Google Base, which some people got an early glimpse at last month, is now live (or supposed to be) for anyone to play with. So what’s in it, and what’s it all mean?

Adding Items
Google Base allows people to list anything they want.By default, some existing item types are suggested: Course Schedules, Events & Activities, Jobs, News & Articles, People Profiles, Products, Reference Articles, Reviews, Services, Vehicles, Wanted Ads. Select any existing item type, and you’re sent to a form to fill out with some fields already set that you may want to use. For instance, the Product form has areas to enter a price, quantity, brand, condition and payment options. Did the form miss something? You can easily add new fields. None of the existing item types work for you? Then you’ve got an option to create your own custom item type.

Details, Labels & Structured Data
Any item has both “details” and “labels” associated with it. Both are a way to tag or categorize content, but they don’t operate quite the same way. Details are really meant for structured data, delimited data, fielded data, data organized in a way so that you can sort easily.

It’s Tagging, But Old School Tagging
Google uses the term labels, but to a limited degree, Google Base could be used similar to My Web and other tagging systems. Anyone can save anything. So if you wanted to save all the stories you’ve found about Google and label them “google,” have at it. But unlike proper tagging systems, there’s no easy way for everyone to then find the stories you and others have saved.

Detailed Data & The Invisible Web
Want to export your entire job database to Google and not afraid to do so, since you control the destination URL and will just send people back to your own site? Google Base makes that possible! Just upload your data, and all your categories/fields will be translated into “details” of your choosing. Want to share with Google the temperature database you’ve been keeping for your city, something they’ve never spidered because it was only accessible through a search box? Now you can!

From Google Base To Google Itself
By the way, what goes into Google Base won’t necessarily stay in Google Base. That is, Google fully intends for material in Google Base to surface within regular Google results, in some way. How? Via a OneBox display? In place of some “regular” listings? Google doesn’t know yet.

Google Base is a way for Google to let anyone upload information to Google about anything. That’s the master plan. Exactly how that master plan will unfold isn’t clear. Maybe there won’t be any particular date types that are uploaded. Maybe it really will turn into a great place for those with classified listings that will lead to a dedicated spin-off service. The overall goal seems to be put this tool out there and see what people make of it.

Source: Search Engine Watch | Read More about Google Base at the Official Google Blog