Disqus - Latest Comments for David Stobs-Stobart

Re: Can’t Close? Activate Your Community

David Stobs-Stobart — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 07:42:09 -0000

Great post (and video clip!). I agree: noise still makes it hard for one's customers to find the right information to make their decision. The online tools are still primitive and the evidence is all around. It's still too easy for spammers to make a living. Community is, definitely, key to research, discovery and execution. The trick for businesses is investing in that community over time; gaining permission over time to help service their market effectively. But I don't think this would make for an entertaining film!

Re: The problem with market research

David Stobs-Stobart — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 05:01:43 -0000

Good post, I'd recommend Herd too. A lot of good thoughts regarding influence; especially in the context of social networks and the struggle with good online advertising ("Interaction is everything").

Re: Social media: data versus interface

David Stobs-Stobart — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:22:32 -0000

Perhaps a comparison to a real world supply chain? Distribution performs a vital role in moving value between the supply and it's demand. And so too in the online world, data and the platform for trafficking that data as a distribution business can be very desirable. But ultimately, it's only one slice of the value chain.

If any project is done for free for the technical/ social benefit of everyone, that is a laudable thing. Thank you. But for the rest of us that either want or need a commercial model - your post does a great job of highlighting the dangers of starting something without knowing how it's going to pay for itself. Did Twitter have a business model for when they became successful? Did Youtube? Facebook? I bet it was 'eyeballs' for ads (aka data for one specific client - advertisers).

I think most startups see the benefit of owning the interface and the data. But they rely on the data as a fall back plan for a business model for their great interface ideas, "Somebody will buy all this data!". In the process of generating loads of data, they create goodwill by providing the customer facing interface for free. Does this goodwill protect their data business? Make them more sustainable?

Perhaps we - as online businesses - can be more creative in finding ways to add value with the interface, and being able to convert that value into something other than goodwill. The interface may be the best and most widely used, but your data trafficking business is under threat when someone else finds a way to get better quality, coverage and faster. We need to be creating and extracting value at each step of the chain. I think there is money left on the table if you're just about the data.

Re: Realtime search - potential for a richer interface than Google?

David Stobs-Stobart — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:58:14 -0000

Love the way this is developing. Really highlights the need for a way to search over a period of time for things we don't need an immediate answer on.

Re: 2008/08/22/do-privacy-and-advertising-mesh/

David Stobs-Stobart — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 06:22:23 -0000

It all depends on the user's intention at that moment they see the ad, the level of control the user knows they have with the Site, and how the relationship with the advertiser is being brokered.

We know that if an ad is relevant and timely...the conversion rates will be good. We believe that if the user trusts the brand...those rates are sustained.

That means an ad delivered while the user is socializing will almost always be ignored. The user has no intention of being pitched on a product they don't want, on a network that gave them little choice, from an advertiser that didn't have a clue who he or she was. Not a great situation to engender trust and create those conversations advertisers lust after.

I wonder if this relegates online advertising to just search activities (and not social entertainment)?

It's the definition of search that we (http://www.pintarget.com) are most interested in. Where advertising is useful and relevant because itâ€™s part of the research on things we want to buy. And we have full control over when the advertiser is made aware of our interest, and importantly, how best to follow up with us.

Re: Social Ads- a First Take

David Stobs-Stobart — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:41:54 -0000

I love the idea of making ads into something social. My friends are the best people to know that I'm looking for something and bringing me into a conversation about a good ad (at the right time) would really be useful to me; something to help me make a decision. That would certainly improve on what the traditional media planner/ buyer has been trying to do. My suspicion is that advertisers will try to wrap up some social tools in the same old interruptions.

As for advertisers coping with the good and bad comments...I think it's inevitable and a necessity. You can't get this close to the consumer and expect to keep editorial control!

Re: Do You Have To Touch Every Conversation

David Stobs-Stobart — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:14:04 -0000

I'm starting to find a natural rythym between blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Friendfeed that feels right for me, for what I do and what my objectives are. But it can be all consuming for fear of getting 'missoutalitis'. Comforting to hear smart people say there's no right or wrong answer.

Re: My Site Dressed in Thesis

David Stobs-Stobart — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:43:45 -0000

Looks good; clear and easy to read. Well done. Will take a closer look.