my reasons for blogging!

Recently, my main blog -- Pradeep Chakraborty's Blog -- was nominated for the Best Technology Blog by BlogNet Blog Awards.

Well, my friend, Jonathan Lloyd, from the UK, sent me a very nice congratulatory mail and also asked me what made me take up blogging! By the way, we met on LinkedIn, and also share a group -- the FastTrack 100!

Jonathan is the founder of BusinessMedia, UK, and plans to feature a post that looks at business related (B2B) blogs. The eventual plan is to recommend the top 10 business blogs for their readers. He specifically wanted to find out a little more about what made me set up my blog.

Well, my reasons are fairly simple and straightforward!

1. I am realy tired of searching Google and Yahoo, and other search engines for information, and hence, decided to write on key information on semiconductors.

2. My blog is also my archive -- I am really frustrated at NOT being able to FIND my old articles on the Web. The few, I found on other sites, actually wanted me, as a user, to sign up! To read my own articles... really! So, Pradeep Chakraborty's Blog now archives all of my articles written over the past two years.

3. India DOES NOT have any magazine on semiconductors yet, and till I also spun of a semiconductor site off the blog for CIOL, there wasn't even a semicon portal in India! I hope I have managed to give India a small and decent site on semiconductors!

4. I wanted to be THE resource for the semiconductor industry... again, I have miles to go. It is not easy being a lone ranger :)

5. The sheer thrill of doing something difficult -- sitting in India -- which does not have such detailed blogs on semiconductors, especially. And well, it has really been difficult :) but very thrilling! My colleague, Usha, pokes fun at me -- saying, go, light your bulb (a la the Sharukh Khan movie, Swades!) Ok, I've done nothing of that sort, as this movie showed...

6. My blog posts are all exclusive pieces, as I'm a believer in: great content = great traffic! Again, it is really difficult writing exclusive posts, especially on semiconductors.

7. I wanted to see where I stand, as against my former employers :) -- EDN, US (Reed) and EE Times (Global Sources). Yes, I can never match them! ;) These are the places where I developed myself as a writer and an editor, and I will forever remain indebted to Global Sources and Reed!

8. I also attempted to create a brand out of my name, using semiconductors, essentially, as a platform. I have yet to see how successful it has been :)

There you go! These are my reasons!!

TechFools, is what I call my fun blog, where I can write leisurely blog posts such as these.

If you notice, traffic has really not been among my top priorities. These blogs and blog posts are my own, and so are my opinions, and well, for my own consumption. If readers on the Internet find something useful on my blogs, and choose to stop by, that is a bonus and very humbling.

One other reason for my blogging: I really enjoy meeting new people, and my blog has managed to bring a whole lot of new friends to me -- from all over the world. That's really priceless!!

I am sure you have your own reasons for blogging. :) Keep it up, my dear friends!

What it takes to be a professional? The three Ds!

Yes, everyone loves calling himself or herself 'very professional', and I am no different! What defines professionalism? Let me make an attempt.

One, the ability to do your work in the best possible manner, and to deliver what's required of you, as scheduled or even before! Two, to be highly skillful in what you do. Three, to be very knowledgeable about your line of work. Four, to be very quick at your work, simply because you've become so adept at it -- like it is second nature.

Some others could be: conforming to the work related standards of your job in a highly focused manner. Perhaps, being deeply involved in any activity as a source of your livelihood or career; an example, blogger. Or even, doing performances for a fee, such as tennis or soccer stars. Maybe, even some having great skill in some activity; an example, a Kung Fu exponent like the late Bruce Lee.

Well, what does it take to be a professional. Blood, sweat and tears! Or, the three Ds: discipline, dedication and devotion!!

You've to put in long hours of practice at your profession. There's a saying that goes something like -- anyone should never be concerned about the thousands things that you do, but that person will surely be concerned about that one thing that you do a thousand times! Hope, I've got the meaning right! :)

What does this mean? You become very good at something specific -- for example chess. Or, you are simply exceptional at the trapeze. How did you achieve this? By hours and hours of practice. And, constant practice! They say, practicing is boring! Hey, those long boring hours eventually lead you to great success.

Just take a look at some folks who are experts at gaming. They've achieved this status by constant hours of practice. The gaming industry is thriving because of them. I am reminded of one such friend, Jambi Reyes, my ex-colleague in Global Sources. He is a class act! Wonder, why he's not yet taken up gaming as a full time profession!

Right actions, along with the right approach and attitude, will lead you to success as a thorough professional! And, a leader!!

Cut the chirp! Get Filttr, with Twitter!

How many of you, like me, are on Twitter? Possibly, everyone! How many of you feel there is an overdose of information on Twitter? Again, possibly, everyone!

So, here's a chance to cut the chirp and get to the relevant! I guess, that's what Filttr sets out to achieve!

According to the Filttr site, its amazingly intelligent birds fetch you, the user, only those tweets that are relevant for you.

Interestingly, I could not sign up, as the "NEXT" link on the sign-up page refused to work. Maybe, it is a beta flaw or something. Hence, I was unable to test the system. I will surely try again later, so nothing much to report otherwise!

Nevertheless, more power to micro blogging!

PS: Later, I was able to email Filttr, and get a response as well. And yes, the site did work. Thanks Swaroop!

Twingly helps searching blogs!

After a long list of web search engines, and then music search engines, now we have blog search engines as well. Well, I am referring to Twingly! Try it!

First up, I am always thrilled to see my blog and posts featuring high on search engines. So, it was no different this time! My first attempt -- semicon -- threw up a lot of my current blog posts from my award winning blog (some more of shameless, self promotion, ;) ok!).

Some of the blog posts that showed up on page one, as per TwinglyRanks, were:

1. Reviewing global/Indian semicon industry in 2008 -- top posts! Well, this was also the top or first search result for semicon!
2. Semicon outlook 2009: Global market could be down 7pc or more.
3. Top 10 captivating moments in Indian semicon during 2008.

I was particularly pleased to see the third post (above) figuring in the search results. Tells me, Indian semiconductor industry is still in good health and attracting interest from all over!

Coming back to Twingly, it is a blog search engine featuring a spam-free, faceted, social search for the global blogosphere. The site claims that without any marketing, Twingly currently serves 25M+ search results per month, most through its API. Also, the Twingly Blogstream is used by 50 newspapers, magazines and TV channels in eight countries to get more attention from bloggers, generating 200M+ monthly widget views.

What I liked about Twingly is that the search results also link the user straight to my blog's RSS feeds! Somehow, it also throws up a blog profile for my blog. So, I imagine, it is the same for all of the other blogs. You can also get your search results as widget for your blog!

There are some other features like microblog search, ping your blog, etc. If you join, you can also create email alerts for blog updates.

However, adding the widgets is not so easy! For instance, my profile page shows options for three widgets -- Recent posts, Most linked posts, and Recent linking posts. However, instead of embedding easily into Blogger or Wordpress, the site asks you to add codes on to your blog's HTML page, which can be a challenge! And well, this made me NOT add the widget. Well, Twingly's worth a try!

To all of my Chinese friends from all over the world -- Kung Hei Fat Choy :) 恭喜發財