There are few who would argue that Google Earth is mind-boggling. It’s both majestic and a little bit creepy (the ability for ANYONE to look at your house is a bit unnerving). And, now, the Internet marketing and search engine giant is offering a browser plug-in for Google Earth. Here’s what Paul Rademacher from Google wrote in the Lat Long Blog:

When Google Maps was launched in 2005, few could have guessed the way map mashups would permeate the online world. Online maps had been just something you used to get directions or to find the ten nearest grocery stores. Google Maps and the Google Maps API proved that an online map was actually a rich canvas on which entire new applications could be built. Likewise, when Google Earth was launched, it revolutionized our view of the world, letting people fly around the planet at lightning speed and zoom in on rich high-resolution imagery, mountain ranges, and even 3D buildings. Yet there was a missing piece: there’s never been a way to build your own 3D web applications using Google Earth, the way you can with Google Maps… until now.

Today, I’m happy to announce the release of the new Google Earth Browser Plug-in, which brings the full power of Google Earth to the web, embeddable within your own web site. Driven by an extensive JavaScript API, you can control the camera; create lines, markers, and polygons; import 3D models from the web and overlay them anywhere on the planet. In fact, you can even overlay your content over different planets, stars, and galaxies by toggling Sky mode, letting you build 3D Google Sky mashups. You can also enable 3D buildings with a single line of JavaScript, attach JavaScript callbacks to mouse events, fetch KML data from the web, and more. Our goal is to open up the entire core of Google Earth to developers in the hopes that you’ll build the next great geo-based 3D application, and change (yet again) how we view the world.

But wait a minute… Google Earth has gotten all of the hype, but for over a year, Microsoft (maps.live.com) has offered 2-D maps and even 3-D maps with much more detail. Which company will ultimately rule the globe? Time will tell….

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As promised, here is more information about the email marketing features you should look for in order to maximize your Internet marketing efforts:

Affordability – Email list management software should allow you to send up to 50,000 emails a month for under $100. There are even some email list management software systems that periodically offer introductory rates of $1 for the first month.

An intuitive, Web-based interface – Web-based software is the wave of the future; a Web-based email list management system means you never have to worry about software maintenance or upgrades.

Limitless email lists – You should be able to maintain as many addresses as you wish and as many lists as you want without incurring extra expense. Beware of companies that charge based on the number of database entries you have!

Rollover credits – If you don’t use your allotted number of emails during a given month, a good email marketing package will allow you to roll unused credits over into the next month, or to purchase additional credits on the fly, in real time.

Importing lists – You should be able to import entire mailing lists into the online system with a few clicks of your mouse. You should also be able to rent or buy opt-in email lists and migrate them into the system.

Sequential mailings – The best email marketing software systems allow you to import a series of messages and set up sequential mailings to be sent at the day and time you desire. In other words, you should be able to implement a six-month email marketing campaign in one sitting.

Flexibility – Look for software that allows you to edit your lists and messages right up to the minute your mailing is scheduled to be sent.

Automated list management – Email marketing software should automatically handle bounced emails, bad addresses, and requests for removal. It should also allow you to remove any blacklisted addresses and build opt-in email lists.

Great email marketing software can be the great equalizer, allowing small- and medium-sized businesses to compete with the corporate giants in the world of Internet marketing and advertising.

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According to Business Week, Microsoft still hasn’t let go of the possibility of an outright buyout of Yahoo!, while the latter is facing stiff pressure from shareholders to cut some kind of deal – whether with Microsoft or Google.

What Microsoft really wants – and what experts in Internet marketing are watching for – is a piece of the search engine advertising pie. According to BW, though, Yahoo! may opt for a nonexclusive partnership with Google to outsource search-related ads.

Either way, it looks like Yahoo! is staged to make a deal with one of the other giants, if only to avoid a proxy fight at their upcoming annual meeting.

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Here’s the lowdown on features that you need in email marketing software:

• An intuitive, Web-based interface
• Limitless email lists
• Affordability
• The ability to import lists
• The ability to do sequential mailings
• Flexibility
• Automated list management
• Limitless number of email lists

Check back tomorrow, when we’ll explain why each of these features is critical to email marketing success.

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As the Web has become more mobile, so has Internet marketing. According to the Wall Street Journal, Yahoo! is partnering (on a trial basis) with 4INFO, a leader in text-message advertising, to give Yahoo! the means to incorporate advertising as it publishes its content using text messaging. Apparently, both Yahoo! and 4INFO will be selling the ads, which are thought to have a much higher click-through rate than Web banner ads.

The Journal reports that eMarketer projects that, “Mobile-message advertising is expected to reach $1.5 billion by 2008, up 82% from last year.”

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In theory, email marketing is a great idea. When it comes down to it, however, it can be hard to execute effectively. Trying to manually compile and maintain an email list is vexing, and sending and tracking emails can be a nightmare.

Most email marketing blast software is rudimentary, and you always run the danger of having your emails caught in spam filters. If your email marketing is never reaching your intended recipients, you’re simply not going to generate sales.

The answer? Sophisticated email marketing software that is rich with features, yet inexpensive to use.

Check back tomorrow, when we’ll discuss the features to look for in email list management software.

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If you own a small business, it’s often hard to compete with the big guys when it comes to Internet marketing. That’s why email marketing is a cornerstone of a successful Internet marketing strategy for small- and medium-sized businesses.

While lead generation is important, email marketing can help to convert leads to sales. Similarly, it can help tremendously with customer retention. Whether you want to contact potential clients, distribute a company newsletter, or send offers to existing customers, email marketing is an inexpensive yet effective tool to add to your arsenal.

In the coming days, we’ll discuss how to find the right email software to help you achieve your marketing goals.

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Even with our spam filters guarding our in box, we’re still inundated with unwanted email. There’s the eye-rolling medication-related spam (you know what we’re talking about), the spam from the exotic royal who wants to share his wealth if you only wire him some money, and the hundreds of emails that tell you that you’ve won some lottery or another.

According to the Associated Press, Yahoo! has filed suit against the senders of the latter – or at least those who told recipients to click on a link to Yahoo in order to receive their prizes. Although the company doesn’t know exactly who the senders are, it is confident that they will be identified during the discovery process.

Yahoo! is using state laws, federal anti-spam laws, and trademark-related laws to pursue the suit.

This aggressive pursuit of spammers is good news for companies who engage in legitimate email marketing. After all, most people welcome commercial email for products and services that appeal to them. If their in boxes are free of spoof and phishing emails, they are much more likely to be responsive to legitimate offers made by legitimate companies.

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With Internet advertising and search engine acquisition in the news, it’s no surprise that Yahoo! is pushing back its annual meeting. Originally scheduled for July 3, the meeting will now be held sometime in late July. Perhaps Yahoo! will find common ground with Microsoft and the two giants will find a mutually beneficial deal.

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Microsoft didn’t succeed in its bid to buy Yahoo!, but the company is going head-to-head with Google by rolling out cash rebates to people who buy products after using Microsoft’s Live Search.

When online buyers purchase products, they will receive a percentage of the purchase price as a rebate. When their total rebates reach $5, they can withdraw it through PayPal.

The move may attract merchants who have incorporated Google’s pay-per-click cost into their Internet advertising budgets. In contrast, Microsoft is offering a pay-per-conversion approach, and delivering part of the fee directly to the consumer.

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