Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Answer The Phone, Your Content Is Calling
Your Content Is Calling
by Steve Smith, Tuesday, August 28, 2007
IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT the voice channel is the under-utilized and under-appreciated piece of the mobile content and marketing puzzle. I say that it goes without saying because so many companies have been saying precisely that for a couple of years now.
I have covered and tried a number of schemes: radio stations rebroadcasting via voice, mobile podcasting, and even in-venue programming like sending the live chatter between NASCAR drivers and their pit crews to phones. I have no idea how many consumers may have adopted any of these models in a habitual way. I know that I tend to drop off from using them pretty quickly. Sometimes the initiation procedure is awkward, or I just forget the service is available. There is also the issue of content quality (usually grainy) and the convenience factor. You have to hold the phone to your ear in most cases to listen passively to a program, and have little control over fast-forwarding or jumping through an index. From a publisher and marketer's perspective, voice may seem like an unexplored channel, but from a user's perspective (well, this user) voice-over-phone is not ideal for content consumption.
Unwired Nation is an interesting attempt to leverage voice. First, it is an ad-supported publishing platform. The company announced deals with RSS feed aggregator Pheedo and others to vocalize their content, shape it into interactive calls to an opt-in user, and wrap it in ads that can contextually target the user. In Pheedo's case, its standard digest e-mails of a feed will be turned into a narrated pre-scheduled call. A decision tree in the call lets users select from the headlines they want to drill into for more of the story. "You do it in the form of a content-based alert, so every story might have a contextual promotion," says Stacey Zuniga, Unwired's co-founder. About half a dozen publishers are integrating the solution now for formal launches in coming weeks. Pricing is in the $70 CPM range.
In the demo I tried, the opt-in call had the advantage of being brief and interactive. Rather than having to sit back and listen to radio on your phone (which is a special kind of torture), you can punch a key to get the full story or a deeper blurb after reading the concise headlines.
The ad spots are interesting, too, because they are relatively non-interruptive. The very brief spot lets you hit a key to get more information via email or SMS rather than hijacking the voice content. Brevity seems to be a key to making voice content work, because having to sit with the phone to your ear through content you don't really want is much like sitting through the Gatling gun prattle of a telemarketer before you can step in and say "not interested." Adding options and interactivity to the voice flow seems to undercut the tedium.
Unwired Nation is making available to a wider range of publishers and advertisers a platform it has been deploying on eBay for years. EBay bidders have the option to get phone alerts on their auction to monitor and make final bids as the auction closes. Unwired calls bidders about three-and-a-half minutes before the bidding closes, and key presses let them enter final bids.
Since the end of last year, Unwired Nation has been selling contextual ads into this space, mainly to other eBay Power Sellers who can target categories of interest with additional sale offers. The 8- to 10-second ads run in the beginning of the call while the bidding information is being retrieved. Zuniga claims a click-through rate of up to 14% on these spots. For eBay, Unwired Nation already does between 600,000 and 1 million calls a month, he says.
Of course the question becomes whether an opt-in voice content platform works in the long run for a range of information. The success of this approach at eBay may have a lot to do with the nature of the content and the audience. For the rabid bidder, having real-time access to the last moments of an auction is part of the eBay sport, and getting called by your content is not an annoyance but a service that enhances the drama. For a fantasy sports nut, getting voice notifications of a player injury or trade may be appealing, although I am not sure why a text message wouldn't be better. For content that invites high levels of involvement and passion, where we crave a sense of closeness to a breaking event or moment, then voice content delivery can be welcome.
But that level of intimacy also makes voice a risky and unpredictable channel for any kind of automated delivery. For an RSS feed? Well, I don't know if I want my headlines calling me. Just as consumers loathe the idea of telemarketers accessing them in the special private zone of a cell phone, I am not so sure I will want a daily call from my news alerts service, even if I did opt into it. Any channel that a consumer also uses for high-value, highly personal relationships holds tremendous promise and danger for a publisher or marketer. In order to get into that zone, you need to have a service that is of real value and importance to the user. I think voice alerts are different from SMS or email messages. It is a channel that could and should be used, but I suspect it will require careful programming.
After all, if I wanted to tap my foot impatiently while waiting for a voice on the other end of the line to get to the point, well, I would just call my mom.
Post your response to the public Mobile Insider blog.
See what others are saying on the Mobile Insider blog.
Contributing writer Steve Smith is a longtime new-media consultant and columnist, and current editor of Digital Media Report for MinOnline.com and Mobile Media Report for TelecomWeb.com Contact him at popeyesmith@comcast.net.
Mobile Insider for Tuesday, August 28, 2007:
http://publications.mediapost.com/
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Friday, August 24, 2007
Get .INFO Domains For $3
EstDomains: INFO Promo Offer Still Running
EstDomains Inc., a US-based domain registrar, announces the extension of its promo offer regarding INFO domains. 1-year registration of an INFO domain will remain priced at $3 until Dec 31st 2007.
(PRWEB) August 15, 2007 -- They say great things don't last long. Hundreds of webmasters used the promo offer from EstDomains Inc. http://www.estdomains.com to register domains in popular zones at truly unprecedented prices. After getting plenty of feedback, EstDomains Inc. extends its promo offer for INFO domains until Dec 31st 2007.
We are barely halfway through 2007, and the remaining months will be the months of saving on domain registrations when using the great EstDomain Inc. deal. No need to hurry to get a new INFO domain at an unbeatable price. 1-year registration of an INFO domain is still priced at $3.
EstDomains Inc. is registered in USA and is accredited by ICANN, an international organization governing the usage and registration of all top level domains in the world. You can check out the list of accredited registrars here: http://www.icann.org/registrars/accredited-list.html. This guarantees all the domain-related procedures, including registration, management and transfer to other registrars always comply with relevant legal norms and common business practices. In other words, EstDomains Inc. makes professional, trouble-free domain registration even more affordable.
Currently customers of EstDomains Inc. can register a domain name in more than 10 international zones http://estdomains.com/prices.html. Registering a domain is fast and simple due to the feature-packed and convenient web interface. There are a number of payment options to choose from. Learn more about services and special offers from EstDomains Inc. on the company's official site: http://www.estdomains.com.
Press Contact: Konstantin Poltev
Company Name: Estdomains INC
Phone: 302-722-4217
Website: http://www.estdomains.com
Domain Roundtable Conference to Kick Off Sunday, August 12, 2007 in Seattle, Washington Name Intelligence presents its 3rd Annual Domain Roundtable Conference from August 12 - 15, 2007, in Seattle, Washington. The event, being held at the newly-renovated Seattle Sheraton Hotel, boasts the largest ever live domain auction, nTag wireless networking devices, and parties every night hosted by top sponsors at some of Seattle hottest clubs. An event not to be missed by veterans of the industry and professionals new to the domaining scene.
Seattle, Washington (PRWEB) August 10, 2007 -- One of the domaining industry's best planned and most eagerly awaited annual networking conferences, the Domain Roundtable, kicks off next Monday. Name Intelligence's $50k investment in intelligent nTag name badges alone signals the host's professional drive to distinguish this event from all others. Name Intelligence CEO, Jay Westerdal, assures "Deals will be done!"
Frank Schilling, who has accepted the invitation to keynote the event, as described by Westerdal, is "the most well known domain investor in the world, who will take us through his humble beginnings all the way to how he got to where he is. With over 320,000 domains in his collection, he is not resting & continues to buy. I love looking through his portfolio because he has so many killer generic domains."
During Monday and Tuesday, those attending will have their choice amongst some 30 expert-led breakout sessions discussing a wide range of industry topics, including expert-to-novice domain acquisition, valuation, monetization, sale and SEO strategies.
There will also be discussions on how to create more Fortune 1000 awareness of the value of generic domain names, like Johnson & Johnson's baby.com, a key - and ever-appreciating - marketing asset for their entire baby-centered product line. Their $200k investment in the name has paid huge dividends already!
Domain Development Investing will lead the Wednesday agenda, followed by a "Live Domain Auction", which Westerdal asserts will be the world's largest ever, and free to the public. The 450+ domains to be placed on the auction block will be open to both online & offline bidding. During the auction, remote users will be able to see real-time videocast, who is bidding, and what the bids are for. To see a list of the domains that will be auctioned, visit http://www.domaintools.com/live-auction/browse-domains.html.
It won't be all work and no play, however. Each evening, the Domain Roundtable will hold great after-hours hosted parties in world-class venues, highlighted by Monday night's "Body Painting Contest" party, hosted by TrafficZ at the trendy Sugar nightclub in downtown Seattle. The contest and bidding proceeds will benefit Michael Mann's Grassroots.org group.
This event will not only be beneficial to seasoned domainers but equally as useful to professionals new to the domain industry. Save $295 when you register by using promo code PRDRT07 at https://domainroundtable.com/registration/. Please note promo code is case sensitive.
Press Contact: Kristin Tetuan
Company Name: Name Intelligence, Inc.
Phone: (206) 734-4858
Website: www.domainroundtable.com
Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
A proposed class action lawsuit has been filed against the federal government agency for violating terms of the Privacy Act and distributing contact information of its employees to marketing partners. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of all employees and claims the United States Postal Service (USPS) allowed private businesses, as part of its Strategic Business Initiatives plan, to access and utilize its 'employee master file' that contains private information including home addresses of all career and non-career, full and part-time employees.
The complaint states the business initiatives plan allows private corporations to submit bids for co-branding agreements. Under these agreements the USPS logo is branded on various marketing materials and sent to the private residences of USPS employees.
United States Postal Service Legal Help
If you have suffered damages in this information breach case, please click the link below to send your USPS complaint to a lawyer who will evaluate your claim at no cost or obligation.
Click here for legal help and a free evaluation of your possible case
The Quotable Ambient Findability
by Aaron Goldman, Wednesday, August 8, 2007
IN MY LAST TWO COLUMNS, I explored a world in which anything and anyone can be found anywhere at anytime. Inspired by Peter Morville's Book, "Ambient Findability," I pondered how we'd arrive at such a place and whether or not it was truly utopia.
As promised, today's column will feature some choice nuggets from Morville's masterpiece along with some context and application to the search landscape.
Let's start with Morville's basic premise...
"Information is in the air, literally. And it changes our minds, physically."
This insight really gets at the core of what the Internet is all about and the effect it has had on society. A couple of centuries ago, who could've imagined information traveling across the world without being physically carried by a person -- or pigeon? And who can imagine what the true impact will be of the 21st century discovery that the world is flat after all? Forget changing our minds -- in true Darwinian fashion, when everything in the world is within fingertips' reach, will humans evolve into creatures with no legs and 10 fingers on each hand? And will we speak only in short bursts of keywords? But back to the here and now...
"We can manage our information diet and thus the health and well-being of our rational and intuitive decisions."
Gone are the days when the media was controlled by a few dominant corporations and held to standards set by the Federal Communications Commission. Now every Tom, Dick, and Harry has a blog and somewhere, someone is citing them as credible sources. And with search innovations like Rollyo and Google CSE, every Peter, Paul, and Mary can create his or her own search engine and index only content from Tom, Dick, and Harry. We now have virtually unlimited access to information -- but before we can make decisions, we first need to decide what information we want to include in our decision-making criteria, aka index. It remains to be seen how well we'll be able to do this, but one thing's for certain...
"To not use the data and expert opinions and collective intelligence at our fingertips reeks of personal malpractice."
The "Today Show" ran a feature on CyberChondriacs yesterday and asked people to "stop googling your symptoms," advising instead that "a little ignorance is bliss." I'm with Mr. Morville on this one. When it comes to something as important as your health, it seems irresponsible not to tap the plethora of online information and communities out there revolving around your specific condition. Again, the challenge is who/what defines expertise. And it's clear this is something Millennials will struggle with...
"For insight into the dark side, ask librarians. They'll tell you about students who never visit the library, but instead surf the web for a few good hits, with little appreciation for the authority, accuracy, currency, and quality of their sources."
And, no Mr. Cruise, this can't be cured with a little diet and exercise. After all...
"The primacy of accessibility is among the firmest ties that bind our rationality."
And regardless of who we trust along the way...
"The journey transforms the destination and it's easy to become lost in reflection."
The path to ambient findability is beset on all sides by memories of the past and hopes for the future. The same came be said for the search process. When you sit down to find an old classmate, book a vacation, or buy a computer, you have a very clear goal in mind, and set out to achieve it based on what's worked -- or not worked -- in the past. However, nine times out of 10, your search clickstream will change the final outcome. And given the overwhelming amount of information you encounter while searching, sometimes you can't even remember what you set out to accomplish. As Morville puts it...
"A standard keyword search opens the widest of windows on the narrowest of topics."
How many times have you initiated a search intending to complete one task and wind up trailing off through a series of relevant results into a different pursuit altogether? As for the implications to marketers...
"Findability will be a key source of competitive advantage. Finders, keepers; losers, weepers."
I think I'm going to start working this taunt into my SEO pitches, especially for those clients in categories that aren't heavily investing in search. Of course, the response I'm likely to get will be along the lines of "I know you are, but what am I?" At the end of the day, there are still many marketers out there that have yet to recognize the importance of making their brands findable and will wait until a key competitor makes the first move before panicking, er... combating them.
For, alas...
"You can take the person out of the Stone Age but you can't take the Stone Age out of the person."
For the record, Morville used this line to describe how the human brain reacts to the influx of stimuli in today's modern world, not to ridicule marketers that haven't embraced SEO. But he does make some astute observations about companies that do pursue SEO solutions...
"Everybody is responsible and so we run the risk that nobody is accountable."
Morville aptly notes that, when it comes to SEO, multiple parties are involved in the project, from marketing to IT to outside agencies. He has seen firsthand that...
"In most organizations findability falls through the cracks between roles and responsibilities, and everyone loses."
Morville's proposed solution? "Findability hackers" -- aka SEO professionals -- whose job is to cut through the corporate clutter and develop cross-disciplinary processes to achieve a balance of form, function, and findability. As elegant as this sounds, though, if we thought the backlash was bad when SEOs were told they are not rocket scientists, I'm not sure how they'll respond to being called a bunch of hacks! So remember...
"There's a fine line between the wisdom of crowds and the ignorance of mobs."
Amen, Brother Morville, Amen.
Post your response to the public Search Insider blog.
Aaron Goldman is Vice President of Client Strategy & Development at Resolution Media, an Omnicom Media Group Company. Resolution Media connects brands with queries through relevant digital media and content. Aaron can be reached at AGoldman@ResolutionMedia.com.
Search Insider for Wednesday, August 8, 2007: http://publications.mediapost.com/
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[Editor's comments: "...in which anything and anyone can be found anywhere at anytime." sounds like a job for the guys er, hackers at seomniscience.com... ]
Webmarketing123 Offers New Search-Engine Optimized Blog Services -- Leader in Search Engine Optimization Now Provides the Most Effective, Comprehensive SEO Services Worldwide at the Lowest Feasible Cost Webmarketing123, leader in the fast-growing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) market, has introduced a new search-engine optimized blog service to help clients' web logs stand out in today's increasingly competitive online business environment.
Oakland, CA (PRWEB) August 2, 2007 -- Webmarketing123, leader in the fast-growing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) market, has introduced a new search-engine optimized blog service to help clients' web logs stand out in today's increasingly competitive online business environment.
"There are a wide range of companies offering SEO, each employing strategies that may differ significantly, hence producing varying results," said Paul Taylor, CEO of Webmarketing123 an SEO firm in California. "Understanding these different strategies is the most important factor in choosing an SEO company. This new optimized blog offering, and more new services to come, will enable us to provide the most effective and comprehensive SEO service package in the industry."
Search-optimized blogs
Technorati.com tracks nearly 27 million blogs and about 75,000 new blogs are launched each day. How can a client's blog stand out in this blizzard of competition? The solution is blog search engine optimization.
An optimized blog gives a search engine everything it needs:
Fresh content -- Webmarketing123 updates clients' blogs frequently with up-to-date information.
Each client's blog will have an optimized site structure.
Webmarketing123 sets up blogs with a clear navigation path that search-engine spiders can easily follow.
Each page will link back to the other main pages (via internal interlinking).
Blog posts will be rich in keyword content.
An optimized blog enhances the client's business:
puts a face on the company.
helps prospects and clients interact with the company and form a personal relationship with it.
Prospects and customers can get recent news about the client.
An optimized blog contains up-to-date information about clients' products and services.
improves search engine rankings and that boosts sales.
About Webmarketing123
With offices in Oakland and Southern California, Webmarketing123 provides Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay Per Click (PPC) services to a growing client base throughout the San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego regions ... and the world.
Through SEO, Webmarketing123 increases clients' visibility in a process that involves minor alterations to their web sites, selecting keywords that will generate targeted traffic, continually researching search-engine algorithms and policies, and -- most important -- thoroughly understanding the customer's needs.
Through its very successful PPC program, Webmarketing123 delivers the highest volume of customers at the lowest cost. PPC management is the practice of identifying and categorizing high-value search terms, defining a value proposition specific to these search terms and managing bidding strategies to assure that the lowest price per click is being paid to meet business objectives.
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Press Contact: Paul Taylor
Company Name: Webmarketing123
Phone: +18006191570
Website: http://webmarketing123.com/
