September 2007
Facebook to Add Groups - More Targeted Networking, More Targeted Advertising?
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 30, 2007 | 338 comments
A look at the Facebook's What's New page indicates that the site is going to begin letting its users sort and categorize the people in their networks.
Why Just Blog When You Can SketchCast?
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 29, 2007 | 1 comment
We use so many different mediums to communicate daily. We have e-mail, instant messaging, blogging, podcasting, and video podcasting. While most things can be conveyed through text, sometimes using visuals is an absolute must, and like most of us if you're not a video-pro, SketchCast is for you.
What are your plans for October?
Written by Neil Patel on September 27, 2007 | 5 comments
Next month I will be traveling a decent amount because there are some great online marketing conferences that are taking place.
What To Do With a Hit
Written by David Chen on September 27, 2007 | 1 comment
Digg has recently been lit up with stories about Halo 3. Today we discuss some possible courses of action for content producers when a hit like Halo takes over the internet.
What Digg's Recommendation Engine Means For You
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 26, 2007 | 1 comment
Kevin Rose announced that Digg's recommendation will be launched in a few months. Here's a look at what it means for Digg, the Digg users, and the content producers We have known that this recommendation engine was coming for a while.
Facebook: Despite Concerns, The Buzz Goes On
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 25, 2007 | 2 comments
Despite privacy concerns and complaints about sexual predators (about which Facebook has decided not to do anything and is now being investigated), the Facebook buzz machine is going strong, valuating the company at $10 billion.
Bligter: Letting Others Republish Your Content
Written by Ben Yoskovitz on September 25, 2007 | 14 comments
Bligter is a recently launched service that allows you to submit your blog posts for others to use on their blogs. The idea is simple:
Want to work with Neil Patel?
Written by Neil Patel on September 24, 2007 | 3 comments
If you are social media guy or an SEO and want to work with me, here is your chance. I am looking to hire talented individuals who can crank fast and work hard. Whether your a newbie or an experienced tech geek, we are looking to hire here at ACS. The most important thing is that you need to be willing to work in house here in Orange County California.
If interested email me at: neil@pronetadvertising.com
Don't Spread Yourself Too Thin
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 24, 2007 | 2 comments
One of the things that I know from personal experience is that if you are passionate about multiple things, it doesn't mean you dive into all of them because you may not be able to deliver your best on all fronts. It seems that Kevin Rose is having a similar problem by spreading himself across multiple platforms (Digg, Pownce, and Revision 3).
NBC, Fox, and the iTunes War
Written by David Chen on September 24, 2007 | 1 comment
While NBC has decided to leave iTunes and strike out on its own, Fox has recently demonstrated that it fully embraces the iTunes business model. Today we reflect on the effectiveness of these decisions.
Getting Viral With Bob Dylan
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 22, 2007 | 4 comments
It seems that to promote his latest album, team Dylan has gone viral, and it all started three weeks ago when a friend of mine used the Bob Dylan custom message generator to send me a message.
Digg, Reddit, and the Culture of Rage
Written by David Chen on September 21, 2007 | 10 comments
Cracked.com recently published an article entitled "7 Reasons the 21st Century Is Making You Miserable," by David Wong. The article was phenomenally successful on both Digg and Reddit, garnering over 300 Reddit points and 4500 Diggs as of this writing. Today we take a look at some relevant insights the article might contain for us.
The Next Evolution of Online Video or How to Kill a Startup Before it Starts
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 20, 2007 | 4 comments
NBC has announced that it will offer a service that allows users to download the company's most popular television shows directly from their site. The problem? The service is in direct conflict with their Hulu but is too good an opportunity to pass up.
3 Strategies for Addictive Advertisements
Written by Jay Cross on September 19, 2007 | 3 comments
Ever notice yourself actually hoping to hear or see certain ads (i.e. certain beer and car commercials, mac vs. pc commercials, etc.)? This is called addictive advertising and here are three steps to help you get there.
Technorati Is Trying, and It's Counting for Something
Written by MG Siegler on September 19, 2007 | No comments yet
Just about a week ago Technorati launched 'Topics', a new service aimed at keeping you up to date at the latest posts coming in from the blogosphere. While some downplayed it as a simple TechMeme wanna-be, others rightly noted it as a meandering DiggSpy (in my opinion it's almost an exact combination of both). One week into its existence I've definitely noticed one thing: it's generating a lot more incoming links back to my site than Technorati was doing without it. Interestingly it's actually even not that far off of the incoming traffic numbers from TechMeme.
Battle of the Brands: Quirky Versus Telling
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 18, 2007 | 3 comments
With the advent of Web 2.0 it seems that most new media entrepreneurs have delegated the responsibility of coming up with names for their services to four year-olds. Will these names stick or is it just wishful thinking?
How The New York Times Got Its Groove Back
Written by David Chen on September 18, 2007 | 5 comments
Yesterday, The New York Times announced that it would be ending Times Select, its paid subscription services, and would refund money to those who had already paid. Today we take a look at the history of Times Select and the implications of the Times' decision.
Online Video Continues to Grow, Heads to the Classroom
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 15, 2007 | 4 comments
In spite of questions about the sustainability of online video, not only is the space continuing to grow, but is beginning to appeal to a broader spectrum of people, including educators.
And Now: Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Searching
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 14, 2007 | 1 comment
Remember that article from last month, encouraging you to start paying attention to MSN Live Search? Well the results from August are in and they're not pretty.
The Ugly Side of Digg
Written by David Chen on September 14, 2007 | 9 comments
A recent post on Digg re-confirms what we've already discussed before: If you want to go to sleep at night feeling good about the world and humanity at large, don't read Digg comments.
Build Your Social Media Profiles With This Extension
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 13, 2007 | 5 comments
You may recall our very extensive walkthrough and review of the Netscape Navigator 9.0 social browser. Today we look at a social browsing project of a different sort, and this time directly integrated into Firefox.
Anatomy of a Viral Sensation
Written by David Chen on September 12, 2007 | 5 comments
What is it that makes a Youtube video ascend from the ranks of obscure upload to national news? Today we take a look at the elements of a recent viral sensation.
Facebook Rises, MySpace Falters
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 11, 2007 | 4 comments
Compete reported today that with 15.7 billion page views, Facebook is now ranked third in terms of traffic, and MySpace, which has thus far enjoyed both healthy growth and a long run as the leader in social networking, is declining and may not be in the lead for long.
Social Media is the New Word-of-Mouth
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 10, 2007 | 6 comments
I have to admit, reading the New York Times' recent commentary on how word-of-mouth is the future, caught me a little off-guard. Discussing the future of the music business, and the online business model in general, the article argues that Facebook may not last much longer and that word-of-mouth is the future.
The Absolutely Wrong Way to Market Yourself
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 9, 2007 | 4 comments
A few days ago, I got a couple of invites to a new social networking site, Quechup, from a friend of mine. While ordinarily I would've signed up for the site (just to see what the fuss was about and perhaps to write about it), this time I found my friend online and asked him if it was worth joining.
Yuwie: Getting Paid to Network - Could it Work?
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 7, 2007 | 71 comments
Yuwie is a relatively new social networking site and has really taken off. The site doesn't differentiate itself with the features it offers or the market that it trying to capture. On the contrary, Yuwie differentiates itself by paying its members for using the site for every action they take on the site, and even the actions resulting from them.
The Battle of the Google Search Ads - Why Web Ads are the Future
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 6, 2007 | 13 comments
I'm sure most of you heard about the $200 iPhone price cut that Apple announced yesterday and the sound of hundreds of thousands of early-adopters scream. Here's a look at the ensuing battle of the Google Search Ads that resulted from Apple's move. And why television and print advertising is a thing of the past.
Wikipedia and Topical Seasonality
Written by David Chen on September 6, 2007 | 1 comment
It's not entirely surprising: People have different areas of interest throughout the year. Consequently, they use the internet for different purposes, which can potentially impact how content producers should tailor their material. Today we take a look at some Wikipedia data that reflects this trend.
Multiply Your Exposure by Going International
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 5, 2007 | 2 comments
It's true that a majority of blogs based out of the U.S., U.K., and Canada have a predominantly English-speaking audience but they also have around 20% of their traffic coming from non-English-speaking countries. Here's how to increase that 20% figure and further capitalize on the international audience in two easy steps.
The Fall of Technorati?
Written by David Chen on September 5, 2007 | 2 comments
CEO David Sifry recently announced that he would be leaving Technorati Inc., the blog search engine company, and that eight other staff members would also be let go. These moves were generally thought of as yet another sign of Technorati's continued decline over the last few months. Today we take a look at what people are saying about Technorati and what might be done to save the apparently-ailing company.
iPhone's Facebook App: Taking Social Networking to the Next Level
Written by MG Siegler on September 3, 2007 | 7 comments
There was a lot of hoopla surrounding the web app Facebook built specifically for Apple's iPhone when it first came out. Having used it for a solid two weeks now it's safe to say that it's a clear winner, and potentially a lot more.
MySpace Fashion: Vogue or Waste of Time?
Written by Muhammad Saleem on September 1, 2007 | 9 comments
While other social networking sites, and especially MySpace's biggest competitor, Facebook, are trying to expand into the professional networking space, the social networking leader is moving in a different direction. Do they know something the others don't or are they just sadly misguided? Let's find out.
