August 2010

Research Shows Faster Sites Sell and Rank Better: Free Tools To Improve Web Performance

August 31st 2010

Your site visitor’s experience starts with waiting for that first page to load.  Does the speed of a website really influence visitors buying decisions on it? You bet it does. New research from e-commerce websites backs this perception up with lots of hard data. Improving pageload speed helps: Increases conversion rates, page views, and time […]

“The Web is Dead” Is Another Way to Talk About Web 3.0

August 24th 2010

Since 2007 I’ve been noting a set of changes that collectively are changing the foundations of communications on the Web in ways that are more far-reaching than what we refer to as Web 2.0. These include: Highly interactive application experiences that don’t use browsers Decentralized web and email communications – branding and 1:1 messages are […]

Breaking: IBM to Acquire Unica for $480M

August 13th 2010

Extending the digital marketing investment and IPO streak we called back in December, today the Wall Street Journal reports that IBM will acquire Unica for $480M. See details: Wall St. Journal Related Posts on Digital Investment: 2010 Prediction: Digital Marketing IPOs Skyrocket <Dec 27> Read the Steamy FriendFinder Prospectus: A Dating and Porn IPO <Jan […]

Terry Childs, SF’s Rogue Network Engineer, Sentenced to 4 Years

August 11th 2010

Judge Teri Jackson sentenced Terry Childs to 4 years in prison last week. Childs took sole control of San Francisco’s city network for nearly two weeks claiming he was the only person certified for such access.  He eventually provided administrative access to the mayor who negotiated with Childs after his arrest. Childs will next receive […]

Update: Webtrends Buys App Platform Start-Up Transpond, Boosts Social Media Analytics

August 10th 2010

Web analytics stalwart Webtrends is increasing its ability to measure traffic from Facebook users and iPhone owners with the acquisition of app platform provider Transpond. They see the acquisition as a complement to their purchase of landing-page optimizer Widemile (now Webtrends Optimize). The Bay Area start-up employs 10, and provides a suite of software-as-a-service tools that […]

Skype and Demand Media IPOs Make this the Year of Digital Investment

August 9th 2010

Look around: These *are* amazing times. Who would imagine, in the “Summer of the Great Recession,“ that a digital content start-up and a phone company whose majority of customers pay nothing would be hot IPO news.  But that’s the point. These two companies shift the status away from the status quo.  And they’re heating up […]

Funny Video: The Smart Kids Want to Be In New Jersey’s Advertising Biz

August 9th 2010

When you were a kid, did you want to be in advertising? These kids already get the business at a deep level, and they want to win a Jersey Award.

Amanda Palmer and Burning Man Show How to “Sell 2.0”

August 6th 2010

I was part of a manic panel discussion on sales strategies for a Web 2.0 world.  Amidst the usual Rorschach of social media advice were a few killer moments I have to share. Framing Idea: What’s the result of an abundance of information? Attention scarcity. This is what makes insight a premium in the digital […]

Why CMOs Need Common Metrics to Survive: It’s Time To Make GAAP for Marketers

August 3rd 2010

NASCAR drivers should watch out: the position of Chief Marketing Officer is fast replacing race-car driver as the riskiest job in North America. According to Business Week, a CMO’s average tenure is only 28 months. Only 14 percent of CMOs for the worlds top brands have been in their jobs more than three years. That’s […]