WebProNews

I noticed this morning a link on Google's home page to Google Pack, a collection of "essentials to make your PC just work."

Google Pack includes:

Additional Software:

Google Pack also comes with an updater program that will keep all the software in the Google Pack current and it works with the programs you already have installed.

Google blog has says Google Pack is:

a one-stop software package that helps you discover, install, and maintain a wide range of essential PC programs. It's yours today - and it's something we hope you find to be painless, easy, and even fun (if computer setup can ever be called that). And it's free.

At first I approach things like this from Google with the same skepticism as I used to view Microsoft's software offerings or freebies. But in the end, that skepticism often gives way to indifference because the tools are useful and in most cases do not cause any ill effects.

I think most experienced SEOs are pretty confident that Google is currently using user data from Google made or partner desktop applications in it's process of ranking web pages. There's no reason to think that's not the case with Google Pack. My biggest question is: Does user data really help rank web pages better? Or is Google still figuring that out?

Lee Odden is President and Founder of
TopRank Online Marketing, specializing in organic SEO, blog
marketing and online public relations. He's been cited as a search
marketing expert by publications including U.S. News & World Report and
The Economist and has implemented successful search marketing programs
with top BtoB companies of all sizes. Odden shares his marketing
expertise at Online Marketing Blog offering
daily news, interviews and best practices.