Huge Potential for Local Businesses and Real-Time Monitoring
Mat Siltala recounts a simple yet intriguing story after checking in with his Yelp iPhone application. After doing so, he received an e-mail from a nearby store offering him a discount on a purchase. “The crazy thing? I thought it was awesome. It was a huge discount, I was going to be shopping around there anyway. I probably would not have gone to that shop, but I did now – and ended up spending money with them.” Clearly, the potential for this kind of thing is enormous for local businesses who are adept enough to use these location-based tools to their advantage. (Search Engine Journal)
Mobile Data Usage to Reach 40 Exabytes Per Year, Driven by Video
According to a recent forecast by Cicso, mobile data traffic will reach 40 exabytes (1 exabyte = 1 billion gigabytes) per year by 2014. This figure encompasses laptop air cards as well. The company notes that 66 percent of all mobile traffic data will be mobile video-related by this time, 66 times the usage in 2009. (ReadWriteWeb)
Is Yahoo! Still Relevant to Your Search Strategy?
The quick and dirty answer is yes, the second banana in search should still be a key part of your search strategy. Besides the recent string of advancements Yahoo! has put in place lately, each search engine’s users have their own set of demographic and psychographic profiles. In January, Yahoo! finished with 14.6 percent of the search market, according to Experian Hitwise. (WebProNews, ClickZ)
Google Buzz Kill
It didn’t take too long for a lash back against Google Buzz. For one thing, it presents something of a privacy horror for those who care about that sort of thing. It’s following the same rocky, opt-in road that Facebook traversed and is disclosing connections and contacts in public lists without asking for a user’s permission. Oh, and there’s the question of whether or not Buzz, or Twitter and Facebook, are a smart way to spend your time and brain power. (CNET/Molly Rants, InfoWorld/Security Central, Harvard Business Review)
Best Mobile App Stores for Developers
In a keen analysis of the major mobile app stores, Distimo found that the Apple App Store topped the overall list, but there’s reason to believe that the future of app stores will be much more fragmented. The BlackBerry App World took the cake in terms of customer reviews, the only category that Apple didn’t win. (VentureBeat)
Big Four See Continued Online Ad Growth in 4Q
Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft and AOL, the four biggest online advertising companies, saw cumulative online ad revenues grow 10.2 percent year-over-year in the fourth quarter to $9.1 billion, which marks the second consecutive quarter with positive growth, and a vast improvement from the measly 1.2 percent rise in the third quarter. All four players contributed significant growth, which could indicate that display advertising is making a comeback. (TechCrunch)
Google’s Broadband Experiment
While it might not get the buzz that Google Buzz is receiving, the search giant quietly announced a plan to experiment with gigabit-per-second broadband connections (100 times faster than the ones Americans are accustomed to) to between 50,000 and 500,000 homes in several U.S. cities. This has a handful of interesting storylines, including Google’s stance on net neutrality and the company’s dive into the ISP realm. (paidContent, NewsFactor, O’Reilly Radar, Seeking Alpha)
Facebook takes back ad power, emphasizes search in redesign
As the biggest online social network in the land turns six, Facebook is taking big steps toward maturing into an independent behemoth. First, it’s taking over its display advertising functions from Microsoft and is phasing out traditional banner ads altogether, which indicates a step back from their 2007 deal. Second, the search box is being prominently featured in its latest home page facelift, which dovetails nicely with Microsoft’s assertion that it is expanding its search partnership with Facebook. Oh, and there’s word that the social network is preparing to transform its messaging platform into a full-fledged “Gmail killer.” (MediaPost/Online Media Daily, CNET/Beyond Binary, CNET/The Social, Search Engine Journal)
Social networking sites to overtake e-mail by 2014?
One of Garnter’s five predictions regarding social software says that “By 2014, social networking services will replace e-mail as the primary vehicle for interpersonal communications for 20 percent of business users.” This is an interesting juxtaposition with Facebook’s apparent plans to bulk up its communications functionality, along with the fact that many companies around the globe have official policies limiting the use of social networking sites, which Debra Aho Williamson at eMarketer points out. (Gartner, eMarketer)
Local SEO/PPC Tips
SEO and PPC don’t always make sense for local businesses, and here’s a look at why and what it tells us about local businesses. It’s not all negative though, as Brian Carter at Search Engine Journal closes with seven tips for local businesses and their use of SEO and PPC. (Search Engine Journal)
Microsoft executive calls for driver’s license for the Internet
In the ridiculous idea of the day, Craig Mundie, Microsoft’s chief research and strategy officer, suggested the idea of requiring driver’s licenses for Internet users in a debate at the World Economic Forum last weekend. The remark came after Mundie said “a kind of World Health Organization for the Internet” was needed to fight back against criminal activity online. (Techdirt)
Video ads on newspaper Web sites repel viewers
To add to the troubles that newspapers are having monetizing their content, a recent TubeMogul study reveals that one out of every four visitors who click on an online video link on a newspaper’s site will stop watching the video if a pre-roll ad starts playing. The average “quit rate” for online videos preceded by a pre-roll ad is 17 percent. (MediaPost/MediaDailyNews)
Targeting random influencers instead of experts
Tim Ho, a digital strategist for Ogilvy PR, recounts a conversation he overheard in Hong Kong recently and came to the conclusion that “Random influencers influence others by not being influential.” He puts a name to the idea of preferring feedback from normal folks as opposed to reactions from so-called experts, who may have hidden interests. (Tim-Ho.com)
Using search to gain from your competitor’s failures
Toyota’s problems with brakes and gas pedals should cause Nissan and Honda to bid on keywords related to their competitor’s issues, according to Paul Burani, a partner at Web Liquid Group. He notes that this practice is well within the bounds of Google’s trademark policies, and that this is “an opportunity for Nissan to come in and say, our cars don't have bad brakes or gas pedals. We have a good safety record. It's an opportunity to tout statistics, or accolades given to them by the industry.” (MediaPost/SearchBlog)
Forrester pushes bid-based ad buying
Online advertising is inefficient, and a key to making sure display media doesn’t decline in effectiveness over the next few years could be bid-based ad buying, according to Forrester. While pre-negotiated CPMs currently rule the landscape, more than 80 percent of respondents to a survey said they would spend more money online if they could have better targeting. Forrester recommends dynamic media buying optimization (DBO), which it defines as “Dynamically adjusting the price of an ad impression based on its specific audience data and performance history.” (digiday:DAILY)
Freedom to choose improves pre-roll ads
What’s the best alternative to pre-roll video ads? Pre-roll ads, with choices. This is according to an industry coalition that includes CapitalOne, Applebee’s and AOL, among others, headed by Vivaki, the digital agency network for Publicis. Viewers of videos on Hulu are probably familiar with the Ad Selector, which allows the viewer to choose between various brand messages before watching a video. This variation on pre-roll ads improved both click-throughs and ad recall. (ClickZ)
Apples warns against location-based advertising
Apple’s controversial and seemingly fickle stance on which iPhone apps are OK and which are not might have taken another turn. The company warned developers that apps that utilize a user’s location information “primarily” for targeting ads will be rejected. This warning is vague at best, and foreboding at worst, as some fear that Apple is trying to reserve the right to deliver location-based ads for themselves. (ReadWriteWeb)
Apple iPad as Universal Control?
With all the buzz about Apple’s iPad, there might be one big problem: its lack of a “killer app.” Late night shows are already making jokes about the newfangled device’s lack of uniqueness and that could be an indicator of its unclear appeal thus far. Would turning the iPad into a universal control for various home technologies be enough? If the iPad flops, the financial effect would be easy to absorb for Apple, but the broader consequences for the hot company’s trajectory might be glum. (NewsFactor, TechCrunch)
Why Tablet Computers Have a Brighter Future than Netbooks
Tablet computers are really coming on lately, and the iPad’s arrival on the scene cements its current place as the device-of-the-moment. It’s usurping the netbook, which has failed to carve itself a niche that separates it from laptops. The education arena might be what makes or breaks tablet devices’ long-term viability, as college students would greatly benefit from lighter backpacks with all their textbooks being slimmed down to a single iPad. Nevertheless, a recent survey shows that 52 percent of consumers who have heard of the iPad won’t be buying one. (Mashable, CNET/Technically Incorrect)
Facebook Roundup
Among the many big headlines for Facebook last week were its reported plans to unveil a “Gmail killer,” its users’ willingness to donate to Haiti, the finding that Facebook is the most dangerous social network and expectations that it will become the world’s top news reader. (Inside Facebook)
Fewer Teens, More Adults Blogging (Podcast)
Teens and younger adults have been blogging less lately, though adults over 30 have been blogging more, according to Pew Internet & American Life Project. In addition, all age groups continue to increase their use of social networks, with 73 percent of teens using social networking sites, up from 55 percent in 2006. (CNET/For the Record)
Kwedit.com: Kids Can Pay for Virtual Goods at 7-Eleven
How is it possible for 13-year-olds to legitimately purchase virtual goods without the use of credit/debit cards or a PayPal account? Kwedit.com has an answer: have these young consumers buy now and pay later at a local 7-Eleven store. This innovative new payment method is exposing consumers to the concept of credit earlier than ever. (NYTimes.com)
Online Video Advertising: No Progress?
Dan Rayburn at Seeking Alpha recounts an unimpressive experience at Weather.com over the weekend. He found that the same 30-second pre-roll ad played for 10 different videos on the site. This points to the continuing problem of poor inventory and targeting, which is quite disappointing for a medium that’s been slated to take off any minute now. (Seeking Alpha)
12% of Super Bowl Viewers Browse the Web Simultaneously
Not even the Super Bowl can keep viewers from surfing the Web, according to Nielsen. The company notes that 12 percent of Super Bowl viewers were simultaneously browsing the Web at the same time, at an average of 24 minute per user. Most of these users were looking at general interest portals/communities, e-mail and online social networks. (Nielsen)
Google’s ‘Parisian Love’
Google made its first splash in the Super Bowl commercial pool with its 30-second “Parisian love” spot. The search giant spent $2.5 million for it but early reactions don’t seem too positive. Snickers’ Betty White spot was the best rated commercial, according to USA Today. (VentureBeat, Mashable, CNET/The Social, MediaPost/MarketingDaily, USA Today, Hulu)
E-Mail Marketing: Don’t Get Too Personal
Hyper-personalization in e-mail marketing messages presents a “fine line,” which when crossed can give off a “big brotherish” vibe, according to Jeanne Jennings at ClickZ. The best way to discern whether you’re crossing that line is to test your messages, as different methods fare differently for different audiences. (ClickZ)
Why 20% of Commercial E-Mails Aren’t Delivered in U.S., Canada
According to a recent Return Path study, 20 percent of commercial, permissioned e-mails are not delivered in the U.S. and Canada. Key reasons for this include unreliable deliverability data, failure to build solid reputations and the different approaches required in global campaigns. Nevertheless, promotional retail e-mails grew 12 percent in 2009, according to Responsys. (Retailer Daily, Return Path)
Google: $1 Billion in Display Ad Sales in 2010
Analysts are expecting Google to generate $1 billion in display advertising sales this year, which would fulfill the expectations expressed by CEO Eric Schmidt back in July. This would account for approximately 4 percent of Google’s total sales in 2010, a 40 percent boost from 2009. There is an increasing sentiment that display ads will grow faster than search ads this year, and with the emergence of real-time bidding for these ads, it seems that Google, which gets most of its revenue from search ads, could be ready to take on another leadership role in the online ad world. It currently trails Yahoo! in display advertising, as the second fiddle in search took in the majority of its $6.5 billion in revenue last year from display ads. (BusinessWeek, Adweek)
Half of Top Online Retailers Need to Get on Facebook
“Get a Facebook page!” That’s the message ForeSee has for half of the top online retailers, which don’t have significant or any presences on Facebook. With more than half of online shoppers utilizing the popular social networking site, and with 81 percent of online shoppers who engage in social media on Facebook, it makes sense that Web retailers would want to meet them there. ForeSee shows that only a quarter of the top 100 online retailers have a formal Facebook presence, while another quarter have less than 10,000 fans. (MediaPost/Online Media Daily, eMarketer)
10 Laws for Advertising on Facebook
Thou shalt friend users before you sell to them. That’s just one of the 10 laws for advertising on Facebook laid out by Nick O’Neill on Business Insider. Among the others are to not use Facebook for direct sales, take advantage of the targeting the social networking site offers and test landing pages versus Facebook pages. (Business Insider)
How to Succeed in Mobile SEO
The mobile Web is growing in importance, which could be a difficult thing to deal with for marketers accustomed to the traditional Web. One way to succeed in mobile SEO is to “place yourself in the most common ‘predictive search phrases’ that are related to your business and location,” said dotMobi. This refers to the phrase/query suggestions that help searchers fill out the search box quicker. Considering app keywords and a mobile-optimized site are also important. (MarketingVOX)
Google Gmail Getting Social (Live Blog)
There’s a good deal of buzz regarding Google’s expected unveiling of a more social Gmail, and CNET will be live blogging about the 10 a.m. PST press conference. This move comes days after murmurs that Facebook is planning to launch a “Gmail killer.” (CNET, PCWorld, WebProNews)
The U.S., Through Facebook’s Eyes
What does the U.S. look like when divided up based on the information contained in 210 million Facebook profiles? Pete Warden set out to find out and came up with seven different regional clusters, each with some unique characteristics. (Business Insider, Fan Page Analytics)
Apple Starting to Look Like Microsoft?
An op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal expresses some concerns about Apple’s direction. The company’s iPad, which is something of a flop in its current form, seems to be a clunky device designed merely to push more users to iTunes, and with rumors that the company wants to replace Google with Bing on the iPhone and that it is eyeing the advertising business, it seems that the anti-Microsoft could be changing its stripes. (WSJ.com)
The Reasons Behind Facebook’s Constant Facelifts
Facebook has blossomed into the biggest social networking site in the land, so why does it insist on tinkering with its design? It might have something to do with trying to make more money from the site while balancing the need to compel its users to “retrain” themselves. Software designers might not care about what users will think of redesigns, but each one seems to repel users who don’t know where everything is. Nevertheless, Facebook has given itself wiggle room thanks to its enormous size and popularity, so there’s little reason to think the redesigns will stop coming anytime soon. (O’Reilly Radar)
Google’s Buzz
Many Gmail users woke up buzzed this morning, thanks to the addition of Google Buzz to their inboxes. As everyone knows by now, Buzz is another entrance into the social networking game by Google (remember Orkut?). While reactions have been mixed at best, it’s clear that the ball is now in Facebook’s court. Facebook is said to be ready to unveil a comprehensive messaging service that will rival Gmail, so it will be interesting to see how they respond to Buzz, which appears to be a slight jab at Facebook. The main concerns about Buzz include a weak friendship model, a clunky mobile offering and the continued data land grab that Google seems intent to perpetuate. (Seeking Alpha, NYTimes.com, ReadWriteWeb, Mashable, Traffick)
Facebook and AIM Join Forces
AOL’s instant messaging users can now chat with users of Facebook’s chat functionality. The new Facebook-friendly version of AIM is available for a beta download right now and utilizes Facebook Connect to bridge the gap. Still, instant messaging continues to be a sea of “separate islands of non-interoperable services.” Also, AOL Mail followed in Google’s footsteps and has added some social functionalities that will hitch it with the likes of Facebook, Digg, YouTube, Twitter and Flickr. (CNET/Deep Tech, paidContent)
6 Types of Company Blogs
Company blogs are trucking up the “slope of enlightenment,” but they can still be useless if they don’t have clear objectives. This post lays out six possible approaches to running a company blog, including steering them to being focused on operations, predictions or research. (ReadWriteStart)
One Man’s Annual Report on Himself
Twitter – eat your heart out. Nicholas Felton has kept thorough logs of his life and turned them into comprehensive annual reports since the end of 2005. He says these reports help him to get a clearer perspective on the good and bad parts of his life. Felton expects that with so many sensors out there already, this type of life-summary can be the norm for many people in the future. (NYTimes.com/Bits)
AdWords Updates Online Pharmacy Policy
Google AdWords updated their online pharmacy policy yesterday by only accepting ads from online pharmacies in the U.S. accredited by the National Association Boards of Pharmacy VIPPS program and online pharmacies in Canada that are accredited by the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA). Also, these online pharmacies will only be allowed to advertising in the country in which they’re accredited. (Inside AdWords)
Clean Version of YouTube Targets Advertisers
A new Safety Mode allows users to browse YouTube without stumbling upon potentially offensive content, which is good news for advertisers who are wary of placing their messages alongside dubious videos. (The Official Google Blog, Business Insider)
What Do Buyers Want to See on Your Site?
When potential B2B clients visit your site, what do they want to see? According to a RainToday survey, 87 percent deem service descriptions very important, while 78 percent said the same about industries served and 73 percent said the same about success stories/case studies. (HubSpot)
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