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The absurdity of redirect hell

If you had to think of all the adjectives that describe the web, there's a good chance that 'efficient' would be one of them. After all, few tools offer the ability to find information so easily and effectively.

But behind the scenes, the web may be getting less efficient in one area: getting you from point A to point B. That's because of the proliferation of redirects being put into use by some of the internet's most prominent services.

by Patricio Robles 23 September 2010 09:04am 3 comments

The best internet business model: class action lawsuits?

The internet has produced some fantastically profitable business models over the past decade and a half. But out of all of them, which is the best?

Here's a candidate: class action lawsuits, which have been making their way onto the consumer internet, where it seems they may become a dreaded fixture.

by Patricio Robles 20 September 2010 09:18am 3 comments

Social media is an extension of email marketing

Social media is far too often heralded as the death of email marketing. In fact, social media’s existence has breathed extra life into email campaigns by increasing levels of engagement with consumers.

by Margaret Farmakis 17 September 2010 11:44am 6 comments

Google's troubles recruiting and retaining

Recruiting and retaining 'the best and brightest' is the goal of most companies, and that explains why, for most companies, doing so is a tough job.

Unless, of course, you're one of the most recognized companies in your industry and can offer your employees a top-notch salary, the ability to work on interesting things, and a modicum of "I work at..." prestige.

by Patricio Robles 16 September 2010 09:10am 6 comments

Five signs your business is not ready for social media

Your business won’t survive unless you embrace social media.

Countless business owners have heard these words. Is there any truth to them? Perhaps in some instances. But in far more, social media, no matter how important, is still something that should be approached thoughtfully and strategically.

by Patricio Robles 14 September 2010 08:45am 14 comments

Facebook ads to be more social

Facebook has often claimed that ads with a social context or initiative byline are generally more effective.

As an example, an ad may contain information showing how many of a user’s friends ‘like’ a particular brand, or a question/answer call to action, with users more likely to click ads that their friends have already tried out.

In order to prove this effectiveness, Facebook has now launched a set of metrics that measure social engagement for paid ads, showing advertisers exactly how much value can be gained from including a social context.

by Matt Owen 10 September 2010 14:34pm 1 comment

How can brands use Facebook Credits?

The full introduction of Facebook Credits, and their availability (in the US at least) as gift vouchers in offline retailers, opens up a whole new world for brands on Facebook.

The early adopters are, as expected, social gamers: Facebook and Zynga settled their differences earlier this year to agree that players of Zynga games (such as Farmville) can use Facebook Credits to buy virtual goods.

The implications are enormous. Suddenly, Facebook offers a new revenue stream for brands, and has itself a sustainable revenue model that doesn’t rely on the fickle advertising market.

by Steve Richards 09 September 2010 09:14am 0 comments

Are investors wising up about platform-specific startups?

The platforms offered by companies like Facebook, Twitter and Apple offer entrepreneurs some very compelling features. They often bring to the table built-in audiences, and, in some cases, established business models.

For reasons like these, it's no surprise that a growing number of entrepreneurs are building entire companies on top of a specific platform. And it's no surprise that investors have flocked to back them.

by Patricio Robles 08 September 2010 15:02pm 1 comment

Why social media needs to learn the marketing basics

Given that it pays my wages, I’m not supposed to let you know that social media isn’t the be-all-and-end-all for marketers everywhere, but try as I might I still can’t quite come up with enough reasons to ditch your other streams and hand your marketing keys over to Zuckerberg just yet.

While it can’t be all things to all people, there’s no denying that social media is still experiencing impressive growth and has great potential for innovation and engagement. Yet traditional media is still huge and it’s concerning that some of the hype surrounding social media could eventually be doing more harm than good for businesses.

One of the major problems is a lack of understanding.

by Matt Owen 06 September 2010 13:20pm 12 comments

Facebook goes to Target with Facebook Credits gift cards

Facebook may not be a retailer, but that doesn't mean the company can't sell gift cards. Starting September 5, Target will start selling Facebook Credits gift cards in stores nationwide.

Consumers don't necessarily need easier ways to spend money on Facebook, but it is a great trick to introduce more consumers to Facebook games. Free marketing for Target, too.

by Meghan Keane 01 September 2010 20:02pm 0 comments