Category Archives: Australia Blog

News and notes from Google down under

YouTube Music Unveils its First-Ever ‘Artists to Watch’ in Australia and New Zealand

Singers such as Kaiit, Bene and Didirri, and rappers including the Triple One crew and Kwame, feature in the Top 10 Australian and New Zealand acts predicted to break through in the next 12 months.


YouTube Music today released its top 10 Artists To Watch in Australia and New Zealand for 2019. Some are already building impressive reputations locally but we believe all of them have the talent to go significantly further this year, both at home and overseas.
In alphabetical order, the 10 Artists To Watch from Australia and New Zealand in 2019 are:

  • Bene (Auckland, New Zealand) 
  • Didirri (Melbourne, Australia) 
  • G Flip (Melbourne, Australia) - pictured above 
  • JessB (Auckland, New Zealand) 
  • Kaiit (Melbourne, Australia) 
  • Kian (Castlemaine, Australia) 
  • Kwame (Sydney, Australia, via Auckland, New Zealand) 
  • The Kid Laroi (Sydney, Australia) 
  • Triple One (Sydney, Australia) 
  • Tyne-James Organ (Melbourne via Sydney, Australia) 


YouTube Music compiled its Artists To Watch for 2019 using factors including YouTube views, engagement from global music fans and YouTube Music analytics.
Melbourne’s all-singing, all-drumming indie firecracker G Flip, real name Georgia Flipo, says she is “stoked” to be one of YouTube Music’s Artists To Watch.
“I think it’s so cool they are championing breaking artists and I'm honoured to be chosen as one of them,” she said.
Her fellow Melbournian, sunny troubadour Didirri, describes his inclusion as “an absolute honour”. 
“I think it’s time we bring some positivity back into the limelight this year,” Didirri adds. “Hoping to bring a bunch of us together and share the music.”
That would include Sydney hip-hop trio Triple One, as they brace themselves for a huge 12 months, saying, “We've come into the new year with something to prove. 2019 will be our biggest year yet and our biggest evolution as a group.”
And when soulful Kiwi Bene heard she had made YouTube Music’s Artists To Watch list, she said, “So much luv, can't wait to show you more of ma shtuff.”
Burgeoning singer-songwriters Kaiit, Kian and Tyne James-Organ, and talented rappers JessB, Kwame and The Kid Laroi round out the chosen ones.
Head to YouTube Music to further explore these Artists to Watch and enjoy a brand-new YouTube Music playlist featuring our top 10 artists and the longlist, as well as an in-app spotlight, featuring audio and video content.

Posted by Ruuben van den Heuvel, Head of Music Content Partnerships (South East Asia, AU/NZ), YouTube

GNI YouTube innovation funding: supporting 87 news organisations in 23 countries to build video capabilities and innovate with new formats

In July, as part of the Google News Initiative (GNI), innovation funding to help newsrooms and publishers strengthen their online video capabilities and experiment with new formats for video journalism was announced. Hundreds of organisations submitted proposals through an open application process and today, we can reveal the 87 recipients.
From 23 countries around the world, they represent a diverse array of broadcasters, traditional and digital publishers, local media, agencies and creators, but all share a commitment to quality journalism and a spirit for innovation.
Many projects seek to enhance video operations and incubate new ways of reporting news through video - from adapting formats to better resonate with younger audiences on the internet to exploring live and fact-checking formats. Other projects focus on improving the sustainability of news organisations, including work on new business models and programs to support a healthy news ecosystem.
There are two Aussie recipients, including:

  • Junkee: One of Australia's fastest growing and most innovative new media companies, Junkee will push boundaries even further and experiment with new ways of informing audiences. 
Tim Duggan, Publisher at Junkee Media said: “We’ve always been at the forefront of innovative new content formats, which is why we’re so thrilled that YouTube’s funding will help us push the boundaries even further and experiment with new ways of informing our audience about news they really care about. We’ve got so many exciting ideas we’ve been itching to test out, and this funding will enable us to create them on YouTube in a really meaningful way. We can’t wait to get stuck into it and share our learnings with the rest of the journalism community.”

  • Nine News: Dedicated to delivering the latest news and headlines from Australia and the world, Nine’s strategy is to create premium content, distribute it broadly and engage audiences. Now, the outlet will experiment with reaching global audiences and distributing Australian news content more broadly. 
“Nine’s strategy is to create premium content, distribute it broadly and engage our audiences. The YouTube Innovation project gives Nine the opportunity to experiment with a global audience distributing Nine’s great Australian content more broadly while evaluating various commercialisation models,” said a Nine spokesperson.

And here is a sample of some of the projects funded from around the world:

  • Advance Local (United States): US publisher Advance Local will build out a new format for local news storytelling, enabling them to connect more deeply with their communities across the country. They will start in Michigan, where MLive Media Group (Mlive.com) will connect directly with its viewers, providing avenues for action on topics of important local interest, giving viewers the information they need to have their voice heard on issues of the day. 
  • The Economist (United Kingdom): British publisher The Economist will strengthen its video production facilities and expertise, enabling it to launch a weekly video format that will explore the true story behind trending news topics. Through live streaming and audience engagement tools, viewers will be able to interact with the story along with the producers, their processes and sources. The new format aims to give viewers the tools to spot misinformation, analyze news sources and join the conversation. 
  • HugoDécrypte (France): A top French news creator, HugoDécrypte will staff and train a production team to create a studio-based live news show. The show will form an on-screen meeting place for HugoDécrypte’s YouTube community to learn about and debate the key news issues of the day. It will consist of regular segments including news bulletins, fact-checking and interviews with well-known political figures and subject matter experts. 
  • La Nación (Argentina): One of Argentina’s leading newspapers, La Nación will enhance their video operations at large. In business since 1870, La Nación has a rich history in print journalism, which they are extending to video. This funding will be used to grow their video team, improve digital video skills and increase output, enabling them to deliver engaging content, including behind the scenes snapshots of their hard-hitting investigative journalism and fresh takes on news of the day through video digests. 
  • Narasi TV (Indonesia): Independent Indonesian journalist Najwa Shihab’s media company will mobilize its community across the country’s 34 provinces. It will host workshops to train budding citizen journalists on visual storytelling, news video production and media literacy, encouraging more Indonesians to become credible content creators as well as critical consumers of media. Meanwhile, Narasi TV’s own investigative journalism team will staff up their video team to produce more in-depth reports, particularly in hotly contested parts of the country in the run-up to Indonesia’s general elections. 
  • Thairath (Thailand): The digital arm of one of Thailand’s oldest news publishers, Thairath, will create a rights management platform for Thailand’s freelance journalists. This platform will help Thai “stringers” more easily manage their footage rights from media companies. By protecting and promoting the important work of independent Thai journalists, the effort will support both the Thai media ecosystem and global news agencies seeking news about Thailand.  
Today’s announcement reinforces our commitment to supporting a strong future for news video. Over the coming months, we’ll be sharing insights gained from the projects and giving newsrooms the opportunity to benefit from the learnings, as we work together to support the development of long-term, sustainable news video businesses.
For more information about YouTube’s work with the news industry, please visit our website. We look forward to seeing how our partners across the globe push the boundaries of video journalism.


Posted by Timothy Katz, Director of News Partnerships, YouTube

Year in Search 2018: Here’s what Aussies searched for this year

From Barnaby to the Badgelor, ball tampering to the blood moon – our searches were a kaleidoscope of curiosities.

As 2018 comes to a close, it’s time to look back and take stock of the moments that had Aussies searching for answers, wondering about the world – and scratching their heads. It was the year we tuned into the royal wedding, looked up listeria and gazed up at the beaming, blood moon. We jumped on the keto bandwagon, celebrated our Commonwealth Games and fell in love with Freddie Mercury all over again. From the Wentworth by-election to the US midterm elections, the Hawaiian volcanoes to the Thai cave rescue, our Searches went far and wide. We grappled topical questions about our health records, and pondered perennial ones... like how to win the lotto.
To rediscover the events, people and topics that defined 2017 around the world, watch our global Year in Search video.


Here's a summary of five themes that defined Search in Australia in 2018:

Happy and sad endings

This year we were mesmerised by Meghan Markle as she made her royal entrance down the aisle. The Duchess of Sussex topped the list of global figures, while “Royal wedding” landed the top spot in the list of news events. We watched the Thai cave rescue unfold, and celebrated when the boys were returned to safety. However, 2018 was not all fairytale endings, as we mourned and said goodbye to Avicii, Anthony Bourdain, Aretha Franklin, Jessica Falkholt and Eurydice Dixon.


Sports scores and scandals

Aussies were watching, cheering and tracking scores for all kinds of sport this year, including soccer, tennis, rugby, AFL and more.  We were gripped with World Cup fever and celebrated our Commonwealth Games, with both events taking the top two searches overall. We followed David Warner and the ball tampering scandal, searched for State of Origin – and looked for Socceroo Tim Cahill when he was off the field and then left the game.

Health check-ups

Aussies were hungry for health related information this year, spanning nutrition, weight loss, disease and personal data. The top ‘How to…?' search was “How to opt out of my health records” followed by “How to lose weight fast” and “How to lose belly fat.” Aussies also read up on listeria following the outbreaks  – and we wondered about a fictional disease called ligma (made up by a Fortnite streamer).

Keto is king

It seems Aussies were ready to throw out the sweet stuff this year as "Keto recipes” topped the list of recipe searches. Desserts are also noticeably absent in the top food related searches which, in contrast to previous years, include only savoury dishes and ingredients. 2018’s menu includes hearty classics such as corned beef and chicken curry  – along with vegetarian ingredients including eggplant, tofu, beetroot, and couscous.

Techy topics

Bitcoin remained a subject of great intrigue for Aussies, landing in three lists – including overall, "How to…?" and "What is…?" searches. We also wrapped our head around blockchain, questioned our social media activity – and wondered why our internet connection is so slow.

To dive into the data, check out Australia's full trending* lists for 2018:

Overall

  1. World Cup
  2. Commonwealth Games
  3. Meghan Markle
  4. Avicii
  5. Coinspot
  6. Anthony Bourdain
  7. US Open Tennis
  8. Mac Miller
  9. Bitcoin price
  10. Black Panther

News events
  1. Royal Wedding
  2. Thai cave rescue
  3. Wentworth by-election
  4. My health record
  5. Beaumont children
  6. Hawaii volcano
  7. California fires
  8. Listeria
  9. US midterm elections
  10. Blood moon
Global figures
  1. Meghan Markle
  2. Demi Lovato
  3. Freddie Mercury
  4. Khloe Kardashian
  5. Logan Paul
  6. Tristan Thompson
  7. Hailey Baldwin
  8. Sylvester Stallone
  9. Khabib
  10. Travis Scott
Aussies
  1. Barnaby Joyce
  2. Scott Morrison
  3. Peter Dutton
  4. Billy Slater
  5. Craig McLachlan
  6. Vikki Campion
  7. David Warner
  8. Chopper Read
  9. Nick Cummins
  10. Andrew Gaff
Loss
  1. Avicii
  2. Anthony Bourdain
  3. Mac Miller
  4. xxxtentacion
  5. Stan Lee
  6. Kate Spade
  7. Aretha Franklin
  8. Burt Reynolds
  9. Jessica Falkholt
  10. Eurydice Dixon
How to...?
  1. How to opt out of my health record
  2. How to watch World Cup in Australia
  3. How to win Powerball
  4. How to delete Instagram
  5. Google Arts and Culture face match how to
  6. How to buy bitcoin
  7. How to lose weight fast
  8. How to screenshot on iPhone X
  9. How to delete Facebook
  10. How to lose belly fat
What is…?
  1. What is bitcoin
  2. What is listeria
  3. What is ligma
  4. What is hazing
  5. What is a mud room
  6. What is the capital of California
  7. What is open on Good Friday
  8. What is Diwali
  9. What is blockchain
  10. What is ball tampering
Why is…?
  1. Why is State of Origin on Sunday
  2. Why is it called Good Friday
  3. Why is Russia OAR
  4. Why is Australia Day Jan 26
  5. Why is Tim Cahill not playing tonight
  6. Why is ANZAC Day important
  7. Why is Australia Day celebrated
  8. Why is my internet so slow
  9. Why is Nick Cummins called the honey badger
  10. Why is my poop green
Recipes
  1. Keto recipes
  2. Beef stroganoff recipes
  3. Chicken curry recipes
  4. Frittata recipes
  5. Gnocchi recipes
  6. Risotto recipes
  7. Chicken soup recipes
  8. Fried rice recipes
  9. Omelette recipes
  10. Beef stew recipes
How to cook…?
  1. How to cook corned beef
  2. How to cook eggplant
  3. How to cook tofu
  4. How to cook silverside
  5. How to cook beetroot
  6. How to cook rice in the microwave
  7. How to cook corn
  8. How to cook couscous
  9. How to cook crayfish
  10. How to cook barramundi
* Trending Searches: What was hot in 2018? The "trending" queries are the searches that had the highest spike in traffic over a sustained period in 2018 as compared to 2017.


Posted by Camilla Ibrahim, Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Google Australia and New Zealand

Year in Search 2018: Here’s what Aussies searched for this year

From Barnaby to the Badgelor, ball tampering to the blood moon – our searches were a kaleidoscope of curiosities.

As 2018 comes to a close, it’s time to look back and take stock of the moments that had Aussies searching for answers, wondering about the world – and scratching their heads. It was the year we tuned into the royal wedding, looked up listeria and gazed up at the beaming, blood moon. We jumped on the keto bandwagon, celebrated our Commonwealth Games and fell in love with Freddie Mercury all over again. From the Wentworth by-election to the US midterm elections, the Hawaiian volcanoes to the Thai cave rescue, our Searches went far and wide. We grappled topical questions about our health records, and pondered perennial ones... like how to win the lotto.
To rediscover the events, people and topics that defined 2017 around the world, watch our global Year in Search video.


Here's a summary of five themes that defined Search in Australia in 2018:

Happy and sad endings

This year we were mesmerised by Meghan Markle as she made her royal entrance down the aisle. The Duchess of Sussex topped the list of global figures, while “Royal wedding” landed the top spot in the list of news events. We watched the Thai cave rescue unfold, and celebrated when the boys were returned to safety. However, 2018 was not all fairytale endings, as we mourned and said goodbye to Avicii, Anthony Bourdain, Aretha Franklin, Jessica Falkholt and Eurydice Dixon.


Sports scores and scandals

Aussies were watching, cheering and tracking scores for all kinds of sport this year, including soccer, tennis, rugby, AFL and more.  We were gripped with World Cup fever and celebrated our Commonwealth Games, with both events taking the top two searches overall. We followed David Warner and the ball tampering scandal, searched for State of Origin – and looked for Socceroo Tim Cahill when he was off the field and then left the game.

Health check-ups

Aussies were hungry for health related information this year, spanning nutrition, weight loss, disease and personal data. The top ‘How to…?' search was “How to opt out of my health records” followed by “How to lose weight fast” and “How to lose belly fat.” Aussies also read up on listeria following the outbreaks  – and we wondered about a fictional disease called ligma (made up by a Fortnite streamer).

Keto is king

It seems Aussies were ready to throw out the sweet stuff this year as "Keto recipes” topped the list of recipe searches. Desserts are also noticeably absent in the top food related searches which, in contrast to previous years, include only savoury dishes and ingredients. 2018’s menu includes hearty classics such as corned beef and chicken curry  – along with vegetarian ingredients including eggplant, tofu, beetroot, and couscous.

Techy topics

Bitcoin remained a subject of great intrigue for Aussies, landing in three lists – including overall, "How to…?" and "What is…?" searches. We also wrapped our head around blockchain, questioned our social media activity – and wondered why our internet connection is so slow.

To dive into the data, check out Australia's full trending* lists for 2018:

Overall

  1. World Cup
  2. Commonwealth Games
  3. Meghan Markle
  4. Avicii
  5. Coinspot
  6. Anthony Bourdain
  7. US Open Tennis
  8. Mac Miller
  9. Bitcoin price
  10. Black Panther

News events
  1. Royal Wedding
  2. Thai cave rescue
  3. Wentworth by-election
  4. My health record
  5. Beaumont children
  6. Hawaii volcano
  7. California fires
  8. Listeria
  9. US midterm elections
  10. Blood moon
Global figures
  1. Meghan Markle
  2. Demi Lovato
  3. Freddie Mercury
  4. Khloe Kardashian
  5. Logan Paul
  6. Tristan Thompson
  7. Hailey Baldwin
  8. Sylvester Stallone
  9. Khabib
  10. Travis Scott
Aussies
  1. Barnaby Joyce
  2. Scott Morrison
  3. Peter Dutton
  4. Billy Slater
  5. Craig McLachlan
  6. Vikki Campion
  7. David Warner
  8. Chopper Read
  9. Nick Cummins
  10. Andrew Gaff
Loss
  1. Avicii
  2. Anthony Bourdain
  3. Mac Miller
  4. xxxtentacion
  5. Stan Lee
  6. Kate Spade
  7. Aretha Franklin
  8. Burt Reynolds
  9. Jessica Falkholt
  10. Eurydice Dixon
How to...?
  1. How to opt out of my health record
  2. How to watch World Cup in Australia
  3. How to win Powerball
  4. How to delete Instagram
  5. Google Arts and Culture face match how to
  6. How to buy bitcoin
  7. How to lose weight fast
  8. How to screenshot on iPhone X
  9. How to delete Facebook
  10. How to lose belly fat
What is…?
  1. What is bitcoin
  2. What is listeria
  3. What is ligma
  4. What is hazing
  5. What is a mud room
  6. What is the capital of California
  7. What is open on Good Friday
  8. What is Diwali
  9. What is blockchain
  10. What is ball tampering
Why is…?
  1. Why is State of Origin on Sunday
  2. Why is it called Good Friday
  3. Why is Russia OAR
  4. Why is Australia Day Jan 26
  5. Why is Tim Cahill not playing tonight
  6. Why is ANZAC Day important
  7. Why is Australia Day celebrated
  8. Why is my internet so slow
  9. Why is Nick Cummins called the honey badger
  10. Why is my poop green
Recipes
  1. Keto recipes
  2. Beef stroganoff recipes
  3. Chicken curry recipes
  4. Frittata recipes
  5. Gnocchi recipes
  6. Risotto recipes
  7. Chicken soup recipes
  8. Fried rice recipes
  9. Omelette recipes
  10. Beef stew recipes
How to cook…?
  1. How to cook corned beef
  2. How to cook eggplant
  3. How to cook tofu
  4. How to cook silverside
  5. How to cook beetroot
  6. How to cook rice in the microwave
  7. How to cook corn
  8. How to cook couscous
  9. How to cook crayfish
  10. How to cook barramundi
* Trending Searches: What was hot in 2018? The "trending" queries are the searches that had the highest spike in traffic over a sustained period in 2018 as compared to 2017.


Posted by Camilla Ibrahim, Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Google Australia and New Zealand

Gearing up for the Christmas rush – Tassie businesses go digital

If you don’t have ready access to reindeer and elves, the internet might just be the next best thing for small businesses looking to reach customers across the world in the lead up to Christmas.

Today, more than 100 business owners and operators from across Tasmania came together to learn new skills and find out more about getting their business online at the Digital Garage, hosted with the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman spoke at the event about the importance of small businesses to the Tasmanian economy and urged businesses to make the most of the digital tools available to them.



The Premier met with local business owner Federation Chocolate (who created Google coloured truffles) at the event.



The training covered practical steps to be found on Google Maps and Search and to help connect with new customers.

We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn the skills needed to succeed online, that’s why we launched the Digital Garage to help close the gap in digital skills and help small businesses make the most of the web.

Small businesses from all Australian states and territories have jumped at the chance to learn new digital skills - from Perth to Alice Springs, Brisbane to Adelaide, Hobart to Sydney, regional Victoria and Canberra - it’s been a busy year for the Digital Garage with an even bigger 2019 ahead!

To find out more or to start learning now, head along the Digital Garage. 

Posted by John Ball, Director of Small Business, Google Australia

YouTube Rewind 2018 is here! These are the videos that Aussies were glued to this year.

In 2018, you danced your heart out Maroon 5 and 5 Seconds of Summer (maybe it’s something about the number 5?!), yodelled along with a kid in Walmart, and played a lot of Fortnite. It's time for our annual look back at the year that was in video and reflect on the moments that captured the land Down Under.
This year was marked by celebrity moments. In February, Kylie Jenner surprised the world with To Our Daughter, an 11-minute film detailing her pregnancy and the birth of baby Stormi. We were obsessed with William Zabka and Ralph Macchio’s return to the screen with Cobra Kai the most watched trailer in Australia. And of course, there was our fascination with the Royal Wedding of Harry and Meghan.
Emerging and well-known YouTube stars also showed up in a big way in the year's Top Trending Videos list. Liza Koshy and David Dobrik shared the news of their breakup through tears and laughter, we sang along with Paul McCartney in a special Carpool Karaoke, the guys from Dude Perfect somehow perfectly tossed bread into a toaster, and we were determined to solve the internet’s latest mystery -- seriously, is it Yanny or Laurel? - with two explanations making the Top 10. Comedic duo Superwog maintained their reign, once again making the list.
These were the moments that had Australians watching, commenting and sharing in 2018:
Australia’s Top Trending Videos
  1. To Our Daughter 
  2. Walmart yodeling kid 
  3. we broke up 
  4. "ROYAL WEDDING" — A Bad Lip Reading
  5. So Sorry 
  6. Real Life Trick Shots 2 | Dude Perfect 
  7. Do You Hear "Yanny" or "Laurel"? (SOLVED with SCIENCE) 
  8. Highway Patrol 
  9. Paul McCartney Carpool Karaoke 
  10. Yanny v Laurel video: which name do you hear? – audio 

Australia's Top Trending Music Videos 
In 2018, we were hooked on the biggest releases of the year with Drake, Ariana and Childish Gambino all making appearances in Australia’s top trending music list.
  1. Maroon 5 - Girls Like You ft. Cardi B 
  2. Drake - God's Plan 
  3. Bruno Mars - Finesse (Remix) [Feat. Cardi B] [Official Video]
  4. Ariana Grande - no tears left to cry 
  5. Childish Gambino - This Is America (Official Video) 
  6. Lil Dicky - Freaky Friday feat. Chris Brown (Official Music Video) 
  7. Dua Lipa - IDGAF (Official Music Video) 
  8. Post Malone - Psycho ft. Ty Dolla $ign 
  9. XXXTENTACION - SAD! 
  10. Rudimental - These Days feat. Jess Glynne, Macklemore & Dan Caplen [Official Video]

Australia’s Top Trending Music Videos from Aussie Artists 
Looking at local acts Aussies are loving, it’s no surprise to see 5SOS and Amy Shark in the top three after their multiple ARIA wins last month. Breakthrough artist Dean Lewis also racked up views with his latest hit Be Alright.
  1. 5 Seconds Of Summer - Youngblood (Alt Version) 
  2. Iggy Azalea - Kream ft. Tyga 
  3. Amy Shark - I Said Hi (Official Video) 
  4. Dean Lewis - Be Alright (Official Video) 
  5. LSD - Thunderclouds (Official Video) ft. Sia, Diplo, Labrinth 
  6. Troye Sivan - Dance To This ft. Ariana Grande 
  7. Kerser - Wait A Minute 
  8. Conrad Sewell - Healing Hands (Official Music Video) 
  9. Vance Joy - We're Going Home [Official Video] 
  10. Hillsong Worship - Who You Say I Am  

Top Emerging Australian Creators 
#YouTubeRewind also examined the growth of local channels to unearth the top 10 Emerging Aussie YouTube Creators for 2018 - those that started a channel this year and have seen the largest growth in subscribers. The list shows the diversity of content being created in Australia and the strong communities across family, learning and education, gaming, entertainment and more.
The future of content is looking bright with younger creators Fun with Alicia and the Norris’ landing the number one and four spots respectively. We also tuned into see more from some of our favourite gaming creators as they all came together to live under one Click roof.
  1. Fun With Alicia 
  2. Click 
  3. Gillian Bower Slime 
  4. Norris Nuts Do Stuff 
  5. Zarby 
  6. gosha 
  7. Erin Alysha Barnett 
  8. Crafty Creations 
  9. Shammi Vlogs 
  10. Crypto Global News Team 

It's also time for our annual Rewind mashup video. But rather than trying to sum up 2018's biggest memes, personalities, and hit videos ourselves, we tried something different this time around. We asked some of YouTube's biggest names to tell us what they wanted to see if they controlled Rewind. 
Check out the full video below and head over to our Rewind site to get to know the creators and artists who shaped popular culture in 2018.

Google

Posted by Kristine Arnott, Communications Manager, YouTube Australia and New Zealand, and the YouTube Rewind team

Google News Initiative kicks off Asia-Pacific Innovation Challenge

In Asia-Pacific, journalists and publishers are increasingly grappling with questions over how quality journalism can thrive in the digital age. From Yangon to Manila, Sydney to New Delhi, they are experimenting with fresh approaches to reporting and new business models.

We’ve been working hand in hand with publishers to understand those challenges, and over the past year we’ve supported Asian newsrooms and publishers through the Google News Initiative (GNI).

To help build a stronger future for journalism in Asia-Pacific, we created the Asia-Pacific GNI Innovation Challenge, which will fund projects that inject new ideas into the news industry.

How does the challenge work? 
We are inviting proposals for projects aimed at increasing revenue from readers, such as subscriptions, membership programs, contributions and/or new digital products and services. A panel of Googlers and other tech industry executives will review the submissions and fund selected projects up to $300,000 and finance up to 70 percent of the total project cost.

The funding will be reviewed against several criteria, including a “sharing component” - for example by publishing any findings or holding a seminar - so grantees can pass their knowledge on to others in the industry. For more information on eligibility, rules and criteria, sample projects and funding details, head over to our website.

How to apply? 
Given the pace of change in the news industry, innovation has never been more important. We want to make sure that all organizations, large and small, in the Asia-Pacific news ecosystem have the opportunity to suggest new ideas around this critically important topic.

Applications open on November 28, and the deadline to submit is January 9. If you have any questions about the format, tune into our APAC town hall on Monday, December 11 at 3.00 pm Singapore time. We are ready to help put your ideas into action and look forward to seeing what you submit!

Posted by Kate Beddoe, Head of News and Publishing Partnerships

Say G’day to the new Google My Business app, and say hello to your next customer

Every month, in Australia, Google drives tens of millions of direct connections between businesses and their customers including calls, online reservations and direction requests.
Enabling these interactions was our goal when we first introduced Google My Business in Australia four years ago, a free tool that helps small business owners reach more people online and connect with their customers through Google, so they can grow their business and spend more of their time doing what they do best—running it.
As a next step into that journey, today we are excited to announce the release of the new Google My Business app, an even easier way for small businesses to turn those direct connections into customers. Let’s look at how one small business, Khamsa, gets new customers with the app, and read on for details about what’s new:


  • A simple, free way to stand out on Google and get new customers with a great Business Profile: With a press of the new Post button in the app, you can upload a photo, create an offer or event and add it right to your Business Profile on Google. You can also manage your business information on Google from the Profile tab and watch your edits appear seamlessly across Search and Maps. 
  • Your customers on Google – all in one place: When people find you on Google, they can connect with you in a number of ways -- calling, messaging, or even leaving a review -- right from your Business Profile. You’ll be able to see all of these customers on Google in one place from the app’s new Customers tab. From here, you can easily respond to customer reviews and post offers to your followers to keep them coming back in the door, and soon you’ll be able to respond to messages right from the app. And because Google My Business is always on the clock, we’ll be sure to notify you when you get a new customer connection. 
  • Keep track of the results that matter: See how many people are finding and connecting with you from your Business Profile on Google. We’ve put your profile results front-and-center on the home screen so you’re always in the know. 
No matter if you’re a dog grooming business in Sydney’s Eastern suburbs, or an Australian Teddy Bear shop in Tambo, people are searching for your business on Google. Turn those searchers into customers with the new, free Google My Business app. Available for download in Google Play or the App Store today.
Posted by Richard Flanagan, Head of Business Marketing, Google Australia

Say G’day to the new Google My Business app, and say hello to your next customer

Every month, in Australia, Google drives tens of millions of direct connections between businesses and their customers including calls, online reservations and direction requests.
Enabling these interactions was our goal when we first introduced Google My Business in Australia four years ago, a free tool that helps small business owners reach more people online and connect with their customers through Google, so they can grow their business and spend more of their time doing what they do best—running it.
As a next step into that journey, today we are excited to announce the release of the new Google My Business app, an even easier way for small businesses to turn those direct connections into customers. Let’s look at how one small business, Khamsa, gets new customers with the app, and read on for details about what’s new:


  • A simple, free way to stand out on Google and get new customers with a great Business Profile: With a press of the new Post button in the app, you can upload a photo, create an offer or event and add it right to your Business Profile on Google. You can also manage your business information on Google from the Profile tab and watch your edits appear seamlessly across Search and Maps. 
  • Your customers on Google – all in one place: When people find you on Google, they can connect with you in a number of ways -- calling, messaging, or even leaving a review -- right from your Business Profile. You’ll be able to see all of these customers on Google in one place from the app’s new Customers tab. From here, you can easily respond to customer reviews and post offers to your followers to keep them coming back in the door, and soon you’ll be able to respond to messages right from the app. And because Google My Business is always on the clock, we’ll be sure to notify you when you get a new customer connection. 
  • Keep track of the results that matter: See how many people are finding and connecting with you from your Business Profile on Google. We’ve put your profile results front-and-center on the home screen so you’re always in the know. 
No matter if you’re a dog grooming business in Sydney’s Eastern suburbs, or an Australian Teddy Bear shop in Tambo, people are searching for your business on Google. Turn those searchers into customers with the new, free Google My Business app. Available for download in Google Play or the App Store today.
Posted by Richard Flanagan, Head of Business Marketing, Google Australia

It’s time to Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle with your Google Assistant


The countdown to summer holidays is on!  As you slap on the sunscreen, dust off the decorations and fire up the barbie, you might be looking for more activities for the family when you’re at home or on a long drive over the holidays.

The Google Assistant can inspire your family to learn, play and stay entertained with a range of games, activities and stories. You can play musical chairs, unwind with an audiobook – and now, you can embark on a wonderful, Wiggly adventure!

Starting today, families in Australia, the US, Canada and the UK will be able to choose their own adventure with a new custom Wiggles experience commissioned by Google exclusively for the Assistant.  You can enjoy this experience with your Assistant on Google Home, Google Home Mini or Max – or a compatible smartphone. Just say “Hey Google, talk to The Wiggles” and you’ll be on your way!


Play, dance and help Emma Wiggle find her friends

This new experience invites families to guide Emma’s journey through town to find her Wiggle friends so they can get to The Wiggles concert on time.  Along the way, you can dance, play games, and listen to fun songs with Emma, Lachy, Anthony, Simon, and more Wiggle friends.

Learn and discover

Through this new adventure, families can practice core skills together, such as decision making, counting and naming colours. Want to take a new adventure? Give it another whirl! Each choice leads to a different journey, allowing you to discover more experiences, situations and characters each time!

More family fun

If you want to mix it up, Aussie families can enjoy even more Assistant Actions and activities with a simple voice command. Ask your Assistant for a joke, a fun fact or try some of these queries to unlock a world of magic (starting with “Hey Google…”):

  • 'Talk to Learning Time with Timmy" to learn and practice sounds and colours with Timmy.
  • “Tell me a story” or “Tell me a story about a kangaroo” to hear Australian short stories set in iconic locations such as Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef, brought to you by Funky Kids Radio.
  • “Talk to Moshi Twilight” at bedtime to hear a Sleep Story (such as Across the Swooniverse) or a soothing sound (like a Franzipan Farm Birdsong).
  • “Talk to Little Baby Bum” to play songs or games, such as the Potty Song or the Choo Choo Train eating game.
Stay across your child's activities

With their parent's permission, children under 13 can also have their own personalised Google Assistant experience when they log in with their own account, powered by Family Link. Family Link helps parents manage their child’s Google Account while they explore. And with Voice Match, your family can train the Assistant to recognise up to six different voices, so that each family member can get help from their own personal Assistant.

Whether you’re indoors or on the go, we hope these Assistant experiences can bring you a bit more adventure. Just say “Hey Google, talk to The Wiggles” and have a bowtiful day!

Posted by Kia Wahl, Product Partnerships Manager for the Google Assistant, Australia