Tuesday 5 February 2008
Vizeum Digital Newsletter - January
Welcome to the First edition for 2008 of the Vizeum digital newsletter. Today it’s all about Mobile; a media/advertising format, that until recently has promised and inspired but was yet to be exploited or utilised to its full potential. From portals fighting over Also, digital radio has gone quite since it’s much anticipated and advertised launch, what’s happening? Using YouTube as a source of income and Carmen falling in Love with you sums up the first Vizeum morsel of the year.
Connecting People or Power?
It looks like Europe is in love
with Facebook…First the
Samwer Brothers invested in
the company, and now reports that
Nokia is joining the round, too. Paid Content is quoting sources that claim that Facebook and Nokia may be close to a deal which sees Facebook offered on Nokia phones as a default and in return Nokia may take a stake in Facebook.
On the content side, offering a Nokia mobile specific version of Facebook will be a positive in driving Facebook use on the mobile web. MySpace has gone down the path of carrier deals, where as a Facebook/ Nokia deal would be carrier agnostic, and given that Nokia is still the largest cell phone provider worldwide the deal would spread Facebook into new markets.
The investment side isn’t that surprising given how many companies have now bought into the Facebook phenomenon. The remarkable part is how many companies are willing to invest in Facebook at a $15 billion valuation. At best Facebook may be worth even more than that, particularly when you consider sites like Baidu have a market cap in excess of $9 billion.
We don’t know when Facebook may move to an IPO; in his 60 Minutes interview a week ago Mark Zuckerberg said that it might be this year, or next year, or even 2010. What we do know is that an IPO in the current market will unlikely provide a strong valuation for Facebook. Since the beginning of year markets worldwide have taken a hammering, with the market in Australia at least recording its worst new year drop in history according to some reports. Google stock is down from its $741 peak to $600 a share.
My prediction is that unless the market picks up (and that’s unlikely given all the US recession talk) Facebook wont IPO this year. 2009/ 2010 at the earliest, presuming that the market eventually recovers.
with Facebook…First the
Samwer Brothers invested in
the company, and now reports that
Nokia is joining the round, too. Paid Content is quoting sources that claim that Facebook and Nokia may be close to a deal which sees Facebook offered on Nokia phones as a default and in return Nokia may take a stake in Facebook.
On the content side, offering a Nokia mobile specific version of Facebook will be a positive in driving Facebook use on the mobile web. MySpace has gone down the path of carrier deals, where as a Facebook/ Nokia deal would be carrier agnostic, and given that Nokia is still the largest cell phone provider worldwide the deal would spread Facebook into new markets.
The investment side isn’t that surprising given how many companies have now bought into the Facebook phenomenon. The remarkable part is how many companies are willing to invest in Facebook at a $15 billion valuation. At best Facebook may be worth even more than that, particularly when you consider sites like Baidu have a market cap in excess of $9 billion.
We don’t know when Facebook may move to an IPO; in his 60 Minutes interview a week ago Mark Zuckerberg said that it might be this year, or next year, or even 2010. What we do know is that an IPO in the current market will unlikely provide a strong valuation for Facebook. Since the beginning of year markets worldwide have taken a hammering, with the market in Australia at least recording its worst new year drop in history according to some reports. Google stock is down from its $741 peak to $600 a share.
My prediction is that unless the market picks up (and that’s unlikely given all the US recession talk) Facebook wont IPO this year. 2009/ 2010 at the earliest, presuming that the market eventually recovers.
Digital killed the analogue star?
17% of UK radio listeners tune in
via a digital platform, according to
the latest radio audience data from
Rajar.
The figures for Q4 2007 revealed that overall radio listeners remained stable at 45m listeners or 89% of the UK population. While weekly listeners decreased year-on-year by 93,000 to 44,952,000 in Q4, 2007 from 45,045,000 in Q4, 2006, digital listening hours for the quarter increased by 10% to 169m hours per week.
Listening via digital-only services, such as BBC 6 Music and Smash Hits Radio remained stable at just over 6m weekly listeners.
Listening via DAB showed significant increases - up 16% to 14m hours quarter on quarter.
DAB sets continue to be the most popular digital platform with 9.9% of listeners - 3.1% tune in via DTV and 1.9% via the internet.
Rajar research also revealed a 40% year-on-year increase in DAB set ownerships to 22.3% of adults in Q4, 2007 up from 16% in Q4, 2006. Radio listening via mobile phones continues to grow with 9.4% of adults (aged 15+) tuning into radio via a mobile phone in Q4 2007 - up 21% on the same quarter in 2006.
Mobile listening remains strong among 15 to 24-year-olds 22.6% tuned in, in Q4, 2007 up 13% from 20.4% in Q4, 2006.
via a digital platform, according to
the latest radio audience data from
Rajar.
The figures for Q4 2007 revealed that overall radio listeners remained stable at 45m listeners or 89% of the UK population. While weekly listeners decreased year-on-year by 93,000 to 44,952,000 in Q4, 2007 from 45,045,000 in Q4, 2006, digital listening hours for the quarter increased by 10% to 169m hours per week.
Listening via digital-only services, such as BBC 6 Music and Smash Hits Radio remained stable at just over 6m weekly listeners.
Listening via DAB showed significant increases - up 16% to 14m hours quarter on quarter.
DAB sets continue to be the most popular digital platform with 9.9% of listeners - 3.1% tune in via DTV and 1.9% via the internet.
Rajar research also revealed a 40% year-on-year increase in DAB set ownerships to 22.3% of adults in Q4, 2007 up from 16% in Q4, 2006. Radio listening via mobile phones continues to grow with 9.4% of adults (aged 15+) tuning into radio via a mobile phone in Q4 2007 - up 21% on the same quarter in 2006.
Mobile listening remains strong among 15 to 24-year-olds 22.6% tuned in, in Q4, 2007 up 13% from 20.4% in Q4, 2006.
Youpound.com
Contributors to YouTube are set to earn a slice of the advertising revenue sold around their video clips.
The move sees the existing US partnership programme extended to the UK as the Google-owned video sharing site starts paying selected members who upload videos. The ads will appear within the bottom 20% of the video for the first ten seconds. If a viewer clicks on it a portion of the money generated will go to the owner of the video.
With the most popular clips on the site receiving millions of views, some content owners stand to make thousands of pounds.
The move sees the existing US partnership programme extended to the UK as the Google-owned video sharing site starts paying selected members who upload videos. The ads will appear within the bottom 20% of the video for the first ten seconds. If a viewer clicks on it a portion of the money generated will go to the owner of the video.
With the most popular clips on the site receiving millions of views, some content owners stand to make thousands of pounds.
Portal-Combat
Search giants prepare to fight for off-portal mobile Google and Yahoo! are preparing for a new battle to power off-portal search on publishers' mobile sites. Emerging off-portal publishers like Eurosport and The Sun have started to include Yahoo!'s Onesearch service on their mobile sites. News Of The World, Reuters and Teletext are among those planning to offer search services soon. Online third-party search has proved a highly lucrative and fiercely contested market, with both Google and Yahoo! competing for each site that becomes available.Now they're heading for a similar land grab on the mobile platform as Google also develops its mobile search offering, which is already live in the US. EMarketer predicts mobile search will be worth $715m (£363.5m) by 2011. Geraldine Wilson, VP of Connected Life for Yahoo!, said that as publishers increasingly adopted mobile she was keen to work with them to complement their strategy."With the launch of services and big-brand internet services moving onto mobile, mobile internet use is going up at a significant rate."Publishers are given a slice of the revenue generated from clicks on sponsored keyword links.“It's a traffic driver and delivers ad revenue as another way to monetise the site," he added.
Carmen wants us all….well, me first
To aid the launch of Fox’s new spoof flick ‘Meet the Spartan’ Carman wants to, or more accurately is dating you (and your mates unfortunately).
Only avaliable as of yet in America, but is awaiting release on our shores soon.
I won’t give away too much, but it’s a viral with a twist.
http://www.carmenhasacrushonyou.com/
Only avaliable as of yet in America, but is awaiting release on our shores soon.
I won’t give away too much, but it’s a viral with a twist.
http://www.carmenhasacrushonyou.com/
Vizeum Digital Newsletter - November
Welcome to the November edition of the Vizeum digital newsletter where it’s all about social networking; the tools that are at the forefront of digital media, capability and expression. From a Facebook first, the possibilities of targeted advertising to MSN’s portals going green. This edition will illustrate the current trends in our digital environment.
The upswell of concern relating to
Facebook’s Beacon advertising program,
including a campaign from Moveon.org may have been successful ,with BusinessWeek reporting that Facebook discussed changes to the program as recently as the 29th of Novemeber
Facebook executives are said to “deep talks over proposed changes late into the afternoon on Nov. 28.”
Despite its possible lack of concern to the wider community, Facebook’s Beacon program has become a major issue in the tech community, many users are voting strongly in concern over Facebook’s current practices.
Moveon has previously reported that the ability to opt-out of the program was available in early tests of the program, but strangely dropped when it was fully released. Facebook indicated earlier this week that it was “listening to feedback from its users and committed to evolving Beacon so users have even more control over the actions shared from participating sites with their friends on Facebook,” so the BusinessWeek story would seem likely to be true.
What form these changes will take is yet to be disclosed, but more importantly it will be interesting to see whether the changes go far enough to appease the growing chorus of anti-Facebook rhetoric.
When news hit last week that Facebook was publishing user information gathered from third party sites (like ecommerce purchases) and publishing in the news feed, the assumption was it would quickly blow over. Facebook is continuously pushing the envelope with new features, and there always seems to be short term backlash when they try something new.
But it isn’t clear that the new Beacon controversy is going to blow over so easily. First, MoveOn.org has made this their Cause Du Jour and seems hell bent on forcing Facebook to change its policies.
Rumors surfaced that Facebook was censoring search results that included the MoveOn.org privacy group (flatly denied, privately, by Facebook).
However, Facebook already has made changes to ensure that no information is shared unless a user receives notifications both on a participating website and on Facebook.
It would be in Facebook’s best interest to make the new Beacon service opt-in only. But that reduces the value of the service to third parties who supply the information to Facebook, and get free links in return.
Watch this space!
Facebook’s Beacon advertising program,
including a campaign from Moveon.org may have been successful ,with BusinessWeek reporting that Facebook discussed changes to the program as recently as the 29th of Novemeber
Facebook executives are said to “deep talks over proposed changes late into the afternoon on Nov. 28.”
Despite its possible lack of concern to the wider community, Facebook’s Beacon program has become a major issue in the tech community, many users are voting strongly in concern over Facebook’s current practices.
Moveon has previously reported that the ability to opt-out of the program was available in early tests of the program, but strangely dropped when it was fully released. Facebook indicated earlier this week that it was “listening to feedback from its users and committed to evolving Beacon so users have even more control over the actions shared from participating sites with their friends on Facebook,” so the BusinessWeek story would seem likely to be true.
What form these changes will take is yet to be disclosed, but more importantly it will be interesting to see whether the changes go far enough to appease the growing chorus of anti-Facebook rhetoric.
When news hit last week that Facebook was publishing user information gathered from third party sites (like ecommerce purchases) and publishing in the news feed, the assumption was it would quickly blow over. Facebook is continuously pushing the envelope with new features, and there always seems to be short term backlash when they try something new.
But it isn’t clear that the new Beacon controversy is going to blow over so easily. First, MoveOn.org has made this their Cause Du Jour and seems hell bent on forcing Facebook to change its policies.
Rumors surfaced that Facebook was censoring search results that included the MoveOn.org privacy group (flatly denied, privately, by Facebook).
However, Facebook already has made changes to ensure that no information is shared unless a user receives notifications both on a participating website and on Facebook.
It would be in Facebook’s best interest to make the new Beacon service opt-in only. But that reduces the value of the service to third parties who supply the information to Facebook, and get free links in return.
Watch this space!
‘British’ TV on demand
British TV networks the BBC, ITV and
Channel 4 will launch a new joint online
TV on-demand service that will provide
a one-stop shop of content from all channels.
The new service, as yet unnamed will be launched in 2008 and will include free downloads, streaming, show rental and purchase via the internet, with possible future expansion onto other platforms. Shows available will include locally produced content and possibly US and other non-British content as well. Like existing online offerings from the networks it is presumed that the service will be available to residents of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland only.
The BBC has had ongoing problems with its iPlayer service which faced delays and budgets blowouts, then came under attack for being available to Windows users only.
The significance of the service has been described by the BBC as “historic”.
Ultimately the biggest winner from the deal will be the British viewer who will have unparalleled access to legal TV content online in the one spot. Here’s hoping that the idea might be taken up in other countries.
Channel 4 will launch a new joint online
TV on-demand service that will provide
a one-stop shop of content from all channels.
The new service, as yet unnamed will be launched in 2008 and will include free downloads, streaming, show rental and purchase via the internet, with possible future expansion onto other platforms. Shows available will include locally produced content and possibly US and other non-British content as well. Like existing online offerings from the networks it is presumed that the service will be available to residents of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland only.
The BBC has had ongoing problems with its iPlayer service which faced delays and budgets blowouts, then came under attack for being available to Windows users only.
The significance of the service has been described by the BBC as “historic”.
Ultimately the biggest winner from the deal will be the British viewer who will have unparalleled access to legal TV content online in the one spot. Here’s hoping that the idea might be taken up in other countries.
The European Union may crack down
on targeted advertising following concern into the personal privacy aspects of such programs.
The Article 29 working party has an ongoing investigation into privacy online, and has previously forced Google to limit its data retention of web searches in Europe to 18 months.
According to a Reuters report, Gabriele Loewnau, a senior legal adviser for the German Federal Commissioner for Data Protection said that targeted advertising was a “hot topic” that will be part of the work program for the EU next year.
Targeted advertising is this regard is different to regular contextual advertising in that it is not simply advertising that displays in context to the web site, but advertising that is displayed based on user habits, including browser habits and online purchases. Facebook’s new advertising program delivers ads based on user interests and those of their friends, potentially meaning that they may also be a target of any future EU crack down.
on targeted advertising following concern into the personal privacy aspects of such programs.
The Article 29 working party has an ongoing investigation into privacy online, and has previously forced Google to limit its data retention of web searches in Europe to 18 months.
According to a Reuters report, Gabriele Loewnau, a senior legal adviser for the German Federal Commissioner for Data Protection said that targeted advertising was a “hot topic” that will be part of the work program for the EU next year.
Targeted advertising is this regard is different to regular contextual advertising in that it is not simply advertising that displays in context to the web site, but advertising that is displayed based on user habits, including browser habits and online purchases. Facebook’s new advertising program delivers ads based on user interests and those of their friends, potentially meaning that they may also be a target of any future EU crack down.
Earthbound to bin bound.
Google has announced two new features
for Google Maps that mimic features in
Google Earth, begging the question: is
Google Earth on borrowed time?
The first new feature is the additional of terrain in Google Maps. The terrain fly over feature has long been available in Google Earth, but now you can fly over a map and see the contours of the land, all without the need to download Google Earth.
The second new feature mimics the community contribution feature of Google Earth. “Our Maps” brings wiki-style collaboration to Google Maps, with users able to annotate places and share those notes with friends or the greater public.
Google acquired Keyhole in October 2004 and it was immediately obvious as to why: Google wanted the satellite imagery to support their move into serious mapping.
Keyhole provided Google Earth, a downloadable program that gave a then unprecedented view of the earth through the use of satellite imagery, but Google isn’t a software company, Picasa and a few small efforts aside. Google has integrated many of the functions from Keyhole into Google Maps whilst continuing to sustain Google Earth, but for how much longer? As Google Maps takes on more and more of the functionality of Google Earth the appeal of Earth must diminish.
It also makes sense that Google would rather grow and sustain a web product over a software download. Google Earth will still be with us for some time to come, but how long is now up to Google, and I’m betting that Google is already looking at ending support sometime in the next year or two as Google Maps becomes everything Google Earth now is, but online and without the download.
for Google Maps that mimic features in
Google Earth, begging the question: is
Google Earth on borrowed time?
The first new feature is the additional of terrain in Google Maps. The terrain fly over feature has long been available in Google Earth, but now you can fly over a map and see the contours of the land, all without the need to download Google Earth.
The second new feature mimics the community contribution feature of Google Earth. “Our Maps” brings wiki-style collaboration to Google Maps, with users able to annotate places and share those notes with friends or the greater public.
Google acquired Keyhole in October 2004 and it was immediately obvious as to why: Google wanted the satellite imagery to support their move into serious mapping.
Keyhole provided Google Earth, a downloadable program that gave a then unprecedented view of the earth through the use of satellite imagery, but Google isn’t a software company, Picasa and a few small efforts aside. Google has integrated many of the functions from Keyhole into Google Maps whilst continuing to sustain Google Earth, but for how much longer? As Google Maps takes on more and more of the functionality of Google Earth the appeal of Earth must diminish.
It also makes sense that Google would rather grow and sustain a web product over a software download. Google Earth will still be with us for some time to come, but how long is now up to Google, and I’m betting that Google is already looking at ending support sometime in the next year or two as Google Maps becomes everything Google Earth now is, but online and without the download.
KateModern
KateModern, the online drama from Bebo, is
aiming to blur on and offline boundaries by encouraging users to attend a series of live filming of the show across London next week.
From Monday, viewers will be given a daily video clue as part of the daily show suggesting the location of that day's filming.
Bebo launched KateModern in July to offer its users an interactive show made up of shortform content.
Bebo has also announced plans to develop another interactive show called The Gap Year, which will follow six Bebo users on a trip around the world.
aiming to blur on and offline boundaries by encouraging users to attend a series of live filming of the show across London next week.
From Monday, viewers will be given a daily video clue as part of the daily show suggesting the location of that day's filming.
Bebo launched KateModern in July to offer its users an interactive show made up of shortform content.
Bebo has also announced plans to develop another interactive show called The Gap Year, which will follow six Bebo users on a trip around the world.
Storytime…online
Online retailer Amazon has launched e-book reader Amazon Kindle in the US, which wirelessly downloads books, blogs, magazines and newspapers. Books can be downloaded to the hand-held device in less than a minute. The device costs $399 (£193), weighs 10.3 ounces and can hold 200 titles. Over 90,000 books are available in the Kindle Store as well as hundreds of newspapers, magazines and blogs.
Vizeum Digital Newsletter - October
Welcome to the October edition of the Vizeum digital newsletter where it’s all about social networking; the tools that are at the forefront of digital media, capability and expression. From a Facebook first, the possibilities of targeted advertising to MSN’s portals going green. This edition will illustrate the current trends in our digital environment.
Social Network Report
If hype was the only indicator of
marketshare in social networking,
Facebook would be the winner by a
mile, and yet for all the talk of
Facebook’s greatness, MySpace remains the most popular social networking destination.The social networking market so far has seen something that defies conventional economic thinking. Instead of users choosing one service or the other they often choose both. Until now.New figures released by HitWise show that in Australia at least, MySpace is now losing market share as the Facebook juggernaut continues. Traffic to MySpace in Australia has dropped 5% as Facebook has tripled its traffic in the 10 weeks to October 13, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.Some may suggest that the Facebook platform is providing a superior social networking offering that is driving a switch; this in part is valid however it ignores two other factors. First is the direction of MySpace: it’s hard to grow traffic when you’re already at the top, so traffic options are static or down. MySpace is adopting an open platform that will provide additional services for their members, but in the mean time not much new happening on MySpace; boredom with MySpace would naturally result in declining traffic.
The second factor is the amazing word of mouth Facebook currently has. The platform is irrelevant when anyone and everyone is talking Facebook at the moment, and not just within tech circles. I’ve had old school friends I haven’t seen in 20 years ping me on Facebook, and a majority of my friends list would now consist of non-tech related friends. Facebook comes up in conversations all the time when I’m talking to people outside of the tech community: it has become the next YouTube in terms of popular awareness.The switch stats are so far only applicable to Australia, but it wouldn’t be surprising if this is the start of a trend, particularly in English speaking countries. There is only so much the broader market can take in terms of multi-using social networking sites. As more people get onto Facebook it becomes more likely that people will use Facebook as their first, and perhaps only choice in online social networking.
marketshare in social networking,
Facebook would be the winner by a
mile, and yet for all the talk of
Facebook’s greatness, MySpace remains the most popular social networking destination.The social networking market so far has seen something that defies conventional economic thinking. Instead of users choosing one service or the other they often choose both. Until now.New figures released by HitWise show that in Australia at least, MySpace is now losing market share as the Facebook juggernaut continues. Traffic to MySpace in Australia has dropped 5% as Facebook has tripled its traffic in the 10 weeks to October 13, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.Some may suggest that the Facebook platform is providing a superior social networking offering that is driving a switch; this in part is valid however it ignores two other factors. First is the direction of MySpace: it’s hard to grow traffic when you’re already at the top, so traffic options are static or down. MySpace is adopting an open platform that will provide additional services for their members, but in the mean time not much new happening on MySpace; boredom with MySpace would naturally result in declining traffic.
The second factor is the amazing word of mouth Facebook currently has. The platform is irrelevant when anyone and everyone is talking Facebook at the moment, and not just within tech circles. I’ve had old school friends I haven’t seen in 20 years ping me on Facebook, and a majority of my friends list would now consist of non-tech related friends. Facebook comes up in conversations all the time when I’m talking to people outside of the tech community: it has become the next YouTube in terms of popular awareness.The switch stats are so far only applicable to Australia, but it wouldn’t be surprising if this is the start of a trend, particularly in English speaking countries. There is only so much the broader market can take in terms of multi-using social networking sites. As more people get onto Facebook it becomes more likely that people will use Facebook as their first, and perhaps only choice in online social networking.
Affiliate Marketing
Merchants and affiliates should work harder on developing affiliate marketing search arbitrage campaigns to make the most of a highly lucrative channel, according to Kristopher Jones, president and CEO of Pepperjam. Speaking at the inaugural a4u expo in London, Jones said that search affiliates, those running search campaigns for brands, represent 60% of all revenues through affiliate marketing, but that it could be more if clients and affiliates understood the working relationship better.
Jones said: "This represents an almost unlimited income potential for affiliates, with the top affiliates earning millions a year."
"Affiliate marketing search arbitrage represents a significant opportunity for both affiliates and merchants." Jones said that running direct linking campaigns, sending a consumer straight to the merchant's homepage, was an effective channel in the short-term, but warned that it could create conflict in a relationship between an affiliate and a merchant.
"Google, for example, only allows one ad per keyword per display URL," he said.
Jones also dismissed the influence of Google's fledgling PPA network.
"Google is three or four years away from being big with this, and by then the big networks will have reinvented themselves and will be able to cope."
Jones said: "This represents an almost unlimited income potential for affiliates, with the top affiliates earning millions a year."
"Affiliate marketing search arbitrage represents a significant opportunity for both affiliates and merchants." Jones said that running direct linking campaigns, sending a consumer straight to the merchant's homepage, was an effective channel in the short-term, but warned that it could create conflict in a relationship between an affiliate and a merchant.
"Google, for example, only allows one ad per keyword per display URL," he said.
Jones also dismissed the influence of Google's fledgling PPA network.
"Google is three or four years away from being big with this, and by then the big networks will have reinvented themselves and will be able to cope."
Student Credit Card
Halifax and Bank of Scotland, the banking
brands of HBoS, are launching their first
'mobile' credit card for students.
Developed by mobile technology firm Incentivated, students will be able to control their credit card account through their mobile phones.
The service will allow students to choose their credit limit up to £500, along with receiving free weekly balance reminders on Friday mornings, and monthly text alerts to remind them when the minimum paymentis required.
It will be advertised throughout branches and online.
Ken Stannard, head of Halifax Credit Cards, said: "Our new text service will allow students to monitor and control their finances more closely as well as giving them the convenience of using a credit card.
brands of HBoS, are launching their first
'mobile' credit card for students.
Developed by mobile technology firm Incentivated, students will be able to control their credit card account through their mobile phones.
The service will allow students to choose their credit limit up to £500, along with receiving free weekly balance reminders on Friday mornings, and monthly text alerts to remind them when the minimum paymentis required.
It will be advertised throughout branches and online.
Ken Stannard, head of Halifax Credit Cards, said: "Our new text service will allow students to monitor and control their finances more closely as well as giving them the convenience of using a credit card.
At last! Advertising on Facebook!
The big promise of advertising on social networks has always been the ability to target members by their own self-proclaimed interests and demographics. Facebook, as expected, has quietly taken a step in that direction with its Facebook Flyers ads (these are sidebar advertising widgets that Facebook still controls, as opposed to the majority of ad inventory on Facebook that falls under its deal with Microsoft). In terms of revenues, these Flyers probably don’t amount to much yet, but this is one Faecbook experiment worth keeping an eye on. As first reported on AllFacebook , the Flyers let you target by country, city, gender, age range, political views, relationship status, education level, workplace affiliation, or any keyword in a person’s stated interests. It’s that last option that could be really powerful. For instance, simply putting in different keywords into the Facebook.
Such targeting could theoretically allow advertisers to reach exactly the people they want, instead of the scatter-shot approach favored today. If you are a wedding planner in Salem, OR, for instance, there are 100 women on Facebook between 20 and 40 who live in Salem and are engaged. That’s pretty deep targeting. MySpace is also moving in this direction , allowing advertising by interest categories and sub-categories.
Apparently, this sort of demographic ad-targeting can be done by Facebook app developers as well. I just got off the phone with RockYou CEO Lance Tokuda and asked him if he could do the same thing on his Facebook ad network. “That is open to us,” he confirmed. “At some point we will be targeting this way when more sophisticated brand advertisers enter the field.” In contrast, most advertisers on Facebook today are just looking for raw numbers.
Such targeting could theoretically allow advertisers to reach exactly the people they want, instead of the scatter-shot approach favored today. If you are a wedding planner in Salem, OR, for instance, there are 100 women on Facebook between 20 and 40 who live in Salem and are engaged. That’s pretty deep targeting. MySpace is also moving in this direction , allowing advertising by interest categories and sub-categories.
Apparently, this sort of demographic ad-targeting can be done by Facebook app developers as well. I just got off the phone with RockYou CEO Lance Tokuda and asked him if he could do the same thing on his Facebook ad network. “That is open to us,” he confirmed. “At some point we will be targeting this way when more sophisticated brand advertisers enter the field.” In contrast, most advertisers on Facebook today are just looking for raw numbers.
MSN Green Portal
MSN has today added an
MSN Green channel to its portal
in a bid to address the growing
interest in environmental news
and information
MSN has worked with media and
environmental sources such as MSNBC,
Hearst Magazines (The Daily Green) and Conservation International to develop the channel.
Articles on environmental topics such as global warming, energy and social responsibility will be available on the site from sources including TreeHugger.com and Environmental defense.
Visitors will be able to measure how green they are and join an online petition to reduce carbon dioxide emissions through a range of interactive tools.
MSN Green channel to its portal
in a bid to address the growing
interest in environmental news
and information
MSN has worked with media and
environmental sources such as MSNBC,
Hearst Magazines (The Daily Green) and Conservation International to develop the channel.
Articles on environmental topics such as global warming, energy and social responsibility will be available on the site from sources including TreeHugger.com and Environmental defense.
Visitors will be able to measure how green they are and join an online petition to reduce carbon dioxide emissions through a range of interactive tools.
Personalised Movie Clips
A new UK startup launches on Monday called BlinkBox. Users take pre-created clips from movies and television shows (the clips can be shortened by the user) and add a personalized message at the beginningThe clips can then be shared via a link, embed or mobile device. There’s a pretty deep catalog of movies and TV shows to view. The company’s business model is to pitch buying or renting the movie or tv show after viewing the clip. They’ve built their own (heavily DRM’d) platform for delivering this content to buyers, although it only works on Windows machines at this time.
Vizeum Digital Newsletter - September
Welcome to the September edition of the Vizeum digital newsletter where it’s all about user social networking; the tools that are at the forefront of digital media, capability and expression. From a Facebook siege to Hip-hop blogging, the digital world is building around us. This edition will illustrate the current trends in our digital environment.
It seems like the Facebook has them running scared.
A recent secret and confidential meeting between industry leaders and innovators was called by Google to help formulate a strategy to counter the popularity of users implementing applications onto their Facebook pages.
In a nutshell, Google will announce a new set of APIs on November 5 that will allow developers to leverage Google’s social graph data and ultimately google are planning to add a social layer on top of the entire suite of Google services.
Google is also considering allowing third parties to join the party at the other end of the platform - meaning other social networks (Bebo, Friendster, Twitter, Digg and thousands of others) to give access to their user data to developers through those same APIs.
However, news on the Facebook front;
Microsoft is reportedly in talks to buy a stake in Facebook.
Reports in the Wall Street Journal say Microsoft is in talks with the world's fastest growing social network about a 5% stake, priced between $300m (£148m) and $500m (£248m).
Microsoft already works with Facebook as its exclusive provider of advertising in the US.
In a nutshell, Google will announce a new set of APIs on November 5 that will allow developers to leverage Google’s social graph data and ultimately google are planning to add a social layer on top of the entire suite of Google services.
Google is also considering allowing third parties to join the party at the other end of the platform - meaning other social networks (Bebo, Friendster, Twitter, Digg and thousands of others) to give access to their user data to developers through those same APIs.
However, news on the Facebook front;
Microsoft is reportedly in talks to buy a stake in Facebook.
Reports in the Wall Street Journal say Microsoft is in talks with the world's fastest growing social network about a 5% stake, priced between $300m (£148m) and $500m (£248m).
Microsoft already works with Facebook as its exclusive provider of advertising in the US.
“Spark” Marketing empowers advocating Passionistas
Making consumers the voice of your advertising is not so much a tactic to be leveraged as it is an overarching strategy.
"Passionistas: The New Empowered Consumers," conducted by Yahoo and sponsored by MediaVest, discusses brand loyalty and advocacy in this engaged group.
The research found that one way for brands to generate discussion is through a spark, or messaging event, usually in the form of viral or consumer-generated media.
What is being seen is that these same empowered passionistas/consumers, will ingest these sparks, create user-generated content, and accelerate is appeal and audience.
Passionistas also seek information, the research found. For every minute typical Internet users spend on content, passionistas spend six minutes online with content related to their interests. The contingent visits particular Web sites related to their interest three times more often than typical users. Once engaged, passionistas become brand advocates, passing along information about products and services with which they share an affinity. Consequently, advocates also moderate situations where consumers criticise the brand of choice and strive to be the experts in their interest areas to friends and family.
"Passionistas: The New Empowered Consumers," conducted by Yahoo and sponsored by MediaVest, discusses brand loyalty and advocacy in this engaged group.
The research found that one way for brands to generate discussion is through a spark, or messaging event, usually in the form of viral or consumer-generated media.
What is being seen is that these same empowered passionistas/consumers, will ingest these sparks, create user-generated content, and accelerate is appeal and audience.
Passionistas also seek information, the research found. For every minute typical Internet users spend on content, passionistas spend six minutes online with content related to their interests. The contingent visits particular Web sites related to their interest three times more often than typical users. Once engaged, passionistas become brand advocates, passing along information about products and services with which they share an affinity. Consequently, advocates also moderate situations where consumers criticise the brand of choice and strive to be the experts in their interest areas to friends and family.
Mobile network Blyk launched this week in the UK
The network is available exclusively to 16-24 year-olds and is funded by ads, offering chatty youngsters up to 217 free texts and 43 free minutes a month. Users fill in a detailed form on registration, generating an updatable online profile, and are then matched to relevant brands and given the opportunity to interact with them through ads in the form of quizzes, special offers and questions which are free for users to respond to or access.Over 40 brands are already supporting Blyk’s offering, and the service is available for up to 4.5 million youngsters – two thirds of the people of that age group in the UK.
The decision to launch in the UK was taken because mobile-wise it’s a very advanced market. Blyk is running on the Orange network in the UK, which, the founders claim, will allow a control of users experience and offer advertisers real-time feedback into interaction rates for their ads. A tempting prospect, both for advertisers and those young enough to receive the free calls. The mobile market has had a recent resurgence with the much anticipated iPhone. The “revolutionary new mobile phone”, according to Apple is as much a technological advance as it is aesthetic; O2 are the network to run the phone in the uk.
The decision to launch in the UK was taken because mobile-wise it’s a very advanced market. Blyk is running on the Orange network in the UK, which, the founders claim, will allow a control of users experience and offer advertisers real-time feedback into interaction rates for their ads. A tempting prospect, both for advertisers and those young enough to receive the free calls. The mobile market has had a recent resurgence with the much anticipated iPhone. The “revolutionary new mobile phone”, according to Apple is as much a technological advance as it is aesthetic; O2 are the network to run the phone in the uk.
Writing, Sharing And Protecting Your Life’s Story
A new class of start-ups is emerging that is part blogging, part genealogy and part something unique. They are focused on the very long term - getting and then keeping customers for decades, and encouraging friends and especially family members to join, too. Once they’re hooked, they’ve spent so much time building content that they are very unlikely to ever leave.
They are focused on your life’s timeline - you add simple (or elaborate) stories and pictures and place them on a timeline, which can then be embedded into another website via a widget, printed in a book or turned into a DVD. The four start-ups we’re tracking in this space are Our Story , Story Of My Life , dandelife and My Family
Timeline stories can be milestone based or question based. An easy way to get started is by answering some of the hundreds of questions the site presents to you.
If you’re looking for a quick and easy family site to keep everyone up to date on what’s going on, it may be for you, but the family tree approach of Geni and My Heritage is a better way, in my opinion, to keep things organized.
They are focused on your life’s timeline - you add simple (or elaborate) stories and pictures and place them on a timeline, which can then be embedded into another website via a widget, printed in a book or turned into a DVD. The four start-ups we’re tracking in this space are Our Story , Story Of My Life , dandelife and My Family
Timeline stories can be milestone based or question based. An easy way to get started is by answering some of the hundreds of questions the site presents to you.
If you’re looking for a quick and easy family site to keep everyone up to date on what’s going on, it may be for you, but the family tree approach of Geni and My Heritage is a better way, in my opinion, to keep things organized.
Social shopping site Crowdstorm is set to go live next month
Crowdstorm mixes social networking with opinion power in an effort to influence people's purchases. It will contain user product reviews as well aggregated material from sites such as Stuff, Tech and TrustedReviews.The site, currently in private beta, began testing late last year.
Kelkoo founder and CEO of Broadband Genie Philip Wilkinson, is driving the launch. "The site currently hasa few hundred users just testing everything, but now we're almost ready to start a gradual roll-out and get more people involved. And letting it grow by word of mouth will let us know if, as a product, it fulfils a need," he said.
He added that he saw the site becoming a one-stop shop for consumers to get impartial advice and reviews of products.
Wilkinson also revealed plans to roll out a US version of the site later in the year
Kelkoo founder and CEO of Broadband Genie Philip Wilkinson, is driving the launch. "The site currently hasa few hundred users just testing everything, but now we're almost ready to start a gradual roll-out and get more people involved. And letting it grow by word of mouth will let us know if, as a product, it fulfils a need," he said.
He added that he saw the site becoming a one-stop shop for consumers to get impartial advice and reviews of products.
Wilkinson also revealed plans to roll out a US version of the site later in the year
I said a hip, hop, a click…
The global hip-hop community: twenty four million people between the ages of 19-34, from a range of nationalities, ethnic groups and religions.
Their collective spending power is £250 billion annually in the U.S. alone. Naturally, there are lots of online properties dedicated to Hip Hop but now the property is theirs
Users set initial interests (video, comedy, news, etc.) and get a set of pre-made modules. You can also add feed URLs directly, create multiple tabs, etc. All standard stuff, even if Global Grind has slightly edgier design than the others.
A lot of the pre-made content is directly related to Hip Hop, though, such as one that shows the most recent “beefs” or disagreements between rap artists
Whether it will provide an adequate forum of expression for the bustling rap scene, only time will tell.
However, niche blogs are looking like the tools to increase the scope of digital inclusiveness
Their collective spending power is £250 billion annually in the U.S. alone. Naturally, there are lots of online properties dedicated to Hip Hop but now the property is theirs
Users set initial interests (video, comedy, news, etc.) and get a set of pre-made modules. You can also add feed URLs directly, create multiple tabs, etc. All standard stuff, even if Global Grind has slightly edgier design than the others.
A lot of the pre-made content is directly related to Hip Hop, though, such as one that shows the most recent “beefs” or disagreements between rap artists
Whether it will provide an adequate forum of expression for the bustling rap scene, only time will tell.
However, niche blogs are looking like the tools to increase the scope of digital inclusiveness
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