Google Trends for Websites

Google has just updated its Google Trends application to allow trend spotting by domain name. The new feature allows the same capabilities from the keyword trend search, but adds the ability to view trends by domain name.

The difference comes in the stats. When searching by keyword, the chart graphs search volume index. In the website section, it graphs daily unique visitors (a number I assume it grabs from search result clicks, not Google Analytics).

Under the graph, the extra stats show "Regions" of the search taking place (just as the keyword search does), but it replaces "city" and "languages" with "Also visited" and "Also searched for." So it is like a cross between Google Webmaster Tools and Google Trends.

Check it out at:
http://trends.google.com/

University of Iowa Flood Blogging

Just came across this yesterday. The University of Iowa has set up a blog to help with communication related to the tragic flooding in the area. Included in the site is a link to a Flickr account with aerial photos of the flooding.

• U of I Flooding Blog: http://uiflood.blogspot.com
  
• Flickr Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/uinews/sets/72157605682402874

The Flash Intro/Splash Page is Dead

Flash intros/splash pages are those annoying, meaningless "branding" strategies many companies and some higher ed sites have put in place before entering their site. They were more frequent five years ago, and have since trailed away. Unfortunately, many graphic designers still cling to them as a requirement (most likely it is a staple in their portfolio).

As if usability, multiple entry points to your site, and the lack of content wasn't enough to get rid of these web annoyances, Google is now offering a way to skip these splash screens from their search results by including a "skip intro" link next to the indexed sites.
[From Google Blogoscoped]