Startups | Internet Marketing Blog

The revenue model of user generated content?

Let’s face it shall we - no one creates something and then gives it away for free, expecting no return...

I mean, as much as we’d like to do stuff and give it away for free, in the interests of making the world a better place, the unfortunate reality is that we all have to earn our crust somehow, and if we throw our eggs into the user generated content basket, then you have to ask what the hell your revenue model is going to be?

by Gareth Knight 17 October 2006 12:58pm 4 comments

Are inbound links the best way to measure a blog’s influence?

An article in the FT this week attempted to cast some light on the most influential blogs in the UK and Europe, though the methodology used to calculate the blog rankings leaves a little to be desired.

The piece was based on a study conducted by blog search engine Technorati and Edelman, the PR firm, but instead of using traditional metrics such as reach and audience share, it used the number of inbound links to determine a blog’s ‘influence’.

So what’s wrong with that?

by Chris Lake 13 October 2006 12:18pm 4 comments

Google buys YouTube – conference call extracts

So we know that YouTube is being bought by Google, for a whopping $1.65bn, but what did the Google founders have to say about the YouTube acquisition?

Read choice snippets from today's conference call after the jump...

by Chris Lake 10 October 2006 15:39pm 0 comments

Yahoo! links up with homepage provider

Former Google France boss Franck Poisson has hooked up with Yahoo!, which will provide advertising and search services on Webwag, his new customisable homepage venture.

The deal will see Webwag displaying sponsored links from Yahoo!, as well as launching what it claims is the sector’s first ‘personal wide web’ search feature – through which users can sift through their chosen content as well as the web as a whole.

by Richard Maven 09 October 2006 11:24am 0 comments

Battle for YouTube commences - Google vs News Corp?

Michael Arrington has reported a rumour that Google “may be in the final stages” of a US$1.6 billion deal for video sharing behemoth YouTube.

If the rumour is true and the deal goes through it could be another coup for Google, though it might yet turn out to be a big headache for the search giant, as YouTube has some significant issues with regards to copyright and content control.

Nonetheless, YouTube is now a real A-list website among the world's internet users and surely it is just a matter of time before the founders accept an offer. The mooted valuation reflects the company's meteoric growth.

Google, for obvious reasons, told us that it couldn't comment on the rumour either way, as is company policy. YouTube is being reported as keeping schtum too.

by Chris Lake 07 October 2006 02:23am 1 comment

Skype founders to compete with YouTube

Skype founders Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom are working on a secretive project which will see them compete with YouTube in the online video market.

The website, currently under the working title of the Venice Project, will aim to combine the video sharing of YouTube with the added attraction of professionally produced TV and video content.

by Graham Charlton 06 October 2006 11:00am 1 comment

Should Web 2.0 startups seek venture capital?

Web 2.0 startups shouldn’t bother seeking VC money, according to Neil Sequeira of General Catalyst Partners, because “there have not yet been these type of exits that generated venture capital type returns”.

Neil is a VC who made these comments at the AjaxWorld Expo in California, but I’m not sure he’s entirely correct in his observations.

by Chris Lake 04 October 2006 17:20pm 0 comments

Mike Rundle throws stones at Luddite VCs, Arrington and Godin

Mike Rundle has written a post called The Catch-22 of Web 2.0 in which he says he feels like “the only person seeing certain things happen – like watching a train wreck in slow motion”.

Mike is a top web designer who makes some cynical points that don’t make too much sense from where I’m sitting.

So let’s go through them one by one…

by Chris Lake 29 September 2006 14:55pm 0 comments

MSN exhibits great use of Ajax, good for the web

Over at Ajaxian yesterday, Michael Mahemoff gives a heads up on the latest Web 2.0 move by MSN, which sees them offer pretty much as yet unheard of Ajax driven user features for their image search.

It’s great, but it’s also gimmicky – KISS.

by Gareth Knight 18 September 2006 20:57pm 1 comment