Alt Attribute & SEO Optimization

SEO Optimization images is becoming more and more essential in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is really a critical step that is often overlooked. This can be a lost opportunity for better rankings.

In Google's webmaster guidelines, they advise the use of alternative text for the images on your site:

Images:. Make use of the alt attribute to supply descriptive text. In addition, we recommend using a human-readable caption and descriptive text round the image.

Why would they ask us to achieve that? The answer is simple, really; search engines like google have a similar problem as blind users. They cannot begin to see the images.

Many webmasters and inexperienced or unethical SEOs abuse the use of this attribute, trying to stuff it with keywords, looking to achieve a certain keyword density, which isn't as relevant for rankings now since it was previously.

On the contrary, high keyword density can, on some search engines, trigger spam filters, which might create a penalty for the site's ranking. Even without this type of penalty, your site's rankings won't take advantage of this tactic.
This method also puts persons who use screen readers at a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that really read aloud the items in what is displayed on the screen. In browsing the net, the alt attributes of images are read aloud too.

Imagine listening to a paragraph of text which is then repetitions of numerous keywords. The page will be far from accessible, and, to put it mildly, would be found quite annoying.
What is an Alt attribute?

An ALT attribute shouldn't be used as a description or a label to have an image, though many people use it for the reason that fashion. Although it might seem natural to assume that alternate text is a label or a description, it's not!

What used inside an image's alt attribute ought to be its text equivalent and convey exactly the same information or serve the same purpose the image would.

The goal is to supply the same functional information that the visual user would see. The alt attribute text should be the "stand in" in the event that the look itself is not available. Ask yourself this: If you were to replace the look with the text, would most users receive the same basic information, and would it create the same response?
Some examples:

 

Some SEO Optimization Tips

If your search button is really a magnifier or binoculars its alt text ought to be 'search' or 'find' not 'magnifying glass' or 'binoculars'.

If an image is supposed to convey the literal contents of the image, then a description is suitable.

If it's meant to convey data, then that information is what is appropriate.

If it is designed to convey the use of a function, then the function is what ought to be used.

Some Alt Attribute Guidelines:

Always add alt attributes to images. Alt is mandatory for accessibility as well as for valid XHTML.

For images that play merely a decorative role within the page, make use of an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or perhaps a CSS background image to ensure that reading browsers don't bother users by uttering things like "spacer image".

Keep in mind that it is the function of the image we are trying to convey. For instance; any button images should not include the word "button" within the alt text. They should emphasize the action performed through the button.

Alt text ought to be based on context. Exactly the same image inside a different context may need drastically different alt text.

Attempt to flow alt text with the remainder from the text because that is the way it will be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone listening to your page should hardly be aware that a graphic image is there.
Please keep in mind that utilizing an alt attribute for every image is needed to satisfy the minimum WAI requirements, which are used since the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and the rest of Europe. Also, they are necessary to meet "Section 508" accessibility requirements in america.

It is useful to categorize non-text content into three levels:

Eye-Candy
Mood-Setting
Content and Function

I. Eye-Candy

Eye-Candy are stuff that serve no purpose apart from to make a site visually appealing/attractive and (in many cases) fulfill the marketing departments. There isn't any content value (though there might be value to a sighted user).

Never alt-ify eye-candy unless there is something there which will enhance the usability from the site for someone using a non-visual user agent. Use a null alt attribute or background images in CSS for eye-candy.

II. Mood-Setting

This is the middle layer of graphics which might actually set the mood or set the stage as it were. These graphics are not direct content and may not be considered essential, but they're important in they help frame what's going on.

Attempt to alt-ify the second group as makes sense and is relevant. There may be times when doing so may be annoying or detrimental to other users. Then try to avoid it.

For example; Alt text that is identical to adjacent text is unnecessary, and an irritant to screen reader users. I recommend alt="" or background CSS images in such instances. But sometimes, it's vital that you get this content in there for those users.

Most times this will depend on context. Exactly the same image in a different context may require drastically different alt text. Obviously, content should always be fully available. How you go in this case is a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

This is when the look may be the actual content. Always alt-ify content and functional images. Title and long description attributes can also be so as.
The main reason many authors can't figure out why their alt text isn't working is they don't know why the images exist. You need to determined precisely what function a picture serves. Consider what it's concerning the image that's important to the page's intended audience.

Every graphic has a reason behind being on that page: because it either enhances the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is advisable to what are the page is attempting to describe. Knowing what the image is perfect for makes alt text easier to write. And exercise writing them definitely helps.
A method to check the usefulness of alternative text would be to imagine reading the page over the telephone to someone. What would you say when encountering a particular image to make the page understandable towards the listener?

Besides the alt attribute you have a couple more tools available for images.
First, in level of descriptiveness title is within between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and may add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered through the user agent. Remember they are invisible and not shown like a "tooltip" when focus is received via the keyboard. (A lot for device independence). So use the title attribute just for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points to the Link to a complete description of an image. When the information found in a picture is important to the concept of the page (i.e. some important content will be lost if the image was removed), an extended description than the "alt" attribute can reasonably display ought to be used. It may provide for rich, expressive documentation of a visual image.

It should be used when alt and title are insufficient to embody the visual qualities of the image. As Clark [1] states, "A longdesc is really a long description of the image...The aim is by using any period of description necessary to impart the details from the graphic.

It wouldn't be remiss to hope that a long description conjures a picture - the look - within the mind's eye, an analogy that holds true even for the totally blind."

Even though alt attribute is mandatory for web accessibility and for valid (X)HTML, not every images need alternative text, long descriptions, or titles.

In many cases, you are best just going with your gut instinct -- if it's not essential to include it, and when you don't possess a strong urge to do it, don't include that longdesc.

However, if it's necessary for the whole page to work, then you've to include the alt text (or title or longdesc).

What's necessary and what's not depends a great deal on the function of the image and its context on the page.

The same image may require alt text (or title or longdesc) in a single spot, although not in another. If the image provides simply no content or functional information alt="" or background CSS images may be appropriate to make use of. But if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt would be required and maybe even a long description will be so as. In many cases this kind of thing is a judgement call.

Image Search Engine Optimization Tips

Listed below are key steps in optimizing images:

Choose a logical file name that reinforces the keywords. You can use hyphens in the file name to isolate the keyword, but avoid to exceeding two hyphens. Avoid using underscores like a word separator, like for example "brilliant-diamonds.jpg";

Label the file extension. For instance, when the image internet search engine sees a ".jpg" (JPEG) file extension, it's likely to assume the file is really a photo, and when it sees a ".gif" (GIF) file extension, it's going to assume that it is graphic;

Ensure that the written text nearby the image that's highly relevant to that image.
Again, do not lose a great opportunity to help your site with your images searching engines. Begin using these steps to position better on all the engines and drive increased traffic for your site TODAY.

SEO Optimization Services

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"Getting data privacy 'right' is an economic and social imperative. Trust and confidence in the security and privacy of the critical systems of our planet - especially the digital version of its central nervous system, the Internet - is foundational to individuals' continued engagement and reliance on such things as online commerce, e-health and smart grids. If individual consumers don't feel that their privacy and security are protected, they will not support modernization efforts, even though the capabilities of technology advancements are proven and the potential benefits to society are extensive.

"Here's an example of the tensions we face: The ability of smart grids to conserve resources relies on the ability of, and commitment from, consumers to monitor and modify their individual usage. An individual using a smart meter understands the difference in the cost of using electricity at peak versus non-peak hours and could opt to lower their usage during more costly time periods. At the same time, data from the meters can reveal sensitive information such as work habits, shower schedules, use of medical devices such as dialysis, and whether or not a house is occupied."

"I don't worry that the technology will have a negative impact on consumer privacy," wrote Mark Roberti, founder of RFID Journal in a June overview of the state of the RFID market where privacy is concerned. "Instead, I worry that ignorant legislators trying to score points with uninformed voters will pass laws that limit the many benefits RFID can deliver--and that is a much bigger threat to consumers."

Today's agreement in Europe appears not to be the kind of legislation Roberti feared. As a framework focused on self-reporting it may be too little, ultimately, but it's a start.

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Lee bounces back, fans 12 as Phillies blank Nats

Back at his best after an unusually brief outing, Cliff Lee struck out 12 in a three-hit shutout, allowing the Phillies to overcome their own problems at the plate in a 4-0 victory over the Nationals.

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Great <b>news</b>: Working population percentage drops to three-decade <b>...</b>

Great news: Working population percentage drops to three-decade low.

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Big Media Falls for GE <b>News</b> Hoax (Cont&#39;d) - Giovanni Rodriguez <b>...</b>

The Week takes a short look at what yesterday's GE news hoax may have actually accomplished: --"It was a glimpse of an ideal world." Idea here is that the fake storyline might have helped people imagine a world where businesses "biggest ...

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As rumors of a later-than-usual iPhone launch for 2011 persist, a new report reveals that the notoriously secretive Apple is being even more careful than usual when dealing with overseas suppliers.



"Apple is keeping its iPhone 5 cards extra close to the vest on this launch to avoid a falloff in iPhone 4 demand ahead of a refresh, especially given the February launch of the CDMA iPhone 4 with Verizon," Analyst Brian White with Ticonderoga Securities said in a note to investors on Friday. He believes that the iPhone 5 could still launch in June or July, as previous models have.



White noted that various rumors have pointed toward a launch later than June this year for the fifth-generation iPhone. One report from March alleged that Apple has not even begun ordering components for the anticipated "iPhone 5," and the device is slated to arrive in the company's 2012 fiscal year, which begins in late September.



And a third report alleged that Apple is working on a major revamp of iOS, its mobile operating system, for version 5.0. New features like cloud-based storage of music, photos and video are rumored to arrive in the update this fall, likely alongside new iPhone hardware.



But despite all of those reports, White isn't yet convinced that the iPhone 5 will be introduced later than its typical June or July timeframe.



"Although we do not have a smoking gun that definitively rules out a delayed autumn unveiling or one that supports a launch this summer, there is a pattern of activity in motion with the supply chain that makes us question a delayed launch," he said.



White also cited sources who indicated that iPad sales could reach up to 40 million units in calendar year 2011. And supply chain sources also indicated that disruption from the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan will actually end up benefitting Apple, as suppliers will "rush to support Apple at the expense of competitors."



The analyst already revealed earlier this week that Apple has been offering upfront cash payments to component suppliers in order to secure components in the wake of the disaster in Japan. Apple has apparently also been using a "three cover guarantee," referring to capacity, stock and price, to block out competitors and prevent them from building ample supply of devices.

Apple should see a material dip, on top of the one that occurred
after I indicated that I was short the stock on March 16th. Before we
delve into my opinion, let’s peruse the news from 1 a.m. this morning:

WSJ: Apple Crunched in Nasdaq Rebalance- In
a move likely to ripple across the stock market, Nasdaq OMX plans to
announce a rare rebalancing of its Nasdaq-100 index, which will reduce
the big weighting of Apple, which currently makes up more than 20% of
the index.

Bloomberg: Apple’s Weight in Nasdaq-100 to Be Reduced as Microsoft, Cisco Are Raised

So, why do you think Nasdaq decides to reduce Apple’s weighting now?
Well, the competitive pressures that Apple faces are nigh guaranteed to
make it impossible for it to fulfill the pie in the sky expectations
that are being built for it.  That in combination with a 20% weighting
create a recipe for a guaranteed crash in the Nasdaq unless something
was done about it. Signs of heavy reliance on on or two products for 70%
of their profit, while sourcing the most important parts of those
products from their biggest competitors, were starting to show. iPad 2
supplies are tight due to Japan’s woes, and Apple does not have the
mobile computing product diversity to handle it like the 150 or so
Android competitors it is battling. This means much more than just a gap
in profits for the quarter. These companies are in race, and Apple is
being forced to give up some of its lead due to diversification issues –
issues that Android manufacturers (who are more diversified because
there are so many more of them from different places) don’t have, or at
least not to the extent that Apple does. Thus, Samsung, LG, Asus, HTC,
etc. will be rolling out to customers who may have had an Apple iPhone
or iPad.

This is also another (of many) massive triumphs of BoomBustblog
research over that of the most esteemed Godman Sachs who put a $430
price target on Apple just as it was making all time highs and in direct
contravention to BoomBustBlog’s stated logic. See Shorting Apple and Why Software Developers Can Make More Money On Android Wednesday, March 16th, 2011

I have finally started dabbling with Apple
shorts and puts. My OTM S&P put positions were profitably stopped
out due to trailings yesterday when the market recovered some of its
losses. I have decided to use Apple in the place of the S&P puts
for the time being. Medium to long term, the trade is more evident and
obvious to anyone who is objective and follows BoomBustBlog. It is
significantly more risky shorter term. Alas, there are marginal gains
already, and once they accrue to the point of indemnifying my trailing
stop, I will add more. After I finish the current leg of my global real
estate research to be disseminated to institutions, I will offer
tidbits of the modeling (I have already offered subscribers significant
info on why I think Apple is a risky long play). From a contrarian
standpoint, it may be safe to go short with tight stops, after all
although Apple Gears Up To Combat The Margin Compression That Apparently Only It, Google & Reggie Middleton Sees Coming, we still have those guys over at West Street… Goldman’s
$430 Target, Screaming Buy On Apple At Its All Time High Is In Direct
Contravention To Reggie Middleton’s Logic – Who’s Right? Well, Who
Has Been More Right In The Past? I have taken The Challenge To Goldman Sach’s Apple Proclamation One Step

Farther, Apple’s Closed System Risks
Failure! Listen, everyone, regardless of what investment positions or
tech products you may have in your stable, needs to ask themselves the
appropriate “What if’s”. I have spurred the conversation with “Will Google Win The Mobile Computing War? Let’s Walk Through Where They Stand Now & How To Value Them”

Remember, I may not always be right, but it does pay to look at the track record…  Did Reggie Middleton, a Blogger at BoomBustBlog, Best Wall Streets Best of the Best? More attention should be paid to the little guy, after all by now it is Now Common Knowledge That Goldman’s Investment Advice Sucks!
Didn’t you get the memo? I’m sure many traders have spurned Apple due
to the Japanese market being cut off right at the launch of the iPad 2,
but the issues go deeper than that. I will cover it in depth at a later
date, though.

Additional thoughts on the Apple short:

1. Note For The Few Realistic Apple Bears… Wednesday, March 16th, 2011
2. Buffet on Apple – Common Sense! Monday, March 21st, 2011
3. Competition Heats Up In The Mobile Computing Space On Many Fronts – Prices Driven Down Once Again By The Big Players Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011
4. How the “I Love Apple, There Is No Other Fever” Adds To The Attractiveness Of An Ever So Unpopular Apple Short Monday, March 21st, 2011

And that Research in Motion short alert
given to subscribers is working like a charm – even more so if it get’s
caught in  NASDAQ storm: Research in Motion Drops 10% After Hours, Precisely As We Warned Two Months Ago – MARGIN COMPRESSION!!! Thursday, March 24th, 2011

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Google reported solid quarterly earnings this afternoon, but EPS was slightly below expectations and expenses were high. 

The expenses were apparently cause for investor concern, and shares have dropped more than 5% after hours.

In particular, cap ex spend was $890 million. Google explained most of that was related to the purchase of new buildings in Dublin and Paris.

Operating expenses were also up thanks in large part to the 10% one-time salary raise, which kicked in this quarter.

In a Q&A with investors during the earnings call, several analysts wondered if this level of expenditure is the only way Google can continue to grow revenue more than 20%. Execs tried to reassure them that Google is measuring and paying very close attention to the expense side of the equation.

The basics:

Gross Revenue of $8.58 billion was slightly better than expected and rose a strong 27% year over year.

Net Revenue of $6.54 billion slightly better than expected.

Adjusted EPS of $8.08 is slightly--slightly--below expectations of $8.13. Revenue was strong, so the key will be whether the earnings miss is the result of lower margins (bad) or, say, a higher tax rate (irrelevant).

Paid clicks growth was better than expected at 18% year over year (vs 15%-17% expectation). This is Google's key revenue unit, and better-than-expected unit growth is positive.

Revenue per click increased 8% year over year, at the high end of expectations.

Free cash flow was a solid $2.2 billion. Cash flow from operations was spectacular--$3.2 billion--but the company spent an astronomical $890 million on capital expenditures, much more than expected.  (What on earth are they spending all this money on?)

Product highlights: Android is getting 350,000 activations per day. Chrome now has 120 million users -- that means 120 million people who are more likely to be "locked in" to Google services. YouTube revenue is doubling every year, but still no concrete numbers to share.

Bottom line, Google remains robustly healthy.  27% year over year revenue growth in a company this size is extremely impressive, and the core search business is humming along. The high capital expenditures are a question and concern--it will be interesting to hear what the company says about them on the call.

Here are some slides from the deck Google used on its earnings call. Scroll past them for our live blog of the call itself.

You've got to love 27% growth from such an enormous base.

Traffic acquisition costs are looking good as well:

But this is what investors are worried about -- costs rising as a percentage of revenue, particularly R&D and sales and marketing. A lot of that is salary-related:

Here's another way of looking at it: operating margins are getting lower:

Here are our notes from the call:

4:27 ET:  We're waiting for the call to start. We'll see if Larry Page jumps on, since he just took over as CEO last week. He's reportedly investor and press shy, so we'll be curious to see how he performs.

One slightly curious note: the call isn't being broadcast on YouTube as it has in the past.

4:31: Larry will join at the beginning of the call. It's also Patrick Pichette, CFO. Two of the new senior VPs are on board as well -- Susan Wojcikci (advertising), Jeff Huber (local and commerce). Plus Nikesh Arora, the chief business officer, who's  been on past calls.

4:33: Page notes 27% revenue growth. Tremendous improvements still ahead. Now he's talking management changes.

"Everything we told you last quarter has happened." He's managing day to day operations as CEO. Eric Schmidt is on government and partner outreaches -- last quarter he was in Germany, Brazil, Argentina, and Spain. Sergey working "very intensively" on a few projects.

4:34: Also made changes to simplify their org structure. He's thanking Jonathan Rosenberg, who's been on most of these past calls.

That's about it. Now it's on to Pichette.

4:35: Expenses show the 10% across the board raise for the first time.

Gross revenue up 27%, $8.6B. It actually rose 2% quarter to quarter -- and last year Google had the Nexus One goosing revenue. Plus this year the disaster in Japan.

Google Network revenue up 19%. Negatively impacted by loss of search distribution deal, plus search quality improvement -- spam control. It always serves us well.

Other revenue was down 10% year over year to $269 million. That's mostly Google Apps and Enterprise Search, a very small business.

Aggregate click growth up 18% year to year, and 4% from last quarter. The shift from offline to online is driving that.

4:40: International revenue was 53% of total.

TAC was 25% of total revenue, $2.2B.

Overall opex totaled $2.8m, including stock-based compensation.

Opex increase is primarily payroll, some advertising.

Op margin 37.6%

Headcount up 1,900 during the quarter. total 26,316 employees.

Capex is facilities, data centers. Facilities driven by purchases of buildings in Dublin and Paris. Capex is "lumpy from quarter to quarter" depending on when it wants to make capex investments.

4:43. Boasting about Android, fastest growing mobile OS, and Chrome, fastest growing browser. Pushed frontier of mobile search which is adding to overall search volume. YouTube "win win" platform for content owners and users.

Second half of 2010, grew 25% year to year. This quarter 27%. Compared to comp of 23% a year ago. "We are building multibillion dollar businesses" and confident now is the time to invest. Discipline.

4:45: Local and commerce SVP Jeff Huber.

Ambitious hiring this quarter by design. 2011 will be biggest hiring in history, hired 1,900 this quarter. Core and growing businesses are doing well, so "who wouldn't want to invest in this business." Over half the "Nooglers" who joined will be in new areas like YouTube, Chrome, Enterprise.

Search: improving quality. Launched over 90 quality improvements, including changes to ranking algorithms. Impacted about 12% of queries, and addressed over 80% of sites that users reported.

Had adverse affect on revenues on SOME SITES in Display network. But improving search is always the best thing to do in the long run.

Personal, as in building around people. Launched the +1 button, easier to share results. "This is just the beginning" more personal search coming soon.

Mobile traffic up 500%+ over last two years.

350,000 Android devices activated per day. Recently launched in-app billing.

Chrome: users "very valuable". Investing in Chrome marketing. Now more than 120m daily users, more than 40% added in last year.

Chrome OS "also going well" and look forward to launching devices later this year.

Enterprise: growing across businesses and schools. New deals, reseller agreements. University of Texas, Boston U.

Pleased our ITA deal closed, travel search lots of room for innovation there.

Huber is now thanking Jonathan Rosenberg as well. "Friends and colleagues for over 15 years. He will be missed"

4:49: Now it's Susan Wojcicki.

Lots to be excited about in ads. Search is still core, but big oppty for growth.

"How can we search the perfect ad for every query?" New creative types, new ways for advertisers to set up campaigns. Product Listing Ads, introduced Q4 last year.

Display advertising: bought DoubleClick 3 years ago, lot of integration, lot of progress. Display Network up 5x since acquisition, doubling annually in Brazil, UK, and Japan.

Display advertisers either performance oriented (conversions) and brand oriented (awareness). Launched new stuff for brand advertisers, like Display Ad Network Reserve -- buy premium inventory on a guaranteed basis. Also tools to measure effectiveness of campaigns -- not just clicks.

Ad Exchange -- transaction volume has tripled in past year, 2/3ds of that inventory bought via real-time bidding.

YouTube: revenue doubling year over year, shared with more than 20k content partners. The more money we make for them, the more engaging stuff they upload.

AdMob: over 150 million iOS and Android devices, up 50% in last four months.

Advertisers starting to run mobile-only campaigns. Incorporating local -- how far are you standing away from the advertiser's location right now?

4:55: Pichette taking over again for Q&A.

Q: Opex up 45% year over year excluding traffic acquisition cost. Is this kind of spending required to retain 20%+ revenue growth? Or one-off?

A. Clearly the effect of the one-time salary change. Salary increase flows through to other stuff like 401(k) and vacation, so disproportionately felt in first quarter. "Nooglers" as well. One-time step change in labor, but after that regular.

Marketing has increased since last year because it's providing great returns. Both customer acquisition and key products like Chrome.

Still disciplined: quarterly reviews to get your next funding.

Q. What about marketing costs? What's going on?

A. Professional services. Chrome -- really pushing the web. When they get Chrome, instead of having to look for Google, they get it. It's there already. "Everybody who uses Chrome is a guaranteed locked-in user of Google."

Q. How does Larry view the company differently than it was?

A. Position hasn't changed. We're a tech company, focused on users, looking for products that can affect billions of people. Computer science helping find problems for billions of people.

If you think that way, Chrome, Android, search all make sense. The 70/20/10 is very alive. "Search is the next billion dollar business." 90 improvements on one side, 40 on the other -- search still in our infancy. Mobile, display, enterprise.

10% is commerce, social, stuff that's nascent. Strategy same core lenses, same products that serve billions of people.

Q. But financially? Any meaningful difference?

A. No. Build great products, same financial discipline.

Q. More about opex. Customer acquisition in Chrome, salespeople. Do you think your 20%+ growth rate would be achievable without these costs? Will you still get the growth without the costs?

A. Strategy in context of last 4 to 5 quarters. Trajectory of revenue growth, 23%, 25%, 27%. We're funding revenue growth with discipline. "Carpe diem, it's there to take."

Q. Imagine display is $20B based on various figures. Right now you're at 10% or so. How big can that be? And as display gets bigger, how does that affect margins?

A. Search unique with very very high margins. Display more paperwork. But still very good margin product. "All of those dollars I want." Plus great "symbiotic" relationship -- display ads now showing up in search.

Could say that display was stalled at $50 to $60B because video wasn't there. YouTube helps reach 23 to 24% more consumers. Efficiency of Web applied to video. All efforts trying to build that display, rich media and video. Every profitable dollar of revenue is good.

Q. What about social data? You don't run social network. Do you need it for search?

A. Jeff Huber -- it's important, we use 200+ signals for ranking search today. It's one of many inputs. Assets that apply to that, we do have large number of users coming to our door every day. Considerable percentage logged in, using multiple products.

Pichette: launch of +1 is commitment to get every signal. Continued focus on social as one of 200 signals.

Q. Does Chrome give you any signals you can integrate into search results?

A. Huber -- will be part of story over time, personalized today. Chrome experience, can sign into Chrome, will sync info across computers.

Q. Where are those bold steps to control expenses? We don't see it. And is social really just one of 200 variables?

A. On expenses, you see ramp-up on one side. Guarantee you everybody who has cost center has to demonstrate productivity. Data center, incredibly steep. Sales force. We always think of cost per x. Cost per bit for data centers. Even food, everybody has productivity curve.

Google is growing 25% year over year from a $25B base. Tide coming with it, but every element of the company is "scrubbed and scrutinized." The unit costs haunt many of my managers.

Huber now on social: one of many signals. We regularly measure and tune.

Pichette again: expenses, we really want to lay the ground clear on these issues.

Q. Search algo changes -- how does that affect search ads and cost per click? And what's driving display ad revenue growth -- ad units or more targeting?

A. Huber: 12% of queries affected. Was Web search only, not ads. NO effect on CPC. Did affect display network, but focus is on user experience.

Wojcicki: Can buy audiences, target more effectively. It's both. End to end platform to enable buying across the Internet for all advertisers and all publishers.

Pichette: Some properties tuned to display like YouTube, but entire Web is more powerful than any single prop.

Q. What about tablet share -- is it as important as smartphone share?

A. Jeff Huber: tablets doing well, lot of growth in that segment. Dynamics -- hybrid between mobile and desktop when you look at user behavior. Optimistic about Honeycomb. Xoom was product of the show at CES in January. More products, more innovation.

Enable advertisers to target tablets, which will help that segment.

Q. Employee bonuses and social -- define success?

A. This is an internal matter. We focus a strategy across many platforms, we wanted to signal to employees that social is an important signal and worth investing. No further comment.

Q. Search important, but engagement might be more important. Have you looked at 70/20/10 and think about shifting to build greater engagement? Look at how other products and services can be integrated in?

A. Web in general, how platforms are growing, we're focusing in areas where engagement matters. Local, mobile, YouTube, all about engagement. Mobile, Chrome. Technology fuels engagement. At highest level, search itself is more engaged today than it was 3 years ago. It's part of our strategy.

Q. Engagement through frequency rather than share of time.

A. When you are in YouTube, you're spending more time in YouTube. Android phone, now visiting and in town, additional signals sharing with friends etc.

Q. Does Chrome give you potential to create unique products, apps, content services?

A. Huber: great opportunities in that. Chrome Web Store -- same model as Android Market, bringing it to that platform.

Q. How much is a mobile user worth today, and how do you think about larger acquisitions?

A. Can't answer about mobile user. Look at our focus, we're very excited about mobile. Great potential there. Monetization side -- click to call ads. Locally targeted ads, ability to engage users where they are. Smartphone will be way people do everything -- inform, entertain. It will merge.

Q. Do you think value can go up order of magnitude in 3 years?

A. Wojcicki: very early in what mobile can do. Will grow overall opportunity, overall pie.

Nobody is going to say a substantive thing about acquisitions.

We haven't found big one that will significantly accelerate our growth. We have a really focused agenda, don't want massive distraction. Google is a specific culture --- big acquisition must be both financially sensible and cultural fit. "That's a pretty high bar to pass."

Q. Non cost-per-click ads -- what kind of growth are you seeing? And does Google have a video strategy outside of user-generated content?

A. We have new people on board with YouTube to expand beyond user-generated.

Huber: user-generated is huge. But we're interested in "long-form premium content," another area is developing content of, by, and for new medium being created. Next New Networks acquisition was there.

Wojcicki: we're allowing advertiser to bid with CPA (cost per action) then Google figures out CPC (per click) in background. Also CPM (per impression). Depends on whether advertisers are more performance or ad-driven. As we introduce new kinds of ads for brand advertising, CPM will become a bigger deal.

Q. How bad was Japan? You also said 350k Android activations per day -- can you give breakdown smartphone v tablet and US v international?

A. Our first response to the events was to help the Japanese community. People finding people and disaster recovery. Focus on community, not optimizing revenue.

Tons of searches, by the way, but not monetizable searches. Japan is great market for us. Historically they bounce back fast. We can't predict how will rebound on advertising, but it's a 1st world economy that will recover.

Huber: Android. Not going to answer the question. But we have strong partnerships in Europe, Japan, Korea, and international is growing. Android is relatively early on in tablets, Honeycomb just came out. Big innovations coming.

 

 

It’s not such a wonderful time to be a doctor, patient, hospital, health plan or pharma company, but judging by the quality and quantity of entries received for this edition of the HWR, it’s a wonderful time to be a wonk.

A couple weeks ago CMS released draft rules for Accountable Care Organizations. Several bloggers weighed in on that development:

• Mark McClellan and Elliott Fisher at Health Affairs provide some historical context and argue that “those who care deeply about health care reform all have a common interest in the success of ACOs as a way of avoiding more classic fee-for-service payment cuts to providers.”


• On a more downbeat note, The Road to Health concludes, “Dr. Berwick and his colleagues at CMS appear to have taken the ACO concept and made it into a financial program that only delusional practice administrators, or physician organizations bent on financial self-destruction, could love.”


• The Healthcare IT Guy expects ACOs to be “far more lucrative and disruptive than Meaningful Use and likely to yield more patient quality improvements.”


• GE Healthcare puts the emphasis on ACO change management challenges: “Healthcare executives and management teams are left to focus on preparing their organizations for a cultural shift of seismic proportions.”


• HealthBlawg reviews the proposed rules and produces 8 takeaways. #2: “This is the Frankenstein regulation: A Medicare beneficiary must sit on the board of the ACO, CMS must approve all marketing materials before they are used.”

In the midst of the battle over funding the 2011 budget, House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan came out with a plan to radically restructure Medicare and Medicaid starting in 2012:

• The Apothecary likes much of what he sees and thinks the proposal may force Democrats to devise a credible plan of their own


• John C. Goodman’s Health Policy Blog contrasts PPACA and the Ryan plan. “Obviously, the path we are on leads to an impossible place. So the only question is whether we are going to get off the current path in a planned, orderly way or whether we are going to let unplanned chaos do the trick.”


• Wright on Health is less impressed and wonders, “if Rep. Ryan is so adamant about reducing the deficit, why is he cutting taxes for the wealthy and cutting programs for the poor and the elderly?”


• Managed Care Matters is decidedly unswayed. “If you were looking for real solutions to the health cost problem, you’re going to be sorely disappointed… Unfortunately, he’s fallen into the same trap his Democratic colleagues did with their version of health reform – the Ryan plan does little to address costs.”


• The Incidental Economist takes issue with Ryan’s plan to convert Medicaid to block grants and cut spending. “Should Medicaid be cut back, more people will be uninsured. Contrary to what some wish you to believe, those who become uninsured will suffer worse health outcomes”

As if the ACO rules and Ryan plan weren’t enough, there’s more on Medicare in the blogosphere:

• The Covert Rationing Blog –always good for a lighthearted pick me up– “asserts that we are one giant step closer to the day when it will become illegal for all Americans to spend their own money on their own healthcare.”


• Dr. Liberty discusses CMS’s deliberations on whether to pay for Provenge, a pricey prostate drug. “Decisions are made on the basis of politics, and the drive is to cover everything, leading to higher costs.”

Amid all the federal policy blogging, there’s still some room for technology talk:

• Healthcare Talent Transformation has had it with Health Net’s repeated goof up’s leading to loss of confidential data. Although it may seem like there’s not much the average person can do, the blog argues, “You can make an impact on the security of your sensitive data by conducting due diligence when it comes to your insurance provider.”


• The Healthcare Blog offers a video collage of the new Kaiser Permanente Center for Total Health. “The Center is  a pretty fascinating place–part tech and idea showcase and part meeting room. Certainly no other health care organization that I’m aware of has spent so much on a place designed to stimulate the imagination and enhance conversation–under the nose of the folks on Capitol Hill.”


• Meaningful HIT News features a podcast with mHealth Initiative’s Peter Waegemann, who’s shifted over from EMRs to ride the mobile wave


• Healthcare Economist delves into new papers that, “examined how to develop accurate algorithms to account for cancer stage in studies using claims data.”

It was encouraging to receive a couple submissions about  journalism:

• Disease Care Management Blog asks, “Is the kerfuffle over National Public Radio (NPR) the long delayed comeuppance for liberal bias run amok, or a narrow-minded attack on the inconvenient truths from journalistic excellence?” The blog reaches into the world of medicine and discusses of “framing” and its impact on patient decision making to provide an answer


• HealthNews ReviewBlog cites, “daily evidence of the need for improvement in health care journalism – especially when we see examples like hype of a tiny, preliminary study of strawberries for esophageal cancer.”

We always have room in the Health Wonk Review for some posts on medical ethics:

• Nuts for Healthcare looks at the pharma industry and concludes, “Doctors need to take a more definitive stand against the specter of industry influence. A good target? Industry sponsorship of continuing medical education.”


• Health Care Renewal is concerned that so-called government run programs are more private than we think. “The majority of Medicaid has been out-sourced to private health care insurance companies… We need to have some real discussions about the rise of corporatism in US health care, in other aspects of US society and around the world.”

And finally, a few odds and ends

• Workers’ Comp Insider provides resources for employers concerned about radiation exposure


• Colorado Health Insurance Insider chronicles the decline of bipartisanship in the creation of a health insurance exchange for that state. “Healthcare reform has become such a polarized topic that it’s difficult for lawmakers to have any stance other than for it or against it.  Even though the health insurance exchanges would be marketplaces that sell private health insurance, the word ‘exchange’ has been thrown around so much during the reform debates that many opponents of the PPACA see it as synonymous with ‘ObamaCare.’”


• Last week I went to a health care direct to consumer marketing conference to see former TimeWarner CEO Jerry Levin interviewed by OrganizedWisdom CEO Steve Krein. I also shared my thoughts in the video clip below

Thanks for reading the Health Wonk Review! The Incidental Economist hosts the next edition.

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Roofing Contractors Vancouver - 5 Questions to Wonder

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Did you know that the rooftop of the house or building has a huge effect on the entire structure itself? Damage caused to roofs because of natural or other disasters leads to a considerable lack of property everywhere. The kind of materials accustomed to construct the roof which should be sturdy and long-lasting, the way where the roof continues to be installed and even its timely maintenance are extremely crucial. There are two kinds of roofs which are utilized on all the buildings that we see around us: commercial and residential. Even though it might seem that commercial roofing is performed just for businesses or offices and residential roofing is performed for apartments and houses, in reality the differences are much more complicated than that.

Residential roofing is generally completed by just one hired contractor but commercial roofing usually takes a whole team to complete the job. The reason being a commercial roof is commonly larger in terms of square feet than the usual residential roof.
Commercial roofs are necessary carefully keeping the nature and purpose of the building in your mind. For example, if there is a cafe or restaurant in the building then external components like ventilation systems, smoke stacks and pipes is going to be required. Residential roofs usually do not have such components apart from a chimney or two at most.
Commercial roofs is commonly flat in design to support further changes in a later period, whereas most residential roofs have peaks and other architectural features like roof gardens.
Commercial roofing is much more expensive than residential roofing due to the special tools, materials and safety equipment that are needed onsite. Usually the patching or maintenance work is done in segments unlike for any residential roof in which the repair or replacement work could be completed in a short while. This is one more reason why the gear used for residential roofs is usually smaller and less expensive as well.
Commercial roof installations take a longer time to accomplish in comparison to residential roof installations and therefore are usually constructed in large sections. During this phase however, you should make sure that there are no leakages, cracks or other visible wear and tear signs as it can certainly cause considerable harm to the entire building.
It is important to install the best roof for any building depending on its purpose. Make sure that you hire a construction company that utilizes first class materials and it has the right equipment to do the job or neglect the may turn out to be a huge loss later.

 

Commercial Roofing Contractors: How to Find a Qualified Commercial Roofing Company

If your clients are looking to have work done on its roof, it is important to work with commercial roofing contractors which have a keen knowledge of any special needs that the business may have. As an example, a roofing job can often be disruptive for that operation of business as usual. For this reason, it might be essential for the company to be temporarily shut down, or for the roofing to take place after business hours have ended. A roofing contractor that understands these needs can function plus a business in order to make certain these kinds of issues are minimized.

The first thing that a company should do when it is searching for commercial roofing contractors is to discover who other businesses in the area are working through. Obviously, this information will 't be helpful if it comes as a suggestion from competitors, but there are circumstances by which it's not too hard to find this information from suppliers or retailers. Since roofing isn't an industry-specific service, this post is readily available.

It is a wise decision for just about any business to obtain in touch with at least three commercial roofing contractors to create bids on the price. In this manner, the company can often obtain a better price. It's also vital that you make sure that each one of the roofing contractors is licensed and bonded. These details can be found by getting touching their state contractor's board. This assists you to determine if there have been any claims filed against the company previously.

When looking at bids, it is just as vital to check out what services are being offered and which products is going to be used because it is to check out the total cost. The costs can differ quite drastically, but as tempting as it can be to go for the lowest bid, this isn't always your best option. In many cases, more costs now will mean fewer costs over time due to an undesirable roofing job. To help investigate the quality of the job, it is a good idea to check on using the Bbb in order to see if the business has been accredited, and when it has not, to a minimum of see what its rating is.

 

Picking out a Commercial Roofing Contractor

When you are searching for a roofer for your commercial roofing project you need to find a contractor who understands the special needs of a commercial roofing project. For instance it can be harder to work on the business during business hours so either the company needs to be turn off for that repair or replacement or the job has to be done after conventional business hours. Is the roofer you are thinking about to do the job willing and able to work around your schedule constrictions that might involve working weekends or evenings?

When you start your search for any roofing contractor you don't only have to answer those questions but you should also hire a company which will do a top quality job without a lot of time delays. Going about finding someone can seem as an obstacle by itself but there are some ways to make the search easier.

Ask friends and family for referrals and then try to find at least three contractors to provide you with written bids in your job. Prior to going any further you have to ensure that the contractors you are considering are fully licensed and bonded. An easy search with the state contractor's board will verify if your roofer is licensed and when there are any past judgments or claims against their license.

When you select three or four roofers to put bids, you need to prepare yourself for that bids to become widely varied. Roofers may have brand preferences which will vary and could element in pretty much than the next guy for a labor estimate. The greater detailed a written bid is the more helpful it will be to focus on where the cost are going to be incurred. Don't, however, pick a roofer based solely on the bid price. Any low ball bids may be tempting to consider, but if they're low because of low quality workman ship it may not be worthwhile in the end.

As the saying goes, you generally get what you pay for, if you can afford a mid-priced bid it certainly is smart to go up within your budget instead of down. Additionally you ought to decide your roofer based on how professional they were and just how comfortable you anticipate you will be working with them.

Finally your cost will be different based on which kind of roofing material you select as well as the cost to haul your old roof to the landfill. Should you be looking for places to cut corners in your roof, instead of cutting labor cost you might want to inquire about metallic roof option. Metal roofs can be cost effective and efficient which makes them overall money savers for that long run, and on commercial buildings they may be very low maintenance. Plus since they can be put on top of an existing roof, you don't need to have the old one removed and hauled away, that make a large effect on your cost.

Choosing a comerical roofing company in your local area, does not have to become a difficult task. To learn more, visit http://www.vancouverroofers.net

 

Seattle Roofing Contractors - How To Find The Best

In the home of rain and sleet, commercial coffee and grunge, and also the famous space needle, you can find a home that will suit you. Seattle, Washington can be a great place to construct a house, but you need Seattle roofing contractors to assist you. Your roof is, after all, the crowning glory of your house, as well as your strongest type of defense against the elements. You need to have something that is not only created to last, but built to attract and make your home more beautiful

Harsh Weather

How come roofing contractors so important in this the main country? Because Seattle is usually bombarded by rain along with other harsh weather conditions, you need a roof that may withstand all the forces of nature. With this in mind, you'll need people who be aware of Seattle weather best, and who understand what materials can best go into your homes roof for it to last far longer in the area. In addition to all this, you have to blend with the rest of the houses inside your living area, which means you cannot simply get whatever roof you please.

In all these aspects, a Seattle roofers should be able to help you out. All that you should do is look for Seattle roofing contractors online so that you can obtain the best value for your money without wondering when the contractor will suddenly run away with it and leave you roof-less.

Why the Contractor Model Works

If you want to put up your roof on your own, you will have to buy a good deal of materials, secure permits and licenses, and obtain materials which are suitable for help you stay safe against harsh extremes of Seattle weather. Which means that if you are a DIY sort of guy or gal, you'll have to undergo a good deal of legwork to get the job done.

On the other hand, a Seattle roofer can perform all the jobs for you and provide a package that can save you money and time. Because contractors operate under licenses and buy materials in large quantities, they can get discounts on building materials that you'd not otherwise get should you be buying merely for your own home.

Roofing Associations

Most roofing contractors also fit in with roofing organizations that are bound by strict guidelines and standards. When they do well on their roofing job, they can showcase their roofing contractors association; when they do poorly, they can ruin the reputation of their roofing contractors association and keep other contractors within the association from getting good roofing jobs. There is lots of pressure to complete well, so you can be reassured that if you need a roofing job done in Seattle, you can get a contractor from a roofing association to assist you.

For example, Seattle Roof Brokers operates with more than 500 roofing contractors within the Puget Sound. This group has over half a century of roofing experience and experience working with Seattle roofing contractors, so it knows what kind of roofing you want. The rooftop Brokers group can hook you up using the contractor that you'll require so you don't have to search for contractors individually.

What In the event you Demand out of your Contractor?

When you finally obtain a contractor within the Seattle area, you need to do lots of research about the roofing contractors themselves. Request a list of previous companies or persons the contractor caused in order to get a definite look at the roofing contractor's work ethics and roof quality. Your roofer must also have the appropriate working licenses and city licenses required by the Seattle city government.

Select a Seattle roofers that insures its employees, which has courteous workers who will respect your thinking and make sure that your needs are met. Make sure that you obtain the best value for your money: if you are not satisfied using the job, you have to be guaranteed either money back, or perhaps a free, new roof. Moreover, you also need the workers to get the job done promptly, so be strict together with your deadlines - and discover a contractor that is as strict as you are.

You'll need guarantees and warranties in your roof, so locate a contractor that can meet your budget and roofing needs. If you get touching good Seattle roofing contractors, you may be guaranteed a great roof and a better house in this fantastic city.

Choosing the proper Roofing Contractor Company for Replacing Your Roof

The shingles in your roof degrade and you are minded to locate a roofing contractor to change the them. Perhaps you have already known as a few and are evaluating which contractor for your upcoming roof repair. How can you select the best contractor for caring for your roof? Here are a number of things you should look at when searching for the best roofing contractor.

Where is the roofing contractor located? It is important to hire a roofer that's local. Chances are you will get a higher level of service if the roofing company is located near your home or has an office near your residence.
References. To determine the toughness for the contractor, references ought to be provided of the past clients who are willing to vouch that excellent service was received. This will 't be the only element in deciding upon your future roofer as some may claim they value the privacy of the clients and don't wish to bother them. If this is the situation, ask for business related references. The locations that provide the contractor with supplies can reveal the amount of materials and regularity of supplying the contractor to help determine their stability.
How does the roofing contractor company handle complaints? There are a multitude of issues that can arise throughout the progress of the roofing replacement. Ask what their process is for handling complaints when they arise. It is also an excellent idea to receive a past client reference who had a complaint that was resolved towards the satisfaction from the client.
Terms of payment. What are the the payment schemes for the job? What's the down payment and amount due upon completion? While it is certainly reasonable that a substantial payment be made before a contractor begins work on a project, it is strongly advised that full payment is not made until after the entire job is finished.
Written contract. All the roofing replacement should be put in a written contract. No part of the contracting job should rely on verbal assurances.
Bonding. You will find things that will go wrong with roofing installations that end up costing quite a bit of money to fix. If this happens in your roofing replacement, you'll feel a great deal better knowing that your roofing contractor is bonded. This can supply the funds to fix whatever mistakes were made. Look for a roofing contractor that's bonded.
Manufacturer Warranty. Quality materials for roofing typically come with a warranty. It is important to verify that there's actually a warranty about the materials being installed. Request a duplicate of the warranty.
Length of Time running a business Just how long has got the company you are interviewing experienced business? A brief in time business may reflect instability. If the contractor has been around business under three years, verify just how long they have been in the market. A new contractor might have many years experience working on roofs before they form their very own business. Seek a company that's been around for 3 years, or in which the contractor has had many more years performing roofing replacements. It can shouldn't be the only factor, everyone has to start sometime. Balance this with referrals and also the other points raised in this article.
Appropriate Permits. A Seattle roofing contractor should know what permits are required for fixing your roof. They must be conscious of how you can obtain these permits on your behalf. Ask the contractor whether or not they will obtain the permits necessary to repair the roof.
Liability. If your worker becomes injured, who is responsible for the workers comp? When the contractor's equipment damages your house, who's responsible for the repairs? A good contractor will provide certificates of insurance for liability and workers comp before they begin repairing your roof.
Subcontractors. Verify if the contractor is going to be using subcontractors. If that's the case, it is highly recommended that everything contained within this article for verifying whether the contractor is credible also needs to be relevant to subcontractors. You need to get the names and license amounts of all subcontractors. You need to verify whether each subcontractor can also be insured so you are not held responsible for their accidents.
Pending Legal Actions. It is important to verify whether you will find any legal actions from the contractor. This is not merely necessary for verifying if the roofing company is legitimate (credible roofing companies shouldn't need to defend themselves in court), it's also important because a lost lawsuit might lead to the contractor to visit bankrupt. If you have designed a substantial deposit for services immediately prior to the company goes bankrupt, you can lose thousands of dollars and not have your roofing completed.
Material Disposal. Who's responsible for getting rid of the waste generated in the roof being replaced? Will your contractor handle all aspects of the? Is there an additional cost for disposing of this waste?
NRCA Membership. Membership in local or national roofing associations, such as the NRCA, shows resolve for staying up to date with the most effective methods for roof replacement and maintenance. Find a roofer with a high standard of education regarding their trade.
Replacing your homes roof is really a significant investment. Celebrate good sense to ask serious questions before working with a roofing contractor. Here are some more tips that you should consider when choosing the very best roofing contractor for your upcoming roofing replacement.

Payment. Do not create a full payment for services unless all jobs are finished.
Inspection. Don't make a full payment without having done your final inspection of services rendered.
Workers liens. Don't fully pay for the roofing replacement job until worker's lien releases have been obtained.
Oral Agreements. No agreement ought to be made verbally without backing up in writing. All points that are important to you should be produced in writing.