Google Trader launched in Ghana

Just a few weeks after Google Ghana launched its innovative Q&A service, Google Baraza, the online search giant has launched its Mobile and Web trading service, Google Trader in Ghana. As from Thursday 2nd December, Ghanaians can buy and sell their goods and service using Google Trader.

Google Trader provides two ways by which you can buy or sell items. You can use your computer or phone to visit the Google Trader website where you can put your item up for sale. You can search for items on your computer, on your phone and via SMS. You can search for items in two ways. If you know the broad category of item that you are interested in, for example, electronics, then simply click on the Electronics link to see all items posted under that category. You can also enter in words in the search box at the top of the screen and press Search Trader to search for items that contain those words.

Alternatively you can do same via SMS just by testing START to 6007.You can also search for items by sending a text message to the number 6007. This message must start with the word BUY, followed by the words that you would like to search for. For example, to search for electronics, you would send BUY electronics to 6007. To search for used Toyotas for sale, you might send BUY toyota to 6007.

Google Trader was first launched in Uganda, making Ghana the second country in Africa to benefit from this service. Visit the Service's help page for more information on Google Trader.

Google launches Baraza in Africa

Google launched Baraza, its Question and Answer online service yesterday 25th October. Baraza which means 'council' or 'task force' in Swahili is a question and answer service that will also be integrated into search results on Google Search. I had the previledge of testing Bazara a few days before it was launched in Africa. Personally commend Google for incorporating a reward and punishment scheme into the service. On Google Baraza, individuals are rewarded with points or reputation when they perform certain positively on Baraza.

African's with access to the Internet can now pose their questions online and receive answers from the Baraza community within a few hours depending on the complexity of the question. Since the service is targetted towards the African population, most of the questions are African related.Baraza is available in 40 countries across Africa. Local domains of the service have been set up in South Africa, Cameroon, Uganda, Senegal, Nigeria, Kenya, Ivory Coast and many other countries. With the Baraza, Google hopes to get more Africans online with this service.

Google Ghana has partnered Databank and BusyInternet to make Baraza more popular in the country.BusyInternet, with three branches in Accra and Tema will open its doors to Baraza users for free during Drive Time on Joy on Wednesday between 3pm and 6pm.This will be followed by an exclusive event at the Kofi Annan Center of Escellence KACE where Estelle, the Google Ghana Country Lead will meet bloggers in Ghana.

To join the rest of Africa on Google Baraza, please go to google.com.gh/baraza