Google's Infinity+1 storage plan unveiled April 1, 2005

 

Google's look into document scoring by historical data April 1, 2005

 

A thread on one of the SearchEngineWatch forums discusses a patent filed by Google, entitled "Information retrieval based on historical data".

"Consider the example of a document with an inception date of yesterday that is referenced by 10 back links. This document may be scored higher by search engine 125 than a document with an inception date of 10 years ago that is referenced by 100 back links because the rate of link growth for the former is relatively higher than the latter. While a spiky rate of growth in the number of back links may be a factor used by search engine 125 to score documents, it may also signal an attempt to spam search engine 125. Accordingly, in this situation, search engine 125 may actually lower the score of a document(s) to reduce the effect of spamming."

Could this be the sandbox uncovered?

 

Outrageous by Seth Godin April 1, 2005

 

My last posting regarding some of Seth's views and comments received a follow-up email from the man himself. We agreed to disagree quite amicably, but today I'm firmly behind what he's saying on his blog.

The nutshell version is that he was going to post a fairly elaborate April Fool's joke, but at the last minute decided not to. Why? Because he feels that everything is taken too seriously, especially when people feel deceived.

"Outrage seems to be the order of the day. Outrage is the new currency of politics, it's the currency of marketing and it's the currency of our interactions on the road."

Sad but true.

Well worth reading the whole story, and I for one still enjoyed the Blogdongle that could have been.

 

Webserver policies that kill sales April 1, 2005

 

One of the software companies that we're worked with, who prefer to remain anonymous, sent us details of their recent experiences with their web host.

The company (from this point on to be known as The Company) were delighted to receive a mention in one of the more well-known mailing lists, and as a consequence had thousands of people trying to hit their website. The key word here, unfortunately, is trying.

Their service provider, to the horror of The Company, shut down the website without warning.

Why? When The Company looked into the matter, as a matter of urgency, they found a clause in the contract's small print that limited their bandwidth to only 512 MB a day.

The icing on the cake is that the server don't provide online stats in real time, so The Company had no way of knowing this until the plug was actually pulled. Sadly, this was at peak viewing time for the newsletter.

The Company were, unsurprisingly, more than a little upset. They pointed out that there were no warnings, and therefore no time to setup temporary mirrors to spread the load. And no option of simply being billed more.

And to run salt into an already sore wound, the server apparently took their time in restoring the service once everything had been straightened out.

As The Company's still-unhappy Director says, "There's a moral tale: check what they will do in the event of a traffic spike. Get it in writing."

 

Google really did boost Gmail storage! April 4, 2005

 

I initially thought that this was just a part of Google's April Fools prank, but they really have increased storage to 2 GB per account. And they plan to make further free storage available in the future.

In a relatively short time, Google have grown from a "cool search engine" to the undisputed King of the Engines, and offer an ever-increasing range of products and services.

There are more search options than you can count on both hands, blogger, an API, a desktop search app, instant messaging tool, free software to handle your digital images and more.

And despite the loud fanfare, the ever-present hype and even TV advertising, I'm yet to see MSN make that much of a dent.

Yet Microsoft clearly have the economic clout to hit them, and there's no question that they have the skills and manpower to mount a serious attack on Google's position.

Yet so far, they seem to be playing Follow the Google. Q1 of 2005 is now behind us, and at this stage, the battle for the search engines seems to be won, more or less by default.

I suspect, and hope, that interesting developments lie just around the corner.

 

Search and Privacy April 4, 2005

 

An article on DMNews is reporting that depending on how you look at things, this is either a very good or very bad time to be in the privacy industry.

"On the one-year anniversary of Gmail, it seems that privacy advocates have either lost, given up or finally grasped the new frontier of privacy and advertising. Recent data indicate that 54 percent of Gmail users switched from Hotmail and 33 percent from Yahoo Mail, both of which show only generic ads."

I don't think they get the point here. Privacy advocates certainly haven't given up the fight, far from it. More the fool those companies who think otherwise.

Private information has become a commodity. This means that companies and marketers can no longer be expected to help themselves to it on demand. They'll have to find a way to pay for it.

Why did so many users switch to Gmail, despite the so-called privacy issues? Because they felt that the perceived benefits of the product outweighed the price they had to pay to receive them.

The age of sharing personal data is far from over. But those working with software marketing have to offer more than just a form to collect a customer's data.

Treat the consumers with respect, and view their information as a valuable commodity. Offer them something in return.

Trade is very different from theft or exploitation.

 

FindWhat Opens AdRevenue Xpress to All April 5, 2005

 

DMNews are reporting that FindWhat are expanding their AdRevenue Xpress program to all web publishers, whether or not they advertise with the company.

 

Google to archive personal video. April 5, 2005

 

From CNET's News.com:

"Google will begin archiving personal video clips as part of its ever-expanding search service, company co-founder Larry Page said Monday.

"We're going to start taking video submissions from people" in the next few days, Page told a crowd at the National Cable & Telecommunications Association show".

 

Cross-channel conversion tracking from Google April 5, 2005

 

From Google:

"Cross-channel conversion tracking is a tool for analyzing and comparing all your online advertising efforts in one location.

The process for recording a conversion is the same as recording an AdWords conversion. The difference is that instead of tracking conversions for just those using Google.com and the Google Network, this tool tracks conversions and ad effectiveness across other locations where your ad might appear.

Cross-channel tracking statistics will appear within your AdWords account on a separate 'Cross-Channel' tab on your Campaign Summary page."

 

Revenue Checker for Google AdSense April 5, 2005

 

An interesting application for working with your AdSense account:

"Revenue Checker for AdSense is a totally secure real time Google AdSense monitoring and tracking solution.

Revenue Checker is allowing Google AdSense publishers to check their AdSense revenue and detailed statistics in either specific time intervals or manually with single click option.

Revenue Checker creates numeric, as well as graphic output to all statistics, including channels."

I'd be very interested to hear if anyone knows of any similar tools for Google's AdWords as well.

If you know of any admin or reporting applications, please let me know - either by emailing me or using our contact form.

 

Understanding Google's AdWords April 5, 2005

 

From a marketer's point of view, or for that matter anyone trying to advertise their products, the establishment and growth of PPC has been little short of revolutionary. As many of us know, any form of advertising is a somewhat hit and miss affair. And no... Read rest of article here

 

Microsoft Keeps Up Presence at Open-Source Events April 6, 2005

 

eWeek are reporting that Microsoft are continuing to sponsor and attend open-source conferences.

"Microsoft has learned a number of lessons through its Shared Source program over the past four years, Matusow said, including that source-code access can be very beneficial or entirely irrelevant, depending on customers' needs."

 

MSN Paid Search Solution April 6, 2005

 

"We are very excited to introduce MSN adCenter, the next generation Microsoft online advertising platform that offers a smart new way to conveniently plan, execute, and adjust online media buys.

The first opportunity featured at MSN adCenter is the MSN Paid Search solution, which will offer innovative tools in search marketing. The new MSN search advertising solution will put the power and knowledge of the audience in your hands, allowing you to refine your online campaign with flexibility and control to help you maximize ROI."

 

MSN Search Updating? April 6, 2005

 

The Search Engine Roundtable are reporting that many are seeing major changes in their MSN Search rankings.

 

Understanding Google's AdWords part II April 6, 2005

 

Yesterday's article looked at the advantages offered by Google AdWords and other PPC options, namely the risk minimisation. We also looked at whether it's possible to lose money from Google AdWords, and the answer was a clear and resounding yes.In my hypothetical... Read rest of article here

 

Longhorn delayed again? April 7, 2005

 

From Yahoo! News:

"In the last few weeks, the tech industry has been buzzing with speculation that Microsoft's next OS release, Longhorn, will not be ready for its planned 2006 unveiling.

If the OS is put off until 2007, some competitors could win more profits, but many analysts say that software and hardware partners will face the most serious challenges and could end up losing more than they anticipated."

 

DeveloperShed April 7, 2005

 

Wil Wheaton and DeveloperShed are teaming up to launch igrep, the first (and only) vertical niche search engine designed specifically for developers.

The search engine is powered from DeveloperShed's vast array of more than five million technology-related documents, including FAQs.

Since igrep indexes only content, it can provide developers with much more relevant content than other search engines.

 

Google Budget Optimizer tool April 7, 2005

 

The Google Budget Optimizer campaign management tool automatically adjusts your keyword Max CPCs on your behalf. All you need to do is set a target budget, and the Budget Optimizer will actively seek out the most clicks possible within that budget.

The Budget Optimizer helps you reach your target spend every month without requiring a lot of work on your part. You can save time, eliminate the guesswork related to setting your CPCs, and enhance your return on investment.

 

Retailer Filing Class Action Lawsuit Against Search Engine for Click Fraud April 7, 2005

 

From the Search Engine Roundtable:

"Seems that some retailers have finally had enough to do about click fraud so much so that instead of complaining about it draining their budgets or reducing the effectiveness of online advertising they are doing something about it. The retailers instead of being proactive about managing their campaigns for click fraud, they are taking care of it the good ole American way by suing them."

 

CNET launches BNET April 7, 2005

 

CNET have officially launched BNET, a b-to-b site aimed at business leaders.

With a slogan of "Get Smarter About What's Working at Work", this is well worth a look.

 

Understanding Google's AdWords part III April 7, 2005

 

Yesterday's article looked at the most common mistake made by companies guesstimating the effectiveness of their Google AdWords campaign. Our "Google AdWords Deluxe package" proved how easy it is to get clicks, yet unsurprisingly, no-one signed up for the package.I... Read rest of article here

 

Microsoft readying 'all-out war' on open source April 8, 2005

 

TechWorld are reporting that Microsoft may be preparing an "all out war" on the open source community.

 

Downloaders help Napster fortunes April 8, 2005

 

From the BBC News website:

"Online music pioneer Napster is predicting a healthier rise in revenue due to increased subscriptions and strong music download sales.

The Los Angeles-based company said it added 153,000 new subscribers in the final three months of 2004, up 53% on the third quarter of last year."

Who would have thought it?

 

Microsoft launch MSN Spaces April 8, 2005

 

Microsoft have finally launched MSN Spaces, a free personal web journal system.

But not everyone is happy about it.

The SearchEngineJournal and others are reporting that MSN will practically own the content, and even reserve the right to modify it at will.

Ouch.

 

Understanding Google's AdWords - back next week April 8, 2005

 

Part IV in our Understanding Google's AdWords will be back on Monday.

In case you missed some of the earlier posts:

Part I - What makes Google AdWords so good. Why it is still possible to lose.

Part II - Easy clicks don't equate to an easy ROI.

Part II - The ad. The landing page. The product. The price. In that order.

Have a great weekend.

 

Turning the web into 'sushi belts' April 11, 2005

 

The BBC have an interesting article on the growth and development of RSS, that goes beyond the "yet-another-what-is" model:

"For now, however, Mr Winer sees RSS as a development for the web which is a revolution that is not disruptive. It levels the playing field for all kinds of content producers to get what they produce out into the world.

But he is not sure it needs to be a "mass market thing" just yet.

But as technology and media companies start to use RSS more explicitly, encouraging readers to use the feeds to stay updated, it will most likely go that way."

 

A New F-Word for Google Search Results April 11, 2005

 

SearchEngineWatch are pointing to a new study that reinforces the theory that top ranking search results get the most attention.

"The study found that most viewers looked at results in an "F" shaped scan pattern, with the eye travelling vertically along the far left side of the results looking for visual cues (relevant words, brands, etc) and then scanning to the right, as if something caught the participant's attention."

 

Windows XP SP2 goes automatic April 11, 2005

 

As of today, Monday April 11th, any Windows XP user with Windows Automatic Updates enabled will find they are downloading the 100MB Service Pack 2. Like it or not.

Is your software SP2 compatible?

 

Yahoo allow custom RSS news feeds April 11, 2005

 

Credit to Yahoo! for implementing quick and simple RRS feed creation.

You simply enter your search term, and Yahoo! instantly create the feed.

Impressive.

 

Understanding Google's AdWords part IV April 11, 2005

 

We've now looked at why you should be using Google Adwords, the difference between clicks and ROI, and the last article looked at the four main factors involved in the success of your AdWords campaigns. Namely the ad itself, the landing page, the product, and... Read rest of article here

 

MSN Adds Voluntary Ads to Instant Messaging April 12, 2005

 

From the NewsFactor Network:

"Microsoft is betting that many computer users will want brand images around their instant messages in the same way that many people want product logos on their shirts.

Yesterday's release of MSN Messenger 7.0 marks the first large-scale introduction of advertising into the instant-messaging program, which is used by about 155 million people worldwide. Previously, the advertising in the program was limited to a small banner on the bottom of the main MSN Messenger window."

 

Bad Links: Can They Really Hurt You? April 12, 2005

 

The Search Engine Roundtable have an interesting article on the subject of whether a website can be penalised for having "bad links" pointing to them.

 

Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers See Lower Online Conversion Rates April 12, 2005

 

From ClickZ Stats:

"E-tailers have higher online conversion rates than their bricks-and-mortar counterparts according to Nielsen//NetRatings MegaView Online Retail report."

 

Music industry extends piracy war April 13, 2005

 

The BBC news website are reporting that more than 900 file-sharers have been threatened with legal action yesterday, Tuesday the 12th of April.

"The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) announced it was launching 963 new actions in 11 countries in Europe and Asia."

Hopefully the message will start to get through. Downloading music illegally is theft. Pure and simple.

 

Jeeves gets more personal April 13, 2005

 

From Netimperative:

"Ask Jeeves has upgraded its personal search service, MyAskJeeves, with greater compatibility with Internet browsers and extra customization features.

Launched last year, the free MyAskJeeves service allows users to save search queries and results.

The new version allows users to import links to Web pages and images, that other MyAskJeeves users have shared with them via email. By clicking "add to MyAskJeeves" at the bottom of email messages, users can add those links and annotations to their own MyAskJeeves."

We've heard the word interactive thrown around for so long that we forget what it really means. Could 2005 prove to be the year of real interaction?

 

RSS Network April 13, 2005

 

The RSS Network is a great means of finding topic RSS feeds, either by searching or navigating the extensive directory.

Seize the power of RSS!

 

Bogus blogs snare fresh victims April 14, 2005

 

The BBC News website are reporting that fake blogs are being used as traps to infect visitor's machines with keylogging software or viruses.

 

Bizarre PPC Keyword Restrictions, European Style April 14, 2005

 

From ReveNews:

"Fresh from Europe, here are the new PPC keyword restrictions from Kelkoo. This is a doozy and may even outdo Shop.com's restriction that banned affiliates from bidding on the term "shop"."

 

Deadly Duo: March 2005 April 14, 2005

 

From ClickZ Stats:

"Spam volume in the month of March declined very slightly to 87 percent of all messages according to Postini. Volume was 88 percent in February. On a year-over-year basis, March spam volume grew 10 percent (March 2005, 87 percent; March 2004, 77 percent). Despite spam's apparent growth, it isn't as "bad" this year as it was in 2004, according to a new Pew Internet & American Life Project study."

 

Anti-spyware group Coast hits an iceberg April 14, 2005

 

CNET's News.com are reporting that the Consortium of Anti-Spyware Technology vendors (COAST) has dissolved following internal turmoil.

"The dissolution of Coast highlights sharp disagreements within the software industry over "adware" and "spyware," a difficult-to-define class of applications that trigger advertising on PC screens and collect data, such as Web surfing histories, to personalize marketing messages.

Practices run the gamut from displaying small banner ads inside applications to infiltrating operating systems and taking over key computing functions without notice or permission."

 

Will China dominate outsourcing? April 14, 2005

 

From ZDNet Australia:

"After a run of stunning good fortune, India's tech community finds itself dealing with a looming challenge from a flourishing Chinese economy. Just as American companies saw jobs disappear to less-expensive venues in India, China has begun to figure as an alternative for the practice of shipping tech tasks offshore."

 

Court Blocks Microsoft's Chimney in Longhorn April 15, 2005

 

From eWeek:

"A preliminary injunction has been issued Tuesday against Microsoft in connection with a patent infringement case, preventing the software maker from using a networking feature in Longhorn, its upcoming operating system release."

 

Compatibility with Firefox browser crucial for web sites, analyst says April 15, 2005

 

From InternetRetailer.com:

"As the Mozilla Organization's Firefox web browser surges in popularity - with 44 million downloads since Firefox 1.0 launched last November - web site operators need to assure that their sites are compatible with it, analysts say."

 

Overture Renews, Expands Lycos Europe Deal April 15, 2005

 

From ClickZ News:

"Under the exclusive, multi-year relationship, Overture will continue to provide sponsored search results on Lycos Europe properties in UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria and Switzerland. A new component of the deal will make Overture the exclusive provider of contextual listings to Lycos Europe properties in Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands."

 

Web shops face tighter security April 18, 2005

 

The BBC News website are reporting that web shops are being forced to comply with strict security standards, drawn up by the main credit card companies.

"The move to tighten up security at online shops happens as increasing numbers of firms report that customer data has been lost or stolen."

The web is still a relatively new sales medium, and every single security scare or data breach represents a serious step back in teaching the consumer that online purchasing is safe.

As developers and service providers selling online, we should be firmly behind every initiative that aims to protect and reassure the customer. Even if it hurts and inconveniences us in the short term.

 

Adobe buys Macromedia for $3.4 billion April 18, 2005

 

From Bloomberg.com:

"Adobe Systems Inc., the world's largest maker of graphic-design software, agreed to buy Macromedia Inc. for about $3.4 billion to add Flash Web-design programs to its offerings."

 

Microsoft Launches Global Campaign Inspiring People to 'Start Something' With Windows XP April 18, 2005

 

Microsoft today kicked off a new global awareness campaign designed to showcase how people can explore, enhance and pursue their passions with Windows(R) XP and related technology -- whether that passion is music, movies, cooking or the cosmos.

The international effort called "Start Something" is one of the largest and longest marketing campaigns in the Windows brand history.

Using fresh, imaginative advertising, retail executions, online activities and more, the 15-month campaign celebrates the countless possibilities for Windows to bring what people are passionate about to life using the hundreds of thousands of software applications and devices that work with Microsoft(R) Windows XP.

Let's sit back and watch what a massive budget can do for software marketing.

 

Yahoo! Buys TeRespondo.com to gain market share in Latin America April 18, 2005

 

From the Search Engine Roundtable:

"In recent news titled "Yahoo! Buys Brazilian PPC Search Network" from an article published by Kevin Newcomb from the ClickZ it says "Yahoo! is expanding its presence in Latin America with the purchase of Brazilian performance-based advertising network TeRespondo". This is one of the most important events happening for the Latin American search engine marketing industry. TeRespondo is the leading provider of performance-based online marketing solutions for Latin America, primarily Brazil, Mexico and Argentina."

Your first reaction may well be "Brazil?", but the numbers on the page are interesting, to say the least.

According to the article, Latin America ranks fourth among total worldwide internet users, and is the fastest growing region in the world.

 

How Affiliate Programs Can Affect Search Rankings April 18, 2005

 

From ClickZ Experts:

"You're probably familiar with the term "PageRank," made famous by Google. And you probably know search engines consider the quality and quantity of links that point to your Web site to calculate your site's ranking in search results. Still, a lot of confusion exists regarding how merchant sites should benefit from their affiliates' links."

 

Cookie Death Small Potatos, More Product of Spyware Measures April 19, 2005

 

From MarketingVOX News:

""It's sensationalism, and I think it's going to be a tempest in a teapot." That's what Matthew Roche, Founder and CEO of testing and optimization firm Offermatica, says about the uproar surrounding the Jupiter Research cookie report.

Even before aQuantive's Atlas Institute poked holes in this data (by showing that the self-reported data diverged greatly from real-world behavior), metrics experts were downplaying the eulogies being said for the venerable cookie."

 

LinkedIn Adds Services Listings to Social Network April 19, 2005

 

ClickZ News are reporting that the social network LinkedIn have launched a networked search application to help users find local service providers.

"The new local directory is starting with 150 service providers who have signed up during the month-long testing phase. Initial categories include legal, financial, employment, creative, management consulting, technology, marketing, and architectural/construction services. Under those eight categories are 40 sub-categories, which will evolve with users' and providers' needs."

I always find it interesting when the internet is used on a local level. More so in the case of a social network designed to connect people from all over the world.

David Tebbutt, one of the creators of the relatively unknown but brilliantly useful BrainStorm software, wrote about the usefulness of LinkedIn and carried out some basic (but fascinating) research.

"Turns out that my 45 LinkedIn contacts have generated a network of 627,000 people. It would be nice if one or two offered me some work, but this doesn't seem to be how the system operates. Puzzled at the deathly silence, I decided to write to my contacts to find out their experience of LinkedIn. Twenty one have replied so far. For many the result was similar but, equally, some found it very useful." More here.

 

'Simple games' rule mobile charts April 20, 2005

 

The BBC News website are reporting that Tetris has been the most popular game on mobile phones (in the UK) for the past twelve months.

"The research showed that consoles games which have been turned into mobile versions may not be what the mobile gamer wants."

Full article here.

Tetris has been around on our desktops since the days of Windows 3.1, if not before. But there's no doubt that games have developed a little since then. Today, many computer stores offer some variation of Tetris at the cheaper end of the bargain basket.

But on mobile phones, the game is as popular as ever.

The reasons, especially in hindsight, are obvious. People want a quick and easy game to fill a few minutes or half hour. They don't want a complex game with a 30 page manual. And more often than not, simple and addictive will win over stunning and complex.

It's a classic case of how the effectiveness of a model may work differently from one medium to another. What works on the desktop may work differently on the mobile. What works in print may work differently online. And what works face to face may not work on the website.

It's all obvious, right?

 

Opera 8 - speed, security, simplicity April 20, 2005

 

Regular readers of this blog will already know how I feel about Opera's web browser.

In a nutshell they were leagues ahead of their competition, but didn't develop their core ideas anywhere near quickly enough. The result? As much as I admire their persistence, I don't understand how they're still around today.

They do, however, excel at software marketing. Their web page design is excellent, and their website is a first-rate example of how to communicate benefits over features.

The small screenshot shows that the moment the visitor arrives, they are presented with a striking logo, and next to it, in big letters, speed, security and simplicity.

Beautiful.

They neatly follow this up with very clear links designed to feed the information-hungry visitor, and a clear free download button. Nicely done.

The one mistake they make is that their CSS appears to be less than perfect, and the links I have already clicked on remain underlined when I go back to the page, as you might be able to see in the screenshot. Something tells me this won't be a problem in the Opera Browser.

If you want to see how to neatly and clearly present your product to your visitors, go to the Opera website and see how it's done.

 

Amazon pushes e-tailing expertise April 21, 2005

 

The BBC News website are reporting that the UK's Marks & Spencer store have announced their tie-up with Amazon to handle their online business.

"Amazon will handle the technology behind the M&S site, and link the firm's in-store, telephone and online ordering systems."

Read the rest of the article here.

This struck me as a little surprising, to see such a large organisation not wanting to handle this from within their own organisation. And I'm still not sure whether this is a strength or weakness of the organisation.

Time will tell whether or not it was the right move.

 

Dvorak: "Skittish Adobe buys Macromedia" April 21, 2005

 

On MarketWatch, John Dvorak is arguing that Adobe, "an aggressive, but paranoid software vendor", acquired Macromedia through fear of Microsoft.

"Year after year Adobe transforms the product as if some invisible competitor were breathing down its neck. Its changes are sometimes so radical that it risks losing business by fixing what is not broken. But, in fact, there is nobody to lose business to except its own older versions of the same program."

 

Free report - The Business Case for RSS April 21, 2005

 

From MarketingStudies.net:

"Even though RSS has been strongly publicized in 2005, most marketers and publishers still fail to understand its potential to power most of the internet marketing & publishing mix.

The purpose of this report is to demonstrate just how RSS can help marketers and publishers improve their bottom-line and show them how to integrate it within all of their internet marketing and publishing activities."

 

Yahoo! Doubles Profits April 21, 2005

 

ClickZ News are reporting that Yahoo! have doubled their profits in Q1, while seeing significant growth in advertising areas:

"Yahoo! reported earnings of $205 million today, on revenues of $1.17 billion for the first quarter of 2005, compared with net income of $101 million on revenues of $758 million in the year-ago quarter. Marketing services revenue rose 54 percent to $1,025 million for the quarter, representing all but $149 million of total revenue."

 

Google report net income of $369.2m in first quarter April 22, 2005

 

The BBC News website (and the rest of the web) are reporting that Google's Q1 net income has boomed to six times the level generated a year ago.

Guess where the rise has come from?

 

eBay 'most popular brand' online April 22, 2005

 

From the BBC News website:

"eBay is the top brand name on the net, according to calculations by net monitoring company Envisional.

Microsoft was the most prominent company name in the index, but it was the sixth most negatively perceived."

 

Adobe/Macromedia to offer alternative to MS April 22, 2005

 

MicroScope are running an interesting perspective on the Adobe/Macromedia merger.

"Adobe's revenues are about £1bn and Macromedia's are about £200m - the revenue potential of their combined offering is substantial. Cross-platform products that serve Microsoft's own environment will make it a formidable competitor for the Redmond giant."

 

DoubleClick bought for $1-billion April 25, 2005

 

GlobeAndMail.com are reporting that DoubleClick are being acquired for more than $1billion.

 

Log file analysis for search engine optimization April 25, 2005

 

Pandia.com have a nice roundup of the basics of log file analysis for search engine optimisation.

 

Google PageRank update April 25, 2005

 

It looks as though there's another PageRank update in progress.

Prepare yourself for another tirade of theories, speculation and obsession!

Or save yourself the bother, and read our article:

Introducing PageRank - shattering the myth.

 

10 Tips for Bloggers April 25, 2005

 

RSS-specifications.com have a good article on writing an effective blog.

 

Online music lovers 'frustrated' April 25, 2005

 

The BBC News website are reporting that UK music lovers are becoming frustrated with restrictions placed on the digitial music they buy from online stores.

The main issue is that the buyers don't realise that the music they buy is tied to a specific device or system. When they find out, they don't like it.

Essentially this means that the honest uers, who buy the music, are being penalised for the actions of those who steal and share.

Not a great system.

From the article:

"The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) said legal music downloads rose by 900% in 2004."

I can't think why.

 

Penalised for dead links? April 26, 2005

 

The Search Engine Roundtable are weighing up the evidence. Can you be penalised for having dead links on your website?

"You decide for yourself, but it will be noted that while the Google founder do mention that dead or dangling links are neither good or bad, they do mention the problem can be fixed by sorting the results thus allowing this problem not to happen often. I imagine the time since then ways to fix this have gotten substantially more advanced and one can only wonder how they look at dead links today."

Full article: Do Search Engines Penalize for Dead Links?

 

Topic Specific Search Engines April 26, 2005

 

From Small Business Software:

"Qualified 'clickers' or interested buyers is what it is all about; whether you are selling a product or advertising, the more targeted the traffic the better the fit. As an advertiser, consider topic- specific search engines. As an online marketer, consider creating a niche search portal, as the market is ripe."

Read more: The Power of Topic Specific Search Engines

 

Nowhere to Go But Up" for Internet Marketing April 26, 2005

 

From ClickZ News:

"Describing the Internet as "the most underutilized advertising medium that's out there," Morgan Stanley managing director Mary Meeker said broadband adoption, mobile device usage and international growth are opening up a variety of opportunities for marketers, entrepreneurs and investors."

Full article: Meeker: "Nowhere to Go But Up" for Internet Marketing"

 

New Google AdWords options April 26, 2005

 

Google have announced their forthcoming new AdWords features, including site-targeted AdWords campaigns, keyword-targeted campaigns, new max CPM bidding options and additional ad formats.

Software marketing has never been so flexible!

More information: Presenting significant enhancements to the Google AdWords program

 

Gates demonstrates Longhorn April 27, 2005

 

The BBC News website are reporting that Bill Gates has been showing off key features of the forthcoming Longhorn, at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference in Seattle.

The full version is now scheduled for release by December 2006, but this has already been delayed many times.

"During his speech, Mr Gates added that the Microsoft developers had concentrated a great deal on making sure people's data was safer on PCs.

Previous versions of Windows have been criticised for being too vulnerable."

More on Gates demos 'more secure' Windows.

 

An alternative to Windows April 27, 2005

 

Molly Wood, senior editor for CNET.com, has written an interesting article on the failures of Longhorn, before it's even released. And she's right.

The problem with looking at alternatives is simple. It's just not an option.

If you've never purchased a computer before, whether for your home or business, then there are options out there. But any that don't run Windows are going to seriously restrict your options for software and hardware in the future. It just isn't an option.

For the majority of us, the fact is that we're tied to Windows, whether we like it or not.

Our business has thousands of pounds of software and hardware, and we're not going to throw that away for anything. Especially as most of it will not be replaced under an alternative operating system.

As Molly points out:

"In the meantime, the best alternative to Windows is Windows."

Windows is weak: where's the alternative?

 

RSS advertising - as tested by Google April 27, 2005

 

eWeek are reporting that Google are expanding their online ad network, this time by placing contextual ads in XML-based syndication feeds.

"Google's early RSS advertising effort follows a test late last year by competitor Yahoo Inc. Yahoo's search marketing division is working with FeedBurner to test the placement of its sponsored links within publishers' RSS feeds."

Google Puts RSS Advertising to the Test.

 

AskJeeves double profits April 28, 2005

 

An article on ClickZ News is reporting that AskJeeves have more than doubled their profits in Q1 2005, posting a net income of $18.1 million.

Ask Jeeves Doubles Profits on Higher Ad Revenue.

 

Ads that track actions April 28, 2005

 

Whatever happened to Wired?

Once at the forefront of the industry, their unique blend of style and technology used to sit quite comfortably on the cutting edge.

Today their website is reporting on the theory of behavioural marketing:

"...a growing niche in the online advertising industry focused on targeting promotional messages to an individual's online activities. Some might call such tracking across websites by a less flattering name: adware."

Where have they been for the past ten years?

Ads That Know What You Want.

 

User assistance blog April 28, 2005

 

Becky Lash of Epic Trends, known and respected within the shareware industry for her technical writing and copy writing skills, has launched her own User Assistance Blog.

Topics to date include free web and help tool for translators, thinking globally about your software, selling to teens and more.

Well worth a look.

Customer communication and online education by Epic Trends web page.

Customer communication and online education by Epic Trends - XML feed.

 

New US legislation for online pirates April 29, 2005

 

The BBC News website are reporting that new US legislation is aimed at file-sharers putting copies of new songs and films online before they are released.

Instead of a token slap on the wrist, the new law gives courts the power to sentence up to three years in jail.

US law targets online 'pirates'.

 

New York Attorney suing Internet Marketer for alleged spyware April 29, 2005

 

According to DMNews, the New York Attorney has announced a lawsuit against Internix Media, claiming that their websites have secretly installed spyware and adware on their customer's computers.

Spitzer Sues Internet Marketer, Alleges Spyware, Adware.

 

The business of Click Fraud April 29, 2005

 

The Search Engine Roundtable have come across evidence of a pyramid scheme built around click fraud.

It's obvious that the threat is a growing one, and with no shortage of people out there looking to make easy money online, Google, Yahoo/Overture and others are going to have to do something. And fast.

Google recently hit the headlines with impressive profits, mainly down to the success of their PPC advertising. If their customers start to lose faith in the system, and start questioning how much they may be paying for fraudulent clicks, it's only a matter of time before they start reducing their expenditure.

Over to Google.

Click Fraud Pyramid Scheme?