PDA

View Full Version : Google Seeking Authors/Publishers



Garrett
12-18-2003, 03:37 PM
I just got off the phone with a Google spokesperson, who let me know just a little more about the new Google Print feature.

The Print Feature doesn't have anything to do with your printer, but rather the ability to search for printed books. For Shari Thurow's discussion on the topic, click here (http://www.webproworld.com/viewtopic.php?t=10287).

My first question, about the future inclusion of ebooks, met stony resistance. Will they appear someday along with print books? I think so, since it's Google's mission to provide the best user experience they can. They just don't want to talk about it yet.

Next I asked about why the Google Print results, marked by a [books beta] tag, are showing up so low in the rankings.

Google said, "they're treated no differently than any other page on the web. They're ranked the same way as other pages and will climb in the rankings when they gain popularity."

If you're an author or publisher get on over to http://services.google.com/print/info and submit your books to the Google Print program.

From the site: "For consideration, you should be the rights holder for a substantial amount of content for which you'd like to increase distribution."

Since the site copy doesn't specifically exclude ebooks, I would, if I were an ebook writer with "a substantial amount of content for which [I'd] like to increase distribution," submit away.

Here's the Google Print FAQ: http://print.google.com/print/faq.html.

Good luck!

Keimos
12-18-2003, 08:16 PM
I can see what they are trying to do but I have my doubts, I think there are $$££ involved.

There are enough book/print sites around for people to get this information anyway so there is absolutely no need for this.

It is bad enough that e-books, pdf's etc get better rankings or in the worst or best case scenario " new page 1"

Like the idea anyway but do not think that it will contribute to a searcher as the first thing we all want to know is not the content but the price.

Free is good but I cannot see that once it is up and going.

Just my thoughts and as usual probably wrong, what do you think?