This week's news that Mozilla was going to start selling ads that will appear in the tiles of a new tab or page on Firefox had a lot of industry watchers wondering if the non-profit association intent on improving the world's experience on the Web was finally selling out. I don't think so. After all, it's about survival. Darren Herman is Mozilla's new VP of content services, who was hired to launch this initiative. During the Interactive Advertising Bureau's annual meeting in Palm … [Read more...]
First Instagram Ad Goes Live with Michael Kors Watch
Today's first paid Instagram photo went live. And there are more angry comments than good. (Thanks to social media pal Jane Ko for her tweet.) First instagram ad goes live feat @MichaelKors - more angry comments than good. pic.twitter.com/o9xPfnWgSa — Jane Ko (@atasteofkoko) November 1, 2013 I'm more of a fan of organic content as a way to attract eyeballs, but perhaps sometimes, you need a little push. What do you think of Instagram's Sponsored Photos? … [Read more...]
What an Expensive Journalist Is Expected To Do These Days
Yesterday's news that Yahoo poached famed New York Times tech columnist David Pogue had several analysts and PR people thinking what his new role will most likely entail. CrunchBase Information David Pogue Information provided by CrunchBase Yahoo claims the move is to 'publish columns, blog posts and video stories that demystify the gadgets, apps and technology that powers our users’ daily lives,' according to Marissa Mayer. But in order for the relationship to sustain itself, … [Read more...]
Google and Social Advertising: Still Not Facebook, But That’s OK
This afternoon I was asked to give comment to a Time magazine reporter on Google's recent decision to start personalizing some ads in its network -- namely, that you will start to see Facebook-like names and thumbnail photos in advertising throughout the Google network. While some people might think, 'Oh great, that's all I need,' we have Facebook to thank for the concept of social advertising and Sponsored Stories. What was once creepy and annoying is so ubiquitous that most consumers will … [Read more...]
What Yahoo Will Do with Tumblr
With the news that Internet behemoth Yahoo will buy blogging and content platform Tumblr for $1.1 billion in cash has many analysts, including this one, wondering what will happen next. Yahoo clearly wants to buy its way into the social media elite. In December 2005, Yahoo bought social bookmarking site Delicious, but it later sold it in 2011 to the founders of YouTube. In September 2006, it offered to buy Facebook for $1 billion, but Facebook walked away. And Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer … [Read more...]
Hoping That Social Media Will Fix Crappy Banner Ads
Long live the banner ad: it has managed to survive not only the dot com bubble but also Facebook's IPO. Yet few admit to wishing to perpetuate its existence. Talk of 'social advertising' usually means buying ads on Facebook, Promoted Trends on Twitter, or even the new SlideShare ads -- complete with inline lead capture -- on LinkedIn. A few companies have been hard at work at transforming the banner ad into a richer experience. A richer experience of course transfers into engagement -- … [Read more...]