Google announced today a new open API for social networks. The new project, called OpenSocial is a set of common APIs that application developers can use to create applications that work on any social network that choose to participate.
Google wants to create an easy way for developers to create applications that work on all social networks, as opposed to the current situation where you have the likes of Facebook requiring developers to create applications in their own markup language.
This way Google is encouraging social networks to subscribe to an open API philosophy and will mean (if it is successful) Google will be at the center of equation, controlling the Open API network of social sites.
Already signed up as participating hosts are: Orkut, Salesforce, LinkedIn, Ning, Hi5, Plaxo, Friendster, Viadeo and Oracle. Developer partners include Flixster, iLike, RockYou and Slide.
The list above is an impressive one and should mean that developers will take advantage of the new opportunity to build once and reach many, through this new API standard. No doubt the developers who get in their early will reap most of the rewards, as they did on Facebook, so it will be interesting to watch who gets there first.
Wednesday, 31 October 2007
Tuesday, 30 October 2007
Directory Listings
First we had the kind voice at the end of the phone - an operator service, then came the yellow phone book, online listings of the phone book... now we are at a new age of browsing directories. A new player in this space is everyscape.com, it takes 2D photographs and lets you explore the city whilst viewing business listings along the way.
A similar concept that has been around for years is Roadworks, this is site that lets you view some of the popular roads in NZ along with business listings relevant to each road.
I am looking forward to how this space will move forward. It's definitely moving towards a browsing model that would be a mash-up of listings, maps, 3d images, buy online and UGC, pulled together to create a rich online experience.
A similar concept that has been around for years is Roadworks, this is site that lets you view some of the popular roads in NZ along with business listings relevant to each road.
I am looking forward to how this space will move forward. It's definitely moving towards a browsing model that would be a mash-up of listings, maps, 3d images, buy online and UGC, pulled together to create a rich online experience.
Web Analytics News
I have just found out that Omniture is to acquire Visual Sciences or also known as Web Side Story.
The coming together of two of the largest players in the analytics space is going to be an interesting thing to watch. Both players were definitely battling for the same clients and would often be the last two on the pitch list. This now puts Omniture in a very powerful position, which almost makes you wonder if this could work against them. With no direct competition, you wonder if they will continue to develop a product that constantly pushing the boundaries in analytics or if, like other examples we have seen in the online industry, they will become a monopoly who is more interested in generating revenues than product development.
To read the press release click here
The coming together of two of the largest players in the analytics space is going to be an interesting thing to watch. Both players were definitely battling for the same clients and would often be the last two on the pitch list. This now puts Omniture in a very powerful position, which almost makes you wonder if this could work against them. With no direct competition, you wonder if they will continue to develop a product that constantly pushing the boundaries in analytics or if, like other examples we have seen in the online industry, they will become a monopoly who is more interested in generating revenues than product development.
To read the press release click here
Video Advertising
Video Advertising is one of the hot topics in the online world at the moment. Ask any Ad Operations department what they are trying to grapple with and I'm sure at the top of their list is new advertising formats.
Video Advertising to date has taken the form of a pre-roll. However YouTube has shunned the idea of such intrusive formats. Read more here
It is defintely becoming clear that the true winners will be the companies who develop and deliver advertisers the option to work with less intrusive formats that allow the advertising to fit around the content. One of the companies who is working in this space is Adjustables.Adjustables ad formats are visual elements that float inside online videos, during the play out of the video content.
If you think about how you could target your add into videos that are tagged with relevant key words, then you start to see the opportunity for advertising and video content to sit quite nicely together. I think we are going to see a lot more companies like Adjustables starting up.
To view the Adjustables site, click here
Video Advertising to date has taken the form of a pre-roll. However YouTube has shunned the idea of such intrusive formats. Read more here
It is defintely becoming clear that the true winners will be the companies who develop and deliver advertisers the option to work with less intrusive formats that allow the advertising to fit around the content. One of the companies who is working in this space is Adjustables.Adjustables ad formats are visual elements that float inside online videos, during the play out of the video content.
If you think about how you could target your add into videos that are tagged with relevant key words, then you start to see the opportunity for advertising and video content to sit quite nicely together. I think we are going to see a lot more companies like Adjustables starting up.
To view the Adjustables site, click here
Thursday, 25 October 2007
Advertising on Facebook
I noticed the other day when I opened up my facebook account that I had the option to set up a "Facebook Flyer". They say that they display your Flyer 5,000 times for only $10 to people you choose. You can apparently target based on age, gender, and network.
It pretty much looks like a bidding system where you set a maximum bid amount to target the users you are after, very similar to the Google adwords model.
Read more
It pretty much looks like a bidding system where you set a maximum bid amount to target the users you are after, very similar to the Google adwords model.
Read more
Friday, 12 October 2007
Top Interactive Agencies
If you are finding it hard to figure out which agency is good at what, take a look at the NMA Top 100 Interactive Agencies list here.
Tuesday, 2 October 2007
Online Advertising Networks
I was at the Adtech conference last week and was at a conference panel discussion on AdNetworks and Ad Exchanges. One of the Ad Networks handed out a handy flyer titled 'Top 10 questions to help you choose a quality network':
1. What kind of publishers do you work with?
2. How do you optimise your campaigns?
3. Can you help me manage risk - do you work on a CPA/CPC or CPM basis?
4. How many unique users do reach per month? per day? Is there much of an overlap with other networks?
5. How does your Search and Affiliate marketing complement your web solutions?
6. Do you offer Mobile, Video, and AdServing?
7. How advanced are your targeting capabilities - what about Behavioural Targeting?
8. What kind of creative assistance do you offer?
9. Can you execute my multi-language, pan Euro campaigns?
10. Do you plan an active role in shaping the online industry?
1. What kind of publishers do you work with?
2. How do you optimise your campaigns?
3. Can you help me manage risk - do you work on a CPA/CPC or CPM basis?
4. How many unique users do reach per month? per day? Is there much of an overlap with other networks?
5. How does your Search and Affiliate marketing complement your web solutions?
6. Do you offer Mobile, Video, and AdServing?
7. How advanced are your targeting capabilities - what about Behavioural Targeting?
8. What kind of creative assistance do you offer?
9. Can you execute my multi-language, pan Euro campaigns?
10. Do you plan an active role in shaping the online industry?
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