2008 has definitely been a year of growth (and change) in many segments of technology and the web. Consider the big story of early 2008, Microsoft’s attempted takeover of Yahoo! – only to see Yahoo! reject the offer – go figure. With the ebb and flow of the economy, it will be interesting to see what happens with my favorite top stories from 2008:
Google Chrome – With a mixed bag of reviews, Google Chrome did make a big splash - garnering over 1% of total browser users in its first three months of launch. It will be interesting to watch Chrome’s ability to give Google a compelling platform for the delivery of web applications while hopefully playing nice with Firefox in 2009.
Video Content Kicks Butt – According to comScore, Hulu, a joint venture between Fox and NBC that offers professionally created content, made the list of the top 10 video sites on the web. With video in general becoming widely accepted (ala YouTube), tv video content on demand via the web is the next big logical step to capture ‘strategic’ advertising dollars. Take a look at the hulu web site and get hooked – like me!
Amazon Kindle – Like most professionals, I’m finding it harder and harder to read all the feeds and e-mails I get each day – not to mention grabbing some leisure time for reading. I believe the ongoing rollout and use of e-books (Kindle) will bridge that gap and suddenly make reading ‘cool’ again.
Social Communities – I personally belong to 10 different social web communities – several for pleasure and several for business networking. We’ll begin to see the social communities evolve (and share) technologies thereby elevating networks that are working and eliminating those that don’t. Of critical importance, will be the evolution of Facebook - Facebook will debut a "Social Rank" algorithm which will determine which of your friends are most relevant and important. It will be fun to watch Facebook in 2009!
As web marketing professionals, it will be interesting to see how the above-mentioned trends will evolve in 2009.
To all my subscribers - the best to you in 2009.
Denice MacDonald
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As dollars get scarce and competition grows fierce, marketers are now pondering the direction and mode of maintaining their customer base and market share. Let’s face it, tough times force tough choices – what to keep, what to slice, what to start anew.
Here’s a few suggestions on channels that will aid marketers to stay ‘in the game’ for 2009:
Online advertising
Although price competitive, there will be many ‘opportunity buys’ for online marketers willing to take the plunge.
Search marketing
Still touted as the best deal, search can be measured and refined – allowing targeted and niche campaigns.
Integrate
Collaborate online branding with search initiatives resulting in a cohesive and measurable strategy.
E-mail
No it’s not dead – it's resurrected as a viable and affordable means of staying connected to customers and prospects.
Service is marketing
The best thing you can do to keep customers and potentially increase sales is to focus on customer service.
Online video
Video engages and can become a viral strategy. Videos also are well poised for repurposing at trade shows, online and within e-mail campaigns.
Metrics
Test, test and retest. You can’t get enough statistics to help gauge and refine both online and offline initiatives.
The only economic constant is change -- it will be paramount for marketers to stay agile relative to initiatives for 2009.
Best,
Denice MacDonald
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The OMMA Awards celebrate the year's most innovative and brilliant online advertising creative, campaigns and Web sites across 35 categories within these three disciplines.
The OMMA Awards for Online Advertising Creativity were created in 2006 to honor the brand marketers, agencies and content providers who continue to push the potential of online advertising creative. This year they've added two new categories: The OMMA Awards for Integrated Online Campaigns and the OMMA Awards for Web Site Excellence.
The online medium is the most fertile canvas for innovation and creativity, and the OMMA Awards salute the stars that shine brilliantly among us.
See web site for details and entry form.
View last year's winners here.
Good luck,
Denice MacDonald
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We've been sitting on the sidelines watching with wonder the latest Yahoo - Microsoft - Google triangle of events. Finally, an outcome worth commentary. I agree with Venture capitalist Fred Wilson that Yahoo did the right thing by choosing Google over Microsoft as a partner.
Wilson contends, "Yahoo! finally woke up and did what they should have done years ago, cede search monetization to Google who simply does it better and will always do this era of search better than anyone else. Now Yahoo! will do what it needs to do. Clean house, get lean, and get out of businesses it shouldn't be in. Focus on what it's good at. And start making money and growing again. They may need new leadership to do that. But selling this asset to Microsoft just because they had the wrong leadership and probably still have the wrong leadership is a mistake."
Google CEO Eric Schmidt couldn't be happier. In a press statement he indicated: "This commercial agreement provides Yahoo with the opportunity to deliver more relevant ads to users and provide advertisers and publishers with better advertising technology to help them succeed in their own businesses. This agreement will preserve the competitive and dynamic online advertising space."
It will be interesting to see if Yahoo can redefine themselves in short order and do what they have to do to keep everyone happy - but partnering with Google will lessen the burden. It will be interesting to watch and we certainly will learn a lot. That's the best part about being the small guy on the sidelines.
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