Called Google Sidewiki, the tool is integrated in the latest version of Google Toolbar and works with both Firefox and Internet Explorer but ironically, not yet Google Chrome. To use Sidewiki, download the latest version of the Google Toolbar and set it to enhanced.

When activated, Sidewiki slides across from the left and becomes a browser sidebar, where you can write entries in a vertical column and read the entries of others. To activate Sidewiki, you simply click on the Sidewiki button in your Toolbar menu or the little talk bubble on the left hand side of your screen. Here's what it looks like.

If you've got a Google profile, your image will appear next to your Sidewiki entry. You can either highlight a certain part of a web page, click the Sidewiki button and comment about it, or you can make a general comment about the entire web page. If you've got Sidewiki installed, you can see comments made on the same web site by other members of the public and you can forward your Sidewiki comments to colleagues, friends and family via direct link, email, Twitter or Facebook.

It appears that persons can read the Sidewiki comments sent via link whether they have Sidewiki installed or not. When you're logged into Sidewiki, you'll always see your comments at the top and any others below.

Not only does your Sidewiki entry appear on the original page, but if you have highlighted text, your entry also appears on any webpages that contain the same snippet of text that your comment is about. From the official blog post:

"Under the hood, we have even more technology that will take your entry about the current page and show it next to webpages that contain the same snippet of text. For example, an entry on a speech by President Obama will appear on all webpages that include the same quote. We also bring in relevant posts from blogs and other sources that talk about the current page so that you can discover their insights more easily, right next to the page they refer to."

Rather than viewing them in the order in which they were written, Sidewiki entries are ranked via an algorithm determined by Google:

"So instead of displaying the most recent entries first, we rank Sidewiki entries using an algorithm that promotes the most useful, high-quality entries. It takes into account feedback from you and other users, previous entries made by the same author and many other signals we developed."

The technology used to determine ranking involves large-scale graph computing. But other factors are at play, as revealed by Danny Sullivan in his post about Sidewiki. These include use of sophisticated language, complex sentences and ideas, user reputation and user history as revealed by your Google profile and comment contributions. Your comments and other can be thumbed up or down using the "useful - yes or no?" tool, or reported as abuse, further contributing to your user reputation and "Profile Rank" as Danny calls it.
 
Google have also launched an API that allows developers to work freely with the content created in Sidewiki. Where no comments have been made on a web page, Google may show blog results relating to that page.

The potential applications of Sidewiki are interesting and frightening at the same time. For example, I can see how it could be a useful bookmarking tool, allowing you to make notes about a web site you've found which you could refer to later. You can even embed YouTube videos in Sidewiki (take a look at the Google home page to see this in action).

It also has fantastic potential as an online collaboration tool, letting you annotate the pages on a site in conjunction with team members in a similar way to tracking changes in a MS Word document and sharing document versions via Google Docs.

BUT, (and it's a big but), I can see Sidewiki being open to abuse in a similar way to Searchwiki, Google's comment tool for search engine result pages. Searchwiki has been widely panned in the search industry because it's Notes feature has been exploited by spammers, overactive PR companies and people with a chip on their shoulder about certain web brands. Unfortunately, I see Sidewiki heading in the same direction. And fast.

Any user controlled element of a search engine is open to some level of abuse. But I don't see a huge amount of comment filtering going on yet and have already seen evidence of spamming (view the Microsoft home page with Sidewiki installed and you'll see anti-MS entries like this one).

Yes Google have a usefulness rating system in place, a Report Abuse link and are flagging some comments with the disclaimer "These entries may be less useful" but I doubt their filters will be able to keep up as Sidewiki takes off. There's also going to be the troll factor which will undoubtedly lead to the system becoming worthless if it's not carefully controlled. I've viewed Sidewiki entries on some major sites this week and it's already starting to feel like Toilet Wall Graffiti 2.0.

Sidewiki has program policies but spammers don't care about those and trolls don't read them. Besides, one man's graffiti is another man's gospel.

Google's catch phrase for Sidewiki is: "Contribute helpful information to any web page". To that, I say: Define helpful.

 

Mozilla is looking for a Public Relations (PR) Manager with expertise in creating and running user-focused PR campaigns in North America. Reporting to the Director of PR, the ideal candidate has an extensive PR background, media relations savvy, experience in creating and managing product launches and the social media skills needed to get millions of people excited about the Web.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Oversee media and analyst relations program including execution of campaigns and measuring the effectiveness of external communications activities
• Develop and execute PR strategies and plans for Mozilla product launches, working in conjunction with global product, marketing teams
• Drive PR collateral process and delivery, including FAQs, blog posts, press releases and statements
• Day to day inbound media contact for US PR and liaison for global PR contacts
• Contribute to strategic messaging around Mozilla products
• Craft pitches, secure internal resources and spokespeople to obtain coverage in technology, consumer and business press
• Manage updates of all PR-related website content
• Work with PR agencies to submit and secure premier speaking and awards opportunities (primarily US)
• Prepare spokespeople for media interviews and speaking opportunities, staff briefings/events/press tours, share resulting coverage in creative ways

Requirements and Qualifications:

• 6+ years in an agency and/or corporate environment
• Proven passion for your work and results oriented
• Prior experience providing strategic messaging counsel and hands-on management for consumer technology launches
• Enthusiastic about working with a strong team (Mozilla global community)
• Significant prior experience managing public relations for successful consumer technology products or services
• Excellent writing, interpersonal communication, and presentation skills
• Strong character, ethics, and a high standard of performance
• Experience with open source software, security, mobile, and consumer technology a strong plus
• Experience with passionate communities, crisis communications, and grassroots marketing a plus
• Undergraduate degree in relevant field a plus
• Based in Silicon Valley or able to move to Silicon Valley immediately
• Willingness to travel (approx 15% of time)

Salary range: Unknown
Closing date: Unknown
More info from: http://www.jobvite.com/CompanyJobs
Contact: Send resumes online: http://www.jobvite.com/companyjobs/apply

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FAQ 4: Can a cluttered home page affect search rankings?

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Hi Kalena,

I work on the  wordtravels.com website. Can the cluttered homepage negatively affect its overall page rank? What are your thoughts?

Thanks! Aimee

Dear Aimee,

In general terms, the fact that a page is "cluttered" would not necessarily have a direct impact on your rankings, but from a usability perspective a complex or "busy" home page can be confusing, and is likely to affect your conversion rate (the percentage of people that sign up to your service or make an enquiry).

If your site visitors find it difficult to find the information they are looking for,  they are more likely to leave the site without taking an action, so it is important that the info you provide on your home page is clear and easy to use - and funnels your visitors to the areas of the site that will be of specific interest to them - and it is there that you can start to provide detailed (and relevant) information.

One issue related to a "cluttered home page" that could affect your rankings, may actually be the inclusion of too much content.  What you say ?? How could there possibly be too much content ??  You have no doubt heard the SEO mantra - "Content is King" - well this is certainly true as far as I am concerned - but it doesn't mean that you should put all your content on the one page.

Optimising your web site should involve choosing one or a very small number of keyword phrases to optimise for each page, by including relevant content for those specific phrases only.  Trying to squeeze all your target keyword phrases on the one page (probably resulting in a cluttered page), will not only be confusing to users - but is also likely to be confusing to Search Engines.  If a search engine cannot clearly identify the "purpose" of your page, because it contains too many conflicting keyword phrases for example, then it is not likely to give the page good rankings for many (or any) of those keyword phrases.

I've had a quick look at your site - and whilst it is certainly "busy", it is relatively easy for a visitor to find a specific area they may be interested in.  Of more concern to me is the sheer number of links on your home page.  Google doesn't like pages with lots of links (largely because users tend not to like them either).  Google has suggested a maximum of approx 100 links per page. A quick count of the links on your home page shows that you currently have over 600 - which is likely to raise some questions with Google (and not in a good way).

Hope that helps...

Andy Henderson