Google announced the launch of an official search blog Thursday, sending a message to marketers and those searching for content on the importance of search engine marketing and search activities across its portfolio of Web sites. The tech giant rolled out Inside Search to help brands, marketers and consumers find frequent updates on the nuances of search and its engineering team. This is part of Google's ongoing effort to keep users informed. Previously, Google posted information on search features and improvements on the official Google blog and Webmaster Central. Now, the topic will have its own space. "We have more engineers working on search than any other product, and each one of us has stories to tell," writes Amit Singhal, Google Fellow. Search engine marketing and the data that comes from the medium continues to grow in importance. Companies utilizing display ads use the data to help target and remarket products to consumers. The Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization and data firm Econsultancy released a report early this year that estimates companies will spend $19.3 billion in 2011 -- up 16%. The uptick will be spurred on by local search and mobile. BIA/Kelsey forecasts local search advertising revenue will reach $8.2 billion by 2015, up from $5.1 billion in 2010.
In need of some good news, AOL's network of sites saw visitors stay about 5% longer in April, according to new data from Nielsen. From home and work computers, Google remained the most-visited site in the U.S. in April, with 150 million unique visitors. While 194.8 million Americans went online in April, overall Internet use was down 2.4% from March. Still, YouTube increased U.S. visitors month-over-month, with average visitors spending 2.9% more time on the video hub in April. The site hit an all-time high that month, as their U.S. viewers consumed 8.7 billion streams: up 7% month-over-month. Partly due to the fewer days in April, U.S. consumers spent slightly less time online -- 3.8% less time, on average -- and visited fewer unique sites compared to March. Yet despite the slight monthly decline in time spent, Nielsen estimates that Internet access at home and work grew to 244 million individuals in the U.S. in April. Wikipedia managed to leapfrog over Apple to become the eighth-most-visited site in April -- even with questions about the dedication of its contributors. In addition, Americans streamed 14.7 billion videos in April -- the most streams ever in a month, according to Nielsen. While the number of videos streamed increased, however, total viewing time actually decreased during the period. There were 141.4 million unique U.S. video viewers who spent an average of 4 hours, 31 minutes viewing video over the course of the month, per Nielsen. AOL Media Network and The CollegeHumor Network saw the largest month-over-month increase in unique viewers -- up 13% and 11%, respectively -- placing them just ahead of Hulu, which was the sixth top video brand in March. New to the list of most heavily used sites with double-digit gains in streams from March were Dailymotion -- up 61% -- AOL Media Network - up 31% -- and Megavideo -- up 25%.
Retail sales of mobile communication devices grew 19% to nearly 428 million units during the first quarter from a year ago, according to new data from Gartner. Of that total, smartphones accounted for nearly one-quarter (23.6%), marking an 85% increase from the same period in 2010. "This share could have been even higher, but manufacturers announced a number of high-profile devices during the first quarter of 2011 that would not ship until the second quarter of 2011," said Roberta Cozza, a principal analyst at Gartner. "We believe some consumers delayed their purchases to wait for these models." The research firm said the Japan earthquake and tsunami would have a lesser impact on the mobile market than initially anticipated. Currently, some six to seven weeks worth of inventory of finished products are in the pipeline, and about four weeks worth of inventory for components. Gartner estimates that manufacturers' sales to third parties will fall in the second quarter, while retail sales will be flat. In the first quarter, Apple more than doubled iPhone sales from a year ago to 16.9 million globally, with growth in all regions. The company's signature device is now sold in 90 countries. "Considering the higher-than-average price of the iPhone, this is a remarkable result and highlights the impact that a strong aspirational brand can have on a product," said Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner. Samsung had its strongest first quarter ever as it shifted to higher-end smartphones such as the Galaxy line. The 68.8 million units Samsung sold overall gave it a 16% share of the device market, second only to Nokia's 25%. Nokia's share, however, marked a 5.5% drop from a year ago to its lowest level since 1997. While the trend from feature phones to smartphones is accelerating in mature markets, smartphones overall are being marketed to a wider range of customers. In that vein, manufacturers -- including HTC, Sony Ericsson, Alcatel and ZTE -- announced a broader portfolio of mid-tier, mostly Android devices that will become available in the second quarter. Android continued to dominate the battle among the smartphone operating systems, with a 36% share of handset retail sales worldwide in the first quarter. Symbian phones accounted for 27.4%, the iPhone 16.8%, Research in Motion 12.9%, and Microsoft 3.6%. Gartner noted that Microsoft sold only 1.6 million Windows Phone 7 devices after launching its new mobile platform at the end of 2010. The firm expects, however, that the software giant's alliance with Nokia will help accelerate Windows Phone sales over time.
Given the current state of the law, the Federal Trade Commission might be powerless to prevent many app developers from collecting or selling information about mobile users, consumer protection chief David Vladeck told a Senate panel on Thursday. That's because many apps lack privacy policies, Vladeck said at a hearing of the Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Insurance Subcommittee. The absence of such policies, he added, "makes things more difficult for us." Vladeck explained that the FTC typically brings charges based on either deceptive business practices or unfair conduct. When app developers violate their privacy policies -- such as by sharing users' information after promising not to do so -- the FTC can target the developers for engaging in deceptive practices. But when apps have no privacy policy, the FTC can't accuse the companies of breaking their promises to users. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) questioned whether the sharing of user information by app developers could in itself constitute an unfair practice. Vladeck said that the answer would depend on several factors, including whether consumers were injured. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, said he believed that consumers' expectations of privacy in their mobile devices were not being met. Addressing witnesses from Facebook, Google and Apple, he asked: "How do you work with consumers so that they can understand the information that's being collected about them? They have that right. It comes along with the purchase price... They're not getting that, however." Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), chairman of the consumer protection subcommittee, added that the mobile world "lacks basic parameters" in best practices for privacy. "Where are the opt-out options? Where are the privacy policies?" Pryor asked. "The mapping of consumers' movement without consent is unacceptable," he added. "An application that transfers a consumers' location data to ad networks without informing the user is deeply troubling." Kerry and Rockefeller recently introduced different online privacy bills. Rockefeller's proposal tasks the FTC with creating regulations that would establish standards for a universal do-not-track mechanism. Kerry's bill also would require ad networks to notify consumers about online data collection and allow them to opt out of anonymous behavioral targeting, but doesn't specifically mention a do-not-track mechanism. Vladeck said in his testimony that although the FTC has not taken a position on whether new laws are necessary, it "supports the approach" laid out by Rockefeller. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) questioned Vladeck on the FTC's call for a do-not-track mechanism that would allow users to opt out of online tracking by ad networks. She said that behavioral advertising, or sending targeted ads to people based on the sites they visit, is what has "made the whole Internet free." (Current estimates, however, say behavioral targeting accounts for only a fraction of online ad revenue.) Vladeck responded that the ad industry has long said that people should be able to opt out of behavioral targeting. "They're comfortable with a business model where consumers have choice," he said.
Skyword, a 6-month-old Boston-based start-up, is combining search with online content creation to generate traffic for sites such as Pampers. com and Infoboom, an IBM community for mid-size businesses. Speaking on a digital trends panel put together by Omnicom Media Group search agency Resolution Media, Skyword founder and CEO Tom Gerace said the IBM campaign began earlier this week. Skyword determines what content mid-size businesses are searching for, then enlists a few dozen bloggers and other writers to create that content for the Infoboom site. The material is then optimized to show up in news search results, with the results linking directly to Infoboom. For Pampers, a similar process is used with "mom" topics. According to Skyword's Web site, clients using its "search-driven media" include Everyday Health and the Spanish-language media company ImpreMedia. Investors in the company include Allen & Company, Progress Ventures and American Public Media Group. Also on the Resolution Media panel, Jesse Haines, head of Google's mobile ads marketing team, said the company has just launched a mobile version of its Ad Preference Manager, which allows users to remove or add categories to control ads on sites running Google display ads.
Having succeeded with "sponsored posts," Gawker Media is now testing "sponsored discussions," founder Nick Denton revealed during the Clio Conference, Thursday in New York. Also at the conference, Thrillist co-founder and CEO Ben Lerer said that Thrillist Rewards, in which New York events are "curated" and discounted for Thrillist's young male audience, "has worked so well" since its January launch that it will now be expanded to other markets. Denton, who said Gawker's sponsored discussions are now in beta, gave an example of AT&T addressing consumers' complaints about network cell coverage in New York and San Francisco. By having an engineer, not a PR person, comment on "why it's difficult to improve the network -- here's what we're doing," he said, "you can turn people around." David Carr, The New York Times media columnist who interviewed Denton for the conference, said he has not clicked on a Web ad for five years. "But I was watching 'Justified' last night, and the eTrade baby came on. I want to hear what he has to say. They're telling stories. Why isn't the Web doing that?" "I like TV ads more than I like Web ads," concurred Denton. "I want ads of that quality on our site...I'm fine with running 15-second spots." When Carr asked why so much Web advertising looks horrible, Denton blamed the need for "measurability," saying that the system was developed to reduce average CPMs by putting too many ads on the page. Glam Media founder/chairman/CEO Samir Arora told the audience that online ads must combine "interactivity" with the "engagement" found in TV ads and the "emotion" found in print ads. But he added that they also need "volume, reach and quantity" to reach their full potential.
This week, when they weren't preoccupied insisting they don't have a "frat boy" or "locker room" corporate culture, ESPN said it would consider adding more NASCAR programming if the NFL season plays out in a courtroom rather than on turf. Before they protest too much, ESPN might want to note that the Preakness, having banned "frat boy" partying, saw attendance drop like a stone and is now trying to position the race as "downtown Madison after the Badgers beat Notre Dame in a home game" (something that generally results in a burned car or two, arrests and a raft of "How did I get here?" morning-after queries). But seriously, can cars pointlessly circling a track -- while spectators hold up "Show Me Your Tits" signs in the vast parking lot/campground and wait patiently for spectacular crashes -- break the relentless boredom of watching cars burn through about a gallon of gas every 4.5 miles or so? Sorry, ESPN, not an acceptable alternative. But here are a few that are: Friday Night Fights: Put Keith Olbermann in a ring against his immediate management superiors at ESPN, Fox Sports Net and MSNBC and let them settle things in a manly way rather than whispering their discontent to journalists. Erin Andrews (R): Given her career decline -- including the dubious decision to appear on "Dancing with the Stars" -- and since everyone on the planet has already seen her naked in the hotel peephole pix, why not capitalize on her few remaining years as a hot body and launch a pay-per-view show where she dries her hair in higher resolution? Intervention Denied: An hour-long series that tosses softball questions to professional athletes who have done really dumb shit stuff -- from injecting growth hormones to deciding not to play, to sending nude photos via social media, to having an affair after every round, to shooting their drivers -- so that they can explain to us that they are "just human" and should not be "held up as role models."Real Friday Night Lights: Continue featuring match-ups between powerhouse high school football teams from around the country so that the pressure to be featured on Intervention Denied can build during the formative years. Along with the usual concussions and disabling orthopedic injuries. Title Nine Showcase: Live broadcasts of women's sports that enjoyed the most growth since Title Nine passed in 1972: basketball, volleyball, soccer, cross country and softball. Line up Ronco as primary sponsor. Try not to slate all of the cross country at 4 a.m. Have wrestlers, left over from historically the most dropped male sport as a result of Title Nine, provide color commentary. Stupid Sports Plays: Steal a page from Tosh 2.0 and show an hour or so worth of little kids catching grounders with their chins or testicles, failed skateboard and dirt bike jumps, etc. Will save time searching and seeing if the YouTube videos recommended by friends are really all that funny. Stupid Fan Plays: Roll a weekly hour of videos of sports fans being assholes (OK, maybe two or three hours) reminding the majority of Americans why they don't spend $75 per seat (plus parking, plus $9 beers and $7 hot dogs) to see a game in person. The Bottom Rung: Yes, even D3-level football games are preferable to car races. Trust me.