Written on October 29, 2009 by admin
Filed Under: marketing
Sometimes, when you have a really good idea, you have this irrepressible urge to do something crazy with it. Like register it with the government. And then, when other companies independently develop similar ideas, you protect that registration by suing the pants off those other companies. It is, after all, the American way.
And it’s what Red Bend Software is doing to Google over an algorithm in Google Chrome. The Courgette algorithm checks the software for updates (using a difference table), then pushes the packed updates to the software. Unfortunately, it violates a 2003 patent owned by Red Bend, which protects a substantially similar idea.
This does happen from time to time (probably more often than we’d think). Red Bend informed Google of their error on September 7 and waited for them to update Chrome.
But nothing happened. To make the case worse, Google had also published the algorithm as part of the open source code for Chrome, which Red Bend says is even worse. That combined with six weeks without redress, brought Red Bend to sue Google for willful copyright infringement, which carries three times the financial penalties as unintentional copyright infringement.
Sometimes, of course, companies use the patent system as a kind of legal trap—they register “obvious” ideas, or those with the potential to be used, and lie in wait for unsuspecting companies. But Red Bend does appear to be a legitimate mobile software company—and, interestingly enough, a member of the Open Mobile Alliance, the organization that promotes open standards development for mobile software.
A little ironic, then, that they’re especially upset about the open source code for the algorithm.
What do you think? Should Red Bend get their money? Or should they “get with the program”?
Originally posted here:
Google Chrome: Copyright Infringer?
Tags: a-really-good ,about-the-open ,algorithm ,companies ,general ,google ,google-chrome ,government ,mobile-alliance ,money ,open ,organization ,something-crazy
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Written on October 6, 2009 by admin
Filed Under: Advertising, book, marketing, seo
There’s a certain sentiment amongst many marketers that, “If you can’t measure it, it’s not worth doing.” While that perspective may not be entirely applicable to all online marketing, it certainly draws attention to the need for insight from measuring what we do to market, communicate, promote and influence on the web. The need to better understand the value and application of web analytics data as well as social media measurement is critical for companies that want to compete online.
The MIMA Summit breakout session “Storytelling: Actionable Insight from Analytics” was jam packed with collective analytics wisdom shared by panelists Jason Rapps, Joel Wright, Marshall Sponder, and moderator Jennifer Veesenmeyer to help organizations overcome 3 key web analytics obstacles:
- Getting traction – getting from stage 1 to stage 2
- Nurturing a data-driven culture – pushing analytics to the rest of the organization
- Extending analytics to Web 2.0 and other new technologies
To answer the burning question of how to overcome the obstacles listed above, each panelists elaborated on a specific obstacle.
Obstacle #1: Getting Traction
Jason Rapps, Senior Web Analyst at Motorola, explained to the audience that the real question when working with analytics is “What do I do with this data?” Further, Jason advised that the first step in gaining traction is actually to take a step back and determine what success means for you/your company.
To succeed with analytics, actionable metrics must be delivered and confidence in the data must be instilled throughout the organization.
Recommendations to get traction and succeed include:
- Being consistent in the information you provide, and target to the audience
- Knowing the weaknesses of your system and communicate to team/management
- Communicating your needs
- Not overpromising – be realistic and prove the value
- Understanding the difference between “Metrics” (numbers) and “Analytics” (the story that explains what is happening, why it is happening and helps identify what to do next)
Obstacle #2: Nurturing a Data-Driven Culture
Joel Wright, Senior Web Analytics Consultant, Dell outlined success factors as well as the obstacles encountered when working within a data-driven culture.
Success with Analytics:
- Data-based designs and decisions
- Drive key metrics to achieve goals
- Prioritize initiatives by ROI – understand how it is affecting you, don’t waste advertising dollars, drive conversions, etc.
Obstacles/Challenges to Overcome:
- Data is not cool (according to most Marketers)
- Too much data (ability to glean insight, but having thousands of reports can get confusing)
- Relevance – what does this mean to me? (avoid the language barrier between the person running and the person receiving the data)
- Hippos Rule – “Highest Paid Persons Rule” (must gain buy-in from the decision makers within the organization, specifically the CMO/CEO/President)
- Sustained competitive advantage
Recommendations to Nurture a Data-Driven Culture include:
- Focus on goals/Impact ($) – understand what you are going to do/accomplish and tie to the bottom line and create a model that everyone can understand.
- Review Scorecards Weekly – critical to nurturing a data-driven culture and creates a common vocabulary between team members. (Make sure to include commentary on why the numbers are fluctuating.)
- Invest in Analytics Talent – challenges can be overcome by a person the “gets it”, turn the data into information that can work for you.
- Bonuses for Achieving Goals – tie an incremental bonus to meeting the goals set forth.
- Training and informal workshops – need a way to engage and needs to be consistent.
- Include Analysts from the start – information /advice/requirements can be communicated from the beginning versus after a new creative, flash, etc. is launched.
- Constantly test – everybody is testing, now the question is what to test.
- Market Successes – use the numbers to communicate the successes. (Share with the team that the numbers are being used to achieve goals.)
Obstacle #3: Extending Analytics to Web 2.0 and Other New Technologies
Marshall Sponder, Founder of Webmetricsguru.com, explained that social media, search & web analytics are converging, and ultimately changing the future of analytics.
Examples of recent mergers/acquisitions/partnerships that will change the future of analytics include:
- Adobe recently acquired Omniture (merging creativity with measurement)
- What people want to see is an analytics paired with design/creative so they can be measured rather the ongoing “silo” effect.
- WebTrends partners with Radian6 (Omniture & Coremetircs soon to follow) and SalesForce.com (Social CRM).
- Tealium tracks brand exposure and pipes data to Google Analytics, Omniture and Coremetrics.
- Comscore and Omniture partner to provide categorization and AD Tracking.
- Nielson and Facebook partner to do online research.
So what does this mean to Web Analysts?
- Siloed work descriptions are rapidly vanishing
- Management, Marketing, PR and Analysts working more closely together
- Creative teams composed of Web Analysts, Creatives and Community Managers (Social Media) are being seen as the optimal work group for Online Effectiveness.
Marshal wrapped up his segment of the presentation with the following thoughts:
- The future the social media data will be merged with analytics
- Data collection is a commodity right now, intelligence is not
In closing, Jennifer Meister, VP of Analytics at Stratigent and moderator of the Storytelling: Actionable Insight from Analytics session, summarized the recurring themes reiterated throughout the session as:
- So much data – so much to do, focus on the information/analytics that adds value
- Tie goals – awareness, advocacy and then get numbers around them
- Silos are coming down – teams are becoming integrated
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![[Google]](http://www.toprankblog.com/wp-content/themes/TopRank06/images/google-bookmark-big.png)
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Tags: analytics ,data ,facebook ,goals ,google ,language ,marketing ,mima summit ,numbers- ,obstacles ,organization ,seo ,social
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Written on October 1, 2009 by admin
Filed Under: Object
I have worked in the online ad world for a few years now, and have had the opportunity to review a large number of websites. Many were full of information with lots of bells and whistles and features that made them appear sophisticated, while others were skeletal in content and simple in their organization. Either [...]
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See the original post:
5 Easy Ways To Make Sure Your Website Is Good To Go!
Tags: a-few-years ,a-large-number ,and-resulting ,google: user interface ,have-worked ,large-number ,organization ,seo ,the-online ,were-full ,were-skeletal ,whistles-and
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Written on October 1, 2009 by admin
Filed Under: Object
Right now there’s a court case in Italy that involves Google executives, who are being tried for violating Italian privacy laws. The case illustrates international conflicts of law issues and challenges for companies doing business (via the internet) in multiple nations with differing cultures and corresponding legal rules. In a less serious way Google has [...]
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Originally posted here:
Google Execs Looking At Potential Jail Time If Convicted In Italian Privacy Case
Written on September 24, 2009 by admin
Filed Under: book, marketing, seo
Social media has become the newest and possibly best way to expose just how stupid people can be. Last week we talked about the rocket scientist burglar who left Facebook’s equivalent of breadcrumbs to his front door. Hey, he is 19 years old and probably not the sharpest knife in the drawer anyway so maybe it’s not that unusual (actually it is but for this post we’ll say it). Well, let’s jump to the other end of the spectrum and find out just how stupid aspiring doctors can be when it comes to social media.
Yup, that’s right, doctors. Those people who need to go to school forever so they can carry huge loans into the workplace and then hopefully help us regular human beings stay healthy. According to an article by the BBC there appears social media shows no discrimination when it comes to exposing stupidity
Research in the Journal of the American Medical Association found examples of web gossip by trainee doctors sharing private patient stories and details.
Over half of 78 US medical schools studied had reported cases of students posting unprofessional content online.
One in 10 of these contained frank violations of patient confidentiality.
Most were blogs, including one on Facebook, containing enough clinical detail that patients could potentially be identified.
OK, so no one is perfect. I get that. Shouldn’t someone who is deemed “smart” enough to become a doctor at least use a little common sense when it comes to social media? This is more evidence, unfortunately, of just how disconnected from reality some Millenials appear to be (yes I am making an assumption that most aspiring doctors will fall into this group).
The overriding point of this is the need for boundaries when it comes to social media. While most would say that social media should be wide open all the time I say you are completely wrong. Imagine if human beings in general were allowed to be “wide open all the time” meaning what if there were no laws or boundaries for society in general. What would you have? I’ll let you take that one but anarchy is a likely result.
It is critical for organizations and professions to be defining exactly what is and is not acceptable as it relates to social media. While there is likely to be a degree of ‘figuring this out as it goes’ it is incumbent upon any responsible group to at least put in a social media policy framework. In Britain, at least, it appears as if the medical profession has not stepped up to the plate yet.
A spokesman for the British Medical Association said: “Patient confidentiality is paramount and medical students and doctors obviously need to be very careful about any information they post online.”
The UK’s regulator of doctors, the General Medical Council, does not have guidance that covers medics’ blogging.
But a spokeswoman advised doctors: “You must make sure that your conduct at all times justifies your patients’ trust in you and the public’s trust in the profession.”
While this shows recognition of the need this is not even close to having a policy in place and rings very hollow. Does your organization have any policies in place as it relates to social media? Are you aware of any social media policies for professions in general? If so please share them with us because it looks like there is a real need for some simple common sense in the application of social media beyond just telling people what you are up to.
See the original post:
Aspiring Doctors May Have Knowledge but Aren’t Always Smart
Tags: a-has-become ,a-rising-tide ,a-tool-like ,bbc ,british-medical ,business ,council ,facebook ,microsoft ,need ,organization ,outlook ,social ,social media ,time
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Written on September 14, 2009 by admin
Filed Under: marketing
What’s a great way for a search engine that struggles to be mentioned with the top search providers in the marketplace to get some traffic? Do something for someone else. That’s exactly what Ask.com is doing with its ‘Search or the Cure’ campaign which is designed to raise one million dollars to Susan G. Komen for the Cure group who raises money for breast cancer research.
From the pure humanity side this is a pretty cool idea. It allows people to simply take an action to contribute rather than asking them for money. Of course, there are opportunities to donate but it’s a fundraising organization after all and the cause is something that everyone can get behind. In this case, asking for a donation seems very appropriate.
Search Engine Watch tells us
The contribution begins with the Ask.com audience. In order to contribute, simply complete tasks such as adding the Komen theme to your Ask.com homepage and then answer breast cancer-related questions during the month of October. You can, of course, use Ask.com to search for the right answer. Ask.com will donate 50 cents for every person that adds the skin and answers the questions correctly.
In all honesty, I am not a big donation person mainly because everyone is looking for money and it just seems easier to say no to everyone rather than do something that may actually be the right thing to do. I tried out this process, though, and it was so easy that I can see the brilliance in it for the Komen organization and Ask.com itself. Here’s some more about how the organization benefits
“One of our greatest opportunities in the fight to end breast cancer lies with the many people who tell us they want to support Susan G. Komen for the Cure but don’t have the time or money to contribute,” said Hala Moddelmog, chief executive officer of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. “Ask.com has created an easy, engaging, and cost-free way for consumers to get involved and generate funding that is crucial to breast cancer research and education. We are thrilled that Ask.com has joined our cause with such an innovative program. We’re urging everyone to Search for the Cure by switching to Ask.com.”
Now for the business side. This is a natural win/win for Ask.com. Will it be something that takes it from number ‘lower than third’ in the search engine race? Not likely. I will say, though, that I have already taken an action, felt like I contributed and am motivated to at least visit and answer questions as often as I remember to do so.
Will this mean I have ‘switched’ to Ask.com for my search needs? Once again, not likely, but I will be at Ask.com more than if this wasn’t in place. As a result I may use it more and, in all honesty, give it a real try. I suspect most people who even know about the engine haven’t even explored it deep enough to make a good decision on its merits and demerits.
So kudos to Ask.com for coming up with a creative way to drive traffic to their search engine. People will rally around a cause and they will put aside habits to help people especially if it is easy and doesn’t make them pull out their wallet. Many will bemoan the fact that people may only be attracted to this because it is free. I would argue that this kind of program is brilliant in that it can get a person like me to take an action that will produce a donation of some sort and help someone that I was not considering when I woke up this morning. Oh and another thing I wasn’t considering doing today was going to Ask.com but now I did.
See the original post here:
Ask.com Introduces ‘Search for the Cure’
Tags: a-good-decision ,a-natural-win ,a-person-like ,a-search-engine ,ask-com ,business ,marketing ,organization ,right ,search ,time
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Written on August 25, 2009 by admin
Filed Under: marketing
While Google’s Street View is mostly well received, there are still plenty of groups and countries that claim it’s an invasion of privacy.
You can add Switzerland to that list.
Poor Switzerland. It’s bad enough that it can no longer promise US tax evaders customers complete anonymity, now there’s a chance the faces of those customers–and Swiss citizens–could wind-up plastered on Google’s maps.
Less than one week after the launch of Street View, Hans-Peter Thur, Switzerland’s federal data protection and information commissioner (FDPIC) has called for the immediate removal of the feature.
As always, Google is “surprised” at the move…
“We have been engaged in constructive dialogue with the organization ahead of [last] week’s launch to demonstrate how we protect people’s privacy on Street View. And we’re ready to do so again or to answer any additional questions.”
Then, for good measure, Google tries to undermine the FDPIC’s demands with this little factoid:
“Since launching last week we have seen an 80% increase in maps usage, proving how popular this tool is with Swiss people.”
Or, proving that the Swiss are checking to make sure they weren’t caught picking their nose on camera!
(via)
See original here:
Switzerland’s Concerned Google’s Street View Invades Privacy of Tax Evaders Citizens
