by
0 Comments

Yahoo! Hires New Chief Marketing Officer

posted on August 28, 2012

Marissa Mayer continues to put her stamp on Yahoo! as the company announced yesterday that they have hired a new CMO (chief marketing officer), Kathy Savitt. As one might suspect it looks like the C-suite of Yahoo is going to have a significant feminine influence which could serve to make it look much different than most other Silicon Valley companies. Although Yahoo did have another woman CEO, Carol Bartz, just about a year ago, her tenure was marked by actions that befitted a longshoreman so the feel of this tenure may be quite a bit different. We sure hope so, at least.

Yahoo Finance reports

Yahoo! Inc.announced today that Kathy Savitt is joining the company as chief marketing officer, responsible for all worldwide marketing and branding. Savitt will join the company on September 14 and will report directly to Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer.

by
0 Comments

Will Germans Say ‘Nein!’ To Facebook’s App Center?

posted on August 27, 2012

Google has been feeling the pressure of either the European Commission or individual European countries concerning one thing or another about their business for years. Now one of Google’s ‘competitors’ is feeling the heat as well.

Facebook is getting pressure from German privacy groups about its app center. Reuters reports

Germany’s biggest consumer lobby group believes Facebook is violating privacy laws with its new app centre and has set a deadline for the social network operator to fix it, or potentially face legal action.

The German federation of consumer organizations said on Monday the social network was giving away customer data via its new app centre without notifying users.

It will consider legal action against Facebook if the site fails to fix the problem by September 4, a spokeswoman said.

by
0 Comments

Twitter: How to Buy Friends and Influence People

posted on August 27, 2012

If you’re looking for an influencer on Twitter, it’s best to go with the person who has the largest number of followers, right? Logical, but not necessarily true. In recent weeks, there’s been a lot of talk about phony Twitter profiles and inflated account numbers thanks to a new service called StatusPeople.

Significant mentions include noting that 71% of Obama’s followers are fake and that 42% of those following Senatorial accounts are fake or inactive. There was also an uproar over the sudden influx to Mitt Romeny’s Twitter, which led to allegations of Twitter manipulation as well.

Counter that with the fact that Kim Kardashian and Nicki Minaj have the highest number of legit followers and you have to wonder about the world.

by
0 Comments

Google Says You’ve Gotta Ask Yourself a Question: Are You Feeling Lucky, Trendy, or Doodley?

posted on August 27, 2012

There’s no denying that search giant Google has a whimsical side and they showing it off this week with new additions to the famous “I’m Feeling Lucky” button. But this foray into fun isn’t just for amusement, it’s actually an exercise in targeted results that should interest anyone in the search biz.

In addition to Lucky, the Google search box now offers several other choices:

“I’m Feeling Puzzled” takes you to a feature I didn’t know existed called A Google a Day. Here you’ll find a complex daily question that you can answer by searching with Google. Challenge your friends and learn a new piece of trivial information every day.

“I’m Feeling Hungry” is a practical engine that lists local restaurants (so I’m told. . . see below)

by
0 Comments

Mobile Clickthrough Rates Stay Strong

posted on August 27, 2012

As quickly as the age of mobile has cemented itself in our midst (after years of false starts and claims that ‘this is finally the year of mobile!’) people want to knock it down a size already.

The findings around clickthrough rates in the mobile space say that they are are quite good. A recent study by MediaMind confirms that (as reported by eMarketer) idea. Take a look.

While the numbers tell a story of greater performance for these ads there are those that are not buying.

by
0 Comments

Facebook Mobile Has the Need for Speed

posted on August 24, 2012

Awesome and wow aren’t words you usually see associated with a Facebook update, but mobile users are rejoicing over the new and improved iOS app.

Visually, the iPhone update is pretty much the same, but the iPad app looks spectacular. I’m not a big fan of Facebook, but when I saw my Timeline presented on the iPad I actually felt compelled to flip through and see what people were posting.

Unlike the online experience, the mobile app is clean and free of annoying sidebars full of junk. It’s just you and your peeps, sharing and caring.

Photos play a big part in the experience. Tap one and it opens up to the full screen with options to like, read comments or leave your own. Facebook also included its own Camera App in the navigation bar so you can take photos and upload them without having to leave the page. Nice.

by
0 Comments

A Third of Consumers Plan to Do Their Holiday Shopping Online

posted on August 24, 2012

Just hear those sleigh bells jingling, Ring-ting-tingling too . . . that’s the sound of holiday shoppers creeping up over the hill. Is your site ready for the onslaught?

According to a new survey from coupon site RetailMeNot.com, 31% of consumers plan to do their holiday shopping online this year. This is close to last year’s estimates of 36% so they’re probably in the ball park.

Online retailer could score a little higher this year due to the growing trend in mobile device shopping. More people than ever will be using their smartphones and tablets to order online while they’re sitting on the couch watching all the new fall TV shows.