The Official Google Blog doesn’t mention Bing obviously, but describes instant scrolling (Google will load 1000 results organized in “pages”, but you can click to get more at the bottom of the list) and the other key element of Google Images new design: a dense tiled layout that is the result of removing the text that described each image (size, weight, URL) in the old design.

To be able to read information about the image, you just have to hover the mouse cursor over the image and a larger preview with the image description will swiftly appear.

If you like an image but it’s not 100% what you are looking for, clicking on “Similar” will open a new image search page that will show results that Google’s algorithm classified as similar to the one you selected. This is one of the best executed and most useful features of Image Search.

Clicking on an image takes to a landing page that shows the image in a frame on top of the page hosting it, which is shown as a background. From a usability standpoint the interface is better than the old one that used to show a small thumbnail on a frame at the top of the browser window.

Display Ad Builder Tool for Image Search Ads

A cool demo of the Display Ad Builder Tool shows how to create Image Search Ads. You just need to choose a template, customize your ad with a headline, description and click text, load an image (process not shown in the demo), indicate the destination URL and Google will create different display network ad formats for you.

As you can see in the image above, the ad text in the demo is sometimes shown only partially because of the different ad sizes, but this issue doesn’t occur in the actual Display Ad Builder Tool.

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In terms of a time line for this process, Shashi Seth, Sr. VP of Yahoo Search Products implied that it would be a long and slow integration that would not see any sudden switches, but more a gradual implementation of individual features throughout different phases. He mentioned that they would begin in the US (not surprisingly) and then apply the changes globally, with an estimated time of completion in 18-24 months. The first changes to be made are for the Bing algorithmic (natural search) results to begin appearing on Yahoo. Once Yahoo is happy with Bing’s organic results and can be sure of its quality/consistency, then they will begin to bring in the paid search results. In turn, Yahoo users in the US could see Bing results on Yahoo as soon as next week, whereas as European PPC advertisers may have to wait up to two whole years before they will see their AdCenter ads on Yahoo.

Which brings me to the next question that all online marketers are asking: what will this deal mean for advertisers? The first, and most obvious thing that comes to mind, is the fact that Microsoft AdCenter will take over as the management platform for all search campaigns. Although I have my issues with the AdCenter web UI, anything beats that of Yahoo. The next, and far more significant aspect, is the combined scale of the two search engines, which will give advertisers access to a global audience of nearly 577 million searchers. These volumes will speed up and enhance the optimisation process as well as provide more insights into search in general. One thing remains foggy though. Both companies are highlighting the fact that although the results will be the same, the interfaces and in effect, the search experience, will vary. So the question that remains is: With the same ads (or natural listings), for the same cost (or optimisation), surrounded by the same results, will one interface prove more effective for advertisers than the other?

When it comes to building a more solid competitor for Google, I think this deal will succeed over time. The deal plays to each company’s strengths, with Yahoo freed up to spend more time and money on their content network, and Microsoft given the scale and data to build their search product and advertising revenues. As PPC advertisers will now have a credible alternative for their advertising budgets, I would expect far more time and effort to go into running PPC campaigns through adCenter. Personally, Bing does not currently drive enough traffic for me to justify large amounts of time spent on its campaigns. With Google coming under attack for various reasons in all corners of the globe, the search world could provide a slippery slope once the ‘search alliance’ has iced over.

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The TV ads, created by JWT, will feature ordinary people searching for information in everyday settings, only to receive nonsensical answers. This is in reference to the ‘information overload’ that Microsoft has associated with Google and the internet in general. “People feel overawed by the internet and what they turn up when they are searching”, said Ashley Highfield, the managing director at Microsoft UK. He also highlighted that, “We are also in a world where people have forgotten there is an alternative search engine.” The campaign will also be backed by a digital campaign across Microsoft’s network and on some social media sites.

Although it appears Microsoft has a solid campaign in place, with less than 5% of the UK search market share, compared to Google’s mammoth 90%, Bing faces an uphill battle. Furthermore, the campaign is resting on two very large assumptions. Firstly, that people do in fact feel over-loaded with information by the Google search results. Google has 90% of the market for a reason, and assuming that people are unable to comprehend their search results may be chasing the less savvy demographic a little too heavily. Especially with an internet audience as advanced as the UK’s. Furthermore, the campaign assumes that users are in fact dissatisfied with Google and unaware of any alternative. This will certainly make them aware, but it will take more to get people to change their searching habits.

The fact is Bing is trying to push performance statistics ahead of its integration with Yahoo, a deal which was recently granted regulatory approval, and this campaign should build enough awareness to do just that. But Steve Ballmer may be resting on the old saying that you don’t need luck when you have advertising. I’m not saying that Microsoft will fail in clawing some market share away from Google, but they will certainly challenge this notion.

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You will automatically follow the Gmail contacts you interact with the most and a recommendation system will suggest post from people you are not following.

Google Buzz can also be accessed from Google.com home page, on mobile phones from buzz.google.com and from the Buzz layer on Google Maps for mobile. Android and iPhone users will also be able to use the voice shortcut to post buzz without typing.

Is Google Buzz a threat for Facebook and Twitter?

It’s too soon to tell, but judging from Google’s past attempts to become more “social” (except for Orkut in India and Brazil), Google Buzz success is far from being guaranteed. Moreover, Facebook’s user base and stickiness shouldn’t be taken lightly: maybe Google Buzz just entered the field too late.

Twitter instead, could initially benefit from exposure on Google Buzz, but lose the final battle when new mobile users will conveniently post buzz from their Gmail inbox or after performing a search on Google, or using Google Maps. Many desktop Gmail users always have the Inbox tab open on their browsers, the same could happen for mobile users.

Don’t ask for whom the Buzz tolls, it tolls for Bing

Google Buzz could be a game changer mostly where Google is really being innovative in search: Local, not Social.

Lately Google developed new solutions for local businesses that can advertise with enhanced listings on Local Listing Ads and make mobile users check in by scanning Favorite Places QR codes.

Being able to post buzz messages from mobile phones tagging your location and viewing posts attached to “Nearby” places could make Twitter less relevant and slow the growth of Foursquare, Gowalla and Yelp. The integration of Google Buzz in real time search and reviews in Place Pages can sustain Google’s position as #1 local search engine.

While Bing Maps introduced innovative features, Microsoft could be worried about MSN Messenger users considering Google Buzz as an improved version of Google Talk and lose a share of banner ads and search revenues.

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Speculations about the new device are driving Apple’s stock price higher and even the Financial Times blog is linking the rumor of Apple renting a stage for a big event in January with a major new product announcement.

Searching for “Apple” on Bing and Google Search brings interesting results. While Google.com shows the word tablet in its News box, there’s no mention of tablets in Bing.

All results on Google Search are informative pages from Apple’s official website, Wikipedia, geek news site Slashdot and Apple (United Kingdom), the UK region page of windows7xp.com.

It seems you don’t need to be extraordinarily creative to achieve a top 10 ranking in Google for “Apple”: Choose a domain name you like (don’t worry about keywords in your domain name because Google is clever enough to understand that Windows 7 and XP can run on Macs), clone Apple’s website and don’t even bother about backlinks, you don’t need them!

Bing shows Apple’s entity card as its first result, with useful information like Apple’s customer service telephone number and a site search box in case sitelinks can’t take you to the page you need.

There’s no mention of the tablet on Bing, unless you click on the small News link at the top of the page, because other related searches, like “Apple Monitor”, are more popular according to Bing.

Google Trends shows a different picture: Do you believe Google or Microsoft?

Who is telling the truth about Apple?

Google Search delivers fresh information on its News box, but in this case it seems more vulnerable to spam.

Bing’s algorithm gives more weight to keywords in domain names, but seems slower in reflecting changes in volume search, not contributing to the hype about Apple’s new computer (and Apple’s stock price rise).

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