The surprise acquisition that rocked the tech world, Google knows the results of the election first, Walmart drops the prices on Amazon's unlimited shipping, Facebook's Instant Articles mean an uneven playing field for publishers, why there won't be an Uber for everything, Reddit launches a video content unit, Spotify prepares for a major announcement this week, getting fired for disabling a GPS tracking app, creatives need data too, a major report on digital trends and more, it's This Week in Digital.
A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry.
Each week, we compose a newsletter that includes a series of links about current events and trends in the worlds of technology, business, digital communications and marketing in order to keep leaders up to date on changes, newsworthy items and content that might be useful in your job. Please subscribe - either to the full feed or just to this newsletter to keep up to date on developments.
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Industry
- In a move that very few people saw coming, Verizon acquired AOL. (Verizon)
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- Some of the content sites like TechCrunch, Huffington Post and Engadget may be spun off, but the deal is more about advertising technology (specifically targeting) and the addition of web video, which is a hot segment. (Stratechery)
- But as much as the two try to sell this as being all about the customer, it is not. It's all about them.
- Yet the pair still have legacy reputation issues to overcome. Remember when Verizon did this? Best quote seen last week related to this: "Now in one offering I can get the cutting-edge technology AOL is famous for along with Verizon's world-class customer service." - George Tannenbaum
- You're a busy digital executive. So go through this checklist of 20 most useful mobile apps for business and get updated. (Marketing Land)
- Companies that create their own online communities are seeing double digit growth. (Science Daily)
- We're running out of Internet addresses. You'd better get yours soon. (WSJ)
- Walmart is giving Amazon a run for its money with unlimited shipping for $50 a year. If there's any retailer that has the scale and the capacity to do it, it's Walmart. (Reuters)
- Google Search knew before the pollsters or the media that the Conservatives would beat the Liberal Democrats and the Labour party in the UK elections. (Daily Mail)
Platforms
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- Google+ is getting a makeover with Collections, a Pinterest-like display of topics of interest. They're not quite dead yet. ("I'm getting better..."). (re/code)
- Taking a new approach to enterprise security, Google is moving all of its corporate applications to the cloud. Coca-Cola, Verizon and Mazda are doing similar things. It would be interesting to see major cloud providers do that as well. #putyourmoneywhereyourmouthis (WSJ CIO)
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- Facebook announced its new Instant Articles feature, giving major publishers and media companies the ability to create content that will be hosted directly on Facebook, while maintaining control over their stories, brand experience and monetization. (Facebook)
- One of the fascinating points of the terms is that the revenue that they generate will stay with the media companies: "Publishers can sell ads in their articles and keep the revenue, or they can choose to use Facebook's Audience Network to monetize unsold inventory." Initial partners are the New York Times, National Geographic, BuzzFeed and The Atlantic. (AdAge)
- But in changing its status to "married," the New York Times may be entering the Hotel California. (Medium - Dave Pell)
- Facebook is opening its photo carousel ads to mobile app advertisers. It's less expensive and more engaging than single-photo ads. (AdAge)
- You may soon have the ability to choose which friends and pages appear at the top of your news feed. (AdWeek)
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- Twitter may have an issue with how it handles its relationships with media companies in the wake of the heavy use of Periscope during live paid events such as the recent Mayweather-Pacquiao boxing match. (re/code)
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- Periscope / Meerkat
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- You can't say we didn't see this coming: Periscope is going to be the target of intellectual property lawyers as the mobile streaming video service invades things like the boxing match or popular shows like The Game of Thrones. (Variety)
- Meerkat isn't taking the Twitter social graph lock-out lying down. In a new arrangement, Meerkat streams will be pulled directly into Facebook. Of course, since Facebook isn't a real-time platform, it remains to be seen how effective this will be. (re/code)
Collaborative Economy
- In the sharing economy, the value of ownership is decreasing. According to a PricewaterhouseCoopers report, the convenience and spirit of trust and community fostered by the sharing economy are the main drivers. (eMarketer)
- It's the spring, so Uber is raising more money. Expected to raise $1.5 to $2 billion in the next round, the car-hailing app will be valued around $50 billion. (WSJ)
- A reporter went undercover as an Uber driver. The conversations and discoveries are fascinating. (CityPaper)
- Uber is joining the bidding for Here, Nokia's Mapping Service. This is the main competitor to Google Maps. Based on a couple of UberX rides we've taken, they need it. (New York Times)
- There's seemingly an Uber for everything now: to do your laundry, cook your dinner, mailing packages, massage therapists, alcohol, suitcase packing and even medical marijuana. (WSJ)
- Not so fast - Boris argues that there's a reason there won't be an Uber for every vertical. It comes down to this: it has to be a commoditized service with a high purchase frequency that is truly time-sensitive. (versionone)
- And the Uber for investors Carl Icahn just invested $100 million in Lyft, which he described as a "tremendous bargain," given that Lyft is valued around $2.5 billion. (Bloomberg)
Content
- Part of creating compelling content is mastering the art of good writing. Josh Bernoff covers 10 tips on writing and the psychology behind them. (without bullshit)
- Reddit is launching a division that will create original video, at first focusing on the AMA (ask me anything). (The Verge)
- Here's a free template: the social media content calendar that every marketer needs. (Hubspot)
- A very rich study on the impact of content marketing vs. native advertising, including a look at the landscape, an analysis of effectiveness, and a look at ROI. (Moz)
Have you got your ticket yet for Content Marketing World 2015 in September? Thousands attend this signature event for the content marketing industry - you can register here.
[Disclosure: affiliate link]
Audio
- Are mainstream podcasts like Serial and Invisibilia damaging the independent podcaster? Like Shel Holtz, I believe they're actually good for the industry. (Holtz Communication + Technology)
- Streaming is the future. Warner Music Group says the streaming revenue has now passed downloads for the first time. (re/code)
- Adding to the mix of streaming audio providers, Rdio is launching a $3.99 a month streaming service. While less expensive than the competition, the number of available downloads is limited. Whether or not that level of subscription is sustainable will depend on a number of factors, including the profitability of the competition and its own burn rate. (BuzzFeed)
- Spotify is a case in point. Over the last year its losses have tripled - albeit during a time when it was spending more money on licensing, expansion and product development. With approximately 25% of its subscribers choosing the paid plan, it has the membership. But recent disputes with artists may affect the royalty rate. (Mashable)
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- Speaking of which, songwriters are beginning to question the old ASCAP royalty rates that are paid to them to make the revenue split a little more equitable. (NPR)
- Spotify will have a news conference on Wednesday, May 20. Pundits speculate that they'll be getting into video and podcasts. (Mashable)
- Meanwhile, ahead of its own Beats relaunch, Apple is aggressively pushing music labels to cut off free streaming from Spotify. And now the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission are interested. Fear makes people behave in strange ways, doesn't it? (The Verge)
Metrics / Measurement / Data
- While creatives rely on instinct, they might approach data like Sherlock Holmes. Look at the data first for insights, rather than looking for data to back up their assumptions. "Data! data! data! I can't make bricks without clay." (The Drum)
- Are marketers measuring their business value? Yes and no. While they are measuring things like revenue growth, acquisition of new customers and contribution to the pipeline, there's still room for improvement. (eMarketer)
- We've had "who's viewed your profile" for some time on LinkedIn. Now, you can see analytics for who's viewed your posts on LinkedIn. (TechCrunch)
- Thought leadership is and important of your marketing mix. Whether it's public speaking, guest writing, curation or something else, how do you measure thought leadership? ({grow})
- In the age of the selfie, vanity capital is the term reserved for measuring the impact of narcissism - goods that enhance our appearance or prestige. And according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch, it's about $4.5 trillion a year. (Quartz)
Privacy / Security / Legal
- Have you tried Microsoft's How-Old.net yet? Don't take it personally if it doesn't get your age (or even your gender!) right. It's part of improving facial-recognition technology. But beware: you should read the fine print about the site, lest you end up surprised when your image appears in Microsoft's advertising. (Fast Company)
- Is it your right to complain about an experience or service on Yelp? These lawmakers want to make sure that it is. (CIO)
- After the app her employer installed on her phone began tracking her 24 hours a day, an employee disabled it and was promptly fired. (The Verge)
When You Have the Time: Essential Watching / Listening / Reading
- Here are 25 daily habits that will make you smarter. (Business Insider)
- The revolution will be digitized. Quantifying metrics about consumers - from online interactions to data from wearables - you will be tracked. We're on a collision course between big business driven by data and the shrinking era of privacy. Are you ready? (Washington Post)
- The Society of Digital Agencies (SoDA) has produced its first 2015 report on digital trends for brands and agencies, and it is chock full of insights. (Slideshare)
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- C-level executives are showing an unprecedented interest in digital marketing research and insights.
- Half of agencies report consulting with clients on products and offerings.
- The top 3 things that clients want: expertise in emerging trends, marketing creativity and customer-centric marketing.
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This post appeared first on scottmonty.com
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