Before I rushed to any snap judgment on Bing - Microsoft's newly unveiled search engine - I wanted to give it a fair shake and use it for a few weeks in order to render a fair verdict.  While it's difficult not to compare every aspect of Bing to Google, the reality of the search world is that Google is the benchmark by which all engines shall be judged.  That being said, here are a few of the Bing highlights (and lowlights) after spending a bit of time using it over the past month.

Let's start with the biggie - the results. The results are solid....and fast.  I think their algorithms and "decision engine" lingo they are touting in their marketing are holding true.  Point in case, a vanity search for my name "paul ten haken".  Bing's first page includes my LinkedIn, Twitter, and Digg profiles, some news mentions, an old blog I used to author - all very relevant info to the search string.  For Google, I get some of the same but a Classmates, Twitterholic, and Twellow entry make their way to the top 10.  Enough with the stinkin' Twitter apps! And Classmates? Haven't done a thing there since 2002. Still top 10? C'mon.

Bing image search rocks. Nuff said. The endless scrolling, the sorting options, the rollover effects.  Image search is fun again.  Google, by comparison, continues to avoid the pagination issue and makes users click through page after page versus allowing for a much higher number on a single screen. 

The interface. The look and feel of the Bing results page feels very Googleish.  The Bing.com main page usually has a nice, shiny photo that capitvates the viewer...at least those like me that appreciate a nice, high res image. There is something to be said about Google's minimalistic start page, but the Bing imagery is refreshing.  And as a 100% Dutchman, I continue to see pictures of windmills, Amsterdam, and other Dutch nostalgia.  Coincidence or freaky hertiage image targeting?  The related searches and search history on the left are also handy, whereas Google buries related searches at the bottom of the screen.

The buzz. Yes, this isn't exactly a feature of Bing. But the rollout of Bing has been a success thus far, from the outstanding TV spots ("search is sick, Bing is the cure") to the mostly postive Tweets flying around from a typically critical Twitterverse. 

Overall. There's a lot more to be said about Bing. Overall, the engine is great and certainly is giving the Google execs a reason to be bit nervous. They obviously have a big hill to climb (as of last week, Bing owned about 5% ot total search volume). Will I depart from my Google loyalty? Maybe. Is Microsoft on the right track to getting me there? Absolutely. 

Sioux Falls local CBS affiliate KELO TV recently did a story on the Living Well Community - an online network developed by Click Rain that seeks to bring people together for discussion around regional health and wellness topics.  The site features a variety of user generated content including blogs, videos, audio files, discussion forums, and more. Check out the coverage below.

Click Rain's Paul Ten Haken had the opportunity to co-present with Hugh Weber of Deep Bench Strategies (@hughweber) and Dan Drenkow of Augustana College (@Augie_CIO) at the Sioux Falls Business Conference’s “Ready to Rebound” seminar held on June 3.  The three collectively presented on technology and the web - specifically, how businesses need to rethink their approaches to marketing and technology in a soft economy by embracing social media, SaaS, cloud computing, search marketing, and other cost-effective principles.  Below is an excerpt of the conference recap as reported by Jamie Ziemer of the Sioux Falls Business Journal.  You can read the full article here (open access for a limited time only). 

....Paul Ten Haken, founder and president of Click Rain Inc., said businesses are looking for a measurable return on their marketing dollar, seeking to understand and keep pace with online advancements, and wanting to talk about social media.

How businesses should approach the Web in 2009 is much different than three years ago, Ten Haken said.

By the end of 2009, two-thirds of people 3 and older will be going online once a month, according to eMarketer.com. As a result, companies need to be aware of user-generated content and how to defend against it, Ten Haken said.

One way for businesses to navigate through relevant user-generated content is by an RSS feeder, Ten Haken said. RSS, which means Really Simple Syndication, is a Web-fed format that helps businesses by publishing notices of updated works, such as blog entries, news headlines, audio and video in a standardized format.

Online tools are trackable for companies to see where their marketing dollar is going compared to one-way forms of marketing such as billboards.

The return on investment is greater for interactive marketing than traditional marketing, according to one study. U.S. marketers reported that using interactive marketing was 34 percent more profitable in 2009, according to eMarketer.com.

Businesses should be aware that consumers are looking for the “user experience” on their Web sites through something as simple as a video, Ten Haken said.

From the Sioux Falls Argus Leader

Q: Which Click Rain employee has fired their own grandmother from a project? (Choose only one)

a) Paul Ten Haken
b) Mark Henderson
c) Jeff Meuzelaar
d) Mark Drzycimski

Geek Chart is snazzy little (beta) life stream app that provides a graphical representation of your social network activity. In a pie-chart driven world, Geek Chart gives us yet another PPT jewel to impress the suits.  What's the point?  Not really sure. Purdy colors, though.

ptenhaken's Geek Chart

The last Sioux Falls Tweetup was a good time, as the video suggests.  The next one is really going to rock some faces off.  Details coming soon. 

SEM = search engine marketing.  SEM encompasses both SEO and paid search.

SERP = search engine results page.

PPC = pay-per-click.  Otherwise called paid search.

SEO = search engine optimization.  SEO focuses on the organic, or unpaid, listings that appear naturally on a SERP.

ROFL = rolling on floor laughing.  What you should do when the Yellow Pages promises you "top organic placement in all major search engines."

Click Rain is looking for a driven professional who loves life, and loves developing awesome web sites. Our company is small by design, so the lucky candidate will play a key role in all development, testing and website implementation. But you'll find no hand holding here. We’re looking for people who take pride in their work, demonstrate a sense of ownership, and push themselves toward greatness. Duties will include—but may not be limited to—content management systems integration, custom web application development, knowledge of email/website hosting, and other related website development tasks. This position is full-time, but Click Rain is willing to consider a part-time position for the right qualified person.

Requirements

• 2+ years developing consumer web interfaces.
• Experience with web-based design/development and a portfolio to back it up.
• The ability to multi-task and succeed in fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Proficient in PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, HTML, XML, & CSS, with significant hand coding experience.
• Strong command of web standards, CSS-based design, cross-browser compatibility
• Disciplined approach to testing and quality assurance
• Able to translate design comps and wireframes into flexible and usable code templates
• Proficient in Adobe Photoshop with design experience highly beneficial.
• Experience with Flash beneficial but not required.
• The desire to collaborate with team members to generate innovative solutions for clients.
• Excellent communication skills for occasional client interaction.
• The ability to multitask, taking on a variety of roles and responsibilities for the good of the company and clients.
• Self-starter with the ability to identify client needs and opportunities and address them with little direction.

Work Environment
We work in a casual, fun and nimble work environment with all the flexible perks you'd expect from a small, hip company. Doors open at 8AM and after five bells, this place is a ghost town. However, we'd be lying if we said we never worked late. It does happen, but it's rare... rare like an albino buffalo.

If you're interested, drop us a line, or fill out our contact form.

Podcasting has been around for awhile now, but it just hasn't gotten the traction that many thought leaders predicted it would.  eMarketer estimates that just 11.9% of US Internet users will download or stream at least one podcast per month this year.  There's definitely a place for it, but using podcasting to reach the masses as once thought appears to be a pipe dream.