Google Analytics


Google has just released analytics for free. That's right, FREE. I'm sure that Shawn Inman is rethinking his mint strategy as we speak to better position it as a value-add. And with MeasureMap by Adaptive Path coming out soon, the arena is about to get very interesting.

I, for one, think it is great what Google is doing. IMHO they are one of the leading innovators, consistently. I have just added my sites today so that I can take it for a test drive, so I will be sure to post more on the offering soon.

Online Advertising Predictions For 2006

24/7 Media has posted their Online Advertising Predictions For 2006 in a recent press release.

1. Consumer-generated media will become increasingly attractive to advertisers

2. Advertisers will continue shifting traditional ad spending to the Web due to increased Internet consumption and better targeting/reporting capabilities

3. Advertisers, cable providers and interactive marketing experts will collaborate to address "The TiVo Effect"

4. Brand advertisers will drive the next wave of growth for the paid search market

5. Best practices in localized mobile marketing will be perfected overseas in 2006

6. Online advertisers will employ holistic targeting methods to deliver better results and reduce reliance on high-profile, high-CPM ad buys

7. Technology and better data access will transform online advertising success to a formulaic equation

8. Japan will be the next frontier for paid search and interactive marketing

9. Mobile carriers will adopt new ad models to boost revenue beyond usage

10. Performance-based pricing models will demonstrate the true value of search engine marketing (SEM) as a lead generation channel

$100 Laptop gains interest from Apple

Apple, sometimes known to know a good thing when they see it– has taken interest in the MIT laptop program lead by Nicholas Negroponte. Negroponte is looking to place the laptop in the hands of 100-150 million students. Steve Jobs has reportedly offered to provide free copies of OSX for each one, although Negroponte declined because the operating system isn't open source. The response to this project has been overwhelming, with Brazil, Thailand, and Tunisia already showing strong interest in the laptops. Even Gov. Mitt Romney (Mass.) has reportedly proposed $54 million to purchase laptops for every middle and high school student in his state.