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Steve Ballmer: Traditional media will not bounce back | Media | guardian.co.uk

2009-06-25T08:40:00.000Z

Microsoft's Steve Ballmer: Traditional media will not bounce back | Media | guardian.co.uk: "'I don't think we are in a recession, I think we have reset,'"

True true true - yes there may be some pick up in some sectors, but fundamentally we're moving away from ad funded print.

This however does not mean print does not have value. There will always be people who only want to read in print, most people prefer to read print, and some things - especially the complex - are better in print.

Print will survive, the model will change.

How much will you pay for content

2009-06-04T09:44:00.002Z

B-to-B Ad Pages Plummet 29 Percent in Q1 - B2B @ FolioMag.com

2009-06-03T07:35:00.000Z

B-to-B Ad Pages Plummet 29 Percent in Q1 - B2B @ FolioMag.com: "B-to-B Ad Pages Plummet 29 Percent in Q1"
Computing (ubc telco) down 45%

However not all doom & gloom a study by Wharton School in the US finds most WOM discussions are sparked by advertising.

Magazines bites the dust

2009-05-06T07:44:00.000Z

The normally upbeat Jeff Jarvis tries his hand as the prophet of doom. Whilst you can't argue with his logic - especially based on his experience (below) I can't help feeling he has missed the point. People like the magazine medium and as a result it will survive and companes will launch magazines. It remains a tough challenge, but get the model right and magazines work - now what shall we launch...

Jeff's experience: "The economics of magazine launches are simply terrifying. In 1990, I created and launched Entertainment Weekly at Time Inc and it burned through an astounding $200m before becoming profitable. No one is going to invest that kind of money again. If anybody would have, it was the privately owned and daring Condé Nast. Oh, well."

Amazon: Now One-Third Of All U.S. E-Commerce

2009-05-01T10:26:00.000Z

Some readers don't seem surprised, but I find it unreal that Amazon can be accounting for 1/3 of US e-Comm. Surely there must be other retailers with online operations they make some dent on Amazon?

Doesn't this raise questions of anti-competitive behaviour, or is this where the web is still like the wild west, or is the web the ultimate in self policing, i.e if Amazon prices ceased to be competitive everyone would know anyway and move away from Amazon?

Tech Trader Daily - Barron’s Online : Amazon: Now One-Third Of All U.S. E-Commerce: "Amazon: Now One-Third Of All U.S. E-Commerce"

75% of ads below the fold go unnoticed

2009-04-30T07:25:00.000Z

Good case for buying the best...
How To Know Your Web Ad Is Working - Forbes.com: "'below the fold,' in industry parlance--where research has shown that 75% of ads go entirely unnoticed."

All in a flap

2009-04-29T13:07:00.000Z

Probably no surprise - thousands sign up for Twitter, but huge numbers dropp off after the first month.

Clearly the focus on the inane is going to deter many users from keeping going, look at what I've just distilled after 5 random visits to our followers:
- ha! i also just saw that.
- Awake at 6:17 listening to classic blues radio
- Awww! That's TRAGIC!
- Why can't I doodle on my trackpad with a pen thing? I like drawing giants penises on Jon Stewart. Apple- Doodleytrackpad! Stat!
- Dear Target, today was my last day of dealing with you not having 50% of my shopping list items in stock. We are SO THROUGH.

Out of context you could shout, but what is the context and what does it mean for me? Zip.

Twitter is a great tool for distribution of headlines etc, but from most peoples viewpoints, what is the purpose. I don't care that you are in Frankfurt, had ravioli for dinner, or that you need a haircut.

Get real, get a business model, get a purpose for a neat service!

Tweet and run: Twitter users flee site after first month | Digital | Revolution: "Tweet and run: Twitter users flee site after first month"

Pipl - People Search

2009-04-28T15:02:00.001Z

I love this - people are not really that easy to find on the web, but if you know a little you can find a lot with this!
Pipl - People Search: "Free People Search"

Financial Times readers asked for input on leader columns | Media | guardian.co.uk

2009-04-28T12:08:00.000Z

I can't decide if this is really progress or a cynical ploy to encourage trumpet blowing.
Financial Times readers asked for input on leader columns | Media | guardian.co.uk: "Financial Times readers asked for input on leader columns"
http://blogs.ft.com/arena/

Slide Continues: B-to-B Ad Pages Fall 28.6 Percent in February - B2B @ FolioMag.com

2009-04-22T13:47:00.000Z

ABM set out to depress us all - but I think we knew it anyway...
Slide Continues: B-to-B Ad Pages Fall 28.6 Percent in February - B2B @ FolioMag.com: "Slide Continues: B-to-B Ad Pages Fall 28.6 Percent in February"
The shame is that print seems to be being passed over in favour of more measurable mediums without any real recognition of the degree of engagement and influence that it offers.

How To Monitor Online Conversations

2009-04-01T17:04:00.000Z

How To Monitor Online Conversations: "How To Monitor Online Conversations"

Interesting to see how interest in this has suddenly multiplied

Buzz Marketing for Technology: Social Media is better for the Consideration Phase

2009-03-25T23:25:00.000Z

Interesting pick up from Paul Dunay on "How Buyer Identify Professional Services Providers". Not rocket science, but anology to social media is neat - you can see how it works. It works everywhere, why do I read Paul - people say he's good!
Buzz Marketing for Technology: Social Media is better for the Consideration Phase:

Zucker On The Media - Forbes.com

2009-03-19T06:23:00.000Z

Zucker On The Media - Forbes.com: "We believe in ubiquitous distribution, and we want our content to be available, frankly, everywhere. We're not interested in having people steal our content--we want to make it available ... We are in periods of experimentation, and we're not afraid to try things and then stop things. No risk, no reward. What we're still in the process of is finding an economic system that supports that, and it's still not there."

Eight Things I Hate About You

2009-03-16T09:20:00.000Z

I like this from David Koretz of MediaPost - it's actually eight things he hates about himself, but the thoughts there....

1. Getting friended on Facebook after a business meeting. Can we please preserve the last ounce of formality that is left in business? I can live with you wearing jeans to our meeting, but save faux friendship for faux friends.

2. Writers and bloggers that need to use "in full disclosure" in their articles. This is the bizarre combination of someone with enough self-awareness to know that they are doing something wrong, but insufficient dignity to stop doing it. If you need to issue a disclaimer in your article, don't write the article.

3. People who start sentences with the phrase "to be honest with you." It is the fastest way I know to convince the other person you are full of crap.

4. Competing with your BlackBerry. Whether in a meeting, or on a dinner date, leave your BlackBerry at home (or at least in your pocket)! It is the fastest way to demonstrate to a client or date that you are "not that into them."

5. People that wear Bluetooth dongles in their ears. I have said it before, and I'll say it again: put the dongle down.

6. Consultants. When will you finally learn that their interests will NEVER be fully aligned with yours? Consultants try to maximize their fees (as they should), not maximize your ROI. It is not the consultant's fault, though. It is the fault of the person hiring them for not acknowledging what team they play on.

7. Using CTR to measure success. The notion that it is better to focus on the wrong metric rather than no metric is asinine. Focusing on the wrong metrics ensures your staff will not be successful. Brand advertisers should be measuring for brand impact, and performance advertisers should be measuring revenue. Nobody benefits from CTR as a primary metric.

8. Anyone who still believes ad networks actually sell "blind." As long as there is a financial incentive to disclose your brand, you will never have blind ad networks. You will only have companies that commoditize your inventory.

Digital Marketing: The Golden Rules of the Web - Advertising Age - DigitalNext

2009-03-12T17:01:00.000Z

Nice little round up on the do's and don't of digital marketing. I especially like the death of viral - after all who wants a virus??
Digital Marketing: The Golden Rules of the Web - Advertising Age - DigitalNext:

PR 2.0: Are Blogs Losing Their Authority To The Statusphere?

2009-03-12T10:00:00.000Z

Very long post from Brian Solis which isn't always totally clear, but I think the crux of his arguement is that:
a. blogs are losing out because there are too many of them
b. people are starting to favour the instant message ability of the likes of Twitter
PR 2.0: Are Blogs Losing Their Authority To The Statusphere?:
Worth a quick scan...

Skittles pulls Twitter feed from homepage - Brand Republic News - Brand Republic

2009-03-05T09:39:00.000Z

This story kept popping up yesterday and in my naivety I went to check it out, thinking Skittles was some innovative social networking platform that I'd never heard of. But alas no, Skittles are small roundish sweet things...
Skittles pulls Twitter feed from homepage - Brand Republic News - Brand Republic:

The importance of social technology

2009-03-04T09:27:00.003Z

Researchers Forrester have surveyed 1217 technology decision makers and come up with some interesting stats - based on US firms with more than 100 employees:

- of those who buy networks & telecom, only 6% are deemed 'inactives' i.e. don't use any social media, whilst most (89%) are deemed spectators - i.e. read blogs and other social media posts.

- a surprisingly high proportion either create or comment on (critics) others posts.

- 74% of those surveyed in this sector, continued to read social media sources whilst at work.

However - whilst you should ignore social media at your peril - it seems that it is trusted sources such as peers and traditional editorial driven information sources that have the greatest impact on the decision making process, with most social media falling right to the bottom.

Good news for traditional media, but how much is this changing, and how much are the social media forms being under-estimated. Do you want to admit you made a decision based on social networking activity? It's probably not quite there - YET...

Media Trends 2009

2009-03-03T23:06:00.002Z

Top Rank asked “What 3 digital marketing channels & tactics will you emphasize in 2009?” Here are the top ten tactics selected:
Blogging (34%)
Microblogging (Twitter) (29%)
Search engine optimization (28%)
Social network participation (Facebook, LinkedIn) (26%)
Email marketing (17%)
Social media monitoring & outreach (17%)
Pay per click (14%)
Blogger relations (12%)
Video marketing (10%)
Social media advertising (7%)

Full list is HERE

Good fit with Forrester Research findings "sponsored conversations" are a cost-effective way for brands to ignite word of mouth online.

How to: events

2009-03-03T23:03:00.000Z

The secrets of Light Reading:

Multiple channels are important for attendee development, said Joseph Braue, group director and senior VP of United Business Media’s Light Reading unit. Braue said Light Reading typically conducts one or two webinars prior to a physical event in order to develop attendance. “We also focus on our core Web site and not on dedicated event sites,” Braue said. “Twitters, blogs, video and stories about the event by editors all stay on our home site.”

Braue added that Light Reading, with content aimed at the telecommunications industry, extends the value of its events by hosting a complementary virtual event three months following a physical one

Read more

Cisco - multi-platform

2009-03-03T22:58:00.001Z

So this is how to win Cisco
Marilyn Mersereau - senior VP-corporate marketing "We don’t buy media traditionally anymore. We approach major organizations—it could be CNN, for example—and come up with 360-degree programs that offer print, Web, TV and even product integration into a show. "

LinkedIn Skyrockets as Job Losses Mount - Advertising Age - Digital

2009-03-03T17:16:00.000Z

Traffic up as jobs down - but where are they all going?
LinkedIn Skyrockets as Job Losses Mount - Advertising Age - Digital: "LinkedIn Skyrockets as Job Losses Mount"

Community Engagement » The Buzz Bin

2009-03-03T08:21:00.000Z

Not rocket science, but interesting non-the-less
Community Engagement » The Buzz Bin: "Community Engagement"

Interview: Wired's Chris Anderson on the 'free' business model | Between the Lines | ZDNet.com

2009-02-27T08:33:00.000Z

You've got to love him - Chris Andrerson trys to coin another new phrase "Freemium" His points valid, but I hate to imagine life if clients start talking about freemium services - it might just turn me to violence!

FIPP Website | Emap Inform to make all magazines A4

2009-02-25T16:43:00.000Z

Sensible but dull - bit like Emap really!
Wouldn't it be sad if we end up in a world of just A4 magazines...
FIPP Website | Emap Inform to make all magazines A4: "Emap Inform to make all magazines A4"