Ian@work

(Corporate) Pirates Ahoy!

We hear plenty about software piracy. But pirating an entire company?


Technorati Tags: piracy, nec

The Benevolent Cult of Moleskine

A confession: I'm a member. I depend on Moleskine journals and calendars for keeping track of my meetings, taking notes, writing drafts, and stowing odd bits of paper that need a home but otherwise wouldn't find one. Moleskine is my analog oasis in the midst of an increasingly chaotic digital world.

The company didn't set out to create a cult following for a unique product with an interesting story. No, people discovered Moleskine journals and told others, who became customers then found new ways to use Moleskines and then blogged about it...so you can see where this is going.

Think about your business: Do you have products, services, or stories that can cultivate the kind of buzz that outweighs any amount of corporate-led marketing?

(Tip of the hat to Church of the Customer)

Technorati Tags: moleskine, citizenmarketing

Ramsey and Tancer on Search

From SeachEngineWatch, a compelling synopsis of a presentation on search statistics by eMarketer CEO Geoff Ramsay and Hitwise General Manager, Global Research Bill Tancer.

A solid snapshot of search that explains why it's hot, why it matters, and where it's going.


Technorati Tags: hitwise, emarketer, search

Internet Neutrality

The issue of Internet neutrality is back. Brian Clark (Copyblogger) neatly summarizes why you should care:

"All of your current Internet marketing plans depend on Net Neutrality. And likely a lot that you do online outside the scope of business depends on it too. Net Neutrality allows everyone to compete on a level playing field and is the reason that the Internet is a force for economic innovation, civic participation and free speech."

Technorati Tags: neutrality, Internet, telco

MySpace, from Another Angle

It's impossible to avoid the media's infatuation with the MySpace phenomenon, particularly the focus on the site's rapid growth and impressive membership numbers.

Mike Davidson has a different take on MySpace, and suggests that poor user experience is hurting the company's bottom line. His suggestion: Reduce page views.


Technorati Tags: myspace, metrics, advertising

RSS on the Rise

I'm telling many of my clients to pay attention to RSS.

Apparently I'm not the only one saying this:



Technorati Tags: rss, advertising

Answer to a Common Question

What's the household penetration of broadband Internet access?

Answer (via Ad Age):



Technorati Tags: adage, broadband

Brand Name Searches Can Miss the Mark

Here's a quick test: Visit your favorite search engine and enter your company's name. Then, note your company's site ranking from that search.

I talk with too many marketers who assume that owning a name naturally leads to a leading organic search position. That isn't so. Now, ClickZ reports on Hitwise research that shows that 15% of brand-name searchers are diverted to competitors's, comparison shopping and affiliate sites.

Lack of attention to organic and paid search terms can aggravate the situation:

"The number of brand-related searchers diverted away from a brand's site can also be affected by other words associated with the trademark. When people searched for 'allstate,' for example, 83 percent ended up on the brand's Web sites. But when 'allstate insurance' was the search term, only 74 percent of searchers found their way to the company's sites."

The simple lesson: Monitor your brand related search terms and continually optimize to insure that these searches lead to your site, and not your competitors's.

Technorati Tags: search, brand, hitwise, clickz

State of the Blogosphere

Take a moment to read David Sifry's latest overview of blogosphere growth. A key number: The blogosphere is 60 times larger than it was three years ago.

And the growth continues to accelerate.


Technorati Tags: technorati, sifry, blogosphere

Upcoming PRSA Seminar

May 9 I'm leading the afternoon session of the 2006 PRSA Tarheel Chapter professional development seminar. The agenda: technology, social media, and measurement. I'm looking forward to a lively discussion.


Technorati Tags: prsa, seminar