Think eBiz; thoughts on eBusiness

To Bing or not to Bing: Initial Reactions

Is Microsoft's revamped MSN Live Search engine, named Bing - a Google killer? Does Bing push the search game to a new level? Will Bing eat into the huge marketshare that is Google's?

We will admit, it took us a few weeks before we gave Bing a try. What we like is the very calm, easy on the eye results display. And we like the "related searches" that  is well presented on the top left of the page. However - these can be easily managed by Google, so no real news here. We can give or take on the images presented on the main Bing page.

When testing for relevancy, which we believe is the most important deliverable from a search engine - we don't see much different. In many Google searches, the related Wkipedia entry is often top ranked, yet it is 2nd or 3rd in Bing. And the actual returned results, in our limited (and unscientific test) was similar. However, we noted that Bing returned many more total results. For instance:

• Internet Marketing Executive - Bing returned 81 Million results to Google's 20 Million.  
• Hawaiian Resorts - Bing presented 41 Million to Google 283,000. 
• Web 2.0 Technology - Bing returned 119 Million to Googles 5.8 Million

The question we ask - is this is a better search experience? Has Bing delivered on the promise to deliver results that lead to a better decision (aka decision engine). At this early stage, we do not think so. In fact, we believe the results are similar to what we observed from Google 2-3 years back.

No doubt, in some instances, the results from Bing could be stated as superior - however in our limited and random checks, we haven't see this yet.

Our initial reaction, especially to the news that Bing has increased it's marketshare, could be accounted for because of it's strong publicity and marketing efforts. Do they stay and sustain Bing's marketshare - for now yes. Until Google reacts and provides added value to return to the dominant search player.

The last two thoughts: we like that "some" twitter feeds are being added to Bing, however it is limited and for now you need to include "twitter" into the search query. And, how does Bing affect the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) world. We want to understand Bing and SEO (and will report on this later), as our own professional website took a ranking hit on this Microsoft search platform:

• "Stephen Harris"  (Google #1, Bing #10)
• "internet marketing executive" (Google #1, Bing - Page 3)
• "online marketing executive"  (Google #2, Bing #4)

Twitter: #Follower Influence Index

We have noticed that there are many different twitter personalities on this social medium. Nominally, your Tweet personality can be deduced from the number of followers, how many you follow and your updates. For instance, people with massive followings like celebrity Oprah Winfrey (1.6 Million) - yet she follows only 14 Tweeters - and has only made 51 updates. Not really a Twitter, as she does not provide content just attracts followers based on her celebrity status.  Others like Guy kawasaki have almost the same number of follows and follower (130K) - and over 25,000 updates. This is one generous Tweeter - both in who he selects to follow and his updates.  

And the scammers and spammers, who have massive followings and virtually no updates. You have to love seeing a Tweeter with thousands of followers and yet virtually no updates - and they are not a celebrity. These are the scammers of this online social world.

Most of us are in-between - a good balance of followers/following - with frequent enough updates.

Who are the most influential people on Twitter? Now there is an algorithmic means of calculating influence, thanks for the JCPR Twitter index.  Using indepth factors, such as freqency  of updates - the JCPR Index separates the popular from the truly influencial. Visit the technobabble site for details.

Methodology

JCPRTI	JCPR Twitter index	Rg	Range assigned to score
Fo	Number of followers	Fg	Number users following
Up	Number of updates	@U	Number of name pointing
Rt	Number of retweets	Ta	Twitalyzer score
TaN:S	Twitalyzer noise to signal ratio	Ti	Twinfluence score
Tg	Twittergrader score	Ii	Involvement index score
Vi	Velocity index score	w	Weight assigned to each attribute
Z	Standardised score	p	Popularity
e	Engagement	i	Influence

If anyone knows of a way to plug in their Twitter account and get a relevant score - this would be way cool

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Twitter for eCommerce

We will admit it, we have become addicting to the micro-blog technology known as Twitter. And I am not alone, with over 7 million unique twitters last month. That begs the question - how do you leverage Twitter for your business?

Twitter, in our view, is not unlike blogging, so the rules may be the same. Rule number one - twitter should not be used for self-promotion and advertising. It should be used to enhance the conversation and expound on your thought leadership. Twitter, with its 140 character limitation - makes conversations challenging - but that is the point. Communicate your message succinctly and with impact.

We will explore this further - however we recommend for your business, begin to have conversations about your market specialty - using rich keywords within this brief content. Start talking about your subject area expertise - even citing white papers or new blog entries within the Twitter content... to lead interesting "followers" to visit your website.

Suggestion: create a special welcome page for twitter's who click over and include tracking code - so you can measure the results of your twitter campaign. More on this subject, stay tuned.

Facebook for business?

Is your business on Facebook? If not -why not?

Facebook can enhance most brands - in both the creation of "fan" pages or groups - and with targeted banner advertising. The idea of social networking is allowing a forum where your consumers can talk to you and each other. Facebook facilitates this - relatively easily - and at a far less cost than if you created your own social network site.

Of course, you have to take the good with the bad - as your consumers can tell others about a bad experience they had with your product. Yet this is a golden opportunity to turn a negative into a positive by addressing the concerns in the open - transparently. facebook facilitates this openness - and how you respond could add legions of new "fans" to your brand.

Before you begin, look at how Starbucks and Heineken and others create their page and hold court....   and see how they push promotions out via their page and through inexpensive (and targeting) banner ads. Facebook is good for business, we believe.

Monetizing Twitter - 9.3 Million Users in March

The internet has always amazed me. That a business model for an internet service could include no apparent monetization model. Twitter is a great example of a highly visible, well used service - and well funded  and yet no visible earnings strategy.

I can sign up for Twitter (no cost) and use Twitter (again no cost)...  and there are no advertisements. However, the potential exists - big time. When you have 9.3 million users on Twitter in March - per Comscore - you have huge potential. BUT how...    stay tune, I have some ideas.

Mobile is hot as I witnessed at the recent CTIA conference in Vegas. If you are not thinking eBusiness mobile for your business,  your competition well may be...

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Is the term Web 2.0 Relevant?

At one time, saying the term Web 2.0 would bring in the crowds, whether for a meeting, conference or visitors to your web site. The actual term (or phrase) described the next generation of web sites, which included social Networking and highly intuitive eCommerce and Business Application.

Is Web 2.0 relevant? I do not think so - as it suffered from description fatigue. Ask ten people what Web 2.0 represents, and you will get ten answers. And now, some folks are floating Web 3.0 - for which I have not heard any relevant description.

I wonder if just saying Social Networking and Mobile Technology, along with RIA - suffices. I have not heard Twitter refered to as a Web 2.0 platform...     is it?

Let me know  is Web 2.0 as a term ...  past it's prime?

Rich Internet Applications (RIA): Addressing the need.

Web sites have come a long way from the days of basic HTML; remeber when counting eye-balls was the metric of success. Broadband changed the game - and continues to do so. The demands by consumers for more engaging, intuitive and effective web sites has raised the bar. Adobe Flex - and Rich Internet Applications (RIA) has answered the call. Other technologies include Ajax, Sun's JavaFX and Microsoft's Silverlight.

RIA is a High Definition User Interface - which is best demonstrated. A recently launched cigar selector (built by my company - Web Spiders) demonstrates the powerful and compelling aspects of RIA and Internet eCommerce. Visit Famous Smoke's Cigar Selector.

Isn't this a cool web site? A great example of Rich Internet Applications and eCommerce.

Principles of Lead and Sales Generation

I remember the first web site we built for ADP (payroll company) and how we reported on the number of visitors - aka eyeballs. Management was thrilled when we had a hundred visitors to our on-line brochure. That didn't last long. Management then asked how we can make money - and lead generation was born.

For ADP, the actual payroll service had to be sold and setup by a trained "feet-on-street" sales person, so our sites were design to obtain qualified leads. In other words, you submit your name and contact information and a sales person followed up. The concept of Lead ggeneration has not changed much - yet the tactics have, becoming an intense struggle to obtain the highest number of leads for the lowest possible costs (Cost per lead - CPL).

There are two segments to a lead generation program. The first - the strategy of attracting the attention of qualified people for the service. The second - the process of getting the person to convert to a lead.

Google is a typical tool used to find qualified people. If you are searching for a new loan, you might enter this in Google  :  Home Equity Loans in NJ.   It is then up to you to have a strong (yet brief) ad that drives the person to "click". Banner ads, email and other tactics exist - all to entice the click over to your "landing page"

The next step is the landing page. This is where I believe many campaigns fail. The landing page, a specialized web page, should be highly relevant to the keyword and campaign that the person searched upon. In the home equity loans example - driving the person to a generic web site about all your loan products Will certainly lead to defections (leaving your site without taking any positive action). Ideally your page should be all about Home Equity Loans - and even better -about NJ loans!

Then - where I have seen campaigns fail - make it very easy for me to sign up - with a brief form right on the landing page. Don't make me click around...  make it simple.

There is much more - which I will write about - including landing page optimization leveraging multi-variant testing...which did not exist when we creating our first ADP campaigns. The goal remains the same - how lead generation is managed has changed... significantly.

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