I know that everyone and their mother uses Google. And it’s a great search engine – no dispute. There’s really no argument for great, relevant search results. I think the thing that sticks in my craw most about Google, though, is that everyone seems to think they can do no wrong; that they’re this funky little company, filled to the brim with tech-geeks, energy and product-driven engineers. Probably true to an extent, but come on. I mean, how much Kool-Aid can people drink? Some of us know the potential for pitfalls and problems that are associated with“funky little companies” after a while (that link is an inside joke for a very select few). So it’s with marginal disdain that I keep hearing about Google’s new “revoloutionary” content-based advertising.
Of course, those of you who know me well enough are familiar with who puts food on my table. But aside from my loyalties – take a look for yourself at companies like Sprinks, who have been doing content-based advertising for over three years now. Admittedly, they’re not the best quality, but they were there long before all these Google press releases went out. I suppose Sprinks’ only problem is that they suck at PR and Google is batting a thousand at it. It’s almost like the music business, actually – independant record labels have equal talent. It’s all there on the same, small, round shiny disc. But because people have “heard of” Sony and Warner Brothers and they have the capital to pay record stores and radio stations to to put the stuff on their shelves and play it on the radio, most of the public is fooled into thinking it’s legitimate or good or that Warner Brothers or Sony found the talent. In most cases, the truth is that independant labels are the ones who got up at 5am and farmed the crops. These big companies just swoop in the middle of the night and take the corn. Because they can. That’s the way of the world and we’re powerless to it. I can accept that, and sometimes I am a part of it.
You see what I am getting at, though? Google is good, yes. Good product, relevant search results. But other than buying a LOT of servers, let’s not overwhelm ourselves with praise here. We’re all waiting with baited breath for when they go public and open thier books. Then they have to deal with the scrutiny of shareholders and sharing their guts with the rest of the world every three months. I can’t wait.