The Forge Archives

Google is apparently testing a http://print.google.com/">new search product that works like Amazon.com's "Search Inside the Book." From what I can tell, publishers send books to Google for scanning and indexing. And then when users search Google on terms that match the page content of the book, links to the book appear in the search results. Clicking on the book title will then display the page from the book that matches the search terms. Users can flip two pages forward and back, but don't have access to the whole book. It's limited to books with ISBNs, but otherwise it's free. The text suggests that Google will display a link to an online bookstore that sells the book, so users can click to buy it. That doesn't help the indie guy whose game isn't in bookstores, but there's also this sentence:

Click on the book title and you'll see a relevant page from the book and the book publisher.[/list:u]You think that means a link to your home page?

There's also this item in the bulleted list of benefits to publishers:
Drive qualified traffic to your website[/list:u]Someone with an ISBN needs to do this and report back. Or I'll buy a block of ISBNs, reprint My Life with Master, and do it, but the turnaround time on my effort will be a couple of months.

Paul

Hey,

Well I just signed up and confirmed my account.  They have to check me out I guess (said a couple of days) before I can take any more steps.  I'll keep you posted...

Keith

Hey,

So I read through the FAQ for this and here is what I know:

[*]The book publisher link is a link to your homepage.
[*]The buy now button will go to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Booksense, but you can specify your own commerce page.
[*]You earn money for the click through adds and when you hit $100 they send you a check.
[*]You can filter those adds.
[*]You get a detailed book-level report on page impressions and clicks (adds and the Buy THis Book button).
[*]You can add your company logo to the excerpt pages.
[*]You have to send a physical copy of the book for them to strip.[/list:u]
Keith

Thanks Keith. And FYI, I think Conspiracy of Shadows is a fantastic test candidate. The hope is that someone who types "conspiracy game" into Google is going to be presented with pages from the game. I'm very keen to see if that's how it works out.

And out of curiousity, what kind of "check" do you think they're doing right now?

Paul

Hey Paul,

I just got my confirmation email and entered in all my information so I'm a go once I mail out a copy (probably Monday).  

I am guessing that they are either checking my name against the terrorist watch list or to see if I am in the "Books in Print" catalog (which I am).

Here is what the search pages look like.

Keith