6683 0 3 econsultancy_xml <p> <strong>Bebo to launch ad widgets</strong> <br />The fast-growing social networking site is planning to launch ad-supported widgets this year, according to <a href="http://mashable.com/2006/12/28/bebo-ad-widgets/">this post on Mashable</a>. This could be a busy few weeks for Bebo by our reckoning, with the debut of its SMS services and <a href="/blog/381-bebo-bags-msn-s-ad-boss-embarks-on-major-revenue-push">ongoing engagement marketing plans</a>. </p> <p> <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16329739/site/newsweek/">Newsweek</a> also predicts that 2007 will be the ‘Year of the Widget’ as users customise their favourite webpages, and we expect advertisers to quickly catch on.</p> <p> <strong>Wikia to take on Google with social search engine</strong> <br />Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales is planning to launch a user-generated search rival to Google. He explains why in this <a href="http://searchengineland.com/061229-193718.php">interview with Danny Sullivan</a>.</p> <p> <strong>Will search engines penalise paid-for posts?</strong> <br />One SEO issue that could be worth watching in the coming months - search engines’ policies towards paid blogging, according to this piece on <a href="http://www.seomoz.org/blogdetail.php?ID=1576&amp;jump_to_comment=13001">SEOmoz</a>.</p> <p>Although companies like the much-maligned <a href="http://www.payperpost.com">PayPerPost</a> are causing quite a stir in the blogosphere, Tim Converse from <a href="http://www.yahoo.com">Yahoo!</a> says it will not assign a lower value to seeded content. But <a href="http://www.google.com">Google’s</a> Matt Cutts hinted it may be taking a different approach:    </p> <blockquote> <p> <em>“Google wants to do a good job of detecting paid links. Paid links that affect search engines (whether paid text links or a paid review) can cause a site to lose trust in Google.”</em> </p> </blockquote> <p> <strong>Christmas cheer for etailers</strong> <br />The <a href="http://www.imrg.org">IMRG</a> says that the etail sector achieved a <a href="http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/article2114406.ece">50% rise in sales</a> over the holiday season, with earnings for the 10 weeks up to Xmas reaching as high as £7.5bn. Our gut reaction is that it could, if anything, be higher than that. This year was a real coming of age for internet shopping, and practically everybody I know bought some of their Christmas presents online...</p> <p> <strong>Online and mobile TV ad deal reached</strong> <br /> <a href="http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/ads-cleared-for-online-and-mobile-tv-in-uk-similar-to-us-extension-deal/">The Guardian</a> reports that a deal has been struck over copyright issues relating to simulcast mobile and online TV ads. </p> <p> <strong>Social lending set for take-off?</strong> <br /> <a href="http://www.creditcontrol.co.uk/news/2007/01/00956.htm">This survey</a> suggests that the conditions are right for growing uptake of web-based social lending sites such as <a href="http://www.zopa.com">Zopa</a>. It has various stats to show that people think banks are greedy and evil, and that social lending is a good way to cut them out of the loop. </p> <p> <strong> <a href="http://www.moneysupermarket.com">Moneysupermarket</a> to float?</strong> <br />The financial comparison outfit is considering whether to launch an IPO which would value the company at up to £1bn, according to <a href="http://investing.reuters.co.uk/news/articleinvesting.aspx?type=allBreakingNews&amp;storyID=2006-12-31T104406Z_01_L31853427_RTRIDST_0_MONEYSUPERMARKET-IPO.XML">various reports</a>.</p> <p> <strong>And finally, <a href="http://www.digg.com">Digg</a> gets some more cash</strong> <br />The popular news-sharing site has <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/28/digg-remains-independent-for-now/">received around £4m in funding</a> from a range of investors, a month or so after rival <a href="/blog/445-reddit-acquired-by-cond-nast-to-join-wired-digital">Reddit was acquired by Wired Digital</a>. We fully expect Digg to face more scrutiny this year over its <a href="/blog/328-digg-disables-pay-per-vote-service">voting system</a>, as well as how it intends to pay back its investors.</p> <p>Onwards is upwards, folks...</p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Bebo to launch ad widgets</Emphasis> <LineBreak />The fast-growing social networking site is planning to launch ad-supported widgets this year, according to <Link URL="http://mashable.com/2006/12/28/bebo-ad-widgets/" Window="New">this post on Mashable</Link>. This could be a busy few weeks for Bebo by our reckoning, with the debut of its SMS services and <Link URL="/blog/381-bebo-bags-msn-s-ad-boss-embarks-on-major-revenue-push" Window="New">ongoing engagement marketing plans</Link>. </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Link URL="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16329739/site/newsweek/" Window="New">Newsweek</Link> also predicts that 2007 will be the ‘Year of the Widget’ as users customise their favourite webpages, and we expect advertisers to quickly catch on.</Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Wikia to take on Google with social search engine</Emphasis> <LineBreak />Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales is planning to launch a user-generated search rival to Google. He explains why in this <Link URL="http://searchengineland.com/061229-193718.php" Window="New">interview with Danny Sullivan</Link>.</Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Will search engines penalise paid-for posts?</Emphasis> <LineBreak />One SEO issue that could be worth watching in the coming months - search engines’ policies towards paid blogging, according to this piece on <Link URL="http://www.seomoz.org/blogdetail.php?ID=1576&amp;jump_to_comment=13001" Window="New">SEOmoz</Link>.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>Although companies like the much-maligned <Link URL="http://www.payperpost.com" Window="New">PayPerPost</Link> are causing quite a stir in the blogosphere, Tim Converse from <Link URL="http://www.yahoo.com" Window="New">Yahoo!</Link> says it will not assign a lower value to seeded content. But <Link URL="http://www.google.com" Window="New">Google’s</Link> Matt Cutts hinted it may be taking a different approach:    </Paragraph> <Block> <Paragraph> <Quote>“Google wants to do a good job of detecting paid links. Paid links that affect search engines (whether paid text links or a paid review) can cause a site to lose trust in Google.”</Quote> </Paragraph> </Block> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Christmas cheer for etailers</Emphasis> <LineBreak />The <Link URL="http://www.imrg.org" Window="New">IMRG</Link> says that the etail sector achieved a <Link URL="http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/article2114406.ece" Window="New">50% rise in sales</Link> over the holiday season, with earnings for the 10 weeks up to Xmas reaching as high as £7.5bn. Our gut reaction is that it could, if anything, be higher than that. This year was a real coming of age for internet shopping, and practically everybody I know bought some of their Christmas presents online...</Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Online and mobile TV ad deal reached</Emphasis> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/ads-cleared-for-online-and-mobile-tv-in-uk-similar-to-us-extension-deal/" Window="New">The Guardian</Link> reports that a deal has been struck over copyright issues relating to simulcast mobile and online TV ads. </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Social lending set for take-off?</Emphasis> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="http://www.creditcontrol.co.uk/news/2007/01/00956.htm" Window="New">This survey</Link> suggests that the conditions are right for growing uptake of web-based social lending sites such as <Link URL="http://www.zopa.com" Window="New">Zopa</Link>. It has various stats to show that people think banks are greedy and evil, and that social lending is a good way to cut them out of the loop. </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis> <Link URL="http://www.moneysupermarket.com" Window="New">Moneysupermarket</Link> to float?</Emphasis> <LineBreak />The financial comparison outfit is considering whether to launch an IPO which would value the company at up to £1bn, according to <Link URL="http://investing.reuters.co.uk/news/articleinvesting.aspx?type=allBreakingNews&amp;storyID=2006-12-31T104406Z_01_L31853427_RTRIDST_0_MONEYSUPERMARKET-IPO.XML" Window="New">various reports</Link>.</Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>And finally, <Link URL="http://www.digg.com" Window="New">Digg</Link> gets some more cash</Emphasis> <LineBreak />The popular news-sharing site has <Link URL="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/28/digg-remains-independent-for-now/" Window="New">received around £4m in funding</Link> from a range of investors, a month or so after rival <Link URL="/blog/445-reddit-acquired-by-cond-nast-to-join-wired-digital" Window="New">Reddit was acquired by Wired Digital</Link>. We fully expect Digg to face more scrutiny this year over its <Link URL="/blog/328-digg-disables-pay-per-vote-service" Window="New">voting system</Link>, as well as how it intends to pay back its investors.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>Onwards is upwards, folks...</Paragraph> </FormattedContent> 2007-01-01T19:51:00+00:00 0 1 econsultancy_xml <p> <strong>Happy New Year from everyone at E-consultancy. We’ve picked out a few interesting stories that came out over the holiday season, in case you missed them…</strong> </p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Happy New Year from everyone at E-consultancy. We’ve picked out a few interesting stories that came out over the holiday season, in case you missed them…</Emphasis> </Paragraph> </FormattedContent> false 668 362404 An internet Christmas round-up... false 2007-01-02T11:02:00+00:00 an-internet-christmas-round-up 2009-04-29T22:30:07+01:00 2009-04-29T22:30:07+01:00 316