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.
Widgetize your website with Google Web Elements
Widgets have become pretty much ubiquitous on the web. Plenty of companies are using widgets as a low-cost distribution strategy: they offer their tools and services in a form that enables users to embed those tools and services into their own websites.
Now Google is getting into the act. It wants to widgetize your blog and website with its products and has launched Google Web Elements to do just that.
IAB bows social media metrics
Social media is marketing, not advertising, but it's got to live somewhere, and it's got to be measured. So it's only slightly ironic that the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) would introduce definitions of social media metrics, given social media is the marketing channel that's actual beginning to replace advertising.
In a hefty 12-page document, the IAB's "Social Media Ad Metrics Definitions" (PDF download) slices social media into three subsets, and outlines relevant metrics for each. The major categories are defined as:
Social media's metrics problem
Last week, I discussed the success story of Stephanie Meyer and her Twilight series of vampire romance novels. Meyer's use of social media played a role in the successful promotion of books that have sold over 25 million copies and that led to the blockbuster adaptation of her first book as a motion picture.
Social network advertising options
While it's widely accepted that advertising on social networks can be a mixed bag in terms of results; for certain types of campaigns, it may be worth giving a shot.
If you're interested in dipping your toes in social network advertising, here's a list of the ways you can reach users on social networks.
Yahoo Buzz launches mobile widget, plans to grow
Yahoo has launched a Buzz widget for mobile users, allowing them to browse and ‘buzz up’ top articles from the past 12 hours. Alternatively, iPhone users can do this here, via an optimised version of Buzz aimed specifically at the sexy Apple handset, though no dedicated iPhone app is yet available in the iTunes Store.
Yahoo says the mobile widget can be found by searching for ‘Yahoo! Buzz’ from within the widget gallery.
This is another sign that Yahoo is looking to drive up usage of Buzz, its social news play, although there is more work to be done if it really wants to usurp Digg as the number one social media website.
Site review: Popego
Popego is a startup which was announced at the TechCrunch 50 conference this week, aiming to help you to 'enjoy a more meaningful web'.
Popego plans to do this by joining up all the accounts and profiles you have created around web and using this information to bring you relevant content.
Web 2.0 tries to hide from reality
ReadWriteWeb's Sarah Perez believes that "today, if you're not staying current with Web 2.0 technologies' impact on business, then you're just not staying current."
In her post entitled "Businesses Can't Hide From 2.0: A Look At 2.0's Impact Across Industries," she states:
Wither widgets?
It wasn't too long ago that we were told widgets were the marketer's recession survival tool and that Facebook's application platform, which allows developers to build widgets for the social network's users, heralded the ushering in of another "new economy."
My how quickly times change.
Q&A: ITV.com’s Marc Webber on online video content
Marc Webber is the head of content at ITV.com and the man in charge of developing its fast-growing broadband TV service.
Here, we ask him about the progress the broadcaster is making with its catch-up TV and made-for-web content, as well as in developing new revenue streams like product placement.
Holiday shopping forecast 2009: a lot like 2008, with more coupons
The NLA explains why it is going after the news aggregators
Web 2.0
Graham Charlton
Strategy & Planning
