Web Marketing Strategy Update

Google has launched it’s much-rumoured IM client, [Google Talk->http://www.google.com/talk/].

If you’d like a preview of how the application looks, there’s lots of good screen shots [here->http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2005/08/google_talk_ton.html]

For Mac users, [here’s->http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2005/08/how_to_use_goog_1.html] how you can also use [Google Talk->http://www.google.com/talk/] directly from iChat in OS X without the Google client.

Currently the Google service only offers text instant messaging and VOIP technology that enables users to talk to each other, computer to computer using a mic and earphones. However, Google Talk will soon be compatible with Gizmo and Vling softphones. Google say they “are working closely with Earthlink and Sipphone to federate EarthLink’s [Vling->http://www.earthlink.net/voice/vling/] service and Sipphone’s [Gizmo Project->http://www.gizmoproject.com/] with the Google Talk service as quickly as possible.

In order to use the service you must have a Gmail email account, with which the client integrates and shares ID’s. Google Talk does not carry ads (as yet), but Google hopes it will drive people to sign up for Gmail. Google makes money from Gmail by placing content-relevant ads alongside messages.

“This is a missing piece in Google’s larger strategy as they emerge to become a bigger internet media player,” said Greg Sterling, an analyst at the Kelsey Group.

Google is far behind other IM networks though. According to ComScore Media Metrix, America Online has more than 40 million users on its AIM and ICQ instant messaging networks. Yahoo has 20 million users and MSN Messenger has 14 million. The biggest net telephone (VOIP) service is run by Skype which currently claims 51 million users.

AOL, MSN and Yahoo operate closed networks that try to prevent their users talking to other networks, fearing that would reduce their hold on the user, and thus revenue potential.

This is where Google Talk plans to be different. It’s based on [Jabber->http://www.jabber.org/], an open technology known as “the Linux of instant messaging” created to help different networks talk to each other. Google hopes this compatibility with the networks of its rivals will help attract users.

Said Georges Harik, director of new products at Google, “We are going to try to be the first in the world to connect everyone to everyone.”

With this launch, the rumors of upcoming video conferencing support and a Google browser, plus the update and expansion of its Desktop Search sidebar from a simple search software into a holder for lots of small Web applications, the idea that Google is trying to build a cluster of programs that effectively turns the ‘Net into an operating system - just like Windows does for personal computers, appears to make sense. The big advantage being that it’s portable, allowing you to access all your stuff from anywhere you can get online.