Facebook Fan Box and what it means for brands
Facebook has just launched Fan Box, a new widget. This is great news for brands wanting to grow a Facebook fan page. But it's probably going to drive traffic in the wrong direction for most brands.
Ocado launches iPhone shopping app
Online grocery retailer Ocado has just launched an iPhone app for customers to create shopping lists and order groceries, which makes it the first online supermarket to move into mobile commerce.
I've been trying out the 'Ocado on the Go' app...
Is consumer trust online misplaced? Can brands do anything to change this?
We've all done it. In our decision making process to purchase something of fairly high value such as a holiday or fancy gadget; or when we think about a purchase that requires a long term commitment such as a mobile contract or gym membership; we ask trusted friends for their opinions and experiences.
It's human nature. We're doing our best to eliminate any risk, whether this be associated with cost or contract catches, anything really. We're after value for money and want to hear about any experiences, warts 'n' all. Based upon the information we gather from these trusted sources, we make what we feel is the best decision for ourselves.
Amazon goes 'microsite' to sell mobile phones
Amazon is expanding its e-commerce empire. Although the online retailer has been selling mobile phones for years, it has launched AmazonWireless to serve the market in a more finely-tailored fashion.
AmazonWireless, which is in beta, is essentially the online retail equivalent of a 'microsite' and is quite simply designed to provide a one-stop shopping experience for US consumers looking for a new cell phone or service plan.
Why does Sky make it so hard to subscribe online?
I wrote yesterday wondering why Sky didn't offer one-off coverage of sporting events like the Ashes online, as a way to pull in more revenue and attracting new users.
Having noticed that Sky has since introduced a special offer price of £17 for a month's subscription online, I decided to sign up for it, but discovered that the usability on Sky.com needs some work....
Facebook sued for click fraud
Facebook claims that its recent problems with click fraud are behind it but one advertiser is sending Facebook a clear message: your problems are just beginning.
Sports website RootZoo has filed a lawsuit against Facebook in federal district court in San Jose, California and is seeking class action status. The company is being represented by Kabatek Brown Kellner, a law firm with a history of litigating click fraud actions.
NYTimes.com may soon cost $5 a month
The New York Times may be the most popular news source on the Internet, but that doesn't mean they have any more insight into monetizing the web than anyone else in the media. Right now it looks like they're considering putting their content behind a pay wall again.
A recent survey sent out to subscribers asked if they would be willing to pay a $5 or $2.50 monthly fee to access the paper's website. And while getting print subscribers to pay seems like a good way to beef up revenue, it also promises to cut into the paper's ad revenue and influence online.
Mobile "media meshing" is good for marketers
The mobile marketplace is proving an excellent testing ground for monetization, and this week there is more good news for marketers in the space. One out of every seven minutes of media consumption today takes place on mobile devices, according to new research from IPG's Universal McCann and AOL.
Furthermore, there is a lot of "media meshing" in mobile, meaning that mobile consumers are using multiple forms of communication at once. Almost 95% of 1,800 mobile users said they use mobile media to fill downtime. 82 percent of respondents said they use mobile media at work; 81 percent while shopping; 80 percent at home; and 65 percent while commuting to their jobs.
And 77% of those polled in the study said they use TV and mobile at the same time, offereing marketers even more opportunities to reach them.
Google closes in on real-time search
When will Google get into real-time search? Soon enough.
Last week, both Bing and Facebook incorporated Twitter and Twiiter-like features into their services.
This week, Google's Marissa Miller says Google finds real-time search "interesting," but she's still not spilling the beans on when Google will integrated the service into its search portfolio.
Q&A: Broadersheet.com CEO Peter Clark
Earlier today I wrote about whether a news aggregator could be a success in the UK. Prospects are not good, and even Briton Nick Denton, founder of Gawker.com, says he wouldn't dare do it.
However, despite the pessimism, there exists an interest in giving it a try. The first major entrant into the UK news aggregation scene looks to be Cambridge-based Broadersheet.com.
16 bitchin' commands and shortcuts for Twitter
Google closes in on real-time search
Web 2.0
Graham Charlton
Online Advertising