5 Marketing Technology stories you might have missed 6-30-12

Marketing Technology 5

Marketing Technology Stories you might have missed

MT5 Edition: #44

Stories This Week: It’s all Google this week. So much news out of the I/O conference that I had to do dedicate all 5 stories to Google news.

1. You Will Want Google Goggles

[MIT] Article makes a case for why people might actually want to wear augmented reality glasses and wearable computers.

My Take: I chose this story because it came out in advance of Google fantastic sky diving demonstration.  I’m of two minds on wearable computers.  The seem ahead of their time, but if done right they could have a huge impact on our lives.  The example that comes to my mind is mountain biking. Normally I need to stop and check the trail map to decide which direction to turn. Imagine getting turn by turn directions projected into your glasses helping you keep going without stopping.  Point is, will these ever become something more than a geeky fascination?

2. Google+ gets new History API for third-party app and site integration

[TheVerge] Google is continuing to open up to integrate with other platforms.

My Take: If you’re a faithful reader, you know my main criticism of Google+ is that it was too closed off. Too hard to share content to from other apps through normal sharing functions.  Recently Google+ announced integration with flipboard. This week it announced in the ability to share, or perhaps better said import, activity from Twitter and Facebook to Google+. It’s a step in the right direction.

3. Google Now: search based on time and location

[TheVerge] As part of its Android Jelly Bean update, Google has just announced Google Now — a card-based search interface that takes your location and the time into effect to give you more useful information. Google Now works by using your search history, calendar, and location to help make search more relevant.

My Take: Some may call this creepy. I get it. What it really surfaces is how much search companies know about you. I guess you could look at this in a different light, now you can use the information for your benefit.

4. Facebook Does More To Make Google Plus Viable Than Google Ever Could

[BundlePost] This story points out that Facebooks continued abuse of user privacy is the only thing making Google+ attractive.

My Take: I included this story because it’s a realistic view of where Google+ is. Beyond the hype, Google+ is largely ignored – even by early adopters.  Although I’m spending more time there. It’s still a great social networking platform.

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5. 6 Features That Make Android Jelly Bean Better Than iOS, Windows Phone and Blackberry

[ReadWriteWeb] Better than Apple? That’s a bold claim. Read up on the 6 things.

My Take: My Droid X is about 18 months old and I’m ready for an upgrade. I love Android. I bought the original Droid the week it came out, but it’s just too laggy.  The device has become too unresponsive.

And while the iPhone has continued to innovate, Android hasn’t added any remarkable features.  However, these updates have got me interested.

 

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5 Marketing Technology stories you might have missed 6-23-12

Marketing Technology 5

Marketing Technology Stories you might have missed

MT5 Edition: #43

Stories This Week: Google+ opens API a smidge, Facebook settles sponsored stories suit, a Microsoft tablet!, LinkedIn targeting, behind the scenes at McDonalds

1. Google+ API Expanding, Flipboard Integration & Flipboard on Android

[FastCompany] [cNet] This is a two-fer.  Google+ is finally starting to open up and allow other apps to publish to it.  In addition, Flipboard is now available to the millions of Android phone users.

My Take: HUGE for several reasons. I may rant here a bit.  Google+ is actually very awesome. It’s an attractive app with great features. Don’t believe me? Check it out on your phone, the experience seems significantly better than the Facebook mobile app. The chief problem with Google+ is the only way you can access Google+ is through it’s website or app.  You can’t share an update from your favorite social management system (Hootsuite, Buffer) or via another app (like Instagram). As Google+ opens up to other platforms it makes it easier to use and naturally people are more likely to use it.  Will people leave Facebook for Google+? No, but you may find yourself having different types of conversations with a different network of people. Twitter is the social networking service most likely to lose traffic to Google+.

2. Facebook to give users more control over controversial ads

[cNet] Facebook will give users more control over the advertising tool, which features users’ profile photos and other information in ads for businesses and products the users have “Liked.”

My Take: You saw this coming right? People were not happy with Facebook monetizing their “Likes” without their permission.  See Facebook? This is why people don’t trust you; you continually are trying to pull one over on your users.

3. Microsoft’s Surprises With A Tablet Announcement

[Engadget] Microsoft announced it’s developing a 10″ tablet with a built in keyboard.

My Take: Light on details but the hardware seemed intriguing. Take a wait and see on this.  My favorite response to the question “how did Microsoft keep this a secret?” Easy, no one wanted to know.

4. LinkedIn Adds New Targeting Options

[AdWeek] Last October LinkedIn announced marketers would be able to post status updates to their company pages. Now the business-minded social network is adding the ability for marketers to pinpoint those posts at specific groups of followers.

My Take: I’m not sure what we’re talking about here…Is it Ads, email or impressions on the LinkedIn website?

5. Behind the scenes at a McDonald’s photo shoot

I included this story because it’s great social content. I don’t generally eat fast food but I’ve heard the complaint that the food you get looks nothing like what you see in the commercials.  Looks like McDonalds heard that complaint too and decided to tell their own side of the story. Caveat, you can bet that every aspect of this was staged despite the “man on the street” style.

BONUS: Get Your Instagram Photos Out of the Cloud and Onto Something Awesome

[Gizmodo] Turn your Instagram photos into an iPhone case, stickers, t-shirts, etc.

My Take: I recently read this story on how the culture on Instagram is different, more private and therefore more open than Facebook.  I thought folks might want to know how to bring their filtered photos into the physical world. 

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5 Marketing Technology stories you might have missed 6-16-12

Marketing Technology 5

Marketing Technology Stories you might have missed

MT5 Edition: #42

Stories This Week: Beginners Guide to Social, amazing Civ II game, top content tactics, fewer Zynga players and Microsoft buys Yammer.

1. The Beginner’s Guide to Social Media

[Mashable] Simple guides to Tumblr, LinkedIn, Reddit, Facebook and Twitter. Maybe they are useful to you or to someone you know.

My Take: I read the Reddit guide and learned about its quirky customs.

2. Man plays Civ II for 10 Years

[Reddit] Reaching the year 4,000 AD, the world is a nuclear holocaust as people of the world suffer a war that has gone on for 1,700 years.

My Take: I had to include this story in this weeks post. While I’m not much of a gamer, but Civ II is a great PC strategy game that I spent countless hours playing.  This story got picked up because it seemed somewhat prophetic, when in reality the game is supposed to end around the year 2,000.  I liked how commenters gave the player some ideas on how to finally win the game. If you’d like to check the game out, or a more recent version, I recommend buying the iPad Civ Revolution game.

3. Develop Your Audience With Top Content Marketing Tactics

Top Content Tactics

Top Content Tactics

[MarketingSherpa] A study of 1,745 B2B Marketers indicated that multi-channel communication,

improved thought leadership and segmentation are the three most effective content marketing tactics.

My Take: Well…duh…but there’s more to it.  Picking the best tactics is a good start, but ultimately it comes down to execution.  How well does your content strategy stand out from your competitors? Are you solving customer problems? 

4. Why Zynga is Shedding Users

[CNBC] Cowen and Company issued a report titled “Facebook Gaming in Accelerating User Tailspin,” which highlights the fact that Zynga’s social gaming daily active users declined by 8.2 percent in May.

My Take: The report points to the shift to mobile gaming as the chief reason people aren’t playing “-‘ville” games.  Personally I think there’s a bit of a social stigma associated with Facebooks gaming platform due to the annoying way it posted game updates to the players timeline (so and so needs a cow!).  So my point is, Facebook and Zynga might have structured the social gaming aspect to keep it social, but less irritating.  The larger point is Zynga’s dip eludes to Facebook’s mobile problem – they need a better mobile app.  Recent updates have focused on photos (the Instagram effect) but aren’t really compelling. Although I’m not a big Google+ user, the mobile app is pretty good. It’s fast, attractive and easy to use.

5. Yammer Agrees to Sell Itself to Microsoft

[WSJ] Business-software company Yammer Inc. agreed to sell itself to Microsoft for $1.2 billion.

My Take: This buy plugs holes in Microsoft’s cloud Office productivity suite and adds social capabilities to their arsenal.  How will Microsoft integrate Yammer with Sharepoint, Office365, Office (desktop) and Skype??? That’s a lot of products (and code) to bring together in a compelling fashion.

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5 Marketing Technology stories you might have missed 6-9-12

Marketing Technology 5

Marketing Technology Stories you might have missed

MT5 Edition: #41

Stories This Week: Facebook for kids, augmented reality in print, social servicing expectations, shocking social stats and a new Foursquare

1. Facebook To Experiment With Access For Under-13s

[Engadget] According to the Wall Street Journal, the social network is pushing for a more formalized structure for under-13s in an effort to curb users registering under a false age.

My Take: Going after kids makes business sense, but the strategy is fraught with difficulties. For example, the Child Online Protection Act sets a standard that would be a high bar for Facebook. And what does Facebook not do well? Protect personal identity.

As a parent, the last thing my child needs is more screen time.  I just can’t see my child having access to Facebook until…what 15 years old?

2. Could Augmented Reality Replace the QR Code?

[Engadget] Check out the video:

My Take: Marketers tend to either LOVE or HATE QR codes with the majority being in the latter camp. And let’s admit it, QR codes are ugly and have a number of drawbacks. I could see a technology like Layar doing a better job of connecting the print world with the digital world. Yet, I have a bunch of questions: How does the reader know the print piece is AR enabled? Does the reader need special software? How are metrics recorded? etc…

Social Platform Service Expectations

Social Platform Service Expectations

3. Social Media Customer Service Faces a High Bar

[eMarketer] Customers headed online to shop are bringing with them high expectations about the kind of customer service they’ll get once there, especially on social networks. The graphic on the right shows customer social support expectations per social channel.

My Take: A few years ago companies got bonus points for servicing customers on social networks. We’re entering a period where beginning to expect service on any channel. In the next few years companies will lose customers if their social support isn’t up to par.

4. 11 Shocking New Social Media Statistics in America

[Convince&Convert] <– Scan these stats. I’m sure at least one will grab your attention.

5. Foursquare Gets a Makeover: Here’s What’s New

[Mashable] Foursquare moves beyond the check-in and focuses on “discovery”.

My Take: If you follow Foursquare this new release is just about what you expected. Check-ins, mayors and badges were fun way to introduce the “location” part of SoLoMo “social-local-mobile”, but alone, check-ins, didn’t really do anything for you.  However, with so many users and so much data, Foursquare is able to provide useful, contextual information such as recommendations of things to do and visit. So this release is more evolution than revolution, but it’s a nice looking evolution and a good next-step for Foursquare.  The focus on “discovery” keeps Foursquare relevant and will drive the business forward.

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5 Marketing Technology stories you might have missed 6-2-12

Marketing Technology 5

Marketing Technology Stories you might have missed

MT5 Edition: #40

Stories This Week: Beating A/B testing, digital is more influential than direct sales, Internet 2012 Report, Evernote’s “Hello”, Foursquare app updating soon

1. 20 Lines of Code That Beat A/B Testing Every Time

[SteveHanov] This programmer has developed a simple system of determining which items are most popular – without manual intervention.

My Take: This seems like one of those little ideas that will expand quickly and quietly. I wouldn’t be surprised to see it show up in commercial Marketing Automation software.

Most Important B2B Touchpoint

Most Important B2B Touchpoint

2. B2B Marketers: Your Targets Are Mobile

[eMarketer] Smart phones have effectively saturated the professional B2B consumers market. Most importantly, these customers now view your digital properties as most important to their purchase decision.

My Take: I’ve covered this before, but if you’ve missed it, your digital footprint is your most important channel. Is your mobile strategy the best in your industry?

3. Mary Meeker’s Internet 2012 Report

Meeker’s annual report is one of the most influential. This seems like a long report but it’s a quick flip through. If you only have a few moments jump to page 33 for an interesting “Now vs. Then” segment.

My Take: Here are some of my favorite stats from the research:

  • Impressive 29% of USA Adults Own Tablet / eReader; Up from 2% Less Than Three Years Ago
  • Mobile Monetization Growing Rapidly (71% Apps, 29% Ads) –
  • Mobile Monetization has More Going for It than Early Desktop Monetization Had
  • Untapped areas available for innovation: TV, Car, Body

4. Evernote Releases “Hello”

My Take: I love Evernote. I also can’t remember anyone’s names or the context in which I met them. I’m hoping “Hello” solves my personal CRM problem. It could replace my “I’m with blog“!

5. Foursquare Teases Next Version Of Their App

[AboutFoursquare] Foursquare is starting to share snippets of their app in advance of a rumored update this month.

 My Take: The hints point toward what @Dens said, “Foursquare is focusing on: Discovery”. They are moving past, but not away from, the check-in. What I’m wondering is, what happened to Foursquare’s Ping? If Foursquare is focusing on discovery, wouldn’t real-time connections be a part of that?

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