AOL

Verizon wants customers to give up their data for targeted ads, and it’s willing to pay

Thanks to acquisitions exceeding $100bn in recent years, the largest internet service providers (ISPs) in the US are set to become some of the most dominant digital ad players.

But while there has been significant concern that the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) roll-back of consumer broadband privacy rules raises the possibility that ISPs could use their treasure troves of data without customers’ permission, the largest ISP in the US appears to be taking a more cautious approach than it might legally have to when it comes to exploiting customer data.

Are publishers in a losing battle with content distribution platforms?

Third-party distribution channels are increasingly prominent part of the digital publishing landscape, but instead of rejecting channels that don’t offer full ownership and control, many publishers are embracing them.

Case in point: Snapchat Discover, an exclusive, invite-only offering, has major publishers clamoring for the ability to participate.

AOL bets the farm on responsive design

With publishers serving more and more of their audience through mobile and tablet devices, it’s no surprise that responsive designs are growing in popularity.

From the BBC and Guardian to Metro and Express & Star, the number of publishers jumping on the responsive design bandwagon is growing rapidly and for good reason: there’s a lot to like about responsive design and done right, it’s pretty compelling.

AOL’s move to content curation and distribution

Though we are hearing over and over again that content is the way forward, video content has been moving in different directions, from creators making content for specific platforms and others pushing for agnostic distribution. The fight is on for distribution and need the content is greater than ever. But what does this mean for advertisers?

AOL have started branding themselves as the new content distributor and syndicator and they currently have the largest curated library in the US. This includes 420,000 total videos with 50,000 AOL originals and they are in the hunt for more content. As we shift to viewing content online, the core of the viewing experience is real time content with news oriented videos being the most watched. The push seems to be toward news and factual programming with shows on home, food, DIY, and tech and business news.

Six major brands that have ‘borrowed’ Pinterest’s design

Pinterest is definitely one of the big digital marketing success stories of the past few years and most brands have finally recognised the site’s potential for driving both traffic and sales.

The reason for Pinterest’s impressive referral stats is at least partly attributable to its page design, as the pinboards allow users to to window shop and pick out attractive products that they want to buy.

The affect on users is so dramatic that last week we blogged a number of cases studies which indicate that Pinterest drives more sales than Facebook.

So it’s no coincidence that a number of major brands have used a Pinterest-style design recently when overhauling their websites.

Now we’re not saying that Pinterest invented the image-focused layout, but it definitely helped to popularise it as an alternative to a traditional linear timeline of content.

And here are some of the most high profile examples. If you think we’ve missed any then please point them out in the comments…

Facebook’s portal problem

Apparently the next CEO of Yahoo will not be current Hulu CEO Jason Kilar. He reportedly isn’t interested in the job, and one of the reasons may be that he has a new friend in Facebook.

According to the New York Post, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is considering Kilar for a senior role at the world’s largest social network. His job: get Big Media to ‘like’ Facebook.

AOL investors choose to stay the course

AOL’s shares may be up significantly in the past several months, but the company’s future is far from certain.

Under CEO Tim Armstrong’s reign, the company has invested heavily in content. Last year, it purchased The Huffington Post for $315m and the year prior, it paid eight figures for popular tech blog TechCrunch. The company’s tab for its homegrown Patch reportedly stands at more than $150m, with profitability nowhere in sight.

The great newspaper paywall debate continues

For many newspapers, the decision to erect a paywall has been a decision of last resort.

And for a seemingly good reason: despite the obvious need to generate the type of revenue that advertising often can’t provide alone, asking the consumers of your content to pay for the privilege can be a difficult undertaking.

Facebook spends $550m on Microsoft patents

That didn’t take long. Just two weeks after Microsoft announced that it had purchased a major collection of patents from AOL for $1bn, Microsoft has turned around and sold 650 patents to Facebook, which is being sued by Yahoo for patent infringment.

Microsoft will retain a license to the patents, and as part of the $550m deal, Facebook will also receive licenses for AOL patents that Microsoft did not offer up for sale.

AOL sells patent collection to Microsoft for $1bn

The patent wars continue.

Just weeks after AOL CEO Tim Armstrong was quoted as referring to AOL’s 800-plus patent portfolio as “beachfront property in East Hampton” and reports surfaced that the company was shopping the collection, AOL sealed a deal with Microsoft worth just over $1bn.

Rumour: CNN to purchase Mashable for $200m

The next big (read: nine-figure) consumer internet acquisition may involve an unexpected buyer – CNN.

According to Reuters’ Felix Salmon, the Time Warner-owned cable news network could announce as early as Tuesday that it is acquiring Mashable, one of the most popular tech/social media blogs for a figure that could be north of $200m.

Do Not Track gains support, but will it really work?

Today, the administration of US President Barack Obama announced a blueprint for a “Privacy Bill of Rights.”

The goal: “improve consumers’ privacy protections” and “give users more control over how their personal information is used on the Internet”, all the while maintaining the internet’s status as an “engine for innovation and economic growth.”

To achieve that goal, the president has enlisted the help of some of the internet’s biggest names, including Google, Yahoo, Microsoft and AOL.

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