Monday, September 15, 2008

Non-Invasive Interview: Don Nicholas



TH: I enjoyed your presentation at the conference back in June. Thanks for doing it.

DN: Thanks! Always our pleasure.

TH: What are you working on right now? What’s the next big thing on your plate?

DN: The Mequoda Research Team is attempting to document how a specialized information publisher should operate their online business... we've focused on seven specific strategies that we've detailed in Seven Online Publishing Secrets... which is now in its third edition...

http://www.online-publishing-secrets.com/

The challenge is that this process and the best practices are evolving at break neck speed... it’s like trying to write a book about an event as it’s happening.

To keep up we have the following programs in process...

- 3 posts per week at Mequoda Daily that update some aspect of the system

- a monthly webinar that documents our current thinking on one of the seven strategies

- 2 annual conferences (Boston in the Fall and Napa Valley in the Spring) where 60 to 70

Mequoda operators gather to discuss the current thinking on all seven strategies. (http://www.summit.mequoda.com/)

- plus 2 or 3 private workshops per month that we lead to help individual publishers sort thru all the options for their online marketing and publishing programs

- and the consulting we do with the 18 publishers that are either running or building a Mequoda (or Mequoda-like) Online Marketing & Publishing System.

A few weeks ago, I spent one day with the American Quarter Horse Association and another with the folks at Harvard Law School... in both cases we spent the day defining the business processes (content sources, contact frequency, product mix, reporting requirements, keyword universe and so on) that will define their online marketing and publishing program.

These are all very smart people that know their audience and content backwards and forwards... my job is to help them define their online business processes with the same level of measurable specifics that we would use to define the steps in executing a direct mail campaign or producing an annual conference or publishing a monthly newsletter.

The version control alone really keeps us hoping, as operators invent new best practices and we move to validate them with other operators and then document them for the group.

TH: I'd like to think the benefits from our national meeting which takes place in June, continues to pay dividends for participants. Did you make new contacts there?

DN: Yes, lots. The SIPA conferences are one of our favorites for networking. Everyone is extremely candid and open about the challenges and opportunities they face on a daily basis. The culture of openness really helps all the members grow and learn from each other.

TH: Other than yourself, was there a speaker who really stood out for you?

DN: This shouldn’t be a big surprise: we really enjoyed Fred Marckini’s speech. Aside from the fact that his talk was articulate, well-presented and informative, anytime anyone other than us attempts to convince SIPA members of how important organic search engine optimization is, we smile. We feed proud. And happy.

TH: What would you say are the biggest new opportunities specialized information publishers have today that they didn’t have 10 years ago? What about challenges?

DN: One of the biggest opportunities, we think, is for specialized information publishers to reclaim their position as leading authorities on their topics online. Because some (ok, most) publishers have been asleep at the wheel, they allowed “pure-play” websites, those media organizations that didn’t originate in print, to completely dominate their niches online. The good news is that once specialized information publishers with strong brands figure out their online strategy and start becoming visible in Google, they can sometimes bypass, or at least legitimately compete with, their “pure-play” counterparts pretty quickly.

On the magazine side, a good case study we like to point to is People.com - 18 months ago their brand was subjugated to AOL and they were generating roughly 300K visitors a month. Time, Inc.’s Ann Moore stood up at the American Magazine Conference in 2006 and said that they were no longer going to fear the cannibalization of print. They were going to put their best and brightest in charge of their online properties and now, roughly 18 months later, People.com is seeing over 10 million unique visitors a month, according to compete.com.

TH: Where do you think all this Web 2.0 stuff is going? Web 3.0? Web 4.0?

DN: Trouble is, many publishers get caught up in the rush to figure out Web 2.0 without ever mastering Web 1.0. We’d be happy to see more specialized information publishers becoming much more visible in Google, becoming much better at converting traffic once it arrives on their sites and much better at monetizing that traffic through email newsletters, etc.

Assuming we mean UGC (User Generated Content), the web is an interactive medium by nature... encouraging users to comment, ask question and help each other must be part of your long-term online strategy. At the same time, users still want experts, authors and editors to lad their online communities. And publishers need to have a business strategy that integrates UCG into their overall online marketing and publishing business model.

TH: Any words of advice to niche publishers trying to compete with free content? Will it all be free one day?

DN: Define your media pyramid with free content as the foundation... most content will ultimately appear as free words on a search engine optimized web page at some point in its life cycle. And when it does it is creating value by attracting search engine and other traffic from other websites. It is every bit as valuable when it becomes part of your audience development program as the lists we rent to drive a successful direct mail campaign. Free content, correctly deployed, is the key to building a robust online audience.

It’s important to remember too, that as humans, we still value something called ownership. So even though we can access lots of content online for free, we still like to own magazines and newsletters. If a user needs a quick answer to something, the web is perfect. It’s a great reference tool. However if a user wants to become truly proficient in something, if they really want to master a subject, they subscribe to a newsletter or magazine. Differnet mediums, different modalities.

TH: Care to share your biggest professional challenge right now? Do you have a hero? A mentor? An antagonist? Forget that. What was your first pet’s name and the name of the street you grew up on? Is this what you wanted to be when you grew up? What can you tell us about yourself that other people wouldn't guess? (example: you are a champion bowler)

DN: I was a nuclear engineer by day and rock radio DJ at night on the USS Enterprise back in the 70s. When I left the Navy in 1978, I applied to PG&E to be a power plant operator and to CSUS to get a degree in journalism. After some coaching from my Dad, I dropped the engineering thing and went with the ambiguity of a career in media. It was a good choice. :)

Friday, June 13, 2008

The Wall Between Editorial & Marketing: You Have To Be Kidding!


I just received this email from SIPA member and speaker Scott Jacobs:


"One thing that struck me in Washington this year - - once again - - was that marketing and editorial types still have problems working together in some shops. We're sitting here in 2008 and I am hearing the same things I heard when I attended my first newsletter conferences in 1989. "We hate them, they hate us." One expert marketer who I hold in high regard has even had to create her own Oliver North operation with her own launch editor for fear she would not get the cooperation (she really doesn't) from her veteran editorial colleagues who aren't "into" doing new things. I mean, what the heck is that about? But fascinating discussions like that made the bean soup go down a lot easier during second lunch. And what's with the paltry servings of bean soup anyway? A guy needs his fiber."

Can this still be the case? Increasingly I am seeing a complete convergence of product and marketing teams given the need for quick positioning on the open Web that doesn't doesn't allow for delays presented by epic professional differences.

Scott is currently a free agent after many years as a product planner and news editor for LexisNexis, Mealey's and various newspapers. He also operates under the impression that everyone is interested in his dietary intake.




Two Weeks Ago I Didn't Even Know What a "Rapid Conversion Landing Page" Was and Now I Can't Live Until I Get One


Kim Mateus from Mequoda added some useful comments to my "coverage" of her and Don Nicholas' presentation at the annual conference. Since there was too much substance in her post to leave it buried there -- and because she invited me to "re-blog" it (possibly inventing a new word?) -- I am doing just that. Here you go:


Hi Tom,

Thanks for the coverage!

To clarify on some of the points… when Don says that sites with effective conversion architecture see a 6-8% conversion rate, he is referring to visitors converting to email subscribers. Some of the ways to improve site-wide conversion rates is to use Text Links, OFIEs (Order Forms in Editorial), OFINs (Order Forms in Navigation), Floaters and Rapid Conversion Landing Pages, all asking for an email address in exchange for a free special report.

In terms of the rapid conversion landing page (RCLP), you’re absolutely right – publishers should pay lots of attention to this opportunity and use RCLPs as email acquisition goldmines.

The process is to:

Do some keyword research to know what your potential audience is searching for in Google that you have content to support.

Pick one term that you think you can get ranked on (decent search volume with not much competition) and title your free special report accordingly.

Write the report and a rapid conversion landing page and optimize it for that term:





  • Include keyword phrase (report name) in meta title of page

  • Include keyword phrase in URL string

  • Include keyword phrase in meta description

  • Write a tip about the new report letting your existing email subscribers know it is available – this encourages pass-along. Of course, optimize the tip and have it point to the RCLP, making sure to link the actual keyword phrase, not “click here”.

  • Add a text ad to all of the related content on your site that points to the RCLP (again making sure to link the actual keyword phrase).

  • Write a press release announcing the free report and include in the release a link to the RCLP, again making sure to link the actual keyword phrase.

  • Let it cook, monitor the position, repeat and reinforce as required until the desired SERP (search engine results page) position is achieved for that particular term. (Blogger's note: this seems a lot like shampoo.)
As you may have guessed, we’ve done this process ourselves at the Mequoda Daily. We have a free special report titled 12 Landing Page Templates, which describes each of the templates and provides examples.

Here is our RCLP, optimized for the term “landing page templates”: http://daily.mequoda.com/gla-8-master-landing-page-templates.html

And go do a Google search for Landing Page Templates – you’ll see us in the number 1 postion!

(Tip: don’t put numbers in the URL string. They won’t help with SEO and if you ever decide to update the report, as we did from 8 LP templates to 12 LP templates, you’re stuck with the old number in the URL!)

And the newest RCLP we just built for Fuelnet.com, optimized for the term “customer relationship marketing”: http://www.fuelnet.com/free-reports/10-secrets-for-successful-customer-relationship-marketing/

Thanks again for your coverage!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Should You Tube Too?



Last year I became a fan of some funny videos on MySpace. My story is that I was there to learn about social networking "for work." I am sticking to it. The video that made me LOL, if I may, was part of a series involving twins: one German female named Liesel Sprague and one Austrian male named Klaus Sprague. Their mother gave birth on a plane. The twins' relationship is strained by Klaus' inferiority complex and Leisle's superiority complex. This manifests in Leisle's trouncing of Klaus in racquet sports. Anyway, I wrote to Jay to say I liked the videos. Shockingly, he wrote back. I have parents who don't do that. (Not my real parents. My made-up comedy parents, the ones who don't write to me.)

It turns out the guy is part of a two-human team comprising, well, him, Jay Grandin, and Leah Nelson. Leah is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, and Jay is an industrial designer. This Vancouver-based pair recently founded GiantAntMedia.com, a creative video team-for-hire, making ads, films, product launches, social media campaigns, video blogs, music and training videos.

I asked Jay and Leah for some insights on the internet video world. Like their videos, I can't tell which is responsible for what. If they weren't Canadian I'd say they were cleverly trying to dodge blame for any offense their comments may cause.

TH: You list clients like Steelcase, MySpace, Watch for Change, Creative B'Stro, hadtosay.com, Metacafe. Oh, and Business Valuation Resources (I know because I wrote the script!) And you have all of your comical or poignent videos. How many total views have you had so far?

JG/LN: 31,250,000.

TH: That's a few. What would you say are the most effective uses of videos for companies?

JG/LN: One of the things that people often forget is that online video is entirely permission-based marketing; unlike a captive television audience, an online media consumer needs to make a conscious choice whether to watch your video or not, and many of those views are going to be solely based on peer recommendation.That said, if companies can step out of the box of traditional message deliveries in favor of something creative, innovative or funny, the brand-building potential is immense. People will pass on something that they think is interesting.

TH: Are companies actually making money from video?

JG/LN: If you're talking about media companies such as YouTube, yes! For companies that are creating video content in the social media space, the barrier to entry is so low (lower production quality needed, no huge media buy) that a well placed video can provide enormous ROI. Bud is a great example of a company that has created a huge presence in the online space with their bud.tv campaigns. I don't drink Bud Light, but I definitely think of them as having an engaging brand.

TH: Are there good examples of incorporating video into marketing?

JG/LN: Apple has been very successful.Net 10 very recently released a 'caught on tape' style video that links to an auxiliary site, http://www.no-evil.net/ that talks all about the evils of wireless service providers. Great campaign.Geiko has done a fantastic job of making a brand around something completely banal (insurance) into something engaging. Their commercials get passed all over the internet. Axe is another good example.

TH: Videos are supposed to help with SEO, right?

JG/LN: Apparently.

TH: What about niche information video?

JG/LN: The YouTube generation has enabled all kinds of "citizen journalism" and out of it, dozens of successful video channels are emerging. Wallstrip, a video blog/show about Wall Street happenings is hugely successful. That's pretty niche. As people become more accustomed to getting their media from online sources, micro-audiences for almost any type of content are popping up (the current buzzword is 'micro-tubing'), so it's a great opportunity for any of those, provided they're executed in an interesting way.

TH: You shoot a lot of stuff on location. Ever have a problem with that?

JG/LN: People are wary of video cameras these days, mostly because so many people use them now and carry them on their person in the form of digital still cameras and cell phones, and they know how easy it is to put something online and have it forever floating in cyberspace. People who own or manage businesses get very nervous about having something undesirable associated with their company or brand, OR don't want to give space away for free. We've been turned down many times by companies or establishments that don't want anything to do with a video shoot, or have rental rates and liability requirements geared toward film/television that just aren't realistic for a small outfit like us.

TH: You are heavily involved in social networking. Has that led to business for you?

JG/LN: Yes! That is our business! It's completely essential to connect with people (fans) through social networks. It's how people find content and where they are recommended by friends to watch videos or read articles/blogs etc, so if we put our content there, where we already know they're going, we can be sure they will watch our videos. It all goes back to permission marketing; if we have 300 friends who join our Facebook group, we can almost guarantee 300 views immediately. That seems like a small number, but when nurture the relationship with those 300 viewers, that number will only go up as they recommend you to others. It's like having 300 lazy PR reps working for you at all times! When you add 4500 YouTube subscribers, and 11000 MySpace friends, it makes it much easier to spread a message.

TH: Can you share a couple of your videos with us to show business applications?

JG/LN: Hadtosay.com is a website that was started as a way to pass an anonymous message through the web. They were looking for a way to boost their traffic and to get bloggers to notice. After we did a video for them, it provided a good piece of "link bait" to then approach bloggers again with. The video quickly got 10,000 views and traffic to the site spiked. www.youtube.com/hadtosay

TH: You two hitchhiked across Europe, staying with your MySpace friends, and uploaded a video of your trip there. Are you crazy?

JG/LN: No, just fiscally challenged. The Europe trip would not have been possible without the generous help of our "Friends" and lonely truck drivers.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Non-Invasive Interview #1: Meg Hargreaves



[Blogger's Note: I thought I'd rip off everything I've ever enjoyed about magazines, radio and television and start an interview series where interesting people in our specialized info community submit to questions, the answers to which may teach you something, foster our network, or make you cry. This is my first attempt, but I am not making any promises. In a moment of courage and perhaps lack of will, Meg Hargreaves of Pike & Fischer, consented to be my first victim. I would have said guinea pig, but that brought back bad memories for Meg. I feel the same when when I hear the word raccoon. Don't ask. -- Tom Hagy]

TH: You took part in an informative panel on email and Web marketing at the annual conference. Thanks for that. What are you working on right now?

MH: Like other attendees of this week's terrific SIPA conference I'm trying to juggle spinning lots of plates while trying to implement all of the best practice tips and hints I gathered at the Mayflower. I run 4 business units here at IOMA, including 3 Pike & Fischer units. My teams cover (at last count) 10 diverse markets so every day is different, challenging and interesting. I gathered terrific ideas at this years SIPA conference that I can implement across all of my focus areas. Right now I'm focused on final logistics for our 4th annual Broadband Policy Summit here in Washington next week. (Ed Coburn, I feel your pain!)

TH: What were the three things you learned from the conference that you can actually apply to your business?

MH: No. 1. Google Alerts -- I hadn't heard of this new feature from Google. My team is already putting this tool into practice to track where our products and services are being mentioned across the Web. I was also reminded of how long I've been in this business (22 years and counting!) because it hearkened me way back to days when I used to rely on one of the original electronic press clipping services -- LexisNexis Eclipse [Blogger'sNote: the name was an early use of putting "e" in front of something to suggest electronic. Most people forgot that or just didn't realize it. It could just as easily been called eClips because it was electronic clipping. Kind of like a light bulb is an eCandle. Anyway, Eclipse was recently changed to Lexis Alerts. Is anyone awake now?].

No. 2. At Sunday's Leadership Dinner at Morton's I had the pleasure to be seated between two publishing veterans who have made tremendous contributions to SIPA over the years - most notably as past Presidents -- David Foster, who now runs BVR and founded IOMA, and Mike Mealey -- founder, of course, of Mealey Publications [acquired by LexisNexis eight years ago]. In addition to getting to spend quality networking time with these knowledgeable SIPA members, Mike gave me a crash course on his experiences in newsletter publishing and a brief history of SIPA . . . and some fun stories to boot. While it wasn't news to me, it really reinforced how valuable an organization SIPA is. It's a wonderful community.

No. 3. Right after that, I learned that Morton's valet closes at 11 pm on Sunday night and the resulting cab fare to Great Falls is $45. Ouch.

TH: I once lost my car in a lake, but enough about me. Is there anything that surprised you at the conference?

MH: See No. 3 above.

TH: Did any of the speakers stand out for you?

MH: Well, I've been a Dave Barry fan for 20 years, so that was a highlight. I also thought that the sessions on Microsites and Blogs & Beyond were terrific. These are both areas where I'll be placing more focus in the months to come -- so the nuts and bolts info I gathered was great.

TH: The most shocking thing about Dave Barry is that he's 60 years old! Clearly I need to start exfoliating. What would you say to someone who didn't attend?

MH: That they missed 1) a great opportunity to gather actionable insight to advance their publishing efforts today AND 2) a chance to meet and great and learn from their peers in the industry.

TH: Did anything funny or unusual or odd happen that you'd like to share?

MH: No comment!

TH: What can you tell us about yourself that other people wouldn't guess?

MH: In 1980 I was ranked 10th in singles and 6th in doubles in competitive badminton by the U.S. Badminton Association. I also summited Kilimanjaro in 2002. As a result I only have one good knee left. As Dave Barry would say, I am not making this up.

TH: We have a lot in common. I once drove a badminton net stake into my hand, requiring, but not getting, several stitches. I onced climbed the lighthouse in Barnegat Light, New Jersey. So we're practically twins. Thanks, Meg.

MH: You're welcome.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Baby, You're a Niche Man (that only makes sense if you pronounce it "nitch," which apparently is wrong.)

My impression from this week's annual SIPA conference (I know, who asked me) is that niche publishers like us are in a perfect position in the world of microsites, blogging and SEO. Each of these things has to do with deep subject area expertise, the ability to make sense of what's going on, and to talk about it in an articulate and speedy way. You need to look no further than this blog as an example of what I am not talking about.

When newsletters came along, they were the fast, unaffiliated, irreverent, and cheap alternative press. Now bloggers have that same feel. Bloggers are the new newsletter publishers, and newsletter publishers don't need to make nearly as a dramatic retrofit as many in the media in today's Web environment when it comes to content. We operate in the niches. That's where we excel. And when we write, we don't think about it but we spew key words like baseballs in a batting cage. (What does that even mean?) And who better to oversee a microsite than a niche publisher? We're built for this!

We have a great deal to learn from the technology and Web experts -- the real experts on the cutting edge -- but we have all the raw materials we need. Our challenge, and I think we can handle it, is to be very open minded about our business models. Given their experience with advertising, that's where broad market publishers have an edge. The willingness to take chances and experiment is paying huge dividends from the stories I heard at the Mayflower. Even the ones I heard about niche publishing.

Finally, a big thanks to Ed Coburn of Harvard Health Publications, Patti Wysocki, consultant, Janine Hergesell, Kati Fritz, Harry Baisden and all the SIPA volunteers for their hard work on another stellar event. Feel free to use this blog to add what you learned or what you feel about the event.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Dave Barry Gives Us Face Cramps



WASHINGTON, D.C. -- I counted about 1200 facial cheeks on the brink of spasm as humorist Dave Barry shared all that he knew about specialized information publishing to an audience of SIPA members at the Mayflower yesterday.



Recipient of the Pulitzer Prize in 98, Barry told us about how he moved to Miami from the United States, and takes umbrage when all people talk about is the violence there. He said those people just make him want to kill them. Continuing his insights on niche publishing, he recounted a story about a man who drove his car onto an airport runway, right up to a plane on the tarmac. "I can't get within ten feet of a plane with a bottle of shampoo, but this guy pulls up with a Chevy Cobalt," Barry said.



In a lesson for learning your lesson, Barry shared the story of his dog Ernest and his backup replacement dog Zippy, who knew very well to wait at the screen door of his screened-in porch before romping out into the backyard. The pair always waited patiently for Barry at the screen door, then exited. Wait, open, exit. But when Hurricane Andrew blew the screened-in porch away, everything but the screen door, the dogs STILL waited at the screen door. He could not get them to exit any other way. Somehow there is a lesson in there for traditional niche publishers who insist on clinging to old business models, but it just wouldn't be funny.



Going on with more wisdom about niche publishing, Barry told us about his witty conversation starters with former First Lady Barbara Bush ("Jeb is very tall."), about how America is the leader in the manufacture of Oscar Meyer Weiner Car technology (and how he understands Iran is developing similar capability), and how the drivers in Florida bring a unique blend of creativity and aggression to their driving ("They will pass you in a car wash.")



Dave was the keynote speaker for the Specialized Information Publishers Foundation editorial and marketing awards, and a welcome addition to our conference!


Mequoda's Nicholas: Microsites, Macro-Traffic (I am paraphrasing. OK, I made it up)





OK, some SIPA sessions this year were good simply for showing me just how much I don't know. Granted, the bar is low. Due to the fact that I am lazy about unpacking my suitcase, I found out that the key to my room last year no longer works. But the gentlemen in my former crash pad could use a depilatory.
The session at this week's SIPA conference by Don Nicholas, managing partner of The Mequoda Group was like that. Not the part about hairy men; the part about being englightening.

The amount of attention needed to your site index, your meta tag page, your author landing page, and more was making me tired, until I heard the kind of results his clients and examples were getting. Your site-wide conversion rate is also a must metric. Nicholas said some sites get a decent 1 or 2%, but some who do it really right get between 6-8%. Conversion in this context means converting visitors to email subscribers to paying customers. At least I think. You see, it's my strategy to allow for errors in my reporting, in the hopes of generating requests for corrections, demands for retractions and hate speech directed at my people.
He recommended paying a LOT of attention to your rapid conversion pages, which are key to your conversion arsenal. TIP: offer a free report relating to the key word that brought the customer to the site.

I was scribbling in between coffee-shakes, but he included these sites as some good microsite examples: fuelnet.com; Motley Fool; HR Daily, about .com (with 456 microsites and a Google visibility index of 65%!), Morningstar and Consumer Reports. No, I don't have time to look up the URLs. If that annoys you, please write back and complain, including the proper URL.
Don prepared the presentation along with Mequoda Senior Partner Kim Mateus.

Good job!

iPropect's Marckini Gives Good Reasons to Understand Search


Fredrick Marckini from iProspect provided a clever, polished and highly informative presentation today at a full East Room at the Mayflower Hotel in DC. I'd recommend you reach out to him to get the presentation, or I will ask him to post a link for us here. Get the tape of his presentation too. Or just give him a call. I have his home phone around here somewhere. Not the number, just the phone itself.

If I read the room right, or maybe I am just reading my own mind, or maybe I noticed about 30 people in line to give him business cards, Marckini made everyone realize how much they need to pay attention to how traffic is coming to their Web sites, and how they need to stay on top of how those things change.

Marckini artfully, and more artfully than I am "summarizing" his talk here, demonstrated how simple adjustments to text in the right places -- the title, the URL, in activated links, etc. -- can make a difference that can generate thousands of visitors and result in millions of dollars in leads. For example, the title tag (which appears in that blue space all the way at the top of your browser) for iProspect says "search engine marketing firm -- iProspect." Not something like, "iProspect, we're really cool," which may be fine if you're selling sunglasses or air conditioners.

Paying attention to SEO is particularly important because, as he explained, 72% of all clicks in Google search results take place in the natural search results, not in the paid ad area.

He encouraged people to optimize press releases for the search engine's news tabs and to be sure to conduct keyword research before writing them. He talked about the importance of including your search marketing targeted keywords in the headline and body copy of the press release, and to include activated links so that when people find your press releases in search results, they can click on those links to visit your site. He pointed out that if a press release ranks well in search results due to proper keyword optimization, the actual press coverage of that press release is less important than the traffic and audience that release garners.

"Study the searches that bring visits," he said, saying not to use lame terms like the name of the site or your company slogan. Know what people are searching and know which searches bring them to you.

Fredrick said another speaker at the event, whom I didn't hear, Jay Berkowitz with Ten Golden Rules gave an excellent talk on Web 2.0 strategies for online profits.

Nice job, Fredrick, and thanks for speaking to us.

Andy McLaughlin SIPF's First Hall of Famer



Andy McLaughlin, president of PaperClip, and everyone's favorite Tickle Me Elmo (I have no idea), was honored at this week's annual meeting of the Specialized Information Publishers Association. With more than 600 in attendance, Andy was honored for his creative, tireless and effective volunteering and fundraising for the Specialized Information Publishers Foundation.

Obviously surprised and grateful, Andy immediately began discussing his wardrobe, noting that his shirt was cut from the same cloth as the giant curtain behind him. Both were blue, which brought out the color of his veins. Andy was unapologetic for his fundraising tactics, making comparisons to mafia tricks and references to mounting legal fees. In a moment of sincerity, Andy commented on how much he believes in the work of the foundation, whose mission is to promote SIPA through outreach to academics and professionals alike.

Taken by the heft of his plaque, suitable for framing if, apparently, you have a nail the size of a railroad spike, Andy said he'd been looking for a decent paperweight.

Congratulations, Andy, for all you do, and for all the humor with which you do it.


(Dan Warren of Warren Communications and the new SIPF President, presented the award.)

Friday, March 21, 2008

Networking in the Niches

A colleague of mine shared this quick post from Paul Chaney of Bizzuka who writes that many of the discussion groups created at large social networking sites aren't all that active. He comments that 'indigenous, self-standing niche networks" might be a more successful model, especially effective for niche networks and membership groups. He also links to a site devoted to WOM (word of mouth) marketing.

This is another example that networking, sharing and publishing might be easier and faster than ever, but the basics of networking continue on. Here is Chaney's post: http://www.socialmediatoday.com/SMC/28580.

From where I sit, and criticize all around me, I think we've made it too easy for people write and publish and share and forward . . . . Unless it's me, of course, I'd like everyone to think before hitting the send button. How can I possible read all your posts and emails when I am busy writing them myself?

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Goo Goo, Dah Dah, Bebo: Time is Running Out on Baby Names


With AOL's $850M purchase of social media company Bebo, with a 40-million-member community, I am reminded that time is running out on securing those really funny baby-talk names. I was thinking BooBoo.com might be a great one, especially if you sold bandages, GlugGlug.com would good if you, say, ran a beer marketing publication, but it looks snapped up. Because "ma" is often a child's first word, I thought http://www.mamma.com/ would be good. Turns out it's a snappy little search engine. I searched myself on it, and it was pretty good. Anytime I can seem my name on the Internet gives me chills of excitement. It also turned up a photo of Wild Bill Hagy (pictured). No relation.
Anyway, to see a story about AOL and Bebo, written in adult English, go here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23609587/. AOL, for those of you who just arrived in by donkey cart, is owned by Time Warner.

Thanks to Scott Jacobs for sending it over.


Bye For Now, Margie

Folks, our SIPA circle just got a little less warm. We are all going to have step it up.

Margie, I miss your smiling face and wise counsel already. You're not one to leave the party early so there must have been a reason, or you're really ticked off right now. Either way, let's laugh our asses off at the next one too.

Our hearts go out to Larry, the kids, family and many close friends. She was the best.

Friday, February 1, 2008

And In this Corner: Microsoft Bid for Yahoo! Sets Stage for Heavyweight Bout

I know you don't come to me for the latest business news, which is why I am posting this so late. I hate to disappoint. Now I am waiting for someone to write, "Well actually, Tom, we don't come to you at all." If so, that means you will have fallen into my trap.

Like in boxing, it's fun to watch the big boys fight. I am more a fan of the welterweights and middleweights, and sometimes the light heavyweights (are you asleep yet?), but on those rare occasions you get to see the big fellas who can actually move, duck, punch and speak. We have all the possibilities of such a bout as Microsoft looks to add some pack to its wallop with its Yahoo! bid, setting up a battle of the colossals. I urge people at ringside to wear splatter guards. OK, enough tortured boxing metaphors. Someone who tracks this stuff more closely than I do cautioned that this is "far from a done deal," noting that Yahoo! has turned down bids like this before. Is it time for Yahoo! to make the big move?

Here is the letter Microsoft's Steve Ballmer sent to the Yahoo! board of directors:


I am writing on behalf of the Board of Directors of Microsoft to make a proposal for a business combination of Microsoft and Yahoo!. Under our proposal, Microsoft would acquire all of the outstanding shares of Yahoo! common stock for per share consideration of $31 based on Microsoft's closing share price on January 31, 2008, payable in the form of $31 in cash or 0.9509 of a share of Microsoft common stock. Microsoft would provide each Yahoo! shareholder with the ability to choose whether to receive the consideration in cash or Microsoft common stock, subject to pro-ration so that in the aggregate one-half of the Yahoo! common shares will be exchanged for shares of Microsoft common stock and one-half of the Yahoo! common shares will be converted into the right to receive cash. Our proposal is not subject to any financing condition.

Our proposal represents a 62% premium above the closing price of Yahoo! common stock of $19.18 on January 31, 2008. The implied premium for the operating assets of the company clearly is considerably greater when adjusted for the minority, non-controlled assets and cash. By whatever financial measure you use - EBITDA, free cash flow, operating cash flow, net income, or analyst target prices - this proposal represents a compelling value realization event for your shareholders.

We believe that Microsoft common stock represents a very attractive investment opportunity for Yahoo!'s shareholders. Microsoft has generated revenue growth of 15%, earnings growth of 26%, and a return on equity of 35% on average for the last three years. Microsoft's share price has generated shareholder returns of 8% during the last one year period and 28% during the last three year period, significantly outperforming the S&P 500. It is our view that Microsoft has significant potential upside given the continued solid growth in our core businesses, the recent launch of Windows Vista, and other strategic initiatives.

Microsoft's consistent belief has been that the combination of Microsoft and Yahoo! clearly represents the best way to deliver maximum value to our respective shareholders, as well as create a more efficient and competitive company that would provide greater value and service to our customers. In late 2006 and early 2007, we jointly explored a broad range of ways in which our two companies might work together. These discussions were based on a vision that the online businesses of Microsoft and Yahoo! should be aligned in some way to create a more effective competitor in the online marketplace. We discussed a number of alternatives ranging from commercial partnerships to a merger proposal, which you rejected. While a commercial partnership may have made sense at one time, Microsoft believes that the only alternative now is the combination of Microsoft and Yahoo! that we are proposing.

In February 2007, I received a letter from your Chairman indicating the view of the Yahoo! Board that "now is not the right time from the perspective of our shareholders to enter into discussions regarding an acquisition transaction." According to that letter, the principal reason for this view was the Yahoo! Board's confidence in the "potential upside" if management successfully executed on a reformulated strategy based on certain operational initiatives, such as Project Panama, and a significant organizational realignment. A year has gone by, and the competitive situation has not improved.

While online advertising growth continues, there are significant benefits of scale in advertising platform economics, in capital costs for search index build-out, and in research and development, making this a time of industry consolidation and convergence. Today, the market is increasingly dominated by one player who is consolidating its dominance through acquisition. Together, Microsoft and Yahoo! can offer a credible alternative for consumers, advertisers, and publishers. Synergies of this combination fall into four areas:
Scale economics: This combination enables synergies related to scale economics of the advertising platform where today there is only one competitor at scale. This includes synergies across both search and non-search related advertising that will strengthen the value proposition to both advertisers and publishers. Additionally, the combination allows us to consolidate capital spending.

Expanded R&D capacity: The combined talent of our engineering resources can be focused on R&D priorities such as a single search index and single advertising platform. Together we can unleash new levels of innovation, delivering enhanced user experiences, breakthroughs in search, and new advertising platform capabilities. Many of these breakthroughs are a function of an engineering scale that today neither of our companies has on its own.

Operational efficiencies: Eliminating redundant infrastructure and duplicative operating costs will improve the financial performance of the combined entity.

Emerging user experiences: Our combined ability to focus engineering resources that drive innovation in emerging scenarios such as video, mobile services, online commerce, social media, and social platforms is greatly enhanced.

We would value the opportunity to further discuss with you how to optimize the integration of our respective businesses to create a leading global technology company with exceptional display and search advertising capabilities. You should also be aware that we intend to offer significant retention packages to your engineers, key leaders and employees across all disciplines.

We have dedicated considerable time and resources to an analysis of a potential transaction and are confident that the combination will receive all necessary regulatory approvals. We look forward to discussing this with you, and both our internal legal team and outside counsel are available to meet with your counsel at their earliest convenience.

Our proposal is subject to the negotiation of a definitive merger agreement and our having the opportunity to conduct certain limited and confirmatory due diligence. In addition, because a portion of the aggregate merger consideration would consist of Microsoft common stock, we would provide Yahoo! the opportunity to conduct appropriate limited due diligence with respect to Microsoft. We are prepared to deliver a draft merger agreement to you and begin discussions immediately.

In light of the significance of this proposal to your shareholders and ours, as well as the potential for selective disclosures, our intention is to publicly release the text of this letter tomorrow morning.

Due to the importance of these discussions and the value represented by our proposal, we expect the Yahoo! Board to engage in a full review of our proposal. My leadership team and I would be happy to make ourselves available to meet with you and your Board at your earliest convenience. Depending on the nature of your response, Microsoft reserves the right to pursue all necessary steps to ensure that Yahoo!'s shareholders are provided with the opportunity to realize the value inherent in our proposal.

We believe this proposal represents a unique opportunity to create significant value for Yahoo!'s shareholders and employees, and the combined company will be better positioned to provide an enhanced value proposition to users and advertisers. We hope that you and your Board share our enthusiasm, and we look forward to a prompt and favorable reply.

Sincerely yours,

Steven A. Ballmer

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Adobe & Yahoo! Trying To Help Make Us More Money

I love advertising.

More specifically, I love ads.

I think it’s a shame that advertisers are only restricted to TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, and cell phones. To Web sites, pop-ups, billboards, airline tray tables, blimps, and beach planes. To the shirts, hats, bags and even the bare backs of major athletes. And still, I can’t get enough.

No. I mean it. I wish I could TiVo them. I love the Geico cavemen. I love the three boys returning to school with their new backpacks, paid for by MasterCard. I miss the old Alka-Seltzer commercials, because those people with hangovers and gas always looked more miserable than I ever could. But then, I was ten, and at least six months away from my first hangover.

I wish there were more places for ads. On my drapes. On my windows. On my pillows. On the foreheads of my friends and children. Go for it! Put one of those big ol’ Mail Pouch ads on the side of my house! Just pay me, and you’re in.

So I was thrilled with the news that Adobe (ADBE) and Yahoo! (YHOO) joined together to launch Ads for Adobe PDF Powered by Yahoo!. And don’t take my introduction as sarcasm. It’s just me screaming out that I know so little about technology I can only make fun of it. With a roll-off-the-tongue carpal-tunnel name, Ads for Adobe PDF Powered by Yahoo! (AAPDFPY!) is an opt-in service that allows publishers to drive new revenue with contextual ads. “The service has the potential to offer readers access to more free content, enhanced with ads that match their interests,” according to the company.

To join the AAPDFPY! program, publishers must register online, and then upload their Adobe PDF content so that it can be ad-enabled before distributing PDFs. Ads can only be displayed within Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat, in a panel adjacent to the content so that they do not disrupt the viewing experience. Every time the PDF content is viewed, contextual ads are dynamically matched to the content of the document. The publisher can then monitor performance through detailed reports. Cool, huh?

So how is the AAPDFPY! launch going? Cynthia Tillo, Senior Product Manager with Adobe, told this blogger really well.

“We have seen interest from all types of publishers,” she said. Publishers of “eBooks, nonprofits, magazines, technical journals, educational institutions and bloggers, to name a few. Some of the more surprising ones include companies who want to include Yahoo! ads in their own marketing collateral and one individual who wants to include ads in his resume! The potential of users being able to access more content for free is actually a reality. One of the great eBooks that used to be sold for fee is Kevin Kelly's True Films, a review of the best documentary films, and it is now available for free: http://kk.org/cooltools/archives/002538.php. We have another publisher who plans to get rid of their annual subscription model and make available thousands of PDF reports for free, in exchange for ad revenue.”

To read more about the launch, click here:

http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pressreleases/200711/112907Yahoo.html