What is Google Base?

Got something you want the world to see? Google Base is Google's database into which you can easily submit all types of content. Google base will host your content and make it searchable online.

You can describe any item you post with attributes, which will help people find it when they search Google Base. In fact, based on the relevance of your items, they may also be included in the main Google search index and other Google products like Froogle and Google Local.

You'll need a Google Account to use Google Base.

A Google Account lets you sign into Google Base and most other Google services (like Froogle Shopping List and Groups). Once you've created your account, sign in everywhere with just your email address and a password of your choosing.

This is how it worked for me

I do not plan to use Google database for my SEO (Search Engine Optimization) but I was pretty curious how it works. I set up a listing and added graphic which took about 10 minutes. After I published it my listing appeared 30 minutes later. To see my test go to Google Base http://base.google.com and type in ‘web design Virginia’ or ‘Virginia web design’. Presto, my Visionefx mini-listing appears!

This is how it can work for you

I have clients who sell and wide variety of products. Some are e-commerce and some are not, but that does not matter. You can link to your web site or post images right from your own computer. You don't need to post images but a thumbnail is worth a thousand words.

Google Base is very applicable to half of our Visionefx client base.
Whether it’s replacement windows, real estate, jewelry, frozen fish, electronic, Christmas wreaths, music, t-shirts or credit cards Google Base is a great way to generate interest in a particular product or service. A Google Base listing will also generate traffic back to your main web site thus generating more sales and leads.

Even if you don’t sell a particular item it doesn't’t matter. A lawyer could publish an 'important brief' or a mom could publish a 'favorite cookie recipe'.

Is this the eBay-killer, Monster-killer, Craigslist-killer that some expect?
Let's take eBay as one example. eBay growth is based on the service of the community that surrounds it. There are rules, plus buyers and sellers evaluate each other. It's easy to decide if I want to risk purchasing something from a seller, based on their ratings. Google Base lacks any such functionality for the moment. Potentially, it could come -- but it's not there yet.

How about Monster?

I don't do any hiring, but the disadvantage of Google Base for 'job search' is immediate. Looking for a job? Google Base gives you one single box -- that's it. Perhaps entering something like ‘web design jobs in Virginia beach’ will ultimately work to get you a listing of all jobs appropriate to that. But it might come back with false matches. One example of this was where Google Base brought back matches for ‘freelance web designers’.

Google Base Summary

Google Base is a way for Google to let anyone upload information to Google about anything. That's the master plan. Exactly how that master plan will unfold isn't clear. Maybe there won't be any particular date types that are uploaded. Maybe it really will turn into a great place for those with classified listings that will lead to a dedicated spin-off service. The overall goal seems to be put this tool out there and see what people make of it.

About the Author
Ricardo Vidallon is company owner and creative designer for http://www.visionefx.net