Social Nets Disable Project Playlist Widget

"Facing the threat of litigation, Facebook has joined MySpace in disabling Project Playlist's popular widget, which lets users search for tracks and create digital mixtapes.
Project Playlist, headed by former Facebook COO Owen Van Nattan, is currently defending a lawsuit filed by three of the four major record labels. The hold-out, Sony BMG, just yesterday announced it had entered into an agreement with Project Playlist. Of course, with the widget now banned from the two major social networks, Sony might not see much of the revenue it expected from the new deal."
MediaPost Publications

MySpace's Berman: More Ad Products To Come

"MySpace has introduced a flurry of new applications and services as it transforms into an advertising-supported social portal, chasing the big bucks spent on Yahoo and Google's YouTube. It is aggressively leveraging its 75 million active monthly users, each with about 111 friends and spending an average of four hours monthly in ways that Madison Avenue and Hollywood cannot ignore."

MediaPost Publications :

Court Denies Class Action Certification In Google LawSuit

"Google recently won a battle in a lawsuit stemming from its 'parked domains' program when a court denied the case to go forward as a class-action.
The result is that the search giant will only have to defend itself against one company's trademark infringement and cybersquatting allegations, significantly limiting the search company's potential damages."

MediaPost Publications:

Google, Microsoft, Yahoo Rattle SEO In 2009

"Rival search engines and marketers will continue to fret over Google's market gains regardless of how the 'large actor' acts. Microsoft will 'dance and flounder' until cutting a deal with Yahoo toward the end of 2009. The Sunnyvale, Calif. company will need to first find a CEO--which Danny Sullivan, Search Engine Land founder, predicts could happen by February."
MediaPost Publications

ID theft protection firm LifeLock sued

"For a time, the ads were everywhere on TV and radio, the ones with the head of a security company brazenly challenging would-be thieves to try to steal his identity.
Richard Todd Davis, CEO of LifeLock Inc., was so confident in his company's ability to protect his identity that he publicly revealed his Social Security number: 457-55-5462."

The Charleston Gazette

Google’s Machiavellianism

"Google’s response to Microsoft’s bid for Yahoo may represent one of the most brilliant acts of corporate Machiavellianism in recent history. Two days after the hostile offer was announced, David Drummond, Google’s chief legal officer, wrote a post on Google’s blog opposing the deal and aligning itself with Jerry Yang, Yahoo’s co-founder and chief executive, who wanted to keep the company independent."
Bits Blog - NYTimes.com

Why Googlers Call Friend Connect “FriendSense”

"Soon websites that use Friend Connect will have a new option - add Adsense-like advertising within the Friend Connect and Open Social widgets that they’ve added to their websites. Publishers will get a percentage of the revenue generated from the advertising."

TechCrunch>

Credit Card Size Video Player Business Card

The EDG features a 2-inch LCD screen and a speaker. When purchasing an EDG, you can either have Jump Lab pre-load your desired content onto the player for you or do it yourself by means of the convenient USB port. The device is also USB charged. You can opt to have the front plate customized and have the content password protected, if you wish.

ABC News

Facebook Growing by 600,000 Users a Day

"Just two weeks ago Facebook reached the 130 million user landmark. As of yesterday, they have already reached 140 million users. At this pace, Facebook is now growing at 600,000 users per day. That’s about 7 users a second. By the time you finish reading this news story, at least 420 users will have joined Facebook."

Marketing Pilgrim:

What Will Google SERP Changes Mean for Reputation Management?

"Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) are going to get a lot more personalized moving into the future. It's already started, but will continue to become increasingly noticeable. This raises some questions not only about SEO and ranking, but how one manages their online reputation. The fact that different people will be seeing different results in a search for your name or your company's name is going to throw a few forks in the spokes of the online reputation management process."

WebProNews

Obama's Electronic Medical Records Initiative Brought to Digital Life!

"The EDG card provides the medical industry with a cost effective method to build and maintain an interactive relationship with patients, physicians, pharmacists, and other health care professionals.

Beyond its code-compliant design EDG is an affordable interactive information delivery tool that can be used as: a digital patient medical record and treatment starter kit, a patient portal to view brand and program updates, an in-store patient education platform for any HCP, a trade show giveaway. The end user views the content on a high-resolution LCD color screen with sound. About the size of a thick credit card, EDG makes it easy (no computer needed) for pharmaceutical companies to showcase their custom medical and health audio/video or slide show materials."

iReport.com:

2009 will be the Year of Adaptation

"For the last two years, I have heard the terms “Year of the Mobile” and “Year of Social Media” thrown around. 2009 will be the Year of Adaptation.
Search is changing, and marketers must adapt. Local search, personalized search, and universal search continue to change the organic game. Search engines are in a battle for market share and product improvements help them gain this step. Product improvements for a search marketer equal change, and that means adaptation."

SnydeySense - Dave Snyder

Google slips from most trusted list

"Google has stepped off the top 10 list for the most trusted U.S. companies for privacy, according to a report in theSan Francisco Chronicle.
The Internet search giant previously stood at the 10th ranking last year, but slipped off into the ether this year as the 6,500 people surveyed by the Ponemon Institute and Truste may have put Google into the 'big company syndrom,' the Chronicle story reported."

Digital Media - CNET News

C Level Tweeters

"The following is a list of confirmed C Level Executives that are using Twitter.

If you have names that should be added to this list, please send them - full name, title, agency/firm, and Twitter URL."
Buzz Marketing for Technology:

Advertisers Face Hurdles on Social Networking Sites - NYTimes.com

"Facebook’s ability to aim at particular demographic groups is impressive, Mr. McConnell told the club. As an experiment, he and a colleague set up an ad that would target all Facebook members who were 22- to 27-year old women, who worked for P.& G., were left-leaning and living in Cincinnati, and who liked sex and Cocoa Puffs. Facebook provided one person who perfectly fit the profile. Speaking not as an advertiser but as a prospective recipient of such highly personalized messaging, Mr. McConnell said, “I’m not so sure I want to be targeted like that.”"

Digital Domain - NYTimes.com:

Google Testing Enhanced Listings, “Pagelinks” & Auto-Spelling Correction

"Google is testing a number of changes to its search results, including a way for select publishers to enhance their page descriptions, a way for searchers to jump to sub-sections of a web page and automatically correcting misspelled queries, to some degree."

- if there is ONE person i respect when it comes to talking about Search, it's Danny Sullivan, he was the first and he is still the Best.

Danny Sullivan - Search Engine Land

Google Zeitgeist 2008

"2008 Year-End Google Zeitgeist
As the year comes to a close, it's time to look at the big events, memorable moments and emerging trends that captivated us in 2008. As it happens, studying the aggregation of the billions of search queries that people type into the Google search box gives us a glimpse into the zeitgeist — the spirit of the times. We've compiled some of the highlights from Google searches around the globe and hope you enjoy looking back as much as we do."

Google Zeitgeist 2008

Kmart Enlists Bloggers To Get The Good Word Out

"A sponsored social networking campaign enlisting the help of six well-known bloggers is yielding big buzz for Kmart and encouraging consumers to give the retailer another look during the critical holiday season. A sponsored social networking campaign enlisting the help of six well-known bloggers is yielding big buzz for Kmart and encouraging consumers to give the retailer another look during the critical holiday season."

MediaPost Publications

Razorfish files Patent to measure Social Media. What do you think?

"Well, now we've taken that a step further with a patent filed on how to measure social influence. This is one more proof point of how measurable and meaningful social influence marketing can be for marketers everywhere. Its not the whole solution but a key piece to understanding the measurement and why and how things go viral. Please tell me what you think about this. Is it a big deal, is it a no brainer, does it add value?Well, now we've taken that a step further with a patent filed on how to measure social influence. This is one more proof point of how measurable and meaningful social influence marketing can be for marketers everywhere. Its not the whole solution but a key piece to understanding the measurement and why and how things go viral. Please tell me what you think about this. Is it a big deal, is it a no brainer, does it add value?Well, now we've taken that a step further with a patent filed on how to measure social influence. This is one more proof point of how measurable and meaningful social influence marketing can be for marketers everywhere. Its not the whole solution but a key piece to understanding the measurement and why and how things go viral. Please tell me what you think about this. Is it a big deal, is it a no brainer, does it add value?"

Going Social Now:

URL Shortening Services

"Zi.ma is a powerful and SEO optimized service but packaged in an incredibly friendly and easy to use interface.

Zi.ma offers the ability to create short URLs at 19 characters, but also offers a customization tool to create personalized/vanity addresses and also provides the ability to create secure links and also URLs with expiration dates. Like Snurl, Zi.ma also includes the ability to batch process shorter URLs."

Brian Solis - PR 2.0

An Interview with Paisley by Jack Leblond

Thank you to @MelaniePhung for writing the questions.

Thanks to the following for their participation:

@almacy a Digital Strategy Expert
@melaniephung a DC SEO Strategist
@martinbowling a lover of Zima
@utahseopro a Utah SEO Consultant
@fairminder who offers Boston Website Design and SEO services
@cyandle a Google Adwords Professional
@melanienathan an Edmonton SEO Expert
@jackleblond a VP of Internet Strategy
@djpaisley a Digital Communications Strategist
@vinceblackham a Utah SEO specialist
@researchgoddess - Staffing Social Media Specialist
@monicawright a Maine SEO professional

THE QUESTIONS:

1. How long have you been working in Organic SEO and Internet Marketing and what attracted you to it?

I started doing online marketing in 1994 when i was gaming the rankings of thread postings on AOL for a few restaurants in Dallas, Texas. It started out as me building a website for the Criminal Justice students association for the University of Texas @ Tyler, then the webmaster and server admin for the university, while i was doing tech support for people connecting to the internet via modems. While figuring out how to rank for "Criminal Justice Students Assocation" on webcrawler (the only search engine in late 95). I actually was first for "criminal justice" and this attorney saw it and asked me if he paid me, could i build him a web site and make it pull up first. He paid well.

2. In your opinion, what's the measure of a good SEO/PR/Blogging professional?

hmm.. stay within the rules of Google Webmaster Guidelines, in terms of SEO, and in anything tell the truth at all times.


3. Whose Blog do you read the Most?

Hmm.. i would have to say @leeodden TopRank Online Marketing Blog

4. What's your best "SEO secret" or blogging tactic?

Unlike like most bloggers who actually write, i tend to just blog what i actually read, if it's good enough for me to take the time to read the whole thing then the people who read my blog will find it useful. Sometimes i make comments about it, sometimes not.

5. Search engine algorithms are getting smarter, and a lot of people predict Organic
SEO services will become obsolete. How do you plan to adapt?

I've been doing Organic SEO in Search Engines since late 1995 none of my tactics have really changed, my strategy has a little bit due to the continuous advancements in Google to combat spammers and people who snipe code. i try and take a long term approach to SEO slow, moetodical and less temporary, instead of short term, instant results that will require constant attention to keep them first.

6. Please Describe the biggest challenge you face in your current job.

Hmm.. ouch.. i do have to be honest don't I? I have sooooo many ideas, but everything I do is in my head so I end up doing all the tasks for my job much quicker than anyone else could but i have so many other ideas for digital strategy, digtial PR, ORM and Social Media which i cannot effectively persue and still maintain the level of service to my current clients, without having a drone to do code errands for me.

7. Do you have any advice for someone who is interested in Organic SEO, Digital

Communications/Digital PR and ORM, but doesn't have a background in it, on how to get started in this field?

Learn how to write effectively, add to your vocabulary... every single day, start a blog and watch it every day, take a course in website metrics and add this website statistics provider to your blog/website. Study bounce rate and common keyword frequency. generate hits for thousands of qualified phrases with a zero bounce rate, instead of a thousand hits on one term with a 72% bounce rate. Get #1 ranking for 100 terms that generate one qualified visitor instead of #1 for one term that generates one hundred visitors, not always qualified.

8. If you could rank for any keyword phrase you don't currently rank for, what would it be?

Hmm.. i can pretty much rank for anything i want it just takes varying amounts of time depending on how crowded the term is.. how about Digital Communications Strategist Search On Google for Digital Communications Strategist

9. Assuming you had never gone into (what you do now), what would you be doing now (professionally)?

i would either be dj'ing in clubs all over the world or i would be a sous chef


10. What's Your Favorite professional sports team and why?

Raiders 4 Life - i grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona and my brothers teams were the LA Rams and the SF 49ers, my favorite color IS black, so i picked the raiders, (at age 3, lol)

3 Google AdWords Reports That Will Get You a Raise

"Let’s face it executives love reports. If you work in-house, your VP or Director of Sales/Marketing just wants to see that everything is going well. If you are an agency, it’s all about those pesky reports. We are the magicians that turn tons of raw data into a multi-color rainbow of happiness."

3 Google AdWords Reports That Will Get You a Raise by Kate Morris:

The World's Most Influential Companies

"'Power lasts 10 years,' goes an old Korean proverb. 'Influence, not more than a hundred.'
In a year that brought the mighty to their knees, some of the biggest players in business have seen their power whittled away."

BusinessWeek

5 Tips for Successful Blog Optimization

"Here are five tips for successful business blog optimization benefits in the long run:
1. Find a practical purpose for starting a blog. There are many reasons why companies would benefit from starting and publishing a blog. Some might use blog software as a content management system for an online newsroom or to archive newsletters to the web. Here are five tips for successful business blog optimization benefits in the long run:
1. Find a practical purpose for starting a blog. There are many reasons why companies would benefit from starting and publishing a blog. Some might use blog software as a content management system for an online newsroom or to archive newsletters to the web."

Lee Odden | Online Marketing Blog:

URL Referrer Tracking

"There may be instance when you want to track the source of a request, and a common way of doing so is by using tracking parameters in URLs. Unfortunately, implementing referrer tracking in this way can result in significant issues with search engines. In particular, it can cause duplicate content issues (since the search engine bot finds multiple valid URLs that point to the same page) and ranking issues (since all the links to the page aren't to the same URL). There may be instance when you want to track the source of a request, and a common way of doing so is by using tracking parameters in URLs. Unfortunately, implementing referrer tracking in this way can result in significant issues with search engines. In particular, it can cause duplicate content issues (since the search engine bot finds multiple valid URLs that point to the same page) and ranking issues (since all the links to the page aren't to the same URL)."

Jane and Robot:

Washington Post CEO Joins Facebook’s Board

"Everyone knows that newspapers are in a state of decline, in large part due to the rise of online media. So, you would think that perhaps you’d see prominent new media execs joining the ranks of old media companies to try and right the ship. But at Facebook, it’s the other way around, as Washington Post CEO Don Graham is joining the company’s board of directors."

The rest of the sotry on Mashable:

Google Fritz update

"Early 2000 we were used to listening something called “Google dance” which roughly happen every 3-4 months when Google cascade update to their index into all of their worldwide servers. Back in 2003, SEO practitioners were shocked with “Update Fritz”, Google changed their update mechanism from monthly bactch into incremental, which meant it updates fraction of its index every day."

Google Fritz update:

Google on the fritz?

Great SEO or Google on the fritz? | Jack Leblond: "I’m a Search Engine Optimizer (SEO). I like to think I do a good job - not great, but good. By no means am I an SEO industry rock star. While I’ve done a few site reviews for friends and made some suggestions on how they might improve site rankings on Google and the other Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), I primarily work on my employer’s corporate Web sites."
Google on the fritz? | Jack Leblond:

Why Intel's social media policy is a really big deal. Really.: The Social Path

"It’s rare that any corporate policy makes for a good read, but trust me when I tell you that Intel’s new Social Media Guidelines are barn-burning fare.It’s rare that any corporate policy makes for a good read, but trust me when I tell you that Intel’s new Social Media Guidelines are barn-burning fare."

The Social Path

Quick Tips For Newspapers & SEO

"Think about your audience. Are you using the words in your copy they are using when searching for information. 'Bailout' versus 'bail out,' which are they using? Don't be clever and call the bailout a 'rescue plan' if no one is referring to it that way. Classic case from the New York Times: Asia's Deadly Wave versus the tsunami (look at story section headline versus the HTML title tag). Want to research? Try some of these keyword research tools."

Daggle - Danny Sullivan:

MTV: Don’t Be a Jackass

"MTV’s parent company Viacom (NYSE: VIA.b) filed for arbitration to get the domain name Jackass.com, a case that commenced at WIPO on December 5. There are two problems for Viacom: it’s a generic term and it’s owned by Future Media Architects.MTV’s parent company Viacom (NYSE: VIA.b) filed for arbitration to get the domain name Jackass.com, a case that commenced at WIPO on December 5. There are two problems for Viacom: it’s a generic term and it’s owned by Future Media Architects."

Domain Name Wire:

The Shorty Awards - djpaisley was nominated for a Shorty Award

The Shorty Awards - djpaisley was nominated for a Shorty Award: "djpaisley was nominated for a Shorty Award!
The Shorty Awards honor the best content producers on Twitter
The Shorty Awards honor the world's top Twitterers. You can nominate as many people for as many categories as you'd like until midnight December 31st. djpaisley was nominated for a Shorty Award!
The Shorty Awards honor the best content producers on Twitter
The Shorty Awards honor the world's top Twitterers. You can nominate as many people for as many categories as you'd like until midnight December 31st."

5 Tools to Measure Your Twitter Activity

"You might think there has been too much buzz around Twitter this year, but love it or hate it, there is no denying the fact that it is an awesome tool the full potential of which is yet to be discovered. This time I am listing some tools that will help you evaluate your Twitter activity."

5 Tools to Measure Your Twitter Activity

Obama's Medical Record Initiative Brought to Digital Life! - iReport.com

"Dallas, TX December 9, 2008. EDG (pronounced edge) is the credit card-sized digital video card designed to comply with President-Elect Obama's technology initiative for digital medical records. The card provides the medical industry with a cost effective method to build and maintain an interactive relationship with patients, physicians, pharmacists, and other health care professionals."
Obama's Medical Record Initiative Brought to Digital Life! - iReport.com

Facebook infected with Koobface virus

"Attention new viewers: those 5000 “friends” you have on Facebook? They might not actually be your friends. In fact, some of them might be scammers trying to infect your computer with a new virus dubbed “Koobface”. Koobface, which already made the rounds on MySpace, is now worming its way through Facebook."

Releaselog | RLSLOG.net

Tell Tale Signs That Your Client Gets Search Marketing - SEO Blog

"As the SEO Priest it is as much my job to listen to clients as it is to preach to them. Conversation is a two way street, after all. Over time I have developed a simple way to listen for when a client has begun to understand search engine marketing and can relate it to their own online business.
Below I have outlined four conversation components to help SEOs get an understanding of how well a client understands the search engine optimization needs of their Web site."

Bruceclay.com - SEO Blog:

Question: What is a bounce rate?

"Question from a reader: What is a bounce rate?
The other question I often get asked that goes along with bounce rate is this - How do I keep a customer on my website longer? If you understand what bounce rate is, and your bounce rate is low, then you are probably in no need of reading this post and are doing well. If you have no clue what a bounce rate is, or ever heard of it before this post is perfect for you!"

Internet Marketing Blog

10 Signs That Your Addicted To Twitter

"Ok, the title should read 10 Reasons how I know that I am addicted to Twitter, but play along - you might get a laugh…

I have been using Twitter more over the last several months then ever before, even though I have been a member now for almost two years. I have been noticing some disturbing trends in my behavior on Twitter over the last few months and am here to confess them with you all!

Internet Marketing Blog

2009 to Be Transition Year for TV

"No Olympics, no election, no good news.
Ad spending began contracting in early 2008, well before the financial crisis unfolded in the fall. Among traditional media, television is predicted to fare better than newspapers, magazines and radio. National media will do better than local, but national ad growth has been exceptionally slow this year."

eMarketer

Social Strategy by Jeremiah Owyang

"I’m respecting your limited time by publishing this weekly digest on the Social Networking space, which I cover as an industry analyst. By creating this digest (I started this over a year ago) it really helps me to stay on top of the space I cover."

Digest - Web Strategy by Jeremiah Owyang

How Big Companies Utilize the Power of Social Media?

"Social media has redefined the way people communicate with each other by breaking up the cultural and geographical boundaries. Big companies utilize the power of social media for the growth of business.

Social media reflects an important change in how the public substance is controlled and consumed. Social media has abridged the distance for communicating a message between the sender and the receiver. Today, the information highway is not only about control and command but it is also concerned with collaborating and connecting. For example, major newspapers like Singapore’s Straits Times and the New York Times have created online channels where they allow the consumers to choose the news they wish to read. With tools like RSS feeds, one can pick exactly the kind of news they want. Consumption of information has altered from push to pull.Social media has redefined the way people communicate with each other by breaking up the cultural and geographical boundaries. Big companies utilize the power of social media for the growth of business.

DWSmg.com:

Why Twitter Turned Down Facebook

"For now, a marriage between Twitter and Facebook is not meant to be — but the courtship between the two Web 2.0 companies could be rekindled in the future. That was one message from Ev Williams, the chief executive and co-founder of Twitter, in a talk at the Churchill Club in San Francisco Tuesday night."

Bits Blog - NYTimes.com

Get Your Google Profile Tidied Up

"Earlier, I Googled the local gyms in my town. I found the place I wanted, and just before I made the phone call, I realized that Google had something that said “write a review.” I did, and immediately after submitting it, there was suddenly a little review, with a “chrisbrogan.com” prominently displayed beside it. When I clicked the link, it went to my Google Profile."

chrisbrogan.com:

EX-AOL CEO'S $$ NOT TIED TO YAHOO!

"Former AOL chief Jonathan Miller is indeed trying to raise money - just not for an acquisition of Yahoo!, as a report yesterday implied.

Rather, two sources close to Miller said he has been talking with private equity firms and sovereign wealth funds about raising capital for Velocity Interactive Group, the investment firm he runs along with former Fox Interactive Media boss Ross Levinsohn."

New York Post

Twitter CEO: The revenue's coming soon, but I won't tell you how

"At a Churchill Club event in San Francisco on Tuesday, Twitter co-founder and CEO Evan Williams brushed off--again--criticisms that the company is slow to turn on its revenue-generating engines."

Webware - CNET:

MySpace to offer mobile streaming video

"MySpace is going mobile with streaming video.
News Corp.'s social-networking site is expected to offer video clips from members' pages, as well as professionally produced ones, to video-enabled mobile devices starting Wednesday, according to a Reuters report. Professional video will be provided by the likes of celebrity gossip site TMZ, the National Hockey League, and National Geographic magazine."

Digital Media - CNET News

5 Ways I Benefit from Twitter

"“Why do you use Twitter? How does Twitter Benefit You?”
I’ve been asked these questions so many times since starting TwiTip that I thought I’d write a post answering it. I hope that it’s helpful for those of you just starting out with Twitter (or considering getting involved).“Why do you use Twitter? How does Twitter Benefit You?”
I’ve been asked these questions so many times since starting TwiTip that I thought I’d write a post answering it. I hope that it’s helpful for those of you just starting out with Twitter (or considering getting involved)."

TwitTip:

Social Networks Site Usage: Visitors, Members, Page Views, and Engagement by the Numbers in 2008

"Stats on social networks are important, but I’m going to need your help in creating a community archive, can you submit stats as you find them?
I’m often asked, “What are the usage numbers for X social network” and I’ve received considerable traffic on my very old post (way back in Jan) of MySpace and Facebook stats, even months later. Decision makers, press, media, and users are hungry for numbers, so I’ll start to aggregate them as I see them"

Social Networks Site Usage: Visitors, Members, Page Views, and Engagement by the Numbers in 2008:

The M&Ms of Online Reputation Management

"Online Reputation Management is a term thrown around a lot today.
However, it is a concept few understand in full, and even fewer employ correctly.
It is a marketing concept that has its roots in both social media and search, and it is as much about salvaging brands as it is about creating brands."

SEO Blog | Search and Social

- you may notice i post alot of other people's writings.. think of me as a filter.. if it's on my blog you should take the time to read it.. there are MANY people on the internet who think they get it.. @davesnyder does get it.. so read the link above..

=)

Axl Rose Wants Dr Pepper to Apologize for Giveaway Stunt

"NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- That Axl Rose kept Guns N' Roses fans waiting 17 years for 'Chinese Democracy' didn't seem to bother the corn-rowed rocker all that much. But when Dr Pepper was unable to deliver a free can of soda to everyone in the country upon the album's release, that was more than Axl and his lawyers could stand."

Advertising Age - News:

Twitter for Research: Why and How to Do It, Including Case Studies

"With millions of Twitterers who mostly are making their tweets public, we are actually building a database of information. Remember that once tweet, those tweets will be archived, probably in multiple places. FriendFeed is an example that immediately comes to my mind.With millions of Twitterers who mostly are making their tweets public, we are actually building a database of information. Remember that once tweet, those tweets will be archived, probably in multiple places. FriendFeed is an example that immediately comes to my mind."

Twitter for Research: Why and How to Do It, Including Case Studies:

Video Business Card - EDG, the World's 1st Digital, Credit Card-Sized Video Card Hits the Market!

"EDG (pronounced edge) is the world's first digital video player. At an average cost of only $17.50 to $29.50 (in quantity) EDG reflects the growing demand for digital tools used in business to rival the digital toys (MP3 players) used for entertainment.

About the size of a thick credit card, EDG makes it easy (no computer needed) for companies to showcase their custom audio/video or slide show information where it can be viewed on the card's 2' high-resolution LCD color screen. The video and variable volume capabilities make it an ideal medium for communicating to clients and prospects. Content can be loaded one time or changed repeatedly through the card's USB port that simultaneously charges the card battery."

iReport.com:

Google Launches a Sweet Competitive Research & Keyword Research Tool

"For any keyword, the Google Search-based Keyword Tool will show up to 800 related keywords with cost and search volume estimates. This tool also works to show you 100 keywords related to a site, and if you own a website they will show you thousands of keywords that they think you could bid on which are not already in your account."

SEO Book.com:

Six Apart acquires and shuts down Pownce

"Blogging company Six Apart has acquired micro-blogging startup Pownce for undisclosed financial terms. It looks like one of those acquisitions where the buyer was more interested in the people than the product — the Pownce service will shut down in two weeks."

VentureBeat

Metadata: An Invisible CAPTCHA

"Sanjay Sehgal thinks the average CAPTCHA, that collection of deformed characters that Web sites ask users to type out when registering for an account, is both too easy and too demanding. The image tests designed to weed out spam-spewing bots often annoy real people--and rarely keep out determined spammers."

Metadata: An Invisible CAPTCHA - Forbes.com:

Social Networking Terms You Should Know - Forbes.com

In Pictures: 30 Social Networking Terms You Should Know

Forbes.com

Genius Marketing: Answer Trivia on Twitter, Win Free Domain Names

"It seems like every day we see a new use for Twitter, some of which can be rather mundane, others of which are actually smart business ideas. Domain registrar @NameCheap is executing one of the latter, running a holiday trivia contest where their followers are awarded free domain registrations for correctly answering questions."

Mashable:

A Chronology of Brands that Got Punk’d by Social Media

"A list of companies that were blind-sided by the internet, they didn’t understand the impacts of the power shift to the participants, or how fast information would spread, or were just plain ignorant."

A Chronology of Brands that Got Punk’d by Social Media:

MySpace Jury Convicts Drew Of Misdemeanor Charges

"n a compromise verdict, a jury returned a misdemeanor conviction in the landmark MySpace suicide case, convicting the defendant but rejecting the felony charges.
The jury found 49-year-old Lori Drew guilty of three misdemeanor counts of accessing a computer without authorization. The jurors couldn't reach a verdict on a fourth charge of conspiracy."


MediaPost Publications:

Social Media is NOT an Innovation

"Way back in 1999, the man who invented the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee, wrote a book about how he created the Web, called “Weaving the Web: The Ulitmate Destiny of the World Wide Web by its Inventor“. I have the original, hard cover edition of this book. I’m not sure if it’s been updated in the newer editions or not. Here’s the most striking quote from the whole thing:"

SuzeMuse:

You’re Leaving a Digital Trail. What About Privacy?

"HARRISON BROWN, an 18-year-old freshman majoring in mathematics at M.I.T., didn’t need to do complex calculations to figure out he liked this deal: in exchange for letting researchers track his every move, he receives a free smartphone."

NYTimes.com