We like keeping tabs on what Google are up to, mainly to ensure our product and your marketing is getting the most from the organic/unbranded search channel

It has been known for some time that Google CEO Larry Page has been following a strategy of focusing their energies on fewer/core products, using the phrase "more wood behind fewer arrows" to explain this.

In general this is good, especially as Google need all the resources they have to grow Google +1 within the the social network arena. However the most recent announcements will have some impact on our day to day operations.

They are closing down the image manipulation site Picnik which we have been recommending to clients for the past 3 years. The code/software will be transferred to Google +1 but it's unclear what will happen to the actual site on the fateful day, 19th April, we hope someone will keep the free site running but going by the message on it's homepage we doubt it! Until then we will try to find a different suitable site.

Also, in a move that has surprised very few, they are also closing down Urchin, the stats package many of you use. Google based their excellent analytics package on the IP they acquired from Urchin and this will be the package we migrate to ourselves. Urchin will disappear in march and we look to have you all set up on analytics well before that change.

This article was first published : 25.1.2012 © Arkom Ltd