BizReport : July 2007 Archive

July 2007 Archive

Search Marketing | July 31, 2007

AdWords clients given Campaign Optimizer tool

Google has released a new tool for their AdWords clients that will analyze advertising campaign settings and report back on what has, and what hasn’t, been working. >>

Search Marketing | July 31, 2007

Yahoo refines pre-search query function

Back in 2004, Google launched its pre-search query function, Google Suggest. In June this year Ask3D was launched, offering a similar query refinement feature and more recently Yahoo has jumped on the pre-search query bandwagon with Search Suggest. >>

Trends & Ideas | July 31, 2007

NYTimes.com launches Video Lounge for long-form ads

According to some online advertising experts, pre- and post-roll advertising isn’t giving viewers the best user experience, yet few alternatives exist. The New York Times has made a move towards long-form online videos and have just launched their Video Lounge. >>

Research | July 31, 2007

Back to school is back to high-tech

Kids aren't content with a new spiral notebook, a few folders, new pencils and glue any longer. Back to school this year will be back to high-tech for many young consumers, which is a great ad opportunity for high-tech marketers. >>

Trends & Ideas | July 31, 2007

DailyMotion engages copyright detection tool

One of the hurdles with online video has been the threat of copyright infringement. YouTube has suffered many complaints citing copyright infringement. New video sharing site DailyMotion has launched a tool that detects copyrighted videos to prevent publication. >>

Mobile Marketing | July 31, 2007

Mobile isn't just for talking anymore

Forget about simply talking on handsets, a recent study from In-Stat reveals that opportunities are ripe for marketers in the mobile realm. From WiFi to mobile video to the recent release of Apple's new iPhone mobile will soon be impacting the bottom line for advertisers more than ever before. >>

Mobile Marketing | July 30, 2007

E-mail addiction top 10

Mobile e-mail usage is on the rise in U.S., which means that so is the frequency and locations of checking e-mail. Checking e-mail from bed while in pajamas ranked as top unusual location for mobile device users. >>

Research | July 30, 2007

Microsoft forms group to research ad and search technologies

Microsoft is on a mission to ensure can they develop effective and creative ways of delivering value for advertisers. To this end they have created a new group to be headed up by the former chief scientist for Microsoft's Search & Advertising Platform Group. >>

Social Marketing | July 30, 2007

A new Lookery at advertising on Facebook

A couple of Internet entrepreneurs are launching an ad network for Facebook applications, giving advertisers access to the social network’s millions of users. >>

Research | July 30, 2007

Interbrand survey finds Google most improved brand

Interbrand and Businessweek's annual survey of global brands shows that, this year, the search giant Google has been deemed the world’s most improved brand. >>

Social Marketing | July 30, 2007

Widgets bring traffic to social networks

There is more going on with widgets than simple syndication. According to a recent report from Quantcast, widgets are actually driving traffic to some social networking sites. >>

Trends & Ideas | July 30, 2007

Magazines turn to the Internet for readers, revenue

More magazines are looking to the Internet to keep readers interested in their offerings. According to a recent report from the Magazine Publishers of America (MPA), magazines increased their digital initiatives by more than 135% this year. >>

Research | July 30, 2007

Online booksellers benefit from Boomer generation

Used books are big business. Marketers and online retailers looking for more readers need only look into the boomer generation to find both according to a recent study from AbeBooks.com. Their poll revealed that so-called Silver Surfers buy used books online but are also interested in creating their own online bookstores. >>

Advertising | July 27, 2007

comScore launches new audience segmentation tool

Nielsen//NetRatings recently introduced new web audience measurement tools, and comScore has just made a similar move. >>

Viral Marketing | July 27, 2007

Forecast: Online video ads will reach $775 million

The forecast for online video just keeps growing. According to a new report from eMarketer, video advertising will grow about 89% in 2007, to reach $775 million. >>

Advertising | July 27, 2007

There are still obstacles to behavioral targeting

Targeting online ads according to past behavior is expected to reach the $1 billion mark in 2008, but according to some reports, there are still issues with this type of targeting. Is behavioral targeting right for your campaign? >>

Research | July 27, 2007

Chat leads IM destination points

Instant messaging continues to grow with online users. According to research from Nielsen//Netratings Meebo.com is the most popular destination for IM fans, possibly because users don't have to download applications. >>

Email Marketing | July 27, 2007

Marketers fail to manage opt-out requests

Many marketers believe minimizing churn, or the opting-out of email list members, to be their greatest challenge, according to recently released survey results. >>

Advertising | July 27, 2007

Microsoft acquires Internet ad exchange

Microsoft is “hellbent and determined” to become a “powerhouse” in the advertising business, according to CEO Steve Ballmer. As if to underline the point, Microsoft has just signed a deal to acquire an internet ad exchange. >>

Search Marketing | July 26, 2007

Real estate professionals favor search marketing

A survey of around 770 U.S. real estate professionals has concluded that search marketing is the most popular type of online advertising. >>

Research | July 26, 2007

First Latin American Internet usage report released

comScore has released the first report on Latin American Internet usage and discovered a preference for Microsoft sites over Google. >>

Research | July 26, 2007

Online video viewers prefer professional productions

Nearly 20 percent of online adults watch online video daily, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, and they prefer professionally produced material. >>

Mobile Marketing | July 26, 2007

Mobile users are a social lot

There has been a lot of press recently that search will be a huge mobile marketing revenue stream in the near future. It appears mobile social networking may be another hotspot. >>

Trends & Ideas | July 26, 2007

Across the globe, kids want technology

It doesn't matter where they are from, the world's youth love technology. According to a new study from MTV and Microsoft, kids see mobile phones, iPods and handheld devices as status symbols and use them often. However, these kids aren't geeks and really don't care how the gadgets work. >>

Research | July 26, 2007

Luxury consumers want the experience

Forget about products. According to a new study from the Consumer Research Center of The Conference Board, when it comes to luxury consumers it is the experience that counts, not the product. >>

Trends & Ideas | July 25, 2007

Superpages.com beta tests video ads

Superpages.com has begun beta testing a local video advertising program that, while launching in the Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay area, will eventually be rolled out across the U.S. >>

Research | July 25, 2007

Fifth of global population online in 2011

The U.S., Western Europe, Canada and Japan all have mature online populations. Research predicts the proportionate decline in their shares of the overall online population as other nations' spending power and infrastructure development increases. >>

Advertising | July 25, 2007

AOL adds another ad firm to its arsenal

In the same week as Microsoft announced it will allow its users to opt out of its behavioral targeting system, AOL has announced its purchase of behavioral targeting firm, Tacoda. >>

Search Marketing | July 25, 2007

Search drives users to travel websites

With summer in full swing, more users are logging to the Internet to research destinations. Research from Compete indicates that search engines are pushing more users toward travel aggregators. Which terms are leading users to these sites? >>

Research | July 25, 2007

Quantcast: All metrics are not equal

With more publishers saying they aren't getting enough metric data, online measurement firm Quantcast believes they have the answer. A metric system that creates a census of sites visited and time spent. >>

Mobile Marketing | July 25, 2007

Mobile search to reach $715 million by 2011

Marketers should not forget about paid search when signing up for mobile campaigns. According to recent research from eMarketer, mobile search will explode in the future just as traditional online search has exploded in the past few years. >>

Advertising | July 24, 2007

Ad spend on sports websites to double

Television still commands the lion’s share of sports advertising budgets, and will do for the foreseeable future, but online and mobile channels are gaining in importance, found eMarketer. >>

Research | July 24, 2007

Online newspapers experience record visitor numbers

Online newspapers have seen a rise in visitors and page views over the last year, and even the amount of time visitors spend on newspaper websites has increased. >>

Research | July 24, 2007

Three-quarters of U.S. households have broadband

New research released by the Consumer Electronics Association has revealed that the majority of online U.S. households have broadband Internet access. >>

Research | July 24, 2007

Users prefer general sites for pharma-research

A recent survey from Prospectiv indicates that users either don't know about or simply don't trust branded pharmaceutical websites. According to research users are more apt to research medical ailments and problems at a general health information website than within pharma-sites. >>

Advertising | July 24, 2007

Study: Build registered user lists with archived webcasts

Publishers and podcasters should leave their content on-site for longer periods of time, according to a recent study. By doing so, B2B marketers and publishers may actually increase registrants for future webcasts, at the same time increasing their lead generation. >>

Trends & Ideas | July 24, 2007

Lifetime rolls out casual games

MMOGs may be garnering more headlines, but the Lifetime Network is betting that casual games will become even more mainstream in the coming months. The online portal is rolling out a series of casual games for their target market - middle-aged women - complete with advertising inserts. >>

Email Marketing | July 23, 2007

British B2B marketers embrace email

Email marketing remains an essential part of the marketing mix for British B2B marketers with many increasing associated budgets over the last 12 months. >>

Advertising | July 23, 2007

Not all in-game ads are equal

In-game ads represent an ideal opportunity for marketers to reach millions of users, especially those in the tough-to-target 18-34 year old age group. However, results of a new study show that not all in-game ads are as effective at grabbing attention as those that are placed on the "primary camera plane". >>

Research | July 23, 2007

China’s online population to become world’s largest

The number of Internet users in China is slowly, but surely, catching up with those in the U.S., according to new figures released by the China Internet Network Information Centre. >>

Email Marketing | July 23, 2007

Look for consumer-mail to take over

A recent white paper from analysts Frost & Sullivan predicts that mobile email will begin growing by an estimated 24% per year beginning in 2007. Mobile email revenue is expected to grow to just over $16 billion during the same four year time period. >>

Research | July 23, 2007

Publishers fall short in branding site content

A recent study from the e-tailing group indicates that publishers are doing a good job of keeping their site content fresh and relatable. However, publishers are falling short in other categories that may hinder their revenue potential. >>

Mobile Marketing | July 23, 2007

MMA: mobile space needs kid-friendly guidelines

As mobile marketing grows, so does the worry that children will be unfairly targeted by marketers. To put parents and marketers minds at ease, the Mobile Marketing Association has issued a few kid-friendly guidelines. >>

Trends & Ideas | July 20, 2007

Sequential advertising for online video

Advertisers who want to make a big impact within online videos might want to consider a dominating creative ad strategy soon to be offered by Heavy.com. >>

E-commerce | July 20, 2007

Walmart.com launches product review feature

After the discovery that their most-requested online feature was the ability to review and rate products, Walmart.com has given its customers what they want and updated the online store's capabilities. >>

Advertising | July 20, 2007

RL Radio expands audio ad-serving platform

In a bid to make online radio advertising more “marketing-friendly” and accessible to online advertisers, Ronning Lipset Radio is partnering with Corstarr for its ad-serving technology. >>

Search Marketing | July 20, 2007

comScore: MSN searches increase 36%

Google may still be the dominant player in search, but a surprising showing from MSN is causing quite a stir this month. According to the most recent reports from comScore, MSN grew their search queries more than 36% between May and June. >>

E-commerce | July 20, 2007

E-tailers hope better technology will raise profits

Tech marketers can look for increased product awareness and spending from online retailers, catalog companies and web stores in the coming months. According to a new survey from Internet Retailer, e-merchants will increase their technology buys to better serve customers. >>

Research | July 20, 2007

Homepages are most important to US marketers

Forget about RSS feeds. Forget about online video, blogs or social networking. US advertisers believe their own websites are their most effective online marketing tool, followed by email and search. >>

Search Marketing | July 19, 2007

Armies of bots raise click fraud rates

Traffic from botnets doubled from Q1 to Q2 of this year, according to a new data from Click Forensics’ Click Fraud Network. At the same time click fraud has risen. Coincidence? >>

Trends & Ideas | July 19, 2007

Google to launch 'AdSense for Games'

In May, 2006, Microsoft bought Massive, an in-game advertising company. At the beginning of 2007, Google bought AdScape, an in-game advertising company. See the pattern? >>

Advertising | July 19, 2007

Video sharing site revs up its ad products

Revver, the online video sharing website, announced this week that impression-based advertising products will soon be made available to advertisers and content owners. >>

Email Marketing | July 19, 2007

Should email marketers bring back animation?

Say what you will about animation - that it is too old school, that users will ignore it or worse not even open animated emails - a new study from the Email Experience Council's RetailEmail blog indicates it is time to dust off animation and add it back into email marketing campaigns. >>

Research | July 19, 2007

Broadband penetration affected by household income

Almost three-quarters of American households are now subscribed to broadband internet, but penetration is still quite dependant on household income. Even with more households signing on for broadband, advertisers need to be aware that by focusing only on broadband households they may be missing a large segment of the population. >>

Search Marketing | July 19, 2007

Google continues to dominate paid search

Despite predictions in 2006 that paid search would continue to thrive, new research indicates search spending has been flat so far this year. SearchIgnite and RBC Capital Markets collaborated on a recent report which indicates Google is actually getting more revenue per search that other engines. >>

Research | July 18, 2007

Gamers will view ads for games

Macrovision’s annual global casual gaming survey has revealed that many gamers are receptive to viewing ads in return for free games. >>

Search Marketing | July 18, 2007

Major search engine collaboration benefits advertisers

The last time two major search engines worked together to help advertisers manage their online campaigns was back in 2002. Today’s announcement resets the clock as Microsoft Office Live and Ask.com join forces. >>

Advertising | July 18, 2007

AdWords advertisers given access to 225 offline newspapers

After a successful limited test, Google is throwing open the Print Ads gate to a new universe of publishers for its AdWords advertisers. >>

Blogs & Content | July 18, 2007

Bloggers are important to product launches

A recent study from Nielsen BuzzMetrics reveals that bloggers may be more influential than originally thought - to both consumers and to advertisers. The report indicates that ad dollars spent online are directly influenced by the blogger buzz surrounding different products. >>

Research | July 18, 2007

Study: Users still don't understand cookies

The good news from a recent InsightExpress study indicates users still don't understand cookies. The bad news is that most users know just enough to delete them. >>

Research | July 18, 2007

New metric integrates newspaper readership with the online audience

Newspaper publishers may get a bump in their online rankings thanks to a new metrics service. Audience-FAX is said to reflect the actual reach and readership of newspapers. >>

Research | July 17, 2007

Consumer brand preferences swayed by online research

Brands still play an important role online, but a plethora of information and opportunities for online research means consumers are becoming less brand loyal. >>

Search Marketing | July 17, 2007

Microsoft adCenter upgrades negative keywords feature

Microsoft has recently upgraded adCenter to allow marketers to work with negative keywords at a campaign level. >>

Trends & Ideas | July 17, 2007

PodBridge develops mid-roll ad delivery platform

PodBridge and Personal Life Media have teamed up to develop an ad-serving platform that also measures the audience of the weekly shows from PLM. By offering measurement services in addition to ads, the platform allows advertisers to see just who their ads appeal to. >>

Social Marketing | July 17, 2007

Facebook, YouTube are fastest growing social networks

It is not news that MySpace is the king of the social networks. But it may surprise some just how fast other social networks are catching up to the king. MySpace took over social networking when it opened but according to new research from Nielsen//Netratings, traffic to MySpace only increased 30% between June 2006 and 2007. >>

Trends & Ideas | July 17, 2007

Standards and practices to be developed for podcast ads

Advertisers and marketers wanting a bit of input into the developing markets of podcast and other audio/video content may get their chance. The Association for Downloadable Content (ADM), a recently formed professional organization, is creating a list of standards for the industry and is opening for membership. >>

Social Marketing | July 17, 2007

LinkedIn traffic rose 323 percent in past year

LinkedIn, the business social network, has experienced a huge rise in traffic over the past year but, in light of Facebook’s rising popularity, is it too little too late? >>

Email Marketing | July 16, 2007

Coremetrics testing behavioral email marketing tool

Testing of Coremetrics’ LIVEmail 2.0 has begun. The updated automated email marketing application will help marketers identify the right offers for the right recipients at the right time. >>

Social Marketing | July 16, 2007

Advertisers disappointed with Facebook's CTR

More reports are circulating of disappointing click-through rates for advertising placed on Facebook. Should marketers persevere or concede that social networking sites aren’t yet the place for ads? >>

Email Marketing | July 16, 2007

Non-urgent email messages ignored on mobile devices

A mobile email study has discovered that, contrary to popular belief, most mobile users don’t read or react to commercial email messages received on their mobile devices. >>

Trends & Ideas | July 16, 2007

Teens prefer real world not virtual activities

This may come as a surprise to some marketers, but the teen market may actually prefer real world fun - dating, games and shopping - to virtual alternatives. >>

Research | July 16, 2007

Internet TV may be the next goldmine for marketers

A new report from iSupply indicates that more that 50% of consumers want to have online capabilities through their television sets. >>

Trends & Ideas | July 16, 2007

UGC consumers outnumber UGC creators

Online marketers might do well to find popular creators of user generated content and advertise with them. That is because, according to a recent eMarketer report, UGC consumers are rabidly consuming the content of a few popular UGC creators. >>

Social Marketing | July 15, 2007

Businesses abandon Second Life presence

Businesses that were once early adopters of marketing in Second Life are now among the first to leave, according to a recent article in The LA Times. >>

Mobile Marketing | July 15, 2007

Google begins beta test of AdSense for Mobile

With three times as many mobile devices in the world as there are personal computers, mobile advertising is a huge market, and something Google hasn’t ignored. >>

Trends & Ideas | July 15, 2007

New type of banner ad launched

A banner ad for online impulse buyers is the latest offering from London-based interactive communications agency, Fhlame. Will consumers embrace this new shopping-channel or will security fears get in the way? >>

Research | July 13, 2007

Google, Apple lead the global online audience

Globally, May was a good month for e-tailers. According to research from comScore, the beginning of the summer holiday season and the Mother's Day holiday helped boost online retail traffic. >>

Advertising | July 13, 2007

Juniper's broadband router serves targeted ads

A new broadband router from Juniper will likely make Internet television (IPTV) ads more attractive to advertisers. The E120 collects viewer data to better target and deliver ads to viewers. >>

Research | July 13, 2007

Younger generation can't live without Internet

New research indicates that in the future more companies will have to use the Internet to reach consumers. The study indicates a "Net Generation" - users who are currently between 16 and 29 years of age - who prefer the Internet to television. >>

Research | July 12, 2007

Travel planners outnumber bookers online

Consumers researching travel plans are outnumbering those that book travel online, says a new report from The Conference Board and TNS. >>

Advertising | July 12, 2007

IAB to standardize online video audience measurement

As Nielsen//NetRatings announce their new web audience tracking metrics the Internet Advertising Bureau seeks to address the standardization of reporting the size of online video audiences. >>

Mobile Marketing | July 12, 2007

Mobile video is growing fast

As the number of users watching mobile video grows, so does the number of watchers willing to view advertisements as part of their service package. According to new research from Knowledge Networks/SRI four out of five current subscribers are willing to view ads on their handhelds. >>

Viral Marketing | July 12, 2007

Streaming/Downloading predicted to reach $2.6 billion

With more than 38% growth from video streams in 2006, the market is expected to grow even more this year according to recent research from Accustream. Spending in the category is expected to reach $1.3 billion this year, a 39% increase. >>

Email Marketing | July 12, 2007

"Images Off" cuts down email read rates

A new filter for users that turns off images within email marketing messages may be hurting more marketers than originally thought. In addition, a recent study from eRoi found that mid-week emails are likely to have higher open rates than mailings sent on weekends. >>

Social Marketing | July 12, 2007

U.K. online ad spend growth to slow

GroupM, a British media investment management firm, forecasts that growth in U.K. online advertising spend will slow over the next few years. >>

Research | July 11, 2007

Online businesses need to mind their language

Despite the Internet breaking down barriers between markets a recent study finds that European companies do more business outside of their native countries than their American counterparts. >>

Research | July 11, 2007

Women at a loss without web access

The Internet is fast becoming a woman’s best friend and a week without being able to log on would disrupt the lives of many females, according to a recent report from Burst Media. >>

Mobile Marketing | July 11, 2007

Location-Based services to lead China's mobile market

Forget about text messaging or the mobile Internet. According to recent research from In-Stat, location-based services (LBS) are expected to lead mobile services for Chinese consumers. >>

Advertising | July 11, 2007

Online gaming grows to 217 million players

With online gaming growing every month, online marketers may want to begin targeting the market. According to research from comScore online gamers encompass men and women from several different demographics all around the world. >>

Blogs & Content | July 11, 2007

MediaSeed may help with campaign management

Online advertisers will likely benefit from a new one-stop-shop for online content management. Called MediaSeed, the platform allows publishers and advertisers to distribute and track online video and rich media offerings in one place. >>

Advertising | July 11, 2007

Target students via e-textbooks

If you’re looking for a way to get your message through to students across the U.S. then you might want to consider “Study Break Ads”™ from the Campus Media Group. >>

Trends & Ideas | July 10, 2007

MSN Live Search Club games boost query volume

Microsoft’s Live Search experienced a huge rise in traffic during June and some in the industry are reporting that it’s the result of a Live Search Club promotion. >>

Research | July 10, 2007

Online spending power of Hispanic population increasing

A new report from JupiterResearch predicts that Hispanics will increase online spending more than any other ethnic group. >>

Advertising | July 10, 2007

Offline as important as online WOM efforts

Marketers who are focusing all of there energies on online word-of-mouth efforts could be missing the boat according to a recent report from eMarketer. The report indicates that offline WOM efforts are as important as online. >>

Research | July 10, 2007

Nielsen//Netratings unveils "visits" metrics

Chalk up another online measurement firm which is trading in the traditional pageview metric in favor of a visits measuring tool. Today, Nielsen//Netratings unveiled a visits metrics system which measures total minutes and total session spens with a website; the tool will supercede the prior rankings system. >>

Advertising | July 10, 2007

Should advertisers target photo sharing sites?

With the news that Yahoo Photos was closing and the company would point users to Flickr, some may have thought that photo sharing sites had run their course. But new research from Hitwise indicates that photo sharing sites are, in fact, growing in popularity. But should marketers include these sites in their online campaigns? >>

Research | July 10, 2007

Speed is of the essence for email customer service

Sloppy and slow email responses will cause many customers to check out the competition, according to a new survey in the U.K. by a British internet hosting firm. Audits are often in place for telephone and face-to-face customer service functions, but email communications are often overlooked. >>

Advertising | July 09, 2007

Video, widget measurement offered by Quantcast

If you've thought about adding widget or video advertising but weren't sure the new tools were worth the cost, Quantcast might have the answer. The online ratings company has added metrics for widgets and video ads. >>

E-commerce | July 09, 2007

Online shoppers don't forgive "out of stock" items

Many e-tailers are losing out on sales because items are out of stock. According to a recent study, if a user is turned away from an online store only three times, they likely will not return. >>

Email Marketing | July 09, 2007

NetMargin should increase email compliance

Email marketers worried about complying with the various laws and regulations limiting their campaigns may like a new platform from Datran Media. Called BrandShield, the email compliance tool could make it easier for email marketers to manage the compliance of their campaigns. >>

Research | July 09, 2007

In-game advertising requires reality and relevance

Yet another report is released forecasting a rapid rise in the global in-game advertising industry, and advertisers need to understand how to target gamers without turning them off. >>

Research | July 09, 2007

Asia-Pacific internet use lower than global average

According to a new report by comScore, Internet use in the Asia-Pacific region is somewhat lower than the rest of the world. >>

Search Marketing | July 09, 2007

Google AdWords adds share-of-voice metric

Google has added another metric which will give pay-per-click advertisers more insight in to how their campaigns are performing. >>

Research | July 06, 2007

Online buying decisions taking longer

A soon-to-be-released report on digital window shopping has found that online shoppers are currently taking longer to make a buying decision than they did a couple of years ago. >>

Research | July 06, 2007

Facebook's visitor numbers soar

Facebook has seen its number of unique site visitors soar 89 percent in the period between May 2006 and May 2007, according to recent comScore traffic reports. Just over 26 million unique visitors were recorded in May this year. >>

Mobile Marketing | July 06, 2007

Different mobile ad formats appeal to different users

More than targeting for specific user groups, mobile advertisers need to use the correct ad delivery method. According to a recent study from MoMac, consumers are more likely to respond to ads in a format that they like. >>

Research | July 06, 2007

Social network appeals to "lost" generation

A new social network has launched that promises to put advertisers in touch with the lost generation. What is the lost generation? Called "Generation Jones", this group of online users is between the Boomer Generation and Generation X and could be a lifeline for online marketers. >>

Search Marketing | July 06, 2007

Online searchers spend more in-store

Users who search for information on electronics purchases online spend more in brick-and-mortar stores according to a recent study from Yahoo and ChannelForce. The study revealed that consumers who used a search engine for research spent 10% more than consumers who did not. >>

Research | July 06, 2007

Online shopping cart abandonment rates high

Many customers abandon their online shopping carts during the purchase process, new data gives some insight as to why this happens. >>

Mobile Marketing | July 05, 2007

Local.com patents SMS delivery system

Advertisers interested in SMS listings and ads will want to pay attention to a new patent secured by Local.com. The patent is for the delivery of sponsored directory listings through SMS and MMS platforms. It is the first of its kind. >>

Social Marketing | July 05, 2007

Social media: information resource for IT professionals

If you thought social networks were only for teens or those wanting to make friends online, think again. According to recent research from ITtoolbox, social media are the go-to resource for IT professionals. >>

Advertising | July 05, 2007

Digital, mobile will drive advertising past $2 trillion

Over the next five years, the advertising world is going to change. According to PricewaterhouseCooper's (PwC) Global Entertainment and Outlook report just about half of the ad industry's growth will be through digital and mobile platforms. >>

Trends & Ideas | July 05, 2007

Contextual video ad network launched

Broadband Enterprises has signed up a number of clients to its new contextual video ad network. >>

Research | July 05, 2007

Online shoppers get involved in social media

Canadian Internet users who purchase products online are more likely to participate in online social and interactive activities than those who do not purchase online, shows a new report. >>

E-commerce | July 04, 2007

Offline payment system for online purchases to launch in U.K.

Fear of identity theft and credit card fraud is keeping many U.K. shoppers from purchasing online. A new offline payment system could coax them into using online stores. >>

Research | July 04, 2007

Social networks suitable for branding, not retail

JupiterResearch have released new survey findings showing that social networking and community sites have little influence over online shoppers. >>

Research | July 04, 2007

U.S. broadband adoption slows

Broadband in U.S. households is becoming increasingly common, says a new report by Pew Internet & American Life Project, but some households are still missing out. >>

Advertising | July 04, 2007

Nielsen, Sony partner to track game usage

The Nielsen Company has inked a deal with Sony Computer Entertainment of America to create a new system for measuring what games people play and how often they play them. >>

Research | July 03, 2007

What do moms really, really think?

Are you trying to fathom out what moms really think? If so, MarketTools’ new market research solution could be just what you’re looking for. >>

Research | July 03, 2007

U.K. online ad spending on the rise

Online advertising in the U.K. is significantly more developed than in any other European country reveals a new eMarketer report. >>

Research | July 03, 2007

How to target the "indie" consumer

Consumers who aren't attracted to mainstream media and aren't attached to online media are probably the hardest consumers to target. But finding the right groove with these independent minded people could be the difference between a well-executed and successful campaign and a well-executed but failed campaign. Research from Fuse Marketing could help you bring these indie users to your brand. >>

E-commerce | July 03, 2007

Supreme Court sets minimum price guidelines

In a change from their 1991 decision that minimum pricing standards violate US federal anti-trust laws, the US Supreme Court has mandated that minimum pricing standards can now be implemented. The change could hurt online retailers. >>

Research | July 03, 2007

How to improve campaign productivity

If your online campaign isn't performing as well as hoped it could be because of errors made before the campaign began. The majority of marketers aren't following the best practices set up to help online advertisers meet the needs of the consumer according to a recent study from the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and this is hurting campaign productivity from the outset. >>

Domain Names | July 03, 2007

Asia top-level domain to launch in October

Asia truly has arrived on the internet, and in October the continent will get its own “.asia” top-level domain. >>

Advertising | July 02, 2007

One-to-one marketing comes to display advertising

SmartAds, launched this week by Yahoo, is a new display advertising tool that allows online ads to be tailored to each individual viewer. >>

Research | July 02, 2007

Spammers employ psychological tactics to fool users

A study by McAfee, called “Mind Games”, tells how spammers are using psychological games and other tactics to give them apparent legitimacy. >>

Search Marketing | July 02, 2007

New Ask, Google search platforms are compared

Just about one month ago, Ask.com redesigned their search results pages, offering results from across the Internet spectrum - blogs, news hubs and product pages. Some say, the redesign offers much cleaner results. >>

Mobile Marketing | July 02, 2007

Mobile video shows 198% subscriber increase

In the past year, subscribers to mobile video platforms have nearly doubled. However, with only about 4% of the total mobile audience logging on for video are advertisers wasting money by creating mobile video ads? >>

Research | July 02, 2007

Tourism, shopping bring more Europeans online

Typical summer activities continue to bring more Europeans online. According to new research from comScore, both French and German surfers boosted traffic to tourism and shopping web hubs. Researchers also found that many French websites are now drawing international traffic. >>

Search Marketing | July 02, 2007

Another Yahoo Panama feature update

More updates to Yahoo’s Panama sees the search advertising platform slowly catching up with its rival, Google's AdSense. >>