Archive for August, 2006

Brand Hijacked

Categories: Community Marketing, Video, Voice of the Customer, Web Advertising, Web MarketingPosted on August 27th, 2006

Folks are watching to see how Starbucks reacts to this latest Brand Hijacking: “F*ck Starving Kids, Have A Freakin’ Delicious Starbucks Frappucino” by a citizen marketer using YouTube. More discussion in the comment section of Adrants.

Company Brand Managers shoud know they don’t *own* the brand –consumers own it. Some companies realize they needed to let go and created the social media tools that let consumers create their own ads. A classica exampe is Chevy’s Tahoe Ad that got mixed reviews. Learn more from this book called Brand Hijack: Marketing Without Marketing

Posted in Community Marketing, Video, Voice of the Customer, Web Advertising, Web Marketing | Comments

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Understanding Microformats for the Non-Technical Web Professional or Marketer

Categories: Mashups, Microformat, Social Media, Syndication, Web Marketing, Web Strategy, Web ToolsPosted on August 27th, 2006

I’m not a developer or software engineer.

I am an individual that needs to understand technology in order to impelement web strategies –consider the following as a public learning experience.

I first heard Marc Canter talking about Microformats a few months ago, and talked to Tantek about it at dinner –I didn’t understand it fully at the time, I’m beginning to see the value now that so many voices are appearing on the web due to blogs and social media.

I am NOT a microformat expert, if you have a suggestion or correction, please leave a comment below and I’ll update the text –let’s learn together.

Q: What are Microformats?
A new method to organize unstructured information into an organized fashion that could be used universally. Edit: You can learn more about the “Big Picture on Microformats” from John Allsopp.
Q: I’m not technical, Why should I know about Microformats?
While still in it’s very early stages, this could be a protocol that could further define RSS or make information publishing, categorizing, or managing more effective. Marketers could benefit by quickly publishing information in organized methods, consumers could quickly obtain information in organized fashions.

Q: Why Microformats?
Social Media (blogs, forums, wikis, etc) are exploding; so many voices, reviews, thoughts, and memes are being spread through the internet, a method to identify, collect, organize, and repurpose/manage will be a service to the world. So much information, very little structure.

Q: How do they work?
Since it’s not a new language, it can be embedded in HTML (as I understand it from Wikipedia) I believe that RSS can also contain the information which will be great if you need to get the word out or update information quickly. Think Vitamin has published a nifty article on embedding Microformats in HTML.

Q: What are the Benefits?
Here’s some potential benefits that come to my mind. (and this is before coffee)

Quickly find all user reviews about a product across the internet. (Imagine how powerful that becomes if you can do this from a mobile device before buying a product)
Quickly update all your contact information as it appears across the entire internet
Quickly tell the whole world about an event and have it updated on every calendar
Search engines can do a better job of indexing and serving more accurate information
Quickly put up a product to sell that would publish on many websites (ebay, Craigslist, etc)
Quickly tell the world when this price has changed or if the product is off the market (sold)
Build a universal library of all food recipes and share you own, transmit this code to your local supermarket to assemble ingredients before you arrive, or ship
Tie your disparate intranet system using RSS and Microformats as the new protocol
Quickly create a press release and send to social media tools
Quickly create an image/video and publish to be shared in other social media tools
Create your own Microformat (like HCard, or HCalendar) for your own use (see wiki)

Q: What are the Challenges?

Adoption
Blog publishing tools or widgets will need to be added
All websites that want to stay relevant will need to ‘open up’ to opensource and opendata model
Folks inputting faulty data into Microformat structure

Q: Are Microformats related to RSS?
Yes, I believe that the Microformat content can be distributed via RSS just like other content.

Interact with this post
Have a question? Leave a comment
Have an answer? Leave a comment

I’ll share the findings with the Microformats team later…

Posted in Mashups, Microformat, Social Media, Syndication, Web Marketing, Web Strategy, Web Tools | Comments

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Lunch 2.0 “Web Expo” at Hitachi Data Systems continuing to get signups

Categories: Data Storage, EventsPosted on August 27th, 2006

Watermelon is the theme of Lunch 2.0, Yum!

The Lunch 2.0 organizers and I published the invite last Monday, and we have over 50 RSVPs –that’s pretty strong. There’s room for more folks to sign up –I encourage you to do so.

In the spirit of transparency, this event is FOR the web community and hosted by Hitachi Data Systems, but there’s an opportunity for us to all learn about each other. In my nakedness, of course we’d love to have conversations about data storage needs for data hungry web companies

Either way, lots and lots of learning between visitors, web companies, and Hitachi Data Systems.

I’m practicing what I’m preaching, as I’m only using social media tools to get the word out, blogs, (see who’s blogged about it) word of mouth, and a few followup emails or invites to key members of the community (zero dollar marketing). I also believe in giving to the community, and they’ll embrace back, hopefully the web community will see and appreciate this.

Soon I’ll be making a decision regarding some of the last companies that will show off at the expo at no charge, stay tuned. If you can’t make it, the event will be full documented via flickr, and videos. The last events were chronicled on this video, (love the music) and here on Flickr.

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Google Launches ‘Webmaster’ Resource –I can’t stand that title

Categories: Search StrategyPosted on August 26th, 2006

I’m going to be a bit cranky, here, I don’t mind being called a web hippie, an evil liar, a neutral marketer, or a neo marketer, but PLEASE don’t call me a WebMaster. It’s like we’ve gone back to 1997, and uploaded ‘under construction’ rotating gifs and black star backgrounds. The modern day web manager is purposeful and is supposed to make decisions based upon sound understanding of user experience research, understanding business needs, and understanding of technology (see the three elements of a web strategist)

Google just launched a WebMaster resource, that appears to have some useful resources that I’ve discussed or used before. Neat tools include site verification, site map uploader, central blog, forums, and ability to submit content. I’m doing the site verification process as we speak.

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Uploaded more Online Videos

Categories: IPTV, VideoPosted on August 26th, 2006

I’ve uploaded a few more videos to Google Video, I take these videos using my Sony Digital Camera (not a camcorder). My biggest concern is the time it takes for the videos to process –some took nearly 2-3 days?

Last weekend I went to Seattle for just one night –video of the famous fish throwers and of course the original starbucks. Getting some comments on my WebVisions videos, before the doors opened, and a took some video while I was on the Social Media Panel, You can see Dan, Brian, and Kit speaking. I’m collecting many of my online videos on this page.

This is a pretty funny conversation between Jeremy Pepper, and Shel Israel and myself at the TechCrunch7 party. We we’re goofin off, but if you’ve seen any of us speak at a conference we’re much more serious –ok that’s a lie. (The video also features Marc Canter, Dave Winer, Salim Ismail)

Robert and Patrick Scoble have been watching some Google TV as well –yeah I like the same shows that Patrick does, what does that say?

I need to figure out a better process to upload videos, YouTube has size or duration restrictions and Google Video seems to take too long. I talked to the Blip folks on the phone, I’ll experiment with that. Also I had a conversation with Micki (Yes, the one who is in the valleywag ‘hottie’ contest) and she works for Revver.

The challenge is, there are so many online video companies coming, it’s hard to narrow it down.

Posted in IPTV, Video | Comments

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Don’t like Wiki Syntax? –Just Double Click

Categories: Web ToolsPosted on August 25th, 2006

Brian just sent me these links to this interesting wiki. You can double click a page on the wiki to edit. Makes it easier for the novice, or for ‘what you see’ type of posting.

Double Click Wiki Editing More info here

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Beyond Usablity –Designing using ‘Bottom Up’ Techniques and Mental Models (Part 2)

Categories: User Experience, Voice of the CustomerPosted on August 25th, 2006

A few weeks ago I discussed “Bottom Up” Design vs “Top Down” design methodology. Before you go any farther kindly read Web Strategy: Beyond Usablity –Designing using ‘Bottom Up’ Techniques and Mental Models.

I posted my thoughts in the Intranet User Experience Forum that I manage, and received wonderful feedback from Paula Thornton of Corante. She made me pause and rethink my approach.

Here’s Paula’s response to me:

“Eliminate all arguments. Use “Evidence-Based Design”. If there is no evidence to support the change/suggestion it doesn’t get done. In order to do such, then you have to place a high value on research.

While we all do research, there is no consistency in our research across projects and no ‘comprehensive’ responsibility. Thus, the new role of UX Research Steward, the first part of a multi-page description below:

There are four distinct areas of focus for experience design research:

Discovery

Continuous Listening

Metrics

Synthesis and Sharing

The fundamentals of these activities might readily be compared to Market Research or even to the Requirements phase of Systems Engineering, but here the `individual’ is not perceived as the `subject of’ or is being `subjected to’ the intended solution. Instead, data is gathered from their perspective, their concerns and their contexts – solutions are designed using this evidence.

Multiple techniques, tools, services and approaches are required to collect a meaningful breadth of information to tell a credible story about the individuals for whom we design.

A centralized role ― to specialize in evolving the methods by which all research is conducted and to coordinate the capture and sharing of results ― ensures that these valuable activities get dedicated attention. This is the least evolved practice area and yet this is the role which captures the science of experience design: the means by which to describe, explain, predict and control. An individual dedicated to these activities will need to be passionate about discovery and driven by continuous innovation to champion corresponding action.”

She’s given me permission to repurpose her content from the forum, and I encourage you to visit her blog at Corante: Total Experience

Posted in User Experience, Voice of the Customer | Comments

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Two Web Conferences: Future of Web Apps and Office 2.0

Categories: Conference, EventsPosted on August 25th, 2006

I received a private invitation from Lisa of Carson Systems to attend the upcoming The Future of Web Apps conference in San Francisco on Sept 13-14th. When Mark Jen and I picked the date for Lunch 2.0 at Hitachi Data Systems we were sensitive these didn’t overlap. For those coming in town early, it may work out well to attend both.

Of course, I’ll be blogging live, as I do at many of the conferences I’ve attended, such as Supernova, here, Valleywag suggests to read my notes of Supernova.

Also, I may consider attending Office 2.0 also in SF on Oct 11-12th, the founder Ismael just sent me an email this morning –I’ll do my best to attend Ismael –his blog IT Redux is worth a read.

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Web Strategy: The Three Elements of Web Strategy

Categories: Web Strategy, Web TheoryPosted on August 25th, 2006

Update: August 26th, 2007 (one year later) I’ve evolved this concept, please see Web Strategy: The Three Spheres of Web Strategy (and the skills required)

Let’s define what a Web Strategist does.

Web Strategy is the long-term iterative process of defining the direction of a Web Site or Web Product. The Strategy must meet three goals: 1)Users, Business, and Technology to be succesful.

Every website has a strategy, and many different folks can help shape it. In a startup, it’s a hat worn by many within the company, from product teams to marketers. At a larger corporation you’ll find this role to be in the Web Manager or Director type of role.

The Three Elements of Web Strategy:

1) User
The Web Strategist must understand (by using a variety of techniques and tactics) what users want. This is commonly known as User Experience Research which will create and craft a ‘mental model’

2) Business
A website that is not aligned to business or market objectives is ultimately doomed to fail. The User and Business requirements will often match, but will rarely ever be a perfect fit. The Web Strategist) will need to obtain business requirements from stakeholders, whether that be execs, sponsors, sales, or even shareholders. Understanding the market, competitors (and key milestones) and other external forces are also required –a business requirements model will be formed, these are you objectives.

3) Tools
Lastly, a Web Strategist needs to know how each and every tool and technology work, they’ll need to know the strengths, benefits, limitations and costs. This also applies to human capital, and timelines. Often technical limitations will reduce the scope of User and Business needs, so you’ll need to incorporate this going forward.

While I continue to simmer on this –love to get your feedback.

Related Defining Topics: I have a hard time describing myself to my family and friends, called a web hippie, an evil liar, and Neutral or Neo Marketer.

Posted in Web Strategy, Web Theory | Comments

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Just Ordered a Printed Book from QOOP

Categories: FeedbackPosted on August 25th, 2006

I just ordered the “Perfect-Bound Book” from QOOP using my Flickr. QOOP is the companion to flickr that does the physical printing of your digital photos. While I’m not so hot about paper, I’m coming up to my anniversary with my wife, and exchanging paper is supposed to be part of the first year ceremony.

We’ve decided that we’ll make a photo book from my flick pics (no bloggers, you’re NOT going to be in it) It’s just pics of us on our travels, interesting food we’ve sampled in Europe, and whatever else fancies us –here’s the order:

Order:
1 x Jeremiah and Shirley
Beginnings (flickr Photo Book)
Color Cover, Color Pages
Double Sided
Page Size: 8.5 x 11
Number of Pages: 68
Binding: Perfect Bound
$32.19

Has anyone else used QOOP? I’m hoping this book could be nice enough to end up on our shelf or on the coffee table.

While printing photos is not new, I think this is yet another interesting way how content is being controlled by the participants and then morphed into something new. Speaking of morphing, I recently ran into Scrapblog, which let’s anyone create a scrapbook like experience with your photos.

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File Sharing Services –Data Storage to the Side

Categories: Data Storage, Web ToolsPosted on August 25th, 2006

Mike Arrington’s Techcrunch (I went to his party Friday) has a nice write up of a few file sharing companies.

“The old Napster is long gone, but was of course replaced with many other P2P networks. Today, a significant portion of Internet traffic is comprised of files being moved over bittorent, a popular and completely decentralized way of sharing files.”

Being a web guy at data storage company this is more than interesting –I’ve been thinking a lot about the decentralized storage model, and web storage clouds. Online Storage vendors will figure how to link up, share data, and disperse to rich clients (mobile, browser embedded, or to the ol TV) Check out the select four File Sharing Services:

AllPeers (which is about to go public)
Firefox plugin and peer to peer file sharing.

Zapr
Download that looks likes IM. (Google Talk has this feature, so ~~is this product still relevent?~~) (Edit: Read comments from Mick from Zapr)

Pando
Downloaded App, drag and drop folders via email address

Exaroom
Windows Download that lets users share via their MyDocuments with other users on network

Shooter7
“what friends use for privately sending photos and videos.”
Edit: Thanks Clint for this submission

This also brings to mind Online Data Storage companies. I made a list here on the Data Storage Industry Wiki.

Posted in Data Storage, Web Tools | Comments

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Web Strategy: Why Marketing is Important to Web 2.0 Companies

Categories: Social Media, Web Marketing, Web StrategyPosted on August 25th, 2006

I’ve been chatting with someone close to me who wants to start a website, it has all the flavors of a Web 2.0 company. I’ve been helping him understand that Marketing is as important if not even more (in some cases) than the actual technology. (agree or disagree, I’d love to hear). I have quite a few friends in the web space that are in marketing, I know most would agree.

Here’s why Marketing is Important to Web 2.0 Companies:

1) Low Barriers to entry: Websites are a commodity, some startups have launched for 500$ with plug and play software, and cheap server hosting.

2) Many competitors: There are so many websites in each specific category, the competitition is stiff. This is just a list of Web 2.0 lists –sheesh. This list seems cleaned up, but not comprehensive, like the sacred cow dung. If there are 10 versions of X, you’ll need to be Y.

3) Many choices for consumers –confusing Because there are so many offerings in each category, customers may be confused on which one to use. Seeking a community influencer to adopt and spread the word is key.

4) Better doesn’t mean you win: Even the best technology products don’t always win the market, take a look at iPod.

5) Users in charge: Choice is part of the game, web users can flip to another website in seconds with a finger tap, is your product that unique?

6) It’s unlikely you’ll be first: There’s always room for new ideas, but did you get your out first? Is there someone else who’s also working on the same idea?

7) It’s unlikely you’ll be best: Are you really that confident that your product will have all the technology to make it first in class? If you do, you’ll only have lead time for 6-12 months. One example is facial recognition. While Riya was the first, Google just acquired a competitor 10 months after their launch –you gotta hustle, and hustle fast.

Marketing means listening to customer and market: Maybe you’re a clever web developer, or maybe a guru at creating something new and fast, does that mean you’re in tune with what users really want? Marketing is part of listening and delivering requirements to the product team to build a better product for your customers.

9) Marketing is part of your product strategy: The one thing about Web 2.0 is the characteristic that the participants are in control. Your product should fit that model and be ready to push, pull, and morph into other states at your users need. Designing your product so it’s easy to spread is part of the game.

10) Modern Marketing is a dialogue: Marketing is now two-way, the tools available to a marketer (or an awesome programmer) give them the ability to get requirements in near real time, test and build iterative changes in near real time. This conversations to improve products are not just limited to focus groups or surveys, it’s now PART of the product creation process.

Longtail theory may suggest there’s enough room for niche needs, but does that model extend to companies as well? Having 100 photo applications can’t possibly work, How many can you really have? Here’s a list of some companies that made it (highest traffic), did they make it because of a Marketing Strategy or was it purely because they had a great product? Want to add on more, points or want to disagree? I’d love to hear!

Posted in Social Media, Web Marketing, Web Strategy | Comments

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Using Pandora –A free virtual DJ that ‘learns’

Categories: Rich MediaPosted on August 24th, 2006

I’ve been using Pandora for a while, and recently looked I have several channels now, the music is free, and it learns based upon my suggestions. I’ve not heard ANY advertisements –just pure music, and play list seems pretty deep. Haven’t run into any repeating songs. The only challenge of course is since it’s an intelligent DJ, I can’t go back and easily play songs that I want to hear again. Another challenge/opp is that I would love to have Pandora in my car, how can we make that happen?

Pandora will be the “DJ” at the Lunch 2.0 event on Sept 12th. come meet Tom the CTO.

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Reading Sampler: August 24th, 2007

Categories: Reading SamplerPosted on August 24th, 2006

Here’s some links that are floating past me:

Best blogs for the young and broke. the blog “I will teach you to be rich” is written by Ramit who founded PBwiki. (thanks Anita W.)
I think the fracas between Arrington, Shel Israel vs Nick Carr comes to a close?
Yesterday’s news announced that Grouper (online video) sold for 65 Million to Sony. one most wonder with all the consumer camera and camcorder platforms that Sony can offer how does this tie into it’s strategy. The founders of Grouper fllipped a company called Spinner to AOL back in Web 1.0. I have other info of online videos here. (Thanks Ed O)
Microsoft to advertise on facebook. It still amazes me how much focus is now being put into these social media sites –it’s not a fad (despite what people told me last year)
Researchers may (or may not) use the AOL data. Jobs were lost because of this fiasco, In addition, here are top 10 effects. More thoughts from Martin McKeay at his computerworld blog.
Web 2.0 Color Palette. I added it to my Web 2.0 Design Font and Logo collection. Maybe it would be just better to say “modern color palette”. One term that gives me chills is the term “Marketing 2.0″.
One of the best podcasts I’ve heard in a while is the Joseph Jafee and Seth Godin podcast.
Whoa, I just logged into my blogger account and I have 8000+ comments, mostly spam comments. Also the Archive “post publishing” keeps on reverting to ‘no’. Not sure why, *sigh*
I sleep better knowing that the SF Bay is being DIY Nuke Detector Patrols SF Bay.
Rohit has listed out some unique Second Life events/locations such as the Starwood hotel, Suzanne Vega’s concert, American Apparel, a baseball park and other events.
Will workers sue over Crackberries? Video from Yahoo. (oh and technology enables my life, not controls it)

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Today I was told I do “Neutral-Marketing” and “Neo-Marketing”

Categories: Community Marketing, Ruminations, Social Media, Web MarketingPosted on August 23rd, 2006

I’m pretty excited, two people close to me had some interesting ‘titles’ for me, it’s a benchmark for me as my passion for connecting to customers using online tools is starting to take hold. I’ve been focused on this stuff for over a year now –when I first started I think folks thought I was a crackpot. Here’s what they said:

“Neutral” Marketing
One respected and experienced marketing professional told a group of folks that I’m working on some programs that are “Neutral Marketing”.

Hopefully because I’m willing to show customers a variety of options, (this Wiki is an example) even if I suggest competitors. My goal is to be an advocate for customers, let them know all of their options, and be a trusted resource, I want them to succeed!

It’s silly to think that customers wouldn’t’ know who our competitors are anyways. Scoble was the one who told me about how he did this at his San Jose camera shop.

I’m not sure how I feel about the term Neutral Marketing, as I’m not neutral –I’m a customer advocate. Perhaps an analyst or a reviewer is neutral but I’m trying to help customers (even if they don’t choose my company)

“Neo” Marketing
Another friend saw in a college or enrichment schedule, a class called “Neo-Marketing”. It taught how to use blogs and social media to connect with customers. We had a great discussion, I told her about YouTube, Google Video, Pandora, Riya, and other web2.0 companies that are harnessing society and communities.

I’m not sure if I like that term “Neo-Marketing” as what will you call it in 5 years? You can be sure it’s not ‘new’.

If “Social Media” is the medium, then I prefer the term “Community Marketing” as we’re being part of the community. Oh, and hopefully I’m still considered a crackpot.