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- “We promise not to screw it up”: Yahoo buys Tumblr for $1.1bn
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Yahoo has bought blogging platform Tumblr for $1.1bn (£725m) in cash, with CEO marisa Mayer pledging “not to screw it up” in a blog post.
- Mobile advertising tools and technology – AdMob network gets boost from AdWords and other Google tools
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Google has started rolling out a major upgrade to the AdMob mobile advertising sales network in a major upgrade for mobile advertising tools and technology that leverages a suite of Google tools including AdWords and conversion optimisation techniques.
- Branded Vine videos ‘4 times more likely to be shared than standard videos’
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Twitter’s 6 second video platform Vine is becoming a hot new channel for marketers, according to new research from Unruly media.
- Guest comment: Omnichannel Marketing – So Much More Than Just Mobile
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Is it possible to create a truly ‘omni-channel’ experiece for customers, given how fragmented the PC, mobile and tablet markets are? Katharine Hulls, VP Marketing at Celebrus Technologies, outlines the key steps organisations can take to address the multi-device conundrum and gain real understanding of individual customers.
- Two thirds of Brits 'not aware of the smart watch concept'
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Less than a third of people in the UK have any idea what a “smart watch” is, at a time when global technology brands such as Apple and Samsung are strongly rumoured to be developing these wearable devices, according to a new report.
- Top 10 most visible news sites on Google UK: BBC and Guardian ahead of Daily Mail
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Stories from the BBC website are most likely to be displayed in news results in Google.co.uk search results, ahead of The Guardian and the Daily Mail, according to new research from search and social analytics leader, Searchmetrics.
- Ex-Groupon boss to launch album of ‘motivational business music’
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Former Groupon CEO Andrew Mason is to launch an album of "motivational business music" and plans to launch a new company in the US.
- Mobile case study: Coca-Cola targets outdoor families with biggest mobile promotion yet
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Coca-Cola has embarked on its biggest summer promotion to, putting mobile and social at the core of its North American marketing this year to connect with consumers while outdoors.
- Everest explorer makes world’s highest video call (video)
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In the early hours of Sunday morning, HTC and British explorer Daniel Hughes successfully completed the world’s first video call from the top of Mount Everest, using the HTC One.
- Yahoo to buy blogging giant Tumblr for $1.1bn- report
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The board of Yahoo has approved a deal to buy blogging and social networking site Tumblr for $1.1bn in cash, according to a news report.
- Android vs Apple: Which gets the most downloads and revenue?
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There are now 900 million Android devices in the world, compared to around 500 million iOS devices, but which is generating the most engagement (and cash)? New data indicates that Apple still leads the way, but Android is catching fast in terms of downloads and revenue.
- YouTube tells Microsoft to remove ad-free Windows Phone video app
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YouTube has warned Microsoft that it needs to remove a video app from its Windows Phone store that blocks Google’s ads.
- Extending reach of Twitter messages – new deal with Yahoo
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In the social media battle between Facebook and all other providers, this deal between Yahoo and Twitter is the latest alliance – and it’s good news for marketers wanting to extend the reach of Twitter messages.
- Organic posting most popular social media tactic… but paid ads are most successful
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Branded pages and organic posts on social media sites are not enough to produce an effective social marketing strategy, according to a new study.
- Google unites 15GB of free storage on Gmail, Drive and Google+
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Google has unified its cloud storage services to give its users more flexibility on ways to store their data across Drive, Gmail and Google+, as the internet giant ramps up its rivalry with Dropbox.
- Guest comment: For online customer service, seeing is believing
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For every online prospect who’s converted to a paying customer via the addition of live web-chat or free call-back facilities to their web store, a further three to ten times as many online prospects will purchase a product if they can see the agent they’re speaking to, says Dylan Fuller, UK country manager at Whisbi.
- Nintendo to profit from ads on user generated YouTube videos
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Nintendo is get a share of the YouTube ad revenues from user generated videos featuring its games, sparking complaints from some of its fans.
- The rise of the 4 screen household: Tablet sharing creates new channel for media and retail
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Nearly one-quarter of the GB population (23%) has access to four screens at home (TV, computer, smartphone and tablet) compared to only 11% six months ago, according to a new report.
- Morrisons to launch online shopping with Ocado next year
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UK supermarket chain Morrisons has struck a deal with Ocado to launch an online grocery service by January 2014.
- Right to reply: Facebook video ads need to be short and relevant
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Facebook is rumoured to be planning video ads to rival YouTube. Adrian Moxley, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of visual classification company WeSEE looks at that the social network need to do to ensure it can compete with Google and please users at the same time.
- Dell profits drop 79% as takeover battle continues
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Dell has seen its net profits drop 79% as consumers ditch PCs and laptops for smartphones and tablets.
- Case study: Easyroommate reduces customer calls by 75% with Eptica web self-service
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Flatshare site Easyroommate transformed its customer experience and productivity by deploying Eptica’s multichannel customer service platform across its email and web channels. This case study shows how customer service calls have reduced by 75%, email handling time by 58% and First Contact Resolution has increased to above 90%.
- Google lets users send money via Gmail
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Google has introduced a new dollar-sign icon for Gmail attachments, letting users transfer money via its Google Wallet service.
- Smartphone wars: Android has shipped 4 times more than Apple in 2013 (so far)
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Android continued its dominance of the global smartphone market in the first quarter of 2013, accounting for 3 out of 4 smartphones sold, according to new data.
- UK digital publishing ad revenues rise 16%- video fuels growth
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UK digital publisher advertising revenues were up 16.2% in Q1 2013, versus the same period of the previous year, according to new research.
- Top 10 tips: Email marketing in 2013- cutting through the clutter
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Modern day marketers need to be aware that their brand messages are at risk of being swallowed up in the abyss that can be email marketing. John Watton, Senior Marketing Director at Silverpop, offers 10 tips to make sure your campaigns cuts through the clutter.
- 'Unsung hero' WordPress founder Mike Little honoured at SAScon
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A modest man from Stockport who co-founded the website content management system Wordpress is to be honoured for his outstanding contribution to digital media.
- Lightmaker revamps Wayne Rooney’s official website
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Agency Lightmaker has relaunched Premier League Footballer Wayne Rooney’s official website using responsive design to cater for multi-platform viewing.
- Right to reply: Google music streaming- the proof is in the price
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In response to the announcement of Google's music streaming service, Oleg Fomenko, Co-founder and CEO of Bloom.fm, argues that pricing will be key if the service is to success against competition.
- Is Google doing 'evil' over UK tax? (video)
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Google has been accused of ignoring its own mantra and doing "evil in using smoke and mirrors to avoid paying tax" by UK MPs this week.
- Warm weather boosts April ecommerce sales 16% as shoppers flock to travel sites
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Latest figures from the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index, reveal the impact the short spell of warm weather had on shoppers’ purse strings in April, recording a 16% rise on the same time last year. The Travel sector in particular saw a solid performance, increasing 16% year-on-year.
- Google woos local advertisers with Map ad icons
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Google has overhauled its popular Maps web service with more personalisation features and icons highlighting businesses running ads and promotions.
- The Sun ‘£2 a week’ paywall coming in August?
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The Sun is to become the latest national newspaper to charge for online content, with plans to charge readers £2 a week to read content online with access to Premier League football highlights, according to a news report.
- Google rivals WhatsApp with ‘Hangouts’ cross platform chat app
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Google has launched a cross-platform messaging app, letting users to have video chats, send text messages and swap pictures between Android and iOS devices as well its Chrome web browser.
- Google takes on Spotify with $10 music streaming service
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Google has launched a streaming music subscription service, taking on the likes of Spotify and Pandora.
- Facebook extends ‘structured updates’ to mobiles to boost targeting
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Facebook is expanding its ‘structured status updates’ to its mobile service, letting people add emotions and actions to their posts while on the move.
- Video viral of the week: Evian's dancing babies return to get 45m YouTube views
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Evian has refreshed its hugely successful ‘Evian babies’ campaign, with a new viral video that matches dancing adults to their toddler counterparts. Supported by baby face-changing app, the ad has notched up over 45 million views on YouTube. See why it’s our video viral of the week below…
- France mulls ‘culture tax’ on Google and Apple
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France is preparing to impose taxes on Apple and Google to finance the production of art, films and music in the country.
- UK marketers survey: 95% to increase digital spend in 2013 (infographic)
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95% of UK marketers will increase digital marketing spend in 2013, with 71% using digital for building brand awareness, according to new research.
- Unruly buys German viral video firm Shareifyoulike
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UK video ad technology firm Unruly has expanded into Germany through the acquisition of Germany's Shareifyoulike.
- EU data protection reform: Report warns of uncertainty
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Businesses are uncertain about what proposed new data protection laws would mean for them, according to a study commissioned by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
- Hotwire expands with San Francisco office launch
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Hotwire has launched an office in San Francisco, California, as the UK communications agency continues its expansion overseas.
- Tradedoubler adds ‘click to call’ option to ad formats
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Performance marketing network Tradedoubler is working with mobile ad firm Freespee to offer clickable phone numbers and tracking analytics to desktop and mobile display advertisers.
- Thomson challenges internet users to take a ‘One-Minute Holiday’
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Travel retailer Thomson has launched a new campaign encouraging Britain’s weary workforce to take an exotic break without leaving their desks.
- Blackberry extends free BBM chat app to Android and iOS
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BlackBerry’s popular chat app BBM is to launch on rival platforms for the first time, as the phone maker looks to capitalise on the growing demand for wi-fi alternatives to text messages.
- Guest comment: Shares before likes – the death of the vanity metric
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Measuring social media success, and the true value of a ‘like’, is a contentious issue. Rupert Staines, Managing Director UK and Europe, RadiumOne UK highlights the greater importance of shares on social media platforms over likes.
- UK ‘new global technology hub’ second only to the US
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The UK is now the second most attractive location in the world, after the United States, for high-flying professionals to relocate to, says a new report.
- Camden first London borough to get ‘free’ public wi-fi
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Camden is to become the first of 17 London boroughs to offer residents and visitors with free public wi-fi, but only for 30 minutes a day.
- Google axes SMS search portal
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Google has shut down its SMS search tool for mobile users without a data plan.
- A snapshot of digital Brazil: Portals and social media reap biggest ad revenues
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Brazilian web users spend 27 hours online per month, with social media and portals getting the most ad revenue, according to a new report.
- Hilton teams with Google for YouTube travel community
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Hilton has launched a user-generated travel community ‘DTour’ on YouTube, as the hotel chain looks to expand its digital reach.
- What Obama 2012 can teach us about direct marketing (event video)
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The Obama 2012 presidential campaign produced one of the most sophisticated direct marketing systems ever seen, pinpointing potential voters with the right messages delivered in the right format at crucial moments (helping to win the US election as a result). At last month’s DMA Technololgy Summit in London, Harper Reed, the campaign’s chief architect, revealed the secrets to its success and how 'micro-listening' can have wider applications for marketers.
- Roll over 4G? Samsung makes 5G mobile broadband breakthrough
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Samsung has claimed to have made a breakthrough in 5G, a mobile broadband service that would let users download films in a second with 100 times faster smartphones.
- Yahoo mulling Hulu bid?
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Yahoo is considering another bid for video streaming service Hulu, after negotiations with rival Dailymotion failed, according to reports.
- Creating a successful mobile app- an infographic guide
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More than 60% of apps are ‘never downloaded’ from Apple’s app store, and of those that are, one in four is abandoned after its initial use. This infographic from New Relic offers a step-by-step guide to creating an app that matching customer and business goals.
- Can Wikipedia predict the stock market?
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Wikipedia could have been used as early warning signs of stock market movements, according to a new study published this month in Scientific Reports.
- European mobile traffic trends: UK, Ireland and Russia lead the way
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In Europe, the computer is no longer the only access point for digital content. New data from comScore indicates that the UK, Ireland and Russia lead Europe for mobile traffic.
- Right to reply: Brands can’t afford to ignore social media complaints
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A recent survey by SirPortly and YouGov that revealed that Nearly half (46%) of UK consumers use social media for online purchasing decisions and over a third (35%) use it to vent about bad customer service. Steve Hurn, CEO of social commerce company Reevoo argues why brands can no longer avoid bad reviews online.
- 1 in 3 want more independent shops on UK high-streets- but they need to be mobile friendly
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Despite a spate of recent high-street failures, new research from shopping app Udozi reveals that there is light at the end of the tunnel for bricks and mortar stores.
- UK social media trends: Half of Brits use social for purchase decisions
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Nearly half (46%) of UK consumers use social media for online purchasing decisions and over a third (35%) use it to vent about bad customer service, according to new research.
- MCC launches new Lord’s website for cricket fans
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Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has re-launched its website, with a range of new features and developments for cricket fans.
- BitTorrent ‘Bundle’ offers legal downloads for customer contacts
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BitTorrent is launching a new online media format letting content creators offer downloads in exchange for ‘additional steps’ such as providing an email or a cash donation, as the firm looks to distance itself from piracy and provide an alternative distribution model for the creative industry.
- Social mums: Online ‘thumbs up’ crucial to parent purchasing decisions (infographic)
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Almost a third of UK mums have decided against purchasing a product after reading a post, comment or review on online, according to a new report and infographic from Diffusion.
- Bebo files for bankruptcy as shareholder battle continues
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Social networking site Bebo has filed a voluntary petition for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in California, following an ongoing battle between shareholders.
- World of Warcraft ‘lost a million users’ in 2013 so far
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World of Warcraft has lost more than one million subscribers in the first three months of 2013, as gamers leave for free to play alternatives.
- Top 20 sites in Russia
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Mail.Ru, Yandex, Google and VK are the most visited sites in Russia, but it’s the social networks that get most screentime, according to new data from ComScore.
- Right to reply: YouTube’s paid content channels show it cannot survive on advertising alone
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Last week saw YouTube unveil its paid subscription channels, letting users watch content such as national Georaphic and Sesame Street episodes online for a monthly channel fee as low as $0.99. Stuart Fuller, Director of Commercial Operations and Communications at NetNames, examines how the move needs to adapt to keep up with the shift to premium online video content.
- Right to reply: YouTube’s bid to become ‘first choice’ content platform
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Last week saw YouTube unveil its paid subscription channels, letting users watch content such as National Geographic and Sesame Street episodes online for a monthly channel fee as low as $0.99. Alistair Dent, head of PPC, Periscopix, sees the move as YouTube's next step towards becoming the ‘first choice’ platform for content creators- both large and small.
- UK luxury market to 'double by 2017'
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The UK luxury market is forecast to double in size over the next five years, increasing in value to £12.2 billion in 2017, in comparison to £6.6 billion in 2012, according to new research.
- Content management ‘key to driving positive customer experiences’
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Only 38% of companies believe their content management system (CMS) facilitates a brand-enhancing digital presence, according to new research published today.
- YouTube takes on Amazon and Netflix with paid TV channels
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YouTube is testing paid channels on its website, charging user from $0.99 a month to watch select content such as full Sesame Street episodes or the National Geographic Kids channel.
- Facebook to buy mobile mapping firm Waze for $1bn?
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Facebook is in talks to buy Israeli mobile satellite navigation start-up Waze for $800m to $1bn, according to a news report.
- UK adspend hits £17bn- first time since 2007
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Total advertising spend in the UK reached £17.172bn in 2012, up 2.3% on 2011 according to figures released this week in the AA/Warc Expenditure Report.
- Right to reply: Windows 8 revamp- one size doesn’t fit all?
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This week saw Microsoft announce that it is revamping its ‘multi-platform’ Windows 8 operating system after complaints from users. Mark Curtis, Chief Client Officer, at service design consultancy Fjord argues that what works on one platform doesn’t necessarily translate to another, especially if that translation is too literal.
- Guest comment: The birth of Digital Database Marketing
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There is considerable business value to be gained by merging traditional database marketing techniques and digital analytics data. Katharine Hulls, VP Marketing, Celebrus Technologies, highlights examples of how to bring together these disciplines and feed a digital database marketing team with streams of highly granular online data.
- Just 1 in 10 businesses ‘ready for internet address overhaul’
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The majority of UK businesses are failing to prepare for the changing nature of the internet and the introduction of generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs), according to a new survey.
- BT takes on Sky with Sports channel
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BT has secured rights to 38 live Premier League matches, British rugby union and the women's tennis tour, with plans to offer its new sports channels "as good as free" to existing customers.
- Huggies ‘TweetPee’ app tells parents to change baby’s diaper
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Diaper manufacturer Huggies has teamed up with creative agency Ogilvy Brazil to create ‘Huggies TweetPee’; a gadget and app that lets parents know when their baby needs a change in diaper.
- Charity case study: Torrent Your Blood Campaign
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The Blood Transfusion Service in Russia wanted a digital project that could connect with people in a different kind of way, and what agency SmartNewSolutions came up with was a “Torrent” project, with a twist.
- Video case study: IKEA tells ‘kitchen stories’ with multiple viewpoints
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This campaign from IKEA Russia allowed consumers to take part in a ‘kitchen story’ and experience their kitchens.
- Case study: Persil 'Garden of Freshness' game drives brand engagement
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Is the internet the right medium to advertise a low involvement product like laundry detergent? This slide presentation case study from Alexandra Zadoya from OMD Russia looks at how a Persil campaign in Russia used social gaming in innovative ways to drive brand engagement and sales.
- Video case study: M&M's 'Love Triangle' social story gets 2 millions fans
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Back in 2011, confectionary brand Mars ran a three month social media campaign in Russia, centred around a love triangle between their iconic M&M’s characters. This video case study looks at how the campaign attracted millions of fans and sales support.
- Facebook planning video ads to rival YouTube?
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Facebook is planning to put video ads in newsfeeds from July, as the social network looks to rival Google’s YouTube.
- YouTube ‘to charge from $1.99’ for subscription channels
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Google will charge from $1.99 per month (£1.28) for each YouTube channel on its new premium selection, according to a new report.
- Digital Marketing in Russia: Yandex, VK and Mail.RU lead the way (Infographic)
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Russia is the sixth largest country in the world in terms of internet users, overtaking the UK, Indonesia and Germany in recent years. Despite this, there remains huge scope for growth. This infographic looks at the key digital players in the country, across social, mobile, email, search and video sectors.
- AccuWeather debuts 30-day forecasts
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Weather app AccuWeather has extended its forecasts to 30-days, helping people plan events up to a month ahead of time.
- Third of Brits ‘expect to be victims of online ID fraud in future’
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Over a third (36%) of Britons believe that online identity fraud or information theft is unavoidable in the future, according to a new study.
- 93% of consumer magazines lack full cross platform support
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Most consumer magazines surveyed in the UK, US and Germany have yet to offer brands complete cross-platform digital experiences, according to a new report.
- Right to reply: YouTube’s new subscription charges- don’t get lost in the clutter
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YouTube is to start charging for subscription channels, but does this offer a new channel for businesses, or is it a dead end? Roy Kimani, CEO of Nideo warns companies looking at YouTube to be careful of getting lost in the clutter.
- New mobile boss at Rubicon Project
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Advertising automation company Rubicon Project has recruited Paul Gubbins to lead the growth of its mobile project across EMEA.
- Kids warned off Google Glass for health reasons
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Google has discouraged children under the age of 13 from using its upcoming Glass eyewear, citing health reasons.
- Dawn of ‘wiki weapons’? First 3D printable gun hits internet
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As 3D printers go mainstream, one Texas law student has created the schematics for a 3D printable single-use gun, making them freely available online.
- Right to reply: Google starts to prepare us for the world of the new gTLDs
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From summer 2013, hundreds of new generic Top Level Domains (or gTLDs) will begin to appear in the online space, resulting in a whole universe of new web extensions, such as .nike, .london and even foreign script extensions. Stuart Fuller, director of commercial operations and communications at NetNames comments on Google preparing for new gTLDs.
- Pfizer to sell Viagra online to compete with fraudsters
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Pfizer is to sell its patented Viagra drug online for the first time, as the drugs maker looks to counter the trade in counterfeit pills.
- Digital ad spend in Latin America: Brazil to lead growth
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Digital ad spend in Latin America is set to double by 2016, with Brazil leading the way, according to new research.
- Microsoft revamps Windows 8 after user complaints
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Microsoft is to change 'key aspects' of its Windows 8 operating system, after a raft of complaints from users.
- Poundworld gets £2m turnover from ‘Discount Wholesale’ website
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Working with full service digital marketing division of eCommerce specialist PureNet, retail giant Poundworld has reached over £2million turnover for its wholesale division since launching its website.
- Brazilians turn to web for travel plans
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The Brazilian travel site audience has nearly tripled in the past 3 years, with 1 in 3 online users visiting the now visiting the category, according to research.
- Amazon sells apps in China for first time
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Amazon has launched its first paid-for Android apps in China, beating Google, which has offered only free apps.
