The Cloud is a new internet-based approach to computing that has become all the talk of the tech world.
Known as “cloud computing”, this involves a greater centralisation of processing power and information storage in large networks of datacentres.
Rather than relying on computing power from corporate servers or desktop PCs, applications and services created in this new “cloud” are delivered over the internet and often accessed through a simple web browser.
More detail from the FT ...
Friday, October 24, 2008
MS move to steal Google's Cloud
Microsoft is reacting to Google's unstated threat to change the way we use computers. (Browser war gives hints of the future!)
Google's development of the Chrome web browser and the Android mobile operating platform provides strong evidence that Google is preparing for a major shift to an Internet based computing platform. Dubbed "The Cloud", Google has denied the plans existence.
The battle for dominance between MS and Google seems to be moving away from search and into MS's core territory. I'll be watching with interest, probably via my new Android phone!
Google's development of the Chrome web browser and the Android mobile operating platform provides strong evidence that Google is preparing for a major shift to an Internet based computing platform. Dubbed "The Cloud", Google has denied the plans existence.
Microsoft is now ready to take its own leap into the cloud, with an announcement expected next week. (Microsoft looks to cloud to open new windows).
The battle for dominance between MS and Google seems to be moving away from search and into MS's core territory. I'll be watching with interest, probably via my new Android phone!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Blogs are so 2004!
Paul Boutin's article in Wired claims that blogging is yesterday's thing and that the www has moved on if you want to get noticed.
This may be true for those who see themselves at the cutting edge of social media; people at the cutting edge simply don't want to be seen where the rest of us hang out. That's up to them.
But blogs have an increasingly defined and important role for Internet marketers for 2 reasons.
The first, which is beyond debate, is that blogging has become a mainstream activity. From the BBC and Google to the likes of me, everyone can publish their thoughts and opinions very easily. And it is this ease of use that is one key factor in the development of blogging.
The other is the nature of the medium. A weblog is your place to put your own thoughts, like a diary, but one that's open to others to read. A blog does not require a formal structure, it doesn't even need to draw a conclusion. It should encourage thought and invite comment. It is where questions as often as answers are formulated.
This informality invites a dialogue with your readers. And dialogue is increasingly what marketing is about. Understand your customer's needs and wants and you will find success. Getting them involved at the earliest stage of your thought process will help you to build a customer centric business.
Blogs might not be the new thing any more, but they will be around for a long time to come.
And whether you agree or disagree, I'd appreciate your comments.
;-)
This may be true for those who see themselves at the cutting edge of social media; people at the cutting edge simply don't want to be seen where the rest of us hang out. That's up to them.
But blogs have an increasingly defined and important role for Internet marketers for 2 reasons.
The first, which is beyond debate, is that blogging has become a mainstream activity. From the BBC and Google to the likes of me, everyone can publish their thoughts and opinions very easily. And it is this ease of use that is one key factor in the development of blogging.
The other is the nature of the medium. A weblog is your place to put your own thoughts, like a diary, but one that's open to others to read. A blog does not require a formal structure, it doesn't even need to draw a conclusion. It should encourage thought and invite comment. It is where questions as often as answers are formulated.
This informality invites a dialogue with your readers. And dialogue is increasingly what marketing is about. Understand your customer's needs and wants and you will find success. Getting them involved at the earliest stage of your thought process will help you to build a customer centric business.
Blogs might not be the new thing any more, but they will be around for a long time to come.
And whether you agree or disagree, I'd appreciate your comments.
;-)
PPC is winning the day
It seems that pay per click is increasingly being seen as the safest place to put your advertising budget. Faced with a choice between a fully measurable media with a proven ROI and less measurable offline alternatives, the ad dollar is taking the safe option.
This also reflects a natural focus on direct response as against brand advertising, for the same reason.
The evidence ...
As as to why, “the accountability of paid search makes it more valuable than most other forms of advertising, online or offline,” said David Hallerman, senior analyst at eMarketer. “When companies cut ad budgets, the spending that continues needs to be more focused than in flush times. User searches create ad focus, telling the advertiser that the person is interested in X product or service at that exact moment.”
For full article see eMarkter.
For more, try Internet marketing seen as a safe pair of hands
This also reflects a natural focus on direct response as against brand advertising, for the same reason.
The evidence ...
As as to why, “the accountability of paid search makes it more valuable than most other forms of advertising, online or offline,” said David Hallerman, senior analyst at eMarketer. “When companies cut ad budgets, the spending that continues needs to be more focused than in flush times. User searches create ad focus, telling the advertiser that the person is interested in X product or service at that exact moment.”
For full article see eMarkter.
For more, try Internet marketing seen as a safe pair of hands
Thursday, October 16, 2008
What's hot online?
The short answer is video ... YouTube has just been voted the coolest online media brand.
At the end of the day video gives a richer experience than any other medium, which is why TV has dominated out lives to the extent that it has. The new kid on the block is Internet video, which in addition to delivering "traditional" TV, delivers a fantastic amount of content accounting for every taste.
It is the "on demand" nature of online video that makes it so popular. You can watch anything you want, when you want to (and increasingly where you want to).
So it's no wonder it got the vote.
At the end of the day video gives a richer experience than any other medium, which is why TV has dominated out lives to the extent that it has. The new kid on the block is Internet video, which in addition to delivering "traditional" TV, delivers a fantastic amount of content accounting for every taste.
It is the "on demand" nature of online video that makes it so popular. You can watch anything you want, when you want to (and increasingly where you want to).
So it's no wonder it got the vote.
Internet ad spend holds steady
It's good to see that Internet advertising is more than holding its own as advertising spend get squeezed. (Full story)
It can't be long now before it becomes the biggest media spend in the UK. Once bright spot in the not so Bellweather forecast!
It can't be long now before it becomes the biggest media spend in the UK. Once bright spot in the not so Bellweather forecast!
Killer app from Google
The latest killer app from Google is "Mail Googles". Sadly I'm a bit long in the tooth for this to be of much use for me, but it strikes chord!
Find out more about Mail Goggles.
Find out more about Mail Goggles.
Is Internet TV proof of convergence?
What is Internet TV?
The variety of possible answers to this question, suggests that the lines between media are definitely blurring. The great the blurring, the greater the convergence!
It's TV content on the Internet ..... the BBC is leading the way with it's iPlayer, with all the other major channels following suit. So watching "free to air" TV online is now a mainstream activity. (Not to mention the BBC's deal with Nokia to allow users of the Nokia N96 to download iPlayer programmes and Channel 4's plan to run more mobile TV, which extends this to mobile.)
It's TV quality video content for the Internet .... websites are pushing video content too. Bebo (the social network) has committed to running 6 new online productions. Pure play webTV, I guess! (Last year Sophie's Choice proved so popular that Channel 5 put it on the TV!)
And it's part of an integrated approach to programming / advertising .... Nokia is launching an integrated web2.0 campaign in which fans will be able to learn everything about the characters in the TV ads by using text messages, photos, videos and calls on somebodyelsesphone.com, as well as signing up to their Facebook pages to have a more personal conversation.
So my conclusion is that it's getting pretty blurred, so convergence is definitely coming!
The variety of possible answers to this question, suggests that the lines between media are definitely blurring. The great the blurring, the greater the convergence!
It's TV content on the Internet ..... the BBC is leading the way with it's iPlayer, with all the other major channels following suit. So watching "free to air" TV online is now a mainstream activity. (Not to mention the BBC's deal with Nokia to allow users of the Nokia N96 to download iPlayer programmes and Channel 4's plan to run more mobile TV, which extends this to mobile.)
It's TV quality video content for the Internet .... websites are pushing video content too. Bebo (the social network) has committed to running 6 new online productions. Pure play webTV, I guess! (Last year Sophie's Choice proved so popular that Channel 5 put it on the TV!)
And it's part of an integrated approach to programming / advertising .... Nokia is launching an integrated web2.0 campaign in which fans will be able to learn everything about the characters in the TV ads by using text messages, photos, videos and calls on somebodyelsesphone.com, as well as signing up to their Facebook pages to have a more personal conversation.
So my conclusion is that it's getting pretty blurred, so convergence is definitely coming!
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