Entries for February 2006
Feb 28, 2006 | 
0
| Google + Marketing
Catherine Marcus is a savvy real estate agent.
A search on google.com for GOOG (Google's stock ticker) prominently displays an ad for her services in selling multi-million dollar homes in Silicon Valley.
Google's stock has certainly created quite a few millionaires over the past two years. I'm sure real estate agents clamor to sell to these folks. Catherine found a way to stand out. Too bad her web site looks like it is straight out of 1998.
UPDATE: Looks like she is also looking for folks who are spending their AAPL and YHOO money.
Feb 27, 2006 |
0
| Business + web 2.0
It is easy to get excited about all of the new ajaxy-googlemap-flickr-del.icio.us-eventful-mashup web applications that are being born on a daily basis. (Assuming you're into that sort of thing...like I am.) But something has been bothering me about a lot of these sites and I wasn't able to pin-point it until Russell Beattie ranted about it in a post so eloquently titled WTF 2.0.
...I really do think there should be a litmus test for new web apps launched from now on - something very basic and if they don’t pass, they don’t qualify for any buzz or linkage. It’s a simple test: Will they take my credit card? That’s it. I don’t care if they have advertisers or sponsors or god knows what else, all I want to see is a place where I can type in my credit card for some service.
Don't get me wrong. I love all of the stuff you can get from the Interweb for free. I just don't get why so many people are trying to build businesses with Google AdSense as the main source of revenue. *cough* Zillow *cough*
I come up with ideas for new web sites all the time. As I prioritize these projects, I find myself putting anything that is primarily ad-driven on the back burner.
Reoccurring. Monthly. Subscriptions. That's where it's at!
Feb 9, 2006 |
0
| Bootstrapping + Entrepreneurs + Tips
If you are just getting started in blogging (like me) and want to start getting noticed, here is a tip. MAKE SOME NOISE!
This site is brand new. I can count the number of visitors I get on one hand. Until today.
I posted a list of 5 must listen podcasts for entrepreneurs. I know people generally enjoy lists like this, so I submitted it to Digg and a business forum I follow on joelonsoftware.com.
Then I thought, Hey, I bet the guys who do these podcasts would like to know that I enjoy their shows. So I emailed them telling them as much.
Within ten minutes I got an email back from the Chief Community Officer at Startup Nation (one of the podcasts on my list) asking if I would like to be on their nationally syndicated radio show!
Then I got an email from Jay at Internet Business Mastery (another podcast on my list). I thought he would appreciate hearing about the response I got from Startup Nation and he replied with some savvy advice.
...Make noise and people will listen.
That's the lesson I learned today. I intend to keep making noise and hopefully good things will happen.
As a bonus, my traffic for today will require me to count visitors on my fingers and toes!
UPDATE: I'm going to be on Startup Nation radio next weekend (March 18-19th).
Feb 9, 2006 |
3
| Bootstrapping + Entrepreneurs + Podcasts
Here are five podcasts that I subscribe to that provide great information for entrepreneurs and those who are bootstrapping a business.
Are there other podcasts you listen to that should be on this list?
Feb 7, 2006 |
2
| Google
Google's announcement that they are integrating Gmail and Google Talk finally gave me a reason to get behind GTalk.
I initially took a pass on installing Google Talk when they first announced it. I already use AIM, Y! and MSN. Why in the world would I want to use a fourth?
Today they announced that they are adding some key features that made me rethink that decision.
Having chat sessions automatically archived in Gmail is nice. Being able to chat with someone directly from the GMail interface is even better. That is the integration that has been missing from instant messaging and email clients.
It is also nice to see Google starting to do more integration between their products. First with Local Search and Maps. And now with Gmail and Google Talk. Keep it up!
Feb 7, 2006 |
0
| Customer Service + Feedburner
Dick Costolo, CEO of Feedburner, gets customer service.
Feedburner recently spammed some people and a blogger took the time to write about it on Blog Herald.
I know what you're thinking. Company spams. Blogger complains. Film at eleven. What's the big deal?
Well, the CEO of Feedburner actually replied to the blog entry and not only apologized, but took full responsibility.
This email you received highlights a lack of understanding of the company culture across the entire team. I take personal responsibility for that, and I’m on it.
Granted, Feedburner is in the blogging business. You would expect them to understand how important it is to interact directly with bloggers. But, it is nice to see a CEO modeling that behavior. That sort of thing sets the tone for the whole company.
I bet we don't see any more spam from Feedburner. (Not that it should have been sent in the first place.)
Kudos to Dick for being a clued-in CEO.
Feb 1, 2006 |
1
| How To + mod_rewrite
Are strange web sites showing up in your referer logs? Are people linking directly to images or movies on your website without your permission? Want to stop them? If so, read on.
Continue reading...
Similarly...
Here are some other entries from around that time.
