Google Earth Tour De France updates, info

In a great way to start cementing users for its Google Earth program, Google has made Tour De France updates available with pertinent information to users of the Google Earth application, which is free to download and use. Google Earth users can virtually "fly" all round the entire path the Tour De France bikers will follow, complete with specific Tour statistical information like average ride time, who's leading and when and where the stages are starting and ending.

Google needs marketing like this to draw in customers to its services, especially the services that lead the market in usefulness -- and Google Earth qualifies in my opinion. Google has many good services that it's launched recently, but many of them have failed, thus far, to build a significant audience. Google Earth is not one of them -- it is immensely popular due to its perceived uniqueness in the marketplace.

Google should somehow figure out how to be innovative with its other products, over time, so that they can attract users to its services. The problem Google has is not product launches -- it's in the marketing of these products to the intended audience and proving specific value these products can bring. It's not enough to just release a product (in beta, of course) and let the media and blogosphere promote it -- Google needs to ramp up its marketing machine in such cases. Google and GOOG investors would be well-served with a very well-oiled marketing machine.