Brand Republic
Diabetes UK has produced a direct mail postcard accompanied by a CD to raise the profile of its work among healthcare professionals.
The charity is sending out 20,000 CD postcards to healthcare professionals across the UK, in preparation for the March 2008 Diabetes UK annual professional conference.
The card, created by digital publisher Serious, acts as a digital introduction to the charity's services and educational tools, and encourages people working in diabetes to sign up to the professional membership programme.
The postcard CD, which drives users to the Diabetes UK website, includes a "join us today" membership sign-up link and multiple click-through links. It also outlines membership benefits and includes a promotional conference video/soundtrack and exclusive downloads.
Joe Chown, professional membership manager for Diabetes UK, said: "The Serious card enables us to promote the individual membership benefits, as well as draw attention to the important work we do on behalf of the professionals working in the field of diabetes.
"The user can access content that is of direct relevance to their professional discipline, allowing us to target messages to segmented audiences through one campaign."
James Marks, senior account manager for Serious Europe, said: "The card delivers a direct-digital platform with key tracking analysis. Furthermore, the card generates revenue, while helping the organisation to reduce its operational costs and carbon footprint."
29 February, 2008
Yahoo! sued by shareholders
New Media Age
Yahoo! is being sued by shareholders for attempting to avoid Microsoft’s proposed $44.6bn (£22.96) takeover.
Two Detroit pension funds have filed a lawsuit against the internet giant, saying it shouldn’t have been so dismissive towards Microsoft’s approaches.
According to reports, five other lawsuits have also been filed against Yahoo! saying the company didn’t have the best interests of shareholders and pension-holders at heart when failing to negotiate Microsoft’s offer.
The Detroit lawsuit reads: "Yahoo's directors cannot 'just say no' indefinitely to legitimate acquisition offers. Likewise, Yahoo's directors cannot pursue transactions that do not require shareholder approval for the primary purpose of making Yahoo unattractive to Microsoft.
"Regardless of their emotional ties to Yahoo and their desire to retain their positions as directors at the company, the Yahoo directors owe fiduciary duties to Yahoo and its shareholders," it continued.
Yahoo! is understood to be willing to negotiate with Microsoft, however, and has been rumoured to be in talks with other companies, including Google and News Corp, over alternative deals.
Yahoo! was unavailable for comment.
Yahoo! is being sued by shareholders for attempting to avoid Microsoft’s proposed $44.6bn (£22.96) takeover.
Two Detroit pension funds have filed a lawsuit against the internet giant, saying it shouldn’t have been so dismissive towards Microsoft’s approaches.
According to reports, five other lawsuits have also been filed against Yahoo! saying the company didn’t have the best interests of shareholders and pension-holders at heart when failing to negotiate Microsoft’s offer.
The Detroit lawsuit reads: "Yahoo's directors cannot 'just say no' indefinitely to legitimate acquisition offers. Likewise, Yahoo's directors cannot pursue transactions that do not require shareholder approval for the primary purpose of making Yahoo unattractive to Microsoft.
"Regardless of their emotional ties to Yahoo and their desire to retain their positions as directors at the company, the Yahoo directors owe fiduciary duties to Yahoo and its shareholders," it continued.
Yahoo! is understood to be willing to negotiate with Microsoft, however, and has been rumoured to be in talks with other companies, including Google and News Corp, over alternative deals.
Yahoo! was unavailable for comment.
Google UK marketing head predicts rise of 'personalisation'
Marketing Week
Google's UK marketing director Dan Cobley (left) has tipped "personalisation" as the big development in the internet this year. He told the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers (ISBA) conference today (February 28) that users will increasingly be able to add and change information themselves.
He added that users will begin to interact with the internet products more and will be able to make changes to programmes and tools to help improve them. "There is going to be increase of users as developers and in turn advertisers will find out more about consumer behaviour," he said.
Meanwhile, managing director of digital media consultancy Nigel Walley, told delgates that TV is sector seeing the most innovation. He said advertisers should stop separating traditional broadcast advertising from their work for digital video on demand services.
He added: "This stuff isn't digital, its TV. This is core media, so we should not silo technical innovation for video on demand into digital."
Google's UK marketing director Dan Cobley (left) has tipped "personalisation" as the big development in the internet this year. He told the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers (ISBA) conference today (February 28) that users will increasingly be able to add and change information themselves.
He added that users will begin to interact with the internet products more and will be able to make changes to programmes and tools to help improve them. "There is going to be increase of users as developers and in turn advertisers will find out more about consumer behaviour," he said.
Meanwhile, managing director of digital media consultancy Nigel Walley, told delgates that TV is sector seeing the most innovation. He said advertisers should stop separating traditional broadcast advertising from their work for digital video on demand services.
He added: "This stuff isn't digital, its TV. This is core media, so we should not silo technical innovation for video on demand into digital."
Friends of the Earth head slams Porsche for fighting congestion charge increase
Marketing Week
Friends of the Earth director executive Tony Juniper has slated Porsche for fighting against the increase in the congestion charge saying the luxury car marque "has a vested interest in keeping polluting vehicles on the road".
The company has announced earlier this month it is seeking a judicial review of Transport for London's plans to increase the charge to £25-a-day for the highest polluting cars. The increase is due to introduced in October.
Speaking at green marketing at the crossroads session on at the ISBA conference, he added that there is "an awful lot of resistance from big brands" on green issues.
He said: "Marketing can be powerful in promoting cultural change in the mind of the consumers but it can't be done as an add on. But we need to change big business first and that can't be done purely through communications."
Friends of the Earth director executive Tony Juniper has slated Porsche for fighting against the increase in the congestion charge saying the luxury car marque "has a vested interest in keeping polluting vehicles on the road".
The company has announced earlier this month it is seeking a judicial review of Transport for London's plans to increase the charge to £25-a-day for the highest polluting cars. The increase is due to introduced in October.
Speaking at green marketing at the crossroads session on at the ISBA conference, he added that there is "an awful lot of resistance from big brands" on green issues.
He said: "Marketing can be powerful in promoting cultural change in the mind of the consumers but it can't be done as an add on. But we need to change big business first and that can't be done purely through communications."
28 February, 2008
Opera mobile browsers swap Yahoo for Google
Stephen Shankland
Opera has switched out Yahoo and made Google the default search engine for its Opera Mobile and Opera Mini Web browsers designed for mobile devices.
In January 2007, Yahoo and Opera announced that Yahoo would be the default search engine on Opera Mobile and Mini. Now, though, the mobile versions are getting what the desktop version of Opera has had for seven years--a built-in Google default.
Opera and Google "are extending this collaboration to give our users immediate access to the quality and convenience of Google's search results," Opera Chief Executive Jon von Tetzchner said in a statement Wednesday.
Yahoo said the change was on its own initiative, though it didn't offer details on what exactly it didn't find desirable about having its OneSearch mobile search service be selected by default.
"Yahoo has elected not to continue its mobile search partnership with Opera at this time," the company said in a statement. Yahoo has 29 carrier partnerships, and its "ability to partner with leading mobile operators and handset manufacturers enables us to lead and further the global mobile ecosystem."
Google search will be presented on the Opera browsers' start pages--except in Russia and other former Soviet republics, Opera said.
Opera Mini can be downloaded for free on mobile phones, and Opera Mini users collectively browse 1.7 billion Web pages per month, the Oslo, Norway-based company said.
Opera has switched out Yahoo and made Google the default search engine for its Opera Mobile and Opera Mini Web browsers designed for mobile devices.
In January 2007, Yahoo and Opera announced that Yahoo would be the default search engine on Opera Mobile and Mini. Now, though, the mobile versions are getting what the desktop version of Opera has had for seven years--a built-in Google default.
Opera and Google "are extending this collaboration to give our users immediate access to the quality and convenience of Google's search results," Opera Chief Executive Jon von Tetzchner said in a statement Wednesday.
Yahoo said the change was on its own initiative, though it didn't offer details on what exactly it didn't find desirable about having its OneSearch mobile search service be selected by default.
"Yahoo has elected not to continue its mobile search partnership with Opera at this time," the company said in a statement. Yahoo has 29 carrier partnerships, and its "ability to partner with leading mobile operators and handset manufacturers enables us to lead and further the global mobile ecosystem."
Google search will be presented on the Opera browsers' start pages--except in Russia and other former Soviet republics, Opera said.
Opera Mini can be downloaded for free on mobile phones, and Opera Mini users collectively browse 1.7 billion Web pages per month, the Oslo, Norway-based company said.
Don't call it a wiki: Google Sites finally launches
Rafe Needleman
Google is finally launching the wiki it's been promising since the company acquired Jotspot, 14 months ago (see Dan Farber: JotSpot reincarnated as Google Sites). The service, now called Google Sites, will be rolled out to Google Apps users starting tonight. Oddly, nowhere in the press materials does Google use the word, "wiki."
Call it what you will (it's a wiki, ok?), Google Sites is a natural extension of the Google Apps suite of business apps, into which Google currently bundles Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, and other collaboration and productivity services. And it's not a bad standalone wiki, either.
As with other wiki services, it has two main features: First, you can set it up so anyone you want can edit a Google Sites page (or you can keep it private). And second, it records all changes and lets you change things so you can un-do these edits.
Users who want to keep track of changes to a Google Sites project, or just a page on it, can easily sign up to get alerted when other users make changes.
I spent a little time with it and found it to be a very strong wiki. The service's editor is simple and clean, and there's no whiff of the weird Wikitext markup code you see on earlier-generation wikis. You can drop into HTML editing if you like, though.
There are only a limited number of page types: Five, at launch, including the generic text page, a two-column "dashboard," and a page with a special list module (for to-dos and the like). But Google Sites makes it easy to embed other elements from its Apps or Doc suite, including spreadsheets and presentations, and also YouTube videos and iGoogle widgets (which is cool). To embed most items all you need is its URL. It's not a pretty way to get the job done but it is straightforward and fast.
You can also embed word processing files from Google Docs or Google Apps, which could possibly create some confusion, since these documents may already be shared with other users and may not have the same permissions as the text surrounding them in your wiki. At least the text editor is similar, so moving between environments will not be too jarring. But I would hope for smoother integration between the collaboration features built into the Google Docs word processor, and Google Sites, in the future.
As is typical for Google productivity applications when they first launch, the functionality inside Sites is on the spare side, but the collaboration features are clear, easy to use, and well-chosen. This is a capable workgroup wiki, and even in this early stage its integration with the Docs and Apps suites makes it an excellent collaboration tool.
Google is finally launching the wiki it's been promising since the company acquired Jotspot, 14 months ago (see Dan Farber: JotSpot reincarnated as Google Sites). The service, now called Google Sites, will be rolled out to Google Apps users starting tonight. Oddly, nowhere in the press materials does Google use the word, "wiki."
Call it what you will (it's a wiki, ok?), Google Sites is a natural extension of the Google Apps suite of business apps, into which Google currently bundles Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, and other collaboration and productivity services. And it's not a bad standalone wiki, either.
As with other wiki services, it has two main features: First, you can set it up so anyone you want can edit a Google Sites page (or you can keep it private). And second, it records all changes and lets you change things so you can un-do these edits.
Users who want to keep track of changes to a Google Sites project, or just a page on it, can easily sign up to get alerted when other users make changes.
I spent a little time with it and found it to be a very strong wiki. The service's editor is simple and clean, and there's no whiff of the weird Wikitext markup code you see on earlier-generation wikis. You can drop into HTML editing if you like, though.
There are only a limited number of page types: Five, at launch, including the generic text page, a two-column "dashboard," and a page with a special list module (for to-dos and the like). But Google Sites makes it easy to embed other elements from its Apps or Doc suite, including spreadsheets and presentations, and also YouTube videos and iGoogle widgets (which is cool). To embed most items all you need is its URL. It's not a pretty way to get the job done but it is straightforward and fast.
You can also embed word processing files from Google Docs or Google Apps, which could possibly create some confusion, since these documents may already be shared with other users and may not have the same permissions as the text surrounding them in your wiki. At least the text editor is similar, so moving between environments will not be too jarring. But I would hope for smoother integration between the collaboration features built into the Google Docs word processor, and Google Sites, in the future.
As is typical for Google productivity applications when they first launch, the functionality inside Sites is on the spare side, but the collaboration features are clear, easy to use, and well-chosen. This is a capable workgroup wiki, and even in this early stage its integration with the Docs and Apps suites makes it an excellent collaboration tool.
27 February, 2008
Facebook backs down over account data
Precision Marketing
Social networking giant Facebook has performed a major u-turn by agreeing to delete all users’ information from its site, once they have decided to cancel their accounts.
The move follows a barrage of complaints – and even the formation of a dedicated Facebook group – after it emerged the company retained all users data in case people changed their minds and wanted to reactivate accounts.
Last year, the Information Commissioner waded into the row, pledging to probe a complaint by a UK consumer, although it is unclear how far this has proceeded.
The company now claims to have addressed these concerns, enabling users to finally close accounts, and despite teething problems the service is now fully operational.
Social networking giant Facebook has performed a major u-turn by agreeing to delete all users’ information from its site, once they have decided to cancel their accounts.
The move follows a barrage of complaints – and even the formation of a dedicated Facebook group – after it emerged the company retained all users data in case people changed their minds and wanted to reactivate accounts.
Last year, the Information Commissioner waded into the row, pledging to probe a complaint by a UK consumer, although it is unclear how far this has proceeded.
The company now claims to have addressed these concerns, enabling users to finally close accounts, and despite teething problems the service is now fully operational.
Online sales hit new record
Precision Marketing
Online shopping in the UK reached a record high of over £4.5bn in the January sales, according to a new report.
The ‘IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index’ shows there was a year on year increase of 75 per cent in online shopping, the equivalent to each UK consumer spending £74 on a website in January.
In individual areas, the electrical and clothing sectors experienced the most growth with 38 and 32 per cent respectively.
The figures found that while the overall e-retail market is growing because more brands are entering the online market, the high growth is still concentrated on bigger players.
Capgemini UK’s consumer products and retail vice president Anthoula Madden says: “The Index shows that January sales are as large a phenomenon online as they are on the high street, with the overall online market continuing to show strong growth.
“The continued growth in the online sector underlines the importance to retailers of understanding and serving customers across all channels.”
Demographics 'will be irrelevant online'
Precision Marketing Magazine
Traditional ways of selling to customers based on demographic information such as age and gender will become irrelevant in the online sector, according to information technology company Gartner.
Companies will need new skills and techniques to engage with and remain relevant to 'Generation Virtual', which is based on demonstrated achievement, accomplishments and preference for the use of digital channels and is the recognition that general behaviour, attitudes and interests are starting to blend together.
Gartner principal analyst Adam Sarner says/ "The reality of 'Generation Virtual' creating anonymous online personas, and the sheer power of their growing influence in an online environment, means companies must change their methods of acquisition and relationship building."
CRM-focused companies and particularly their marketing departments must take notice of this change and engage with online personas."
Building a website: Content management systems
By Sue Fidler, Third Sector, 27 February 2008
Sue Fidler offers some tips on finding the right content management system.
Before you start creating a website there are various questions to consider so you can write a specification of requirements. The only technical decision at this stage is what platform your site will use.
Using a content management system makes it easier to update your site without needing to understand any code. It also offers publication rights management on templates and CSS files - which define the look of web pages - to standardise your site. But there are many types and levels of CMS.
At the bottom end of the spectrum is Dreamweaver. This isn't really a CMS at all, but a coding tool. Unless you have the skills to use it properly, you will not end up with a good site.
Next are the many new tools that have appeared to facilitate blogs and Web 2.0 sites, such as WordPress. They are easy to use and, with the right developer, can produce good, simple sites.
They do have limitations, though.
Then there are the free open source CMSs, such as Joomla and Drupal. The licence for these is free, and they are extremely good at integrating Web 2.0 tools, but some non-techies find them hard to use. They are capable of everything, if you have a good developer.
Finally, there are the traditional proprietary CMSs, written and managed by web development agencies - either open source or Microsoft language-based. These systems are very user -friendly and easy for non-techies to understand.
With whatever you choose, the usability is key. Can you manage everything on the page, or do you need to pay the developer even for small changes?
Most important of all is the developer. Can you work with them, trust them and sustain a long-term relationship with them? If not, you are storing up trouble.
- Sue Fidler is an independent charity ICT, database and internet consultant.
Sue Fidler offers some tips on finding the right content management system.
Before you start creating a website there are various questions to consider so you can write a specification of requirements. The only technical decision at this stage is what platform your site will use.
Using a content management system makes it easier to update your site without needing to understand any code. It also offers publication rights management on templates and CSS files - which define the look of web pages - to standardise your site. But there are many types and levels of CMS.
At the bottom end of the spectrum is Dreamweaver. This isn't really a CMS at all, but a coding tool. Unless you have the skills to use it properly, you will not end up with a good site.
Next are the many new tools that have appeared to facilitate blogs and Web 2.0 sites, such as WordPress. They are easy to use and, with the right developer, can produce good, simple sites.
They do have limitations, though.
Then there are the free open source CMSs, such as Joomla and Drupal. The licence for these is free, and they are extremely good at integrating Web 2.0 tools, but some non-techies find them hard to use. They are capable of everything, if you have a good developer.
Finally, there are the traditional proprietary CMSs, written and managed by web development agencies - either open source or Microsoft language-based. These systems are very user -friendly and easy for non-techies to understand.
With whatever you choose, the usability is key. Can you manage everything on the page, or do you need to pay the developer even for small changes?
Most important of all is the developer. Can you work with them, trust them and sustain a long-term relationship with them? If not, you are storing up trouble.
- Sue Fidler is an independent charity ICT, database and internet consultant.
Switch off for E-Day!
BCS
The BCS Ethics Forum is encouraging members to switch off electrical equipment on 27 February in support of national Energy Saving Day (E-Day) initiative.
During E-Day which runs for 24 hours from 6.00pm on 27 February, everyone in the country will be invited to see if they can save energy in their home, school or office, by leaving off electrical items which are not in use. The organisers will then provide feedback on national electricity demand via the E-Day website.
E-Day founder, Dr Matt Prescott explains: 'We have 70 per cent of the public saying they accept climate change and wanting to do something about it; but almost everybody feels powerless, and I wanted to find a way of making people feel powerful and that they could change something.'
The cumulative effects of millions of energy saving measures will be updated on the E-Day website on a minute-by-minute basis allowing individuals to judge whether the country succeeds in reducing its demand for electricity over the course of 24 hours. It will also allow E-Day to highlight energy saving as a simple and painless way in which everyone can help to tackle climate change.
Bob Harvey, chair of the Ethics Forum says: 'This is a great way for everyone to get involved in the green climate debate and to see for themselves what difference even the simplest of efforts can make.'
The green agenda is just one issue that the BCS Ethics Forum is focusing on. It recently formed the Carbon Footprint Working Group to look at the broad impact areas of IT on the environment with the aim of developing best practice guidelines for IT professionals at all levels. A key initial focus has been on data centres, via the Data Centre Specialist Group, which will launch a white paper shortly detailing the results of its study. In addition, the group has been involved in significant discussions on data centre issues with industry and government, as well as contributing to the debate surrounding EU codes of conduct. The BCS will be sponsoring: 'The Smart and Sustainable Campus' 11 April 2008, University of Bradford and 'Data Centres Europe 2008', 10-11 April 2008, London. Further information about E-Day can be found at: http://e-day.org.uk/
Facebook Grouphttp://oxford.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9526180142
Invitation to St. Paul's Cathedral (on Facebook) http://oxford.facebook.com/event.php?eid=8542673036
You Tubehttp://youtube.com/energysavingday
The BCS Ethics Forum is encouraging members to switch off electrical equipment on 27 February in support of national Energy Saving Day (E-Day) initiative.
During E-Day which runs for 24 hours from 6.00pm on 27 February, everyone in the country will be invited to see if they can save energy in their home, school or office, by leaving off electrical items which are not in use. The organisers will then provide feedback on national electricity demand via the E-Day website.
E-Day founder, Dr Matt Prescott explains: 'We have 70 per cent of the public saying they accept climate change and wanting to do something about it; but almost everybody feels powerless, and I wanted to find a way of making people feel powerful and that they could change something.'
The cumulative effects of millions of energy saving measures will be updated on the E-Day website on a minute-by-minute basis allowing individuals to judge whether the country succeeds in reducing its demand for electricity over the course of 24 hours. It will also allow E-Day to highlight energy saving as a simple and painless way in which everyone can help to tackle climate change.
Bob Harvey, chair of the Ethics Forum says: 'This is a great way for everyone to get involved in the green climate debate and to see for themselves what difference even the simplest of efforts can make.'
The green agenda is just one issue that the BCS Ethics Forum is focusing on. It recently formed the Carbon Footprint Working Group to look at the broad impact areas of IT on the environment with the aim of developing best practice guidelines for IT professionals at all levels. A key initial focus has been on data centres, via the Data Centre Specialist Group, which will launch a white paper shortly detailing the results of its study. In addition, the group has been involved in significant discussions on data centre issues with industry and government, as well as contributing to the debate surrounding EU codes of conduct. The BCS will be sponsoring: 'The Smart and Sustainable Campus' 11 April 2008, University of Bradford and 'Data Centres Europe 2008', 10-11 April 2008, London. Further information about E-Day can be found at: http://e-day.org.uk/
Facebook Grouphttp://oxford.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9526180142
Invitation to St. Paul's Cathedral (on Facebook) http://oxford.facebook.com/event.php?eid=8542673036
You Tubehttp://youtube.com/energysavingday
Building a website: Content management systems
By Sue Fidler, Third Sector, 27 February 2008
Sue Fidler offers some tips on finding the right content management system.
Before you start creating a website there are various questions to consider so you can write a specification of requirements. The only technical decision at this stage is what platform your site will use.
Using a content management system makes it easier to update your site without needing to understand any code. It also offers publication rights management on templates and CSS files - which define the look of web pages - to standardise your site. But there are many types and levels of CMS.
At the bottom end of the spectrum is Dreamweaver. This isn't really a CMS at all, but a coding tool. Unless you have the skills to use it properly, you will not end up with a good site.
Next are the many new tools that have appeared to facilitate blogs and Web 2.0 sites, such as WordPress. They are easy to use and, with the right developer, can produce good, simple sites.
They do have limitations, though.
Then there are the free open source CMSs, such as Joomla and Drupal. The licence for these is free, and they are extremely good at integrating Web 2.0 tools, but some non-techies find them hard to use. They are capable of everything, if you have a good developer.
Finally, there are the traditional proprietary CMSs, written and managed by web development agencies - either open source or Microsoft language-based. These systems are very user -friendly and easy for non-techies to understand.
With whatever you choose, the usability is key. Can you manage everything on the page, or do you need to pay the developer even for small changes?
Most important of all is the developer. Can you work with them, trust them and sustain a long-term relationship with them? If not, you are storing up trouble.
- Sue Fidler is an independent charity ICT, database and internet consultant.
Sue Fidler offers some tips on finding the right content management system.
Before you start creating a website there are various questions to consider so you can write a specification of requirements. The only technical decision at this stage is what platform your site will use.
Using a content management system makes it easier to update your site without needing to understand any code. It also offers publication rights management on templates and CSS files - which define the look of web pages - to standardise your site. But there are many types and levels of CMS.
At the bottom end of the spectrum is Dreamweaver. This isn't really a CMS at all, but a coding tool. Unless you have the skills to use it properly, you will not end up with a good site.
Next are the many new tools that have appeared to facilitate blogs and Web 2.0 sites, such as WordPress. They are easy to use and, with the right developer, can produce good, simple sites.
They do have limitations, though.
Then there are the free open source CMSs, such as Joomla and Drupal. The licence for these is free, and they are extremely good at integrating Web 2.0 tools, but some non-techies find them hard to use. They are capable of everything, if you have a good developer.
Finally, there are the traditional proprietary CMSs, written and managed by web development agencies - either open source or Microsoft language-based. These systems are very user -friendly and easy for non-techies to understand.
With whatever you choose, the usability is key. Can you manage everything on the page, or do you need to pay the developer even for small changes?
Most important of all is the developer. Can you work with them, trust them and sustain a long-term relationship with them? If not, you are storing up trouble.
- Sue Fidler is an independent charity ICT, database and internet consultant.
26 February, 2008
B2B social network LinkedIn users to connect on mobile
Rachel Hawkes (Social Media Portal)
LinkedIn, the popular business to business (B2B) social networking site has today announced its progression to mobile.
LinkedIn users will now be able to network with the other 19 million users from their mobile phone, including iPhone’s and Blackberry’s. Dan Nye, LinkedIn’s chief executive officer comments, “Let’s face it, every professional today is carrying a wireless device. Many of these professions are on the move, attending conferences, sales meetings and client events. Making LinkedIn available on mobile devices responds to both these business realities and will be great for our users.”
Through the LinkedIn browser on their handset, B2B networkers will have the ability to search profiles, research mutual contacts, invite other professionals to join their network in addition to receiving notifications on their LinkedIn connections.
The LinkedIn web application browser launches in beta with the final version debuting before the end of May 2008. Initially, the browser is available to users in English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese. The company will introduce other languages when the mobile site comes out of beta.
The move to mobile follows the B2B social network’s introduction of their ‘Intelligent Applications Platform’ which allows third-party developers to build applications that run either within the LinkedIn website or on external websites, social networks or blogs.
The first partner for the applications platform was BusinessWeek.com, with the application allowing readers to locate LinkedIn profiles of persons mentioned within their articles and features.
LinkedIn faced popular rumours in November 2007 that they were in purchase talks with Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, which were quickly dismissed.
LinkedIn, the popular business to business (B2B) social networking site has today announced its progression to mobile.
LinkedIn users will now be able to network with the other 19 million users from their mobile phone, including iPhone’s and Blackberry’s. Dan Nye, LinkedIn’s chief executive officer comments, “Let’s face it, every professional today is carrying a wireless device. Many of these professions are on the move, attending conferences, sales meetings and client events. Making LinkedIn available on mobile devices responds to both these business realities and will be great for our users.”
Through the LinkedIn browser on their handset, B2B networkers will have the ability to search profiles, research mutual contacts, invite other professionals to join their network in addition to receiving notifications on their LinkedIn connections.
The LinkedIn web application browser launches in beta with the final version debuting before the end of May 2008. Initially, the browser is available to users in English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese. The company will introduce other languages when the mobile site comes out of beta.
The move to mobile follows the B2B social network’s introduction of their ‘Intelligent Applications Platform’ which allows third-party developers to build applications that run either within the LinkedIn website or on external websites, social networks or blogs.
The first partner for the applications platform was BusinessWeek.com, with the application allowing readers to locate LinkedIn profiles of persons mentioned within their articles and features.
LinkedIn faced popular rumours in November 2007 that they were in purchase talks with Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, which were quickly dismissed.
25 February, 2008
FT launches social network
NetImperative
The Financial Times has launched an exclusive membership forum aimed at media and technology executives.
The forum will let members make and maintain contact with peers and luminaries operating within the digital, new media, mobile and telecoms sectors.
Members of the media and technology executive forum can search and contact fellow members using the online networking tool.
Along with a 12-month premium subscription to FT.com, members also get complimentary passes for any conference from the FT's exclusive Global Conferences and Events portfolio, along with access to all FT conferences' speaker presentations and podcasts, and networking events.
Jayne Van Hoen, Global Conference Director, Financial Times said: "Busy executives in the media and technology industries are increasingly networking, communicating and connecting online and the launch of the FT's Telecoms Media and Technology Executive Forum provides a highly targeted network where executives from these fast-moving industries can connect and share their knowledge.
“Our readers rely on the FT's quality of insight and reporting and the new forum will enable them to interact and use that information more effectively with their peers."
The Telecoms Media and Technology Executive Membership Forum is the first in a series of membership forums to be launched, with groups for the luxury goods and property sectors to follow later this year.
http://www.ftexecutiveforums.com
The Financial Times has launched an exclusive membership forum aimed at media and technology executives.
The forum will let members make and maintain contact with peers and luminaries operating within the digital, new media, mobile and telecoms sectors.
Members of the media and technology executive forum can search and contact fellow members using the online networking tool.
Along with a 12-month premium subscription to FT.com, members also get complimentary passes for any conference from the FT's exclusive Global Conferences and Events portfolio, along with access to all FT conferences' speaker presentations and podcasts, and networking events.
Jayne Van Hoen, Global Conference Director, Financial Times said: "Busy executives in the media and technology industries are increasingly networking, communicating and connecting online and the launch of the FT's Telecoms Media and Technology Executive Forum provides a highly targeted network where executives from these fast-moving industries can connect and share their knowledge.
“Our readers rely on the FT's quality of insight and reporting and the new forum will enable them to interact and use that information more effectively with their peers."
The Telecoms Media and Technology Executive Membership Forum is the first in a series of membership forums to be launched, with groups for the luxury goods and property sectors to follow later this year.
http://www.ftexecutiveforums.com
23 February, 2008
Facebook ‘sees UK users decline for first time’
Facebook has suffered its first fall in UK users, with a 5% drop between December and January, according to new data.
Research firm Nielsen Online said Facebook lost around 400,000 UK unique users month on month, following 17 consecutive months of growth.
This is the first drop Nielsen Online has recorded in Facebook's user numbers in the UK.
However, Facebook still had 8.5 million unique users in January and remains the most popular social networking website in the UK.
Furthermore, rival, MySpace also saw a 5% drop in UK traffic between December and January, the data shows.
MySpace ranked second in terms of UK social networking websites in January, with 5 million unique users, while Bebo, which saw users drop by 2% month on month, was ranked third with 4.1 million.
Nielsen Online has been recording the number of monthly unique users visiting Facebook since July 2006, when the social networking website's UK audience first became large enough to be regularly measured by the company's research panel.
Alex Burmaster, European internet analyst at Nielsen Online, said: "One month of falling audiences doesn't spell the decline of Facebook or social networking. However, most of the leading social networks are less popular in the UK than they were a year ago. It was inevitable that early growth rates couldn't be sustained and the larger networks have been plateauing over the last few months."
He added that Facebook's audience is still a massive 712% higher than in January 2007 and 9% bigger than at the end of October.
Over the same period MySpace has seen its number of unique users fall by 9% since January last year and 14% over the past three months.
Bebo has seen a 53% year-on-year increase in unique users compared to January 2007, but a dip of 8% since the end of October.
Burmaster added: "Growth among the big players looks to be more about getting people from their competitors, not attracting new people to social networking. However, real growth potential lies in the niche networks, those based on a particular lifestyle or interest, such as travel, music, wealth or business."
Nielsen Online only measures website traffic based on a panel of UK users at home and work - it does not cover usage in schools, universities and internet cafes, meaning that younger internet users are under-reported.
Research firm Nielsen Online said Facebook lost around 400,000 UK unique users month on month, following 17 consecutive months of growth.
This is the first drop Nielsen Online has recorded in Facebook's user numbers in the UK.
However, Facebook still had 8.5 million unique users in January and remains the most popular social networking website in the UK.
Furthermore, rival, MySpace also saw a 5% drop in UK traffic between December and January, the data shows.
MySpace ranked second in terms of UK social networking websites in January, with 5 million unique users, while Bebo, which saw users drop by 2% month on month, was ranked third with 4.1 million.
Nielsen Online has been recording the number of monthly unique users visiting Facebook since July 2006, when the social networking website's UK audience first became large enough to be regularly measured by the company's research panel.
Alex Burmaster, European internet analyst at Nielsen Online, said: "One month of falling audiences doesn't spell the decline of Facebook or social networking. However, most of the leading social networks are less popular in the UK than they were a year ago. It was inevitable that early growth rates couldn't be sustained and the larger networks have been plateauing over the last few months."
He added that Facebook's audience is still a massive 712% higher than in January 2007 and 9% bigger than at the end of October.
Over the same period MySpace has seen its number of unique users fall by 9% since January last year and 14% over the past three months.
Bebo has seen a 53% year-on-year increase in unique users compared to January 2007, but a dip of 8% since the end of October.
Burmaster added: "Growth among the big players looks to be more about getting people from their competitors, not attracting new people to social networking. However, real growth potential lies in the niche networks, those based on a particular lifestyle or interest, such as travel, music, wealth or business."
Nielsen Online only measures website traffic based on a panel of UK users at home and work - it does not cover usage in schools, universities and internet cafes, meaning that younger internet users are under-reported.
Siphs makes sharing content easier for publishers and users
Josh Lowensohn
We're big fans of the ShareThis button here at Webware. It's tiny and speedy when it comes to bookmarking or passing along interesting content you find on the Web to others. However, one thing it doesn't offer is a way to track which services your readers use the most. Enter Siphs, an unfortunately named, but useful tool for blog or site owners to help their users share and bookmark content while keeping tabs on what's getting the most play.
Siphs does everything ShareThis does with the added benefit of providing metrics for the site owner. You can track which services users are clicking, along with detailed numbers of shares for each. Compared with ShareThis, it's not nearly as seamless, since it jumps users to an offsite page full of sharing links, but it's nice enough to let you brand the page to match the look and feel of your site, making it a little less startling.
Track what services people are using to share your content with Siphs.(Credit: Siphs, LLC)
Siphs has four levels of service, a free personal version, and three paid iterations that run off an annual subscription and offer template customization, click statistics, and an increased volume in the number of e-mails your users can send to share your content. The premium service also offers site owners leads on who's clicking the links in the e-mails in case you feel like wooing them over to your site with the integrated address book.
We're big fans of the ShareThis button here at Webware. It's tiny and speedy when it comes to bookmarking or passing along interesting content you find on the Web to others. However, one thing it doesn't offer is a way to track which services your readers use the most. Enter Siphs, an unfortunately named, but useful tool for blog or site owners to help their users share and bookmark content while keeping tabs on what's getting the most play.
Siphs does everything ShareThis does with the added benefit of providing metrics for the site owner. You can track which services users are clicking, along with detailed numbers of shares for each. Compared with ShareThis, it's not nearly as seamless, since it jumps users to an offsite page full of sharing links, but it's nice enough to let you brand the page to match the look and feel of your site, making it a little less startling.
Track what services people are using to share your content with Siphs.(Credit: Siphs, LLC)
Siphs has four levels of service, a free personal version, and three paid iterations that run off an annual subscription and offer template customization, click statistics, and an increased volume in the number of e-mails your users can send to share your content. The premium service also offers site owners leads on who's clicking the links in the e-mails in case you feel like wooing them over to your site with the integrated address book.
22 February, 2008
Retailers come up short in email marketing study
Nikki Sandison Brand Republic
Almost half of retailers fail to follow best practice guidelines for email marketing according to a new study, which names Office, Lidl and H&M as the worst offenders.
The retail benchmark study 'Hitting the Mark' by DotMailer found that 46% of retailers are failing to comply with basic legal requirements, which state that every marketing email should include the company registration number, country of registration and a registered office address.
The study evaluated 46 UK retailers' email campaigns against 20 criteria, including sign-up, unsubscribing and effectiveness of the design, and awarded each one an email effectiveness rating out of 100.
Topshop came out ahead, topping the index with a score of 86.5, but it was one of only eight to score over 80.
STA Travel, Asda and M&S were close behind with a score of 85.5, 84.5 and 83.5 respectively.
At the bottom end, shoe retailer Office came in last place with a score of 54, just behind Lidl and H&M, which were both on 57.
Overall, 35% failed to score more than 70.
Key failings identified by the study included minimal or ineffective design, inappropriate landing pages and non-existent targeting.
The average score for effective targeting was 16%, with only five brands in the study using information about customer preferences to tailor email content, and just 15% asking for any details about customer preferences during the sign-up process.
It also revealed that retailers are not investing in email-specific design skills. Only 30% of retailers invested in campaign-specific designs and 40% failed to design relevant landing pages with consistent branding and a clearly visible offer or call to action.
Tink Taylor, DotMailer's business development director, said: "Our study was eye-opening in demonstrating that many retailers are failing to realise the full potential of email as a sophisticated direct marketing channel, offering vast scope for targeted and measurable communications."
21 February, 2008
New white label social media monitoring platform launches
Rachel Hawkes (Social Media Portal)
Social media monitoring platform, Ripple6 has today announced the launch of their new white label platform.
Ripple6’s technology will allow publishers and marketers to embed a word-of-mouth analytics tool into their existing or newly formed social networking sites to ‘measure the flow of content and messages across communities.’ The companies chief executive officer Sang Kim comments, “We deliver to our partners a way to develop deeper relationships with consumers and offer compelling data and insights to validate their social media efforts.”
According to the press release issued today, Ripple6’s platform will also display a geographic breakdown of members as well as highlighting who reacts to what messages and who passes messages on and keyword density to track the tone of conversation.
Current Ripple6 partners include Proctor & Gamble, who has been integrating the social media monitoring software in a selection of campaigns for the last twelve months. Stan Joosten, the innovation manager of holistic communication at Proctor & Gamble says, “Online communities offer potential to activate and accelerate word-of-mouth, and to build engaging connections between brands and consumers.
Our partnership with Ripple6 has provided us a unique opportunity for marketing innovation in social media, with a look beyond traditional online advertising and toward developing even stronger relationships between consumers and P&G brands.”
With its launch, Ripple6 becomes the parent company of Kim's social networking site, MomJunction.
Social media monitoring platform, Ripple6 has today announced the launch of their new white label platform.
Ripple6’s technology will allow publishers and marketers to embed a word-of-mouth analytics tool into their existing or newly formed social networking sites to ‘measure the flow of content and messages across communities.’ The companies chief executive officer Sang Kim comments, “We deliver to our partners a way to develop deeper relationships with consumers and offer compelling data and insights to validate their social media efforts.”
According to the press release issued today, Ripple6’s platform will also display a geographic breakdown of members as well as highlighting who reacts to what messages and who passes messages on and keyword density to track the tone of conversation.
Current Ripple6 partners include Proctor & Gamble, who has been integrating the social media monitoring software in a selection of campaigns for the last twelve months. Stan Joosten, the innovation manager of holistic communication at Proctor & Gamble says, “Online communities offer potential to activate and accelerate word-of-mouth, and to build engaging connections between brands and consumers.
Our partnership with Ripple6 has provided us a unique opportunity for marketing innovation in social media, with a look beyond traditional online advertising and toward developing even stronger relationships between consumers and P&G brands.”
With its launch, Ripple6 becomes the parent company of Kim's social networking site, MomJunction.
20 February, 2008
RNID and Ministry of Sound target clubbers
Hayley Pinkerfield Revolution UK
RNID, the deafness and hard of hearing charity, has partnered with the Ministry of Sound to deliver a multi-channel digital campaign to clubbers.
‘Don't Lose the Music' aims to deliver the message about protecting hearing against loud music across a number of digital platforms, targeting UK adults aged 18-35.
The campaign, created by Blowfish Digital, will include a feature broadcast across the Ministry of Sound (MoS) TV network and a vodcast using the iTunes platform.
RNID will also deliver a series of radio podcasts and blogs as well as a digital programme targeting social networking profile pages. The campaign is based at www.dontlosethemusic.com.
Creatives aim to drive home the message that exposure to loud music at clubs can cause haring damage. RNID research reveals that 90 per cent of young people have experienced the signs of hearing damage after a night out.
Emma Harrison, head of campaigns at RNID, said: "If you have to shout to be heard by someone two metres away when you're out in a club, your hearing is at risk. Hearing damage is irreversible in humans and noise over 85 decibels - equivalent to a loud alarm clock, heavy traffic or a power drill at close range - will damage hearing over time.
"We are working with Blowfish Digital to get our message out to this hard-to-reach audience through a number of channels.
Farhad Koodoruth, managing director of Blowfish Digital, added: "The success of the campaign hinges on the channels we use to reach this audience. By combining a direct route through the MoS TV network and selected music platforms with a digital networking programme we will promote awareness at source and through a wider, more viral medium."
RNID, the deafness and hard of hearing charity, has partnered with the Ministry of Sound to deliver a multi-channel digital campaign to clubbers.
‘Don't Lose the Music' aims to deliver the message about protecting hearing against loud music across a number of digital platforms, targeting UK adults aged 18-35.
The campaign, created by Blowfish Digital, will include a feature broadcast across the Ministry of Sound (MoS) TV network and a vodcast using the iTunes platform.
RNID will also deliver a series of radio podcasts and blogs as well as a digital programme targeting social networking profile pages. The campaign is based at www.dontlosethemusic.com.
Creatives aim to drive home the message that exposure to loud music at clubs can cause haring damage. RNID research reveals that 90 per cent of young people have experienced the signs of hearing damage after a night out.
Emma Harrison, head of campaigns at RNID, said: "If you have to shout to be heard by someone two metres away when you're out in a club, your hearing is at risk. Hearing damage is irreversible in humans and noise over 85 decibels - equivalent to a loud alarm clock, heavy traffic or a power drill at close range - will damage hearing over time.
"We are working with Blowfish Digital to get our message out to this hard-to-reach audience through a number of channels.
Farhad Koodoruth, managing director of Blowfish Digital, added: "The success of the campaign hinges on the channels we use to reach this audience. By combining a direct route through the MoS TV network and selected music platforms with a digital networking programme we will promote awareness at source and through a wider, more viral medium."
18 February, 2008
Yahoo continues new product parade with Buzz
Lately it seems that Friday is the new day for Yahoo news around here. Apple's got Tuesday mornings locked. Microsoft prefers 3 a.m., so the Web giant seems to have decided to go for the day when everyone's half-checked out of the office. Earlier today we looked at the new face of Yahoo Video Valleywag got the scoop on a new Yahoo service called "Buzz" that's set to launch later this month.
So what is it? It's a buzz tracker for news items picked not only by user voting (like Digg, Propeller, Reddit, et al), but also for items people are searching for both on Yahoo and on the company's publisher network. According to Valleywag, the service is opening up small, about 100 or so publishers until the Summer (that is if Microsoft doesn't kill it off if the acquisition goes through) before making it available to all the sites.
We contacted Yahoo for more information on the service. Yahoo spokeswoman Kelley Podboy told us:
Yahoo! Buzz is part of a new initiative we are testing to surface interesting content from around the Web. We will be sharing more details of the initiative in the coming weeks. Ongoing product innovation is important to Yahoo! And we continue to test various products and services to gain valuable feedback and insights from our users.
According to Valleywag, the release date is set for February 26th, which falls on a Tuesday. There are also screenshots of the service in action here and here.
It should be noted Yahoo has maintained the buzz.yahoo.com domain since late 2005 when it started "The Buzz Blog" a companion to Yahoo's Buzz Index which is a daily tracker the likes of Google's Yearly Zeitgeist. The service helped track hot searches like music on the Billboard Charts. The new system would simply combine this with user voting and sourcing searches from smaller sites.
So what is it? It's a buzz tracker for news items picked not only by user voting (like Digg, Propeller, Reddit, et al), but also for items people are searching for both on Yahoo and on the company's publisher network. According to Valleywag, the service is opening up small, about 100 or so publishers until the Summer (that is if Microsoft doesn't kill it off if the acquisition goes through) before making it available to all the sites.
We contacted Yahoo for more information on the service. Yahoo spokeswoman Kelley Podboy told us:
Yahoo! Buzz is part of a new initiative we are testing to surface interesting content from around the Web. We will be sharing more details of the initiative in the coming weeks. Ongoing product innovation is important to Yahoo! And we continue to test various products and services to gain valuable feedback and insights from our users.
According to Valleywag, the release date is set for February 26th, which falls on a Tuesday. There are also screenshots of the service in action here and here.
It should be noted Yahoo has maintained the buzz.yahoo.com domain since late 2005 when it started "The Buzz Blog" a companion to Yahoo's Buzz Index which is a daily tracker the likes of Google's Yearly Zeitgeist. The service helped track hot searches like music on the Billboard Charts. The new system would simply combine this with user voting and sourcing searches from smaller sites.
15 February, 2008
Facebook in Microsoft's sights after Yahoo! snub
Marketing Week
Microsoft may turn its attention to Facebook after Yahoo! rejected its $44.6bn (£22.4bn) takeover bid. Microsoft bought a 1.6% stake in the social networking site for $240m (£120m) at the end of last year, valuing Facebook at $15bn (£7.6bn).
Microsoft is thought to be considering its options after being rebuffed by Yahoo!, which said its rival's bid "substantially undervalued" the company. It could increase its offer but some experts believe it will walk away and use its money to buy other web 2.0 companies, with Facebook top of its list.
It has emerged that Rupert Murdoch has reignited talks with Yahoo after its rejection of Microsoft's bid but analysts warn a News Corp/Yahoo! tie up could be fraught with problems.
It is believed that News Corp has floated the possibility of swapping some of its online properties, including its social networking site MySpace, for a stake of more than 20% in a newly merged business. The proposal is similar to one made by Murdoch last year, but which failed to come to fruition.
But Wall Street analysts have pointed out that while a Yahoo! and MySpace merger would be a powerful combination, it may be hampered by the fact that Google supplies MySpace's search technology, and is bound by a four-year contract.
Microsoft may turn its attention to Facebook after Yahoo! rejected its $44.6bn (£22.4bn) takeover bid. Microsoft bought a 1.6% stake in the social networking site for $240m (£120m) at the end of last year, valuing Facebook at $15bn (£7.6bn).
Microsoft is thought to be considering its options after being rebuffed by Yahoo!, which said its rival's bid "substantially undervalued" the company. It could increase its offer but some experts believe it will walk away and use its money to buy other web 2.0 companies, with Facebook top of its list.
It has emerged that Rupert Murdoch has reignited talks with Yahoo after its rejection of Microsoft's bid but analysts warn a News Corp/Yahoo! tie up could be fraught with problems.
It is believed that News Corp has floated the possibility of swapping some of its online properties, including its social networking site MySpace, for a stake of more than 20% in a newly merged business. The proposal is similar to one made by Murdoch last year, but which failed to come to fruition.
But Wall Street analysts have pointed out that while a Yahoo! and MySpace merger would be a powerful combination, it may be hampered by the fact that Google supplies MySpace's search technology, and is bound by a four-year contract.
13 February, 2008
Facebook bans 'forced invites' in apps
Caroline McCarthy
Ever come across one of those Facebook Platform applications that required you to spam a dozen of your friends with invites before you could access the results of your "Vampire Jedi Zombie Personality Quiz"?
They're annoying. And now Facebook has done something about it. Developer applications must "offer some navigation option to leave the friend invite process," according to a change in the social-networking site's platform policy. If an application's friend-invite page doesn't contain one of Facebook's in-house "Skip This Step," "Cancel," or "Skip" buttons, it has to contain an alternative way to navigate away from the friend invite process.
Developers whose applications ignore the new regulations reportedly receive warning letters that threaten shutdown if they fail to comply.
This is a big step toward cleaning up the cluttered Facebook app directory. Ideally, it will cut down on some of the "app invite overkill" that's led many Facebook users to groan every time they're invited to the corny application du jour. And it'll likely mean that Facebook members will probably only be passing on invites to applications they actually like, rather than spamming their friends just so they can learn what character from Hannah Montana they most resemble.
It will also mean your friends won't have to know that you even installed such an abhorrent application.
Ever come across one of those Facebook Platform applications that required you to spam a dozen of your friends with invites before you could access the results of your "Vampire Jedi Zombie Personality Quiz"?
They're annoying. And now Facebook has done something about it. Developer applications must "offer some navigation option to leave the friend invite process," according to a change in the social-networking site's platform policy. If an application's friend-invite page doesn't contain one of Facebook's in-house "Skip This Step," "Cancel," or "Skip" buttons, it has to contain an alternative way to navigate away from the friend invite process.
Developers whose applications ignore the new regulations reportedly receive warning letters that threaten shutdown if they fail to comply.
This is a big step toward cleaning up the cluttered Facebook app directory. Ideally, it will cut down on some of the "app invite overkill" that's led many Facebook users to groan every time they're invited to the corny application du jour. And it'll likely mean that Facebook members will probably only be passing on invites to applications they actually like, rather than spamming their friends just so they can learn what character from Hannah Montana they most resemble.
It will also mean your friends won't have to know that you even installed such an abhorrent application.
UK maintains position in spam ‘dirty dozen’
Precision Marketing
The UK shows no sign of dropping out of the spam ‘dirty dozen’, following a report which shows that this country now accounts for 2.5 per cent of unsolicited emails.
The report also showed a dramatic rise in the amount of junk mail being sent from Russian-based computers in the last quarter of 2007. Russia has jumped to second place, accounting for one in 12, or 8.3 per cent, of unsolicited emails.
The United States is still the global spam leader, relaying far more unsolicited email traffic than any other country. The US accounts for 21 per cent of all junk email
.
Sophos senior security consultant Carole Theriault says: “Responsible for a third of all unwanted emails, USA and Russia are polluting email traffic with unwanted and potentially malicious messages. Legions of computers are poorly defended, allowing hackers to break in and turn them into botnets for the spreading of spam and malware.”
The UK has dropped from tenth place to twelfth, even though spam mail volumes have risen from 2.4 to 2.5 per cent. Not since the first quarter of 2007 has the UK been outside the spam ‘dirty dozen’.
The UK shows no sign of dropping out of the spam ‘dirty dozen’, following a report which shows that this country now accounts for 2.5 per cent of unsolicited emails.
The report also showed a dramatic rise in the amount of junk mail being sent from Russian-based computers in the last quarter of 2007. Russia has jumped to second place, accounting for one in 12, or 8.3 per cent, of unsolicited emails.
The United States is still the global spam leader, relaying far more unsolicited email traffic than any other country. The US accounts for 21 per cent of all junk email
.
Sophos senior security consultant Carole Theriault says: “Responsible for a third of all unwanted emails, USA and Russia are polluting email traffic with unwanted and potentially malicious messages. Legions of computers are poorly defended, allowing hackers to break in and turn them into botnets for the spreading of spam and malware.”
The UK has dropped from tenth place to twelfth, even though spam mail volumes have risen from 2.4 to 2.5 per cent. Not since the first quarter of 2007 has the UK been outside the spam ‘dirty dozen’.
Don't rely on digital media, expert advises
Emma Rigby, Third Sector, 13 February 2008
Fundraisers who focus all their efforts on a single technological innovation such as Facebook are destined to miss out on long-term income, according to a third sector media expert.
"The next big thing in new media fundraising will not be a single technology or platform," Bryan Miller, a planning partner at agency WWAV Rapp Collins, will tell delegates at the Institute of Fundraising's direct marketing and fundraising conference today.
"It won't be Facebook or the mobile internet, and it certainly won't be email replacing direct mail. I'm afraid it's just not that easy."
The key to success will be combining digital and traditional media into an integrated fundraising strategy, Miller told Third Sector before the event.
"At the moment people are taking a single piece of the jigsaw and putting all their money on it."
Facebook launches Mars products shopping service
Marketing Week
Packaged goods giant Mars will become the first advertiser to sell actual products on Facebook, a move aimed at building the commercial credentials of the social network.
The deal follows the recent backlash around the launch of Facebook’s Beacon, an advertising platform that allowed brands to pump ads without user consent. Facebook was forced to change the service to include an opt-in element.
This will be the first time that users on Facebook will be able to purchase actual and not “just virtual” products.
The applications will launch on Valentine’s Day. Called Celebrate, the service will enable users to buy actual Mars gifts which can be redeemed at participating stores through the use of a scanable, unique mobile voucher ID.
A user on the Celebrate application will be able to select, for example, a virtual box of Maltesers and send it to a friend on Facebook. When this message is opened, the user will be asked to enter his or her mobile number and an SMS barcode will be sent. That user can then go into a participating store, pick up a box of Maltesers, have the mobile code scanned and then leave with the goods.
The tie-up with Mars comes as Facebook UK commercial director Blake Chandlee, in an exclusive interview with Marketing Week, criticised retail, finance and travel advertisers for being slow to invest in social networking, unlike packaged goods brands.
Chandlee says brands like Nike, Apple, Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble already have Facebook presence, but that finance, travel and retail companies are still trying to “figure out the use of social networking, consistent with their traditional methodologies.”
He adds that social networking is about brand building and direct response is a part of Facebook’s “overall mix, but because direct response relies heavily on standardised ad banners and buttons, direct marketers are still trying to figure out how effective social networks are in regard to just banners and buttons.”
Packaged goods giant Mars will become the first advertiser to sell actual products on Facebook, a move aimed at building the commercial credentials of the social network.
The deal follows the recent backlash around the launch of Facebook’s Beacon, an advertising platform that allowed brands to pump ads without user consent. Facebook was forced to change the service to include an opt-in element.
This will be the first time that users on Facebook will be able to purchase actual and not “just virtual” products.
The applications will launch on Valentine’s Day. Called Celebrate, the service will enable users to buy actual Mars gifts which can be redeemed at participating stores through the use of a scanable, unique mobile voucher ID.
A user on the Celebrate application will be able to select, for example, a virtual box of Maltesers and send it to a friend on Facebook. When this message is opened, the user will be asked to enter his or her mobile number and an SMS barcode will be sent. That user can then go into a participating store, pick up a box of Maltesers, have the mobile code scanned and then leave with the goods.
The tie-up with Mars comes as Facebook UK commercial director Blake Chandlee, in an exclusive interview with Marketing Week, criticised retail, finance and travel advertisers for being slow to invest in social networking, unlike packaged goods brands.
Chandlee says brands like Nike, Apple, Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble already have Facebook presence, but that finance, travel and retail companies are still trying to “figure out the use of social networking, consistent with their traditional methodologies.”
He adds that social networking is about brand building and direct response is a part of Facebook’s “overall mix, but because direct response relies heavily on standardised ad banners and buttons, direct marketers are still trying to figure out how effective social networks are in regard to just banners and buttons.”
Building a website: First steps
by Sue Fidler, Third Sector, 13 February 2008
Sue Fidler describes the first steps towards getting a website up and running
So you've purchased a URL. What do you do with it?
First and foremost, look after it. Make sure you print and file the confirmation of ownership along with the username and password if you bought it online. Losing this information is like losing your passport - it can be expensive and time-consuming to get it back.
When you buy a URL you are buying only a name. On its own it isn't a website or even web hosting.
You can now start using it for your own email address. A POP 3 email account can be set up by the company you bought the URL from, and you can open it on any email package, such as Outlook Express. Many companies that sell URLs offer a number of free POP3 accounts as part of the package, so you can have several email addresses set up.
If you want to take the next step and start a website, you need to buy web services - a 'hosting package'. These can be very cheap, but before you buy you need to know what language you are going to have the website written in. There are different hosting packages for html and php sites, and you will need different services depending on whether you have a FrontPage, open source or SQL-based site.
When you buy web services they will link your URL to the IP address of the server where your website is stored and your email is collected. That link is held on a domain name server (DNS) record, a database that holds billions of IP addresses, URLs and links between them.
Whether you are going to hand-code a little website, use an open source tool or buy a content management system, the URL record is the basic foundation by which the rest of the internet - and that includes email - knows how to find you. Just think of it as your internet postcode.
- Sue Fidler is an independent charity ICT and internet consultant.
Sue Fidler describes the first steps towards getting a website up and running
So you've purchased a URL. What do you do with it?
First and foremost, look after it. Make sure you print and file the confirmation of ownership along with the username and password if you bought it online. Losing this information is like losing your passport - it can be expensive and time-consuming to get it back.
When you buy a URL you are buying only a name. On its own it isn't a website or even web hosting.
You can now start using it for your own email address. A POP 3 email account can be set up by the company you bought the URL from, and you can open it on any email package, such as Outlook Express. Many companies that sell URLs offer a number of free POP3 accounts as part of the package, so you can have several email addresses set up.
If you want to take the next step and start a website, you need to buy web services - a 'hosting package'. These can be very cheap, but before you buy you need to know what language you are going to have the website written in. There are different hosting packages for html and php sites, and you will need different services depending on whether you have a FrontPage, open source or SQL-based site.
When you buy web services they will link your URL to the IP address of the server where your website is stored and your email is collected. That link is held on a domain name server (DNS) record, a database that holds billions of IP addresses, URLs and links between them.
Whether you are going to hand-code a little website, use an open source tool or buy a content management system, the URL record is the basic foundation by which the rest of the internet - and that includes email - knows how to find you. Just think of it as your internet postcode.
- Sue Fidler is an independent charity ICT and internet consultant.
12 February, 2008
Good deeds go under the hammer
Emma Rigby, Third Sector Online, 12 February 2008
A website has been launched to let people auction good turns to raise money for small charities and local organisations.
The free site, www.auctionofpromises.com, enables organisations to post details of a project for which funds are needed. People can then auction their promises, such as offering to help someone move house, to raise money for the causes listed. Supporters can make their auctions visible to all site visitors or restrict them to visitors from certain postcodes.
Roland Peters, the website's founder, launched the site after he had helped local clubs run fundraising auctions and thought there was an opportunity to launch a service online.
“The scheme is best suited to small organisations that might have fundraising targets of about £2,000,” said Peters. “It’s very simple to use and organisations can get a scheme up and running in no time.
“The most unusual promise I have seen so far was a promise to do anything for a day.”
Bidding starts and ends within set dates and auctioneers can send email invites and links to encourage their contacts to bid for the promise.
A website has been launched to let people auction good turns to raise money for small charities and local organisations.
The free site, www.auctionofpromises.com, enables organisations to post details of a project for which funds are needed. People can then auction their promises, such as offering to help someone move house, to raise money for the causes listed. Supporters can make their auctions visible to all site visitors or restrict them to visitors from certain postcodes.
Roland Peters, the website's founder, launched the site after he had helped local clubs run fundraising auctions and thought there was an opportunity to launch a service online.
“The scheme is best suited to small organisations that might have fundraising targets of about £2,000,” said Peters. “It’s very simple to use and organisations can get a scheme up and running in no time.
“The most unusual promise I have seen so far was a promise to do anything for a day.”
Bidding starts and ends within set dates and auctioneers can send email invites and links to encourage their contacts to bid for the promise.
Gaypedia social networking site launches this week
Marketing Week
Gaypedia, a new gay and lesbian travel portal and social networking site, launches this week with the aim of becoming the largest leisure database specifically designed for the gay community.
Gaypedia.com, which will launch on Valentine’s Day, will feature a mix of user-generated and editorial content. It will offer a database of venues and events, with a date-specific search facility and will also have a unique, gay Google tool.
Members can also add content, upload photos and videos, and diarise events and vacations, which can be shared with Gaypedia friends. As well as details of events, the portal will provide information on equality issues and legislation for gay travellers.
Gaypedia marketing director Ryan Haynes says: "With such a large international gay community, and pride festivals getting bigger and bigger, we designed a site where gays and lesbians can find everything in one place."
Gaypedia says it hopes to branch out into other aspects of gay and lesbian lifestyles to provide an integrated, interactive information portal.
11 February, 2008
Yahoo snubs Microsoft
Yahoo! has turned down Microsoft's £22.4bn bid, saying it is "too low". The bid valued Yahoo! at 62% more than its share price on January 31, the day the offer was made.
The search engine is instead reported to be considering other options. It is thought to have restarted merger talks with AOL or even a possible tie-up with Google or Walt Disney. Google has a 5% stake in AOL.
Analysts have said that the deal with Google could go ahead if Yahoo! allows Google to handle searches on Yahoo's site in exchange for a split for the advertising revenue. An option that several investors have called for as Google's share of search continues to rise, while Yahoo's slides.
Meanwhile no alternate bidders have emerged and analysts had been betting that the likeliest outcome was for Yahoo's board to negotiate for a higher price from Microsoft. Some expect that this could force Microsoft to attempt a hostile take-over.
The search engine is instead reported to be considering other options. It is thought to have restarted merger talks with AOL or even a possible tie-up with Google or Walt Disney. Google has a 5% stake in AOL.
Analysts have said that the deal with Google could go ahead if Yahoo! allows Google to handle searches on Yahoo's site in exchange for a split for the advertising revenue. An option that several investors have called for as Google's share of search continues to rise, while Yahoo's slides.
Meanwhile no alternate bidders have emerged and analysts had been betting that the likeliest outcome was for Yahoo's board to negotiate for a higher price from Microsoft. Some expect that this could force Microsoft to attempt a hostile take-over.
08 February, 2008
I Count has launches podcast series
I Count has launched its first ever podcast.
The 20 minute programme features a mix of the latest news from the I Count campaign, eco gadget testing, exclusive interviews with eco-friendly celebrities and a round-table discussion on the forthcoming Climate Change Bill.
The first episode also features some eco tips from character comedian and unlikely green guru Barry From Watford (played by comedian Alex Lowe). Barry first came to popularity on Iain Lee’s LBC show and is a regular on BBC4’s topical comedy talk show, 'The Late Edition', hosted by Marcus Brigstocke.
In addtition, the first podcast includes I Count’s Green Gas – a quick fire light-hearted Q&A with high profile people who are passionate about the planet. This month top 10 charting North London based musician Just Jack gets the Green Gas treatment.
The 20 minute programme features a mix of the latest news from the I Count campaign, eco gadget testing, exclusive interviews with eco-friendly celebrities and a round-table discussion on the forthcoming Climate Change Bill.
The first episode also features some eco tips from character comedian and unlikely green guru Barry From Watford (played by comedian Alex Lowe). Barry first came to popularity on Iain Lee’s LBC show and is a regular on BBC4’s topical comedy talk show, 'The Late Edition', hosted by Marcus Brigstocke.
In addtition, the first podcast includes I Count’s Green Gas – a quick fire light-hearted Q&A with high profile people who are passionate about the planet. This month top 10 charting North London based musician Just Jack gets the Green Gas treatment.
Facebook launches Spanish translation
mad.co.uk
Facebook is set to begin its roll-out of its plan to internationalise the social networking site, as unveiled by mad.co.uk (6 February), with the launch of a Spanish edition next week.
Nearly 1,500 Spanish-speaking users on Facebook translated the site from English to Spanish in less than four weeks. German and French versions of Facebook are expected in the coming weeks.
Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world, with more than 300 million people speaking it. Facebook currently has more than 2.8 million active users in Latin America and Spain.
Current users who want to view Facebook in Spanish can change their language preference from their account settings. From Monday, (11 February), any person who goes to www.facebook.com from a Spanish-speaking country will automatically see the site in Spanish.
In addition, a translation application will soon be available to Facebook Platform developers who want to have their applications translated by the community.
Mark Zuckerberg, founder and chief executive of Facebook, said: “Over 60 per cent of Facebook users are now outside of the US, and many live in countries where English is not the primary language.
“Our goal has always been to allow people to use Facebook in their native language so we built an application to enable users to participate in translating the site into their local languages and dialects. We really appreciate the contribution from users in translating Facebook.”
Facebook users can now also access the mobile site in their supported language through any mobile handset with web capabilities.
Facebook is set to begin its roll-out of its plan to internationalise the social networking site, as unveiled by mad.co.uk (6 February), with the launch of a Spanish edition next week.
Nearly 1,500 Spanish-speaking users on Facebook translated the site from English to Spanish in less than four weeks. German and French versions of Facebook are expected in the coming weeks.
Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world, with more than 300 million people speaking it. Facebook currently has more than 2.8 million active users in Latin America and Spain.
Current users who want to view Facebook in Spanish can change their language preference from their account settings. From Monday, (11 February), any person who goes to www.facebook.com from a Spanish-speaking country will automatically see the site in Spanish.
In addition, a translation application will soon be available to Facebook Platform developers who want to have their applications translated by the community.
Mark Zuckerberg, founder and chief executive of Facebook, said: “Over 60 per cent of Facebook users are now outside of the US, and many live in countries where English is not the primary language.
“Our goal has always been to allow people to use Facebook in their native language so we built an application to enable users to participate in translating the site into their local languages and dialects. We really appreciate the contribution from users in translating Facebook.”
Facebook users can now also access the mobile site in their supported language through any mobile handset with web capabilities.
07 February, 2008
Google expands into email security
NetImperative
Google has launched a series of tools designed to help users manage their email security, following its acquisition of Postini last year.
Google's new security services work with any mail system, including Lotus Notes, Microsoft Exchange, and Novell Groupwise.
Pricing starts from £1.50 per user per year and customers can sign up online via the Google Apps platform.
"As threats rise in volume and complexity, and compliance requirements pile up, IT is struggling to find the resources to keep up," said Scott Petry, director of product management, Google.
"Now, Postini services offered by Google can take care of this for you. Organisations of all shapes and sizes can now get access to Google's industry leading security and compliance technologies."
Companies of all sizes are seeking solutions to the challenge of security and compliance. For instance, outbound message filtering helps prevent sensitive data from going outside the company firewall, which could result in identity theft or compromise a client's personal information. Also, increasing industry regulations are creating demand for better message storage, with quick and easy retrieval.
The new packages are part of the Google Apps platform and are available at www.google.com/a/security.
Google has launched a series of tools designed to help users manage their email security, following its acquisition of Postini last year.
Google's new security services work with any mail system, including Lotus Notes, Microsoft Exchange, and Novell Groupwise.
Pricing starts from £1.50 per user per year and customers can sign up online via the Google Apps platform.
"As threats rise in volume and complexity, and compliance requirements pile up, IT is struggling to find the resources to keep up," said Scott Petry, director of product management, Google.
"Now, Postini services offered by Google can take care of this for you. Organisations of all shapes and sizes can now get access to Google's industry leading security and compliance technologies."
Companies of all sizes are seeking solutions to the challenge of security and compliance. For instance, outbound message filtering helps prevent sensitive data from going outside the company firewall, which could result in identity theft or compromise a client's personal information. Also, increasing industry regulations are creating demand for better message storage, with quick and easy retrieval.
The new packages are part of the Google Apps platform and are available at www.google.com/a/security.
Facebook application notifications to change based on application popularity
Rachel Hawkes (Social Media Portal)
From next week, the number of notifications that each Facebook application is able to send to application users will be determined by the popularity of the application.
Due to complaints from Facebook users regarding the number of notifications they received in their News-Feed and Mini-Feed, Facebook restricted the amount of notifications that a single application could issue to users on any given day to 40.
The announcement was made by Facebook developer Tom Whitnah, who says, “The new system aims to provide users with more compelling notifications and fewer notifications that they are likely to ignore or consider spam.
We hope this change incentivizes developers to improve the quality of their notifications and encourage their users to send notifications to interested friends.”
The popularity of an application, and therefore the number of applications it will be able to issue will be in part determined by how frequently users are ignoring, hiding and reporting notifications. Before the change is implemented, developers will be given greater access into the statistics of their applications to provide greater detail on how their application is performing.
This latest move follows a series of changes to News Feeds and user profiles as Facebook continue to listen to user feedback and improve the user experience.
From next week, the number of notifications that each Facebook application is able to send to application users will be determined by the popularity of the application.
Due to complaints from Facebook users regarding the number of notifications they received in their News-Feed and Mini-Feed, Facebook restricted the amount of notifications that a single application could issue to users on any given day to 40.
The announcement was made by Facebook developer Tom Whitnah, who says, “The new system aims to provide users with more compelling notifications and fewer notifications that they are likely to ignore or consider spam.
We hope this change incentivizes developers to improve the quality of their notifications and encourage their users to send notifications to interested friends.”
The popularity of an application, and therefore the number of applications it will be able to issue will be in part determined by how frequently users are ignoring, hiding and reporting notifications. Before the change is implemented, developers will be given greater access into the statistics of their applications to provide greater detail on how their application is performing.
This latest move follows a series of changes to News Feeds and user profiles as Facebook continue to listen to user feedback and improve the user experience.
OpenID Foundation scores top-shelf board members
If the OpenID Foundation were a liquor cabinet, it just got stocked with some Grey Goose, Rhum Clement, and Gran Patron.
The foundation, which is pushing for a universal Internet login standard, announced on Thursday that representatives from Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, IBM, and VeriSign have become its first corporate board members. They join existing board members Scott Kveton (Vidoop), David Recordon (Six Apart), Dick Hardt (Sxip Identity), Martin Atkins (independent), Artur Bergman (Wikia), Johannes Ernst (NetMesh), Drummond Reed (Parity Communications), and executive director Bill Washburn.
Several major technology companies, including Yahoo, had already voiced support for the standard.
OpenID started as a grassroots initiative to handle an increasingly complex Internet rife with user accounts, logins, and passwords galore, and some skeptics thought that it couldn't possibly earn the approval of tech's biggest players. But its creators have gone on to build serious Web credibility, which has undoubtedly helped the standard move from an experimental geek project toward industrywide adoption.
Founder Brad Fitzpatrick, who developed the standard in 2005 while working at Six Apart, is now an engineer at Google and has been a key component of its OpenSocial developer initiative.
"Google shares the OpenID Foundation's vision of a Web that's easy to use and built on open standards available to everyone," Fitzpatrick said in a statement from the OpenID Foundation. "OpenID was always intended to be a decentralized sign-on system, so it's fantastic (for Google) to join a foundation committed to keeping it free and unencumbered by proprietary extensions."
The representatives from the OpenID Foundation's new corporate board members are Dewitt Clinton (Google), Tony Nadalin (IBM), Michael B. Jones (Microsoft), Gary Krall (VeriSign), and Shreyas Doshi (Yahoo).
06 February, 2008
Green protesters threaten e.on with 'subversive' plot
Marketing Week
Camp for Climate Action, the group that caused widespread disruption at Heathrow airport last year, has marked energy provider e.on as its key target for 2008.
The group is threatening to “subvert” the company’s marketing and advertising, including its sponsorship of the FA Cup, as part a campaign to oppose e.on’s plan to build the first new coal-fired power station for 30 years.
Last summer, the group staged a week-long mass-demonstration against the proposed third runway at Heathrow airport. It attracted widespread media attention as thousands gathered to support the camp, leading to a 24-hour siege that forced BAA to close its headquarters. BAA also gained a High Court injunction banning certain protesters from the camp.
The group is now turning its attention to e.on and the Government, in a bid to stop John Hutton, Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, giving the coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth the green light. A decision is understood to be due in the next month.
E.on is reported to have pulled out of its long-term sponsorship of Ipswich Town FC in January, saying it would focus on its other high-profile football partnerships as a sponsor of the FA and FA Cup.
Camp for Climate Action is planning to target this area of e.on’s activity, with the intention of forcing the FA to disassociate itself from e.on. One of the group’s activists, Simon Evans says: “Research is being done to establish how best to utilise the advertising and publicity platform that e.on is giving itself as our own platform.”
An e.on spokesperson says: “We recognise that everyone has a right to protest but clearly maintaining the safe operation of Kingsnorth is of paramount importance to us.”
Camp for Climate Action, the group that caused widespread disruption at Heathrow airport last year, has marked energy provider e.on as its key target for 2008.
The group is threatening to “subvert” the company’s marketing and advertising, including its sponsorship of the FA Cup, as part a campaign to oppose e.on’s plan to build the first new coal-fired power station for 30 years.
Last summer, the group staged a week-long mass-demonstration against the proposed third runway at Heathrow airport. It attracted widespread media attention as thousands gathered to support the camp, leading to a 24-hour siege that forced BAA to close its headquarters. BAA also gained a High Court injunction banning certain protesters from the camp.
The group is now turning its attention to e.on and the Government, in a bid to stop John Hutton, Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, giving the coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth the green light. A decision is understood to be due in the next month.
E.on is reported to have pulled out of its long-term sponsorship of Ipswich Town FC in January, saying it would focus on its other high-profile football partnerships as a sponsor of the FA and FA Cup.
Camp for Climate Action is planning to target this area of e.on’s activity, with the intention of forcing the FA to disassociate itself from e.on. One of the group’s activists, Simon Evans says: “Research is being done to establish how best to utilise the advertising and publicity platform that e.on is giving itself as our own platform.”
An e.on spokesperson says: “We recognise that everyone has a right to protest but clearly maintaining the safe operation of Kingsnorth is of paramount importance to us.”
05 February, 2008
Uproar launches site linking London commuters
A social networking site aimed at London's tube-traveling commuters has brought in PR support in advance of its launch this month.
Consumer agency Uproar Communications will launch TalkOntheTube.com to the media and promote the website to the three million Londoners who use the Underground daily.
Website founder Neil Martin conceived of TalkOntheTube.com after meeting a woman he liked on the commute home but failing to get her number. Alongside the usual social networking features of profiles, pictures and videos, the site also features ‘Second Chance’ message boards to find people that caught your eye on the tube, ‘Fan Requests’ to tell other users that you’d like to get to know them better, and a restaurant booking service for arranging dates.
Uproar Communications will capitalise on the site’s spokesperson, Big Brother contestant Ziggy Lichman (pictured). Lichman, a former member of the aptly named boyband Northern Line, will host a weekly blog on the site.
Consumer agency Uproar Communications will launch TalkOntheTube.com to the media and promote the website to the three million Londoners who use the Underground daily.
Website founder Neil Martin conceived of TalkOntheTube.com after meeting a woman he liked on the commute home but failing to get her number. Alongside the usual social networking features of profiles, pictures and videos, the site also features ‘Second Chance’ message boards to find people that caught your eye on the tube, ‘Fan Requests’ to tell other users that you’d like to get to know them better, and a restaurant booking service for arranging dates.
Uproar Communications will capitalise on the site’s spokesperson, Big Brother contestant Ziggy Lichman (pictured). Lichman, a former member of the aptly named boyband Northern Line, will host a weekly blog on the site.
04 February, 2008
Microsoft bid for Yahoo! under fire from rival Google
Marketing Week
Microsoft's proposed bid for Yahoo! has come under fire from rival Google, which claims that the move could create unfair "PC software monopoly".
It says the software giant’s £22.7bn bid for Yahoo! could restrict access to rival instant messaging and email accounts.
Google chief legal officer David Drummond, who made the comments on the Google company blog, says: "Microsoft's hostile bid for Yahoo! raises troubling questions. This is about more than simply a financial transaction, one company taking over another."
He adds that the two companies could "take advantage of a PC software monopoly to unfairly limit the ability of consumers to freely access competitors' email, instant messaging and web based services."
The Microsoft bid, which was confirmed on Friday (February 1), is seen as the company's most direct challenge yet to rival Google, the global giant in the online advertising market.
European competition authorities are expected to take a harsh line on the bid.
BHF launches Valentine's campaign on Facebook
Marketing Week
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has launched its first Facebook application for Valentine's Day. The application is part of a wider Valentine's campaign, which will allow used to download gifts from its online shop.
The shop will offer free gifts, such as a tomato, or users can pay a pound for a virtual girlfriend or boyfriend or a kiss.
Peter Hollins, chief executive at the British Heart Foundation, says: "With over 2.6 million people living with coronary heart disease, the BHF needs the public's support to help care for even more heart patients and their families, whether in their homes or on the telephone."
The BHF says the campaign aims to target the younger Facebook demographic and the charity hopes to raise £1m towards funding BHF Heart Nurses and its Heart Helpline.
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has launched its first Facebook application for Valentine's Day. The application is part of a wider Valentine's campaign, which will allow used to download gifts from its online shop.
The shop will offer free gifts, such as a tomato, or users can pay a pound for a virtual girlfriend or boyfriend or a kiss.
Peter Hollins, chief executive at the British Heart Foundation, says: "With over 2.6 million people living with coronary heart disease, the BHF needs the public's support to help care for even more heart patients and their families, whether in their homes or on the telephone."
The BHF says the campaign aims to target the younger Facebook demographic and the charity hopes to raise £1m towards funding BHF Heart Nurses and its Heart Helpline.
01 February, 2008
Microsoft makes $45bn bid for Yahoo!
Microsoft has made an offer to buy rival Yahoo! for $44.6bn (£26.7bn) in a move to that could create a real threat to Google’s dominance.
Microsoft made an unsolicited approach to Yahoo’s Board on Thursday night , outlined in a letter from CEO Steve Ballmer.
Yahoo acknowledged the proposal and said it would be evaluated "carefully and promptly."
The companies previously held talks about partnering or merging in late 2006, but Yahoo! told Microsoft in February 2007 it wasn't interest in being acquired.
Yahoo! has struggled against Google in terms of both ad revenue and search market share, with Yahoo’s share value falling some 40% over the past three months.
Google was by far the most-used US search engine in December, with a 58.4% market share, compared with 22.9% for No. 2 Yahoo and 9.8% for No. 3 Microsoft, according to data from ComScore.
In the letter to the Yahoo! board, Balmer said: "While a commercial partnership may have made sense at one time, Microsoft believes that the only alternative now is the combination of Microsoft and Yahoo! that we are proposing."
Bamer said that Yahoo's decision at the time was based on the "potential upside" of its own plans and a "significant organizational alignment," led by the long- awaited overhaul to its search-advertising system dubbed Project Panama.
"A year has gone by, and the competitive situation has not improved.”
Microsoft noted the market for online advertising is "increasingly dominated by one player. Together, Microsoft and Yahoo can offer competitive choice while better fulfilling the needs of customers and partners."
The company added the deal would also result in "combined engineering talent to accelerate innovation," a hint that Microsoft can't alone take on Google with its current staff. Microsoft said it would offer "significant retention packages" to employees, executives and engineers across Yahoo.
Commenting on the proposal, Neil Morgan, VP EMEA channels and marketing, at Omniture, said: “Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Yahoo today shows that the old order have finally grasped the significance of the Internet.
“Following other acquisitions by Microsoft and Google of Acquantive and Doubleclick respectively, what this really means to advertisers is a significant reduction in choice of online media. As online media buying moves to a duopoly it will become ever more important to have an independent approach to the measurement of the results of digital advertising.
The offer, for $31 a share in cash and stock, represents a 62% premium to Yahoo's closing price Thursday.
Microsoft expects at least $1bn in annual cost savings and revenue enhancements from a deal, which it says could close in the second half of the year.
Neil Jackson, Search Director at Tamar which advises brands on search strategies said: “Independently Yahoo! and Microsoft have failed to close the gap on Google, in fact, they have failed to plug the dam that is leaking users to Google. While there are undoubtedly great synergies to be had from aligning the businesses do two wrongs make a right? Why would they get the right answer by working together when working apart they were going backwards?
“The offer that Microsoft has made for Yahoo! is considerable and paying a 62 per cent premium on current share price seems a lot given the current financial climate, but Microsoft will be in it for the long haul. On the plus side, anything to challenge Google's UK dominance would be healthy and encouraged. Ultimately it will be users who decide who succeeds and so far Google is winning hands down.”
Microsoft made an unsolicited approach to Yahoo’s Board on Thursday night , outlined in a letter from CEO Steve Ballmer.
Yahoo acknowledged the proposal and said it would be evaluated "carefully and promptly."
The companies previously held talks about partnering or merging in late 2006, but Yahoo! told Microsoft in February 2007 it wasn't interest in being acquired.
Yahoo! has struggled against Google in terms of both ad revenue and search market share, with Yahoo’s share value falling some 40% over the past three months.
Google was by far the most-used US search engine in December, with a 58.4% market share, compared with 22.9% for No. 2 Yahoo and 9.8% for No. 3 Microsoft, according to data from ComScore.
In the letter to the Yahoo! board, Balmer said: "While a commercial partnership may have made sense at one time, Microsoft believes that the only alternative now is the combination of Microsoft and Yahoo! that we are proposing."
Bamer said that Yahoo's decision at the time was based on the "potential upside" of its own plans and a "significant organizational alignment," led by the long- awaited overhaul to its search-advertising system dubbed Project Panama.
"A year has gone by, and the competitive situation has not improved.”
Microsoft noted the market for online advertising is "increasingly dominated by one player. Together, Microsoft and Yahoo can offer competitive choice while better fulfilling the needs of customers and partners."
The company added the deal would also result in "combined engineering talent to accelerate innovation," a hint that Microsoft can't alone take on Google with its current staff. Microsoft said it would offer "significant retention packages" to employees, executives and engineers across Yahoo.
Commenting on the proposal, Neil Morgan, VP EMEA channels and marketing, at Omniture, said: “Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Yahoo today shows that the old order have finally grasped the significance of the Internet.
“Following other acquisitions by Microsoft and Google of Acquantive and Doubleclick respectively, what this really means to advertisers is a significant reduction in choice of online media. As online media buying moves to a duopoly it will become ever more important to have an independent approach to the measurement of the results of digital advertising.
The offer, for $31 a share in cash and stock, represents a 62% premium to Yahoo's closing price Thursday.
Microsoft expects at least $1bn in annual cost savings and revenue enhancements from a deal, which it says could close in the second half of the year.
Neil Jackson, Search Director at Tamar which advises brands on search strategies said: “Independently Yahoo! and Microsoft have failed to close the gap on Google, in fact, they have failed to plug the dam that is leaking users to Google. While there are undoubtedly great synergies to be had from aligning the businesses do two wrongs make a right? Why would they get the right answer by working together when working apart they were going backwards?
“The offer that Microsoft has made for Yahoo! is considerable and paying a 62 per cent premium on current share price seems a lot given the current financial climate, but Microsoft will be in it for the long haul. On the plus side, anything to challenge Google's UK dominance would be healthy and encouraged. Ultimately it will be users who decide who succeeds and so far Google is winning hands down.”
Google blames social networking for slow down
Google has attributed a slow down in growth for the fourth quarter of 2007 to the difficulty of making advertising work on social networks. The search company has reported a 17% increase in profits, but says that it has seen a drop in the "paid clicks".
It has reported revenue of $4.83bn (£2.43bn) for the quarter to December 31, which is a 51% increase on the same quarter in 2006 and a 14% increase on the previous quarter.
Google says a revision in the company's formula for showing advertising clicks led to the reduction in revenue.
The search company's founder Sergey Brin says: "We had a challenge in Q4 with social networking inventory as a whole. I don't think we have the killer best way to advertise on social networks."
The company says it has been the reducing the clickable area around its ads to decrease the number of accidental clicks and increase effectiveness for marketers.
Google paid MySpace owner News Corp $900m (£452m) in 2006 for the right to deliver ads to the networking site's 70 million-plus users.
It has reported revenue of $4.83bn (£2.43bn) for the quarter to December 31, which is a 51% increase on the same quarter in 2006 and a 14% increase on the previous quarter.
Google says a revision in the company's formula for showing advertising clicks led to the reduction in revenue.
The search company's founder Sergey Brin says: "We had a challenge in Q4 with social networking inventory as a whole. I don't think we have the killer best way to advertise on social networks."
The company says it has been the reducing the clickable area around its ads to decrease the number of accidental clicks and increase effectiveness for marketers.
Google paid MySpace owner News Corp $900m (£452m) in 2006 for the right to deliver ads to the networking site's 70 million-plus users.
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