If you're a Star Trek aficionado, then not only have you heard of the "Kobayashi Maru Scenario" but you can recount it easily to others. For those of you who may not be familiar with it, the Kobayashi Maru Scenario is a no-win situation cadets encounter at the series' Starfleet Academy. In it, the cadet is in command of the Federation ship, responsible for rescuing another Federation vessel (the Kobayashi Maru) from attacking Klingon Warbirds. If the cadet chooses not to save the ship in distress, it will be destroyed with all hands. However, if he goes to the ship's aid, he will precipitate…
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Most Topular Stories
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3 Ways To Deal With A No-Win Situation
Fast Company8 Feb 2012 | 12:41 pm -
LinkAssistant – A Review of Options and Benefits
Search Engine Journal8 Feb 2012 | 11:15 amLinkAssistant is a part of the SEO PowerSuite and can help you with your link partner set-up and management. I recently tested out the software and I am going to breakdown some of its features and how the tool is used. LinkAssistant Features Helps users find link partners and find their contact info. LinkAssistant looks [...]Follow SEJ on Twitter @sejournal -
Remember Netvibes? It’s Finally Acquired By Engineering Giant Dassault Systèmes
TechCrunch » Enterprise8 Feb 2012 | 11:48 pmIt’s been a long and winding road since Tariq Krim created and eventually left Netvibes, but today Netvibes has been acquired by huge French engineering giant Dassault Systèmes for an undisclosed amount. Krim continues to pursue his original dream of organising the social web on Jolicloud. -
New Themes: Splendio and Suburbia
WordPress.com News7 Feb 2012 | 10:00 amHappy Tuesday! We’ve got two unique free themes for you today, and they are quite a study in contrasts. Our first theme, Splendio, dazzles with an unconventional yet stylish design from Design Disease that pops out of the box — literally. How you use this theme is limited only by your imagination! It comes loaded with features: six widget areas (one in the right sidebar and up to five in the footer), featured header images, and a custom background. In addition, there’s a showcase page template (pictured in the screenshot above) that includes a featured slider for sticky posts,… -
Facebook Hits A New Record High Value Of At Least $103.4 Billion
All Facebook8 Feb 2012 | 9:26 pmFacebook stock has blown past even the most bullish estimates to a value of $103.4 billion to $110 billion, based on today’s SharesPost auction closing at $44 per share. The $103.4 billion figure is based on the company still having 2.35 billion outstanding shares; assume that the actual number is 2.5 billion — like some have — then the implied valuation becomes $110 billion. Both figures surpass the top end of the $75 billion to $100 billion range in value that people have been discussing in reference to Facebook’s forthcoming initial public offer. This auction…
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Fast Company
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3 Ways To Deal With A No-Win Situation
8 Feb 2012 | 12:41 pmIf you're a Star Trek aficionado, then not only have you heard of the "Kobayashi Maru Scenario" but you can recount it easily to others. For those of you who may not be familiar with it, the Kobayashi Maru Scenario is a no-win situation cadets encounter at the series' Starfleet Academy. In it, the cadet is in command of the Federation ship, responsible for rescuing another Federation vessel (the Kobayashi Maru) from attacking Klingon Warbirds. If the cadet chooses not to save the ship in distress, it will be destroyed with all hands. However, if he goes to the ship's aid, he will precipitate… -
Amazon Inks Deal With Viacom, Sprint Announces iPhone-led Q4 Highs And Lows, Japan Targets 30% Cut In Rare Earth Use
8 Feb 2012 | 12:41 pmBreaking news from your editors at Fast Company, with updates all day.Amazon Inks Deal With Viacom For Video Streaming. Amazon has plumped up its Prime Instant video streaming catalog with a pile new TV shows, courtesy of its new agreement with entertainment hub Viacom. The deal brings up its video count to over 15,000, putting it in a stronger position to compete against the recently formed Redbox/Verizon double act and traditional TV destroyer Netflix. --NS --Updated 9:50 a.m. ESTSprint's Q4 Sees iPhone Led Highs And Lows. Sprint is announcing results coming off its first… -
How To Find Your Next $140 Million
8 Feb 2012 | 11:26 amI recently spent the day with author Andrea Kates, who was challenged to connect the relevance of the working philosophy found in her best-selling book, Find Your Next, with real solutions that can help move businesses forward. Working with the executive team of a national restaurant chain on this particular day, Kates asked herself, "Which single metric could they focus on to yield the most growth for the company?" Her conclusion was that of all the metrics and contributing factors, it all boiled down to a dogged pursuit of increasing guest frequency. She learned that an increase of one… -
New Details On Redbox-Verizon Streaming Service, Netflix Competitor
8 Feb 2012 | 8:33 amYesterday Coinstar, the parent company of Redbox, the 35,400-kiosk-strong movie-rental service, announced a joint venture with Verizon to provide a subscription-based streaming video service, thus positioning the companies in direct competition with Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon. Coinstar also announced that it would acquire NCR's entertainment business, which includes its former rival Blockbuster Express, adding more than 9,000 kiosks to Redbox's roster around the country. Now new details about the combined companies' plans have emerged. First, it's clear the companies are adamant about bringing… -
Why Facebook's Daily Active Users Is Not The Number That Matters
8 Feb 2012 | 7:25 amA fracas emerges over the fact that not all daily Facebook users visit the company's website. Advertisers tell us why that's missing the point. More Facebook Coverage Be sure to read about the Facebook investors poised to make billions from the social network's impending IPO. And take a deep dive into our earlier profile of Mark Zuckerberg: Hacker. Dropout. CEO. Then compare the Zuck of yesterday with the Zuck who just penned a letter to investors. Plus, dig into all of the revenues and user numbers. Check back here for more to come in the days ahead. In the new world, however, brand…
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Search Engine Journal
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LinkAssistant – A Review of Options and Benefits
8 Feb 2012 | 11:15 amLinkAssistant is a part of the SEO PowerSuite and can help you with your link partner set-up and management. I recently tested out the software and I am going to breakdown some of its features and how the tool is used. LinkAssistant Features Helps users find link partners and find their contact info. LinkAssistant looks [...]Follow SEJ on Twitter @sejournal -
The Best Link Building Tool You’ve Never Heard Of: ahrefs.com
8 Feb 2012 | 9:00 amI love SEO tools. I’m always building or looking for really cool tools. With the demise of Yahoo Site explorer, a number of companies are attempting to fill the void, including SEOMoz, Majestic Tools and Link Research Tools. My favorite Yahoo replacement is a tool that you’ve probably never heard of: ahrefs. They offer 5 [...]Follow SEJ on Twitter @sejournal -
Pinterest: Covert Affiliate Link Scheme Exposed
8 Feb 2012 | 8:10 amAlthough nearly every start-up and fledgling company battles to find new ways to monetize its users, Pinterest appears to have been secretly capitalizing on its customer base through the use of affiliate links. The two year-old social network site, which allows users to “pin” photos, recipes, and products to a “virtual pin-board,” has quickly grown [...]Follow SEJ on Twitter @sejournal -
Put Your Business in its Place or Your Marketing Campaign Will
8 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amOver the past 15 years starting a new business has become easier than ever before. The daily dread of horrible bosses, annoying red tape and ringing alarm clocks that force you out of bed before God gets up is forever behind you as you make that long-awaited jump to start your own online business. Your [...]Follow SEJ on Twitter @sejournal -
The Sponge & The Trailblazer: Making the Most of Your First Job in Search
7 Feb 2012 | 11:00 amAbout two months ago I wrote my first article for Search Engine Journal about getting your first job in SEO. Well now the dust has settled and I feel it is important to share what I have learned thus far during my young career in search marketing. This article will be broken down in halves [...]Follow SEJ on Twitter @sejournal
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TechCrunch » Enterprise
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Remember Netvibes? It’s Finally Acquired By Engineering Giant Dassault Systèmes
8 Feb 2012 | 11:48 pmIt’s been a long and winding road since Tariq Krim created and eventually left Netvibes, but today Netvibes has been acquired by huge French engineering giant Dassault Systèmes for an undisclosed amount. Krim continues to pursue his original dream of organising the social web on Jolicloud. -
Dimension Data Buys Telecom Expense Management Software Maker Xigo
7 Feb 2012 | 7:24 amTelecom expense management (TEM) solutions company Xigo, which Greg likened to a Billshrink for large companies, has been acquired by one of its partners, IT services and solutions provider Dimension Data for an undisclosed sum. Dimension Data says the acquisition of Xigo, formerly known as Invoice Insight, will enable them to offer enterprise customers an integrated cost optimization solution for spend analysis, sourcing, provisioning and invoice processing. The company adds that it will focus on increasing Xigo’s market share in the United States and roll out the services to other… -
Microsoft Invests In 24/7 For Customer Service Software
7 Feb 2012 | 7:03 amMicrosoft announced this morning a new agreement with 24/7 Inc. , a company that designs intuitive customer experiences. As a part of the deal, Microsoft will merge its interactive self-service assets (meaning people, clients and technologies), into 24/7 Inc. The deal also includes an R&D partnership, long-term IP licensing and Microsoft taking an equity stake in 24/7, Inc. According to the companies, the purpose of the new partnership is to jointly bring the power of natural user interfaces and data analytics at cloud scale (Big Data) to enable the future of customer service businesses. -
SocialFlow Opens The Floodgates
7 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amBrands love marketing across social media, but it is a little like TV advertising in that it is hard to measure how effective it is. Sure, you can count retweets, likes, and Klout scores, but how does that translate into real engagement with a brand or actual spending? SocialFlow is trying to answer these questions, and in the process is growing like crazy. “I don’t know who put the call out to put money into social media, but it is out there,” says CEO Frank Speiser. A year ago, Socialflow had two employees. Today, it has 34. “We have 5,500 leads active and… -
WWJD? The CEO Every Healthcare Leader Should Learn From
6 Feb 2012 | 11:30 amEditor’s note: This guest post was written by Dave Chase, the CEO of Avado.com, a patient portal & relationship management company that was a TechCrunch Disrupt finalist. Previously he was a management consultant for Accenture’s healthcare practice and founder of Microsoft’s Health platform business. You can follow him on Twitter @chasedave As healthcare goes through massive changes, health system CEOs would be well advised to study what newspaper industry leaders did (or perhaps more appropriately, didn’t do) when faced with a similar situation. In the late 90′s, the…
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WordPress.com News
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New Themes: Splendio and Suburbia
7 Feb 2012 | 10:00 amHappy Tuesday! We’ve got two unique free themes for you today, and they are quite a study in contrasts. Our first theme, Splendio, dazzles with an unconventional yet stylish design from Design Disease that pops out of the box — literally. How you use this theme is limited only by your imagination! It comes loaded with features: six widget areas (one in the right sidebar and up to five in the footer), featured header images, and a custom background. In addition, there’s a showcase page template (pictured in the screenshot above) that includes a featured slider for sticky posts,… -
Post Videos from Your iPhone or iPad
3 Feb 2012 | 3:01 amWould you like to post videos to your blog while you’re on the go? Are you interested in a photography theme that’s also video-friendly? Well, look no further, because we have some news for you. The VideoPress upgrade, which allows you to upload and embed your own videos on your blog, now comfortably handles videos from iPhones and iPads. You can shoot vertically or horizontally, and we’ll take care of rotating it for you so that your video looks great when it’s published on your site. If you don’t already have VideoPress on your WordPress.com account, head on… -
New Themes: Currents and Debut
2 Feb 2012 | 12:00 pmToday, I’m excited to introduce the latest additions to our collection of premium themes. Designed by Andy Rutledge, Currents, is a responsive, minimal yet attractive premium theme from WooThemes. Currents is perfect for news driven sites. The phrase, “less is more” couldn’t be more true. This clean and minimal design maximises your reader’s focus on the content. Having said that, the theme is packed with many customization options — a wide featured post slider, custom news areas, six alternative color styles, and more. Together, all of these features help… -
Import from Tumblr in 3 Easy Steps
2 Feb 2012 | 4:06 amWe’ve recently noticed that a fair number of you have been bringing your tumblelogs over from Tumblr to WordPress.com using one of the variety of Tumblr to WXR conversion tools which exist on the web. We thought you would appreciate an easier way to import your content, so we bring you 3 easy steps to import your content. Authenticate with Tumblr To bring your tumblelog’s content to WordPress.com, head to Tools → Import in your WordPress.com dashboard and look for the Tumblr importer. If you don’t already have an account here on WordPress.com then head over and sign up… -
Chrome Users: Try the WordPress.com Extension
27 Jan 2012 | 11:54 amWant to receive WordPress.com notifications instantly, even when you’re not on WordPress.com? Add the new WordPress.com extension for Chrome and as soon as you get a new follower or a new like on one of your posts, a notification will appear in your browser: Simply click the icon to view your latest WordPress.com notifications: Start following new blogs without visiting WordPress.com The Chrome extension also makes it easy to follow sites from your WordPress.com account by displaying a Follow button whenever you’re browsing a site that has an RSS feed. Clicking the Follow button…
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All Facebook
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Facebook Hits A New Record High Value Of At Least $103.4 Billion
8 Feb 2012 | 9:26 pmFacebook stock has blown past even the most bullish estimates to a value of $103.4 billion to $110 billion, based on today’s SharesPost auction closing at $44 per share. The $103.4 billion figure is based on the company still having 2.35 billion outstanding shares; assume that the actual number is 2.5 billion — like some have — then the implied valuation becomes $110 billion. Both figures surpass the top end of the $75 billion to $100 billion range in value that people have been discussing in reference to Facebook’s forthcoming initial public offer. This auction… -
Why Social Media Jobs Get Filled By Younger Folks: INFOGRAPHIC
8 Feb 2012 | 7:08 pmSocial media jobs could certainly pay better, which at least partly explains why relatively younger folks predominate the industry. Let us know what you think about the salary ranges in the following infographic from recruitment outfit Onward Search. -
Facebook Credits Underwhelm Game Makers
8 Feb 2012 | 3:15 pmFacebook Credits haven’t worked out as well as many third-party developers hoped, say the speakers at Inside Social Apps 2012 conference in San Francisco. Sister blog Inside Social Games reported that developers had been hoping for a high conversion rate to paid users in order to offset the 30 percent of revenue they must hand over to Facebook, but it hasn’t worked out that way, with conversion rates coming in lower than expected. Kabam Chief Executive Kevin Chou said at the conference, as reported by Inside Social Games: We thought that conversions would go up and be around 15… -
SEC: Facebook And Zynga Have Exclusive Relationship
8 Feb 2012 | 3:08 pmFacebook and Zynga really do have a sweet relationship: an exclusivity agreement. The social network filed an amendment with the Securities and Exchange Commission today disclosing details about exactly how Facebook earns 12 percent of its revenues from Zynga. The filing amends Facebook’s initial public offering registration, using a great deal of legalese to pad the fact that the two companies try to increase each other’s user base by amounts determined on a quarterly basis. The legal agreement requires gamers to have Facebook accounts in order to play Zynga games. Zynga can… -
Domino’s Heats Up Facebook Ideas Oven
8 Feb 2012 | 2:10 pmDomino’s is turning to Facebook users for ideas on how to improve its menu offerings with the launch of its Think Oven initiative. Think Oven has into two parts: Projects, in which the pizza chain asks Facebook users for help with a specific topic. The first Project seeks new uniform ideas. Idea Box, in which Facebook users can submit whatever comes to mind. Domino’s said it will choose two visual entries and two written submissions, and the winners will receive $500 each. That’s a lot of pizza. The company added that it has a history of looking outside of its headquarters for ideas,…
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Smashing Magazine Feed
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Collaging: Getting Answers To The Questions You Don’t Know To Ask
6 Feb 2012 | 7:02 amWhen conducting user research, we all know that asking the right questions is just as important as how you ask them, but how do you know exactly what questions to ask? What if the discussion topic is very personal? How do you get a complete stranger to open up? There is a better way to conduct an in-depth interview, and it doesn’t involve a clipboard. Just imagine what you could discover if the participant’s answers weren’t limited to a predetermined set of questions. This is where collaging can help. Collaging is a projective technique by which participants select images… -
How To Use Custom Post Types To Organize Online Marketing Campaigns
3 Feb 2012 | 7:04 amCustom post types add a level of flexibility to WordPress that makes this open-source Web development platform more useful on many levels. Whenever I have been faced with a Web-based task, especially one that involves organizing information, the first thing I do is examine WordPress to determine if it can handle the job. It usually can. Image Source As an Internet marketer and analyst, I need to be able to organize online marketing campaigns in a way that is trackable in Google Analytics. This is the perfect task for WordPress custom post types. In this article, we’ll explain… -
Freebie: St. Valentine’s Day Icon Set (10 PNG/PSD Icons)
2 Feb 2012 | 7:38 amEvery now and then, we release useful freebies for all of our highly valued readers. Today, it is our pleasure to present to you Cuberto‘s fantastic St. Valentine’s icon set — exclusively designed for Smashing Magazine and its loyal readers. The icons presented are available in transparent PNGs as well as Photoshop PSDs (128×128 px) and are perfect for any projects you have coming up for St. Valentine’s Day. Enjoy! Download the Set for free! This icon set is completely free to use for commercial or personal applications without any… -
Ten Things To Think About When Designing Your iPad App
31 Jan 2012 | 9:03 amLike most well-designed things, the magic of an iPad app comes from a union of usefulness, usability and meaning. Games aside, the app must be useful by solving a problem that people actually have through the right set of functionality at the right time. It must be easy to use and, just as importantly, easy to get started using, without a lot of pesky setup and learning steps. And it must hold meaning for the user through visual beauty, an emotional connection, personal insights, etc. In this article, we won’t outline the entire design process for creating an iPad app, but we… -
Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: February 2012
31 Jan 2012 | 5:48 amWe always try our best to challenge your artistic abilities and produce some interesting, beautiful and creative artwork. And as designers we usually turn to different sources of inspiration. As a matter of fact, we’ve discovered the best one — desktop wallpapers that are a little more distinctive than the usual crowd. This creativity mission has been going on for over two years now, and we are very thankful to all designers who have contributed and are still diligently contributing each month. We continue to nourish you with a monthly spoon of inspiration. This post features…
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Wired Top Stories
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A Google-a-Day Puzzle for Feb. 9
8 Feb 2012 | 9:01 pmGoogle's daily brainteaser helps hone your search skills. -
GigaOM Acquires PaidContent: Interview With GigaOM CEO Paul Walborsky
8 Feb 2012 | 5:30 pmOm Malik's GigaOM has purchased media news organization ContentNext, paidContent's parent company, from the UK's Guardian News & Media. -
Purported Pictures of iPad 3's Rear Casing Emerge
8 Feb 2012 | 4:28 pmThe launch of Apple's next iPad is just around the corner, if the presence of leaked parts images are any indicator. Today, what reasonably seems to be the rear casing of the new iPad has popped up in photo form on the interwebs. -
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gregory Brothers, ACLU Team for Video on Photographers' Rights
8 Feb 2012 | 4:10 pmBenjamin Franklin kicks an informative and hilarious rhyme about transparency and First Amendment protections for pro and amateur photographers in the latest video from Joseph Gordon-Levitt?s open collaborative production company, hitRECord. -
Researchers Build Hard Drive of Future With Lasers
8 Feb 2012 | 4:00 pmA team of researchers from across Europe and Asia has demonstrated a way of using laser heat to store data rather than magnetic fields, potentially increasing the speed of your hard drive by 100 times or more. Tom Ostler -- a physicist at the University of York, which led the research project -- tells Wired that this could not only allow allow your machine to save files much faster, but also reduce the machine's power consumption by avoiding traditional magnetic storage techniques.
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TechCrunch
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Remember Netvibes? It’s Finally Acquired By Engineering Giant Dassault Systèmes
8 Feb 2012 | 11:48 pmIt’s been a long and winding road since Tariq Krim created and eventually left Netvibes, but today Netvibes has been acquired by huge French engineering giant Dassault Systèmes for an undisclosed amount. Krim continues to pursue his original dream of organising the social web on Jolicloud. -
Analytics Dashboard Netvibes Sold To Dassault Systèmes
8 Feb 2012 | 11:06 pmNetvibes has just been acquired by European product design company Dassault Systèmes (sure this isn’t the type of thing I usually write, but I like the founder Tariq Krim so bear with me here … ). French startup Netvibes is a sentiment analytics dashboard that allows Fortune 500 companies to track their social media presence throughout the realtime web. Dassault is a “3D experience” design company — which lets designers virtualize how products will work in the real world — so the acquisition actually seems jarring at first, but Netvibes CEO Freddy Mini… -
Hipster CEO Also Apologizes For Address Book-Gate, Calls For “Application Privacy Summit” [Guest Post]
8 Feb 2012 | 8:07 pmThe following is a guest post from Hipster CEO Doug Ludlow, following yesterday and today’s revelations that select apps were uploading users’ entire address books to their databases. We blew it, we’re sorry, and we’re going to make it right. It’s Hipster’s goal to provide a fun and beautiful service for our community to share where they are, and what they are doing – creating a safe environment for our users is of the utmost importance to us. However, when we built our “Find Friends” feature for iOS, we clearly dropped the ball when it comes to protecting our… -
Is A Hash Of Hash Of A Torrent Of A Torrent Of Copyrighted Data Copyrighted?
8 Feb 2012 | 7:23 pmLet’s try to parse this. Pirate Bay (.se) user allisfine just recently uploaded a torrent to the site that is a collection of all the magnet identifiers for the entire site (actually, only about a quarter of the site, but all the publicly visible ones). That is to say, it is a list of the unique identifiers, cryptographic hashes, of every .torrent file on the site. In a way, this torrent file, or indeed its magnet identifier (938802790a385c49307f34cca4c30f80b03df59c), contains millions or billions of dollars worth of pirated content. Or does it? It’s more a philosophical question… -
Stealthy Startup timeRAZOR Raises $3.4M Pre-Launch, Partners With Major Household Brands
8 Feb 2012 | 7:01 pmGot FOMO? (That’s “fear of missing out” for those of you who don’t do slang.) There will soon be an app for that, or so says the $3.4 million in angel funding the stealthy D.C.-area startup called timeRAZOR has raised. In its pre-launch state, the curious company is already lining up brand partnerships with big names like Marriott and L’Oreal in preparation for its March debut. But what the heck is a timeRAZOR? According to CEO and co-founder, Jeff White (formerly the founder of govWin), timeRAZOR is a mobile application that will help people discover…
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Entrepreneur Update
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Seven Ways to Kill Your Meetings and Unleash Productivity
8 Feb 2012 | 12:08 pmDespite studies showing that meetings are a colossal waste of time, they remain common. Here's how to collaborate while cutting back on meetings. -
The Danger of Being Franchisee No. 1
8 Feb 2012 | 10:00 amSure, it's a thrill to get in on the ground floor of a hot new concept. But it's risky to invest in an unproven business model. Here are questions to ask. -
How the White House Became a Social-Media Powerhouse
8 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amMacon Phillips, the White House's director of New Media, describes how the administration is using social media in unique ways -- and how your business can too. -
No-Cost Ways to Increase Your Sales This Year
8 Feb 2012 | 5:02 amYou don't need to spend a lot to win a lot of sales in 2012. -
The Battle Against SOPA Is Far From Over
8 Feb 2012 | 4:00 amEven though the anti-piracy bill has been sidelined, other proposed legislation still exist that pose equal threats to online businesses.
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Inc.com
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How to Network Strategically
8 Feb 2012 | 2:00 pmTake these tips on professional networking, including advice from Matt Wilson, founder of under30ceo.com. -
Weighing a Big Decision? Take Your Time
8 Feb 2012 | 9:45 amTo understand all the consequences of an important choice takes time and attention--even if it's hard to come by.I've written before about the importance of sleep.Tired brains lose their capacity to think critically, to evaluate data, and to understand the meaning of evidence. But chronic fatigue in the workplace isn't the only invisible risk we run daily. So too is speed.I know, I know: We're all supposed to run fast companies in which quick decisions today are better than perfect answers a week from now. In the blink of an eye, we're all supposed to be naturally brilliant. But I'm not so… -
Fixing Silicon Valley's Bias Problem
8 Feb 2012 | 8:14 am -
5 Simple Business Truths From Mom
8 Feb 2012 | 7:35 amEssential lessons about life turned out to be lessons for business.In my speaking engagements, I often get asked how I decided to focus on culture and employee engagement as the most important drivers for my business. Did some event trigger this approach? Did I work somewhere else and then decide that this is the way I wanted to do business? The answer is neither. Beryl has been my only gig (at least for the last 27 years). I guess I just didn’t know any better. The credit goes to my mom and dad.My parents are terrific people who managed to keep three boys from killing each other in a… -
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8 Feb 2012 | 7:24 am
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Washington, D.C. Business News - Local Washington, D.C. News | The Washington Business Journal
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Wait, no, Groupon not profitable yet
8 Feb 2012 | 2:48 pmGroupon Inc. fell short of profitability in the fourth quarter of 2011, defying Wall Street expectations that the daily deal company would post modest earnings in its first quarterly report since going public. But LivingSocial's chief competitor did see a big jump in sales, recording $506.5 million in revenue last quarter, up nearly 200 percent from the same period in 2010. That's not great news for LivingSocial. While still in the red, the Chicago-based company appears to be capturing a greater portion of the daily deals market since its November IPO... -
Md. judge approves Penn Camera deal
8 Feb 2012 | 2:34 pmA federal bankruptcy court judge in Maryland approved the transfer Tuesday of three Penn Camera Exchange Inc. leases to Chicago’s Calumet Photographic Inc., above the objections of two Washington-area landlords that claim they won’t get paid under the terms of the deal. The ruling lets Calumet take over the leases Penn Camera held in Rockville, Tysons Corner and D.C. for $600,000, including $250,000 in cash and $350,000 due in six months, according to bankruptcy court records. Calumet has also agreed to assume up to $100,000 in gift card liabilities and will be able to reduce that… -
What Groupon earnings mean for LivingSocial
8 Feb 2012 | 11:52 amGroupon is slated to release its fourth-quarter earnings Wednesday after the closing bell, its first such report as a publicly-traded company. The Chicago-based rival to LivingSocial is expected to turn a profit. For our purposes here, Groupon's Q4 financials will give us a fuller (though far from complete) picture of where the two competing companies stand in relation to each other. Analyst Jeffrey Houston of Chicago-based Barrington Research Associations Inc. expects Groupon to report earnings per share of 2 cents, partly the result of its transition from acquiring new subscribers to… -
David Robertson to resign from Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
8 Feb 2012 | 11:45 amDavid Robertson, the executive director of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, will resign in January 2013, when his current employment contract expires. Robertson informed COG’s board of directors of his decision Wednesday, saying he plans to pursue a new career opportunity in Portland, Ore. Robertson did not elaborate on his future plans in a prepared statement. “For almost ten years I have had one of the best jobs in the National Capital Region,” Robertson said in a statement... -
Labor or business: Who in D.C. has the most political cash?
8 Feb 2012 | 11:43 amA Washington-area union is sitting on a pile of political cash ahead of election season. The Annapolis-based Service Employees International Union, MD/DC State Council ended January with $183,413 cash on hand. The political action committee's closing balance more than doubles that of any other PAC registered with the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance. Of the 49 PACs that filed with the finance office for the six month period ending Jan. 31, fewer than 10 represent labor. The second largest union balance belongs to the Mid-Atlantic Political Action Committee, funded by a coalition of United Food…
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Puck Daddy - NHL - Yahoo! Sports
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Worst blown call of season? Corey Perry scores OT goal after tripping Jokinen
8 Feb 2012 | 11:29 pmJust over two minutes into overtime on Wednesday night, Jussi Jokinen of the Carolina Hurricanes carried the puck behind his own net while Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks hounded him. Instead of the puck, Perry's stick struck Jokinen's skate, sending the Carolina forward to the ice and Perry to the penalty box on a tripping call … … wait, no, sorry, that's actually what should have happened. What did happen, courtesy of visually challenged referee Tim Peel, was this: Perry's goal, scored with Jokinen scrambling to get back into position, gave the Ducks a 3-2 victory. Hurricanes captain… -
Wednesday’s Three Stars: Jokinen’s trick; Kiprusoff’s scorpion save; Red Wings push streak to 18
8 Feb 2012 | 10:33 pmNo. 1 Star: Olli Jokinen, Calgary Flames It's gotta be the burgers. Jokinen now has seven points in his last four games, tallying a hat trick and an assist in the Flames' 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. He opened the scoring at 12:30 of the first; scored on the power play 2:36 into the second; assisted on Jarome Iginla's second-period goal to break a 2-2 tie; and then scored just under 3 minutes after Michal Handzus tied the game in the third. All of it gave Miikka Kiprusoff (34 saves) win No. 300 for this career. No. 2 Star: Ryan Miller, Buffalo Sabres While he did get an assist from the… -
Ryan Miller admits he ‘got the benefit’ on Boston’s goalie interference call
8 Feb 2012 | 9:01 pmBoston Bruins announcer Andy Brickley called it "the worst call of the year." Before you label that partisan griping, take a look at the goalie interference call on Rich Peverley that negated a game-tying goal in the first period against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night. (Bonus: The following clip features an awkward Mike Milbury joke about Pat Kaleta making him want to use the bathroom.) From New England Hockey Journal's game blog: Boston thought they'd notched the tying tally a few minutes later as a shot from the point eluded Ryan Miller. In arguably the worst call of the entire NHL… -
Does the Columbus, Vinny Prospal ‘gentleman’s agreement’ violate NHL CBA?
8 Feb 2012 | 8:00 pmOn Wednesday, the Columbus Blue Jackets made a surprising announcement: Veteran winger Vinny Prospal had signed a 1-year, $2.5 million contract extension that both took him off the trade market and signaled a commitment between player and franchise. How committed? Aaron Portzline of Puck-Rakers reported that the deal included "a gentleman's agreement that when Prospal's playing days are over, he'll stay with the organization in some capacity." This set off some alarm bells for eagle-eyed observers like Larry Brooks of the NY Post and our radio buddy Jeff Marek (on today's "Marek Vs. -
Puck Previews: Bruins vs. Sabres; Sedin streak in jeopardy; Doan talks trade
8 Feb 2012 | 4:07 pmBack by popular demand, here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished. From reader Super Dave: "I happened to stumble upon this little gem at a quick trip to our friendly neighborhood Meijer store. Yes, this is a Matchbox car modeled after Reggie Dunlop's gold Pontiac GTO from Slap Shot. Sadly, Ned and Lily Braden's blue van is sold separately, and is apparently unavailable. Thought you'd get a kick out of this." Preview: Boston Bruins…
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eMarketer Articles and Blog Posts
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Article: App or Browser? Depends What Consumers Are Doing
8 Feb 2012 | 8:01 pmApps preferred for navigating and information gathering; mobile web for entertainment, searches -
Article: Game Consoles as Connected-TV Platforms Continue to Rise
8 Feb 2012 | 8:01 pmConsoles are the top way of viewing online content via traditional TV sets -
Article: Half of Internet Users in Brazil Go Online Daily
8 Feb 2012 | 8:01 pmDaily access up 13% percent from 2009 -
Article: UK Ecommerce to Defy Tough Economy in 2012
7 Feb 2012 | 8:01 pmBusiness will be driven by tighter budgets, social elements and mobile devices -
Article: Does ‘Liking’ a Brand Drive User Loyalty?
7 Feb 2012 | 8:01 pm59% of consumers have ‘liked’ a Facebook brand page in the past 6 months
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Neuromarketing
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Super Bowl Ads: “Second Payoff” Pays Off
8 Feb 2012 | 11:11 amThe Super Bowl is the biggest day of the year for football fans, and just about as important for neuromarketing companies. The first results of neuromarketing studies from the big game are trickling out, and Innerscope Research observed a strategy employed by multiple advertisers: a “second payoff” at the end of the ad, after the [...] -
Neuromarketing Fun: Add Your Caption
7 Feb 2012 | 5:32 amWant to win a signed copy of my new book, Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Consumers with Neuromarketing? I thought we could have a little fun while we’re waiting for the results of the Super Bowl neuromarketing studies to roll in. Read on… Neuromarketing scares some people, even though the techniques used by [...] -
NeuroBowl: Neuromarketing and Super Bowl 2012
3 Feb 2012 | 5:51 amThe Super Bowl may be the biggest sports event of the year and the biggest advertising event of the year, but it’s also the biggest event of the year for neuromarketing companies. With $3 million being spent on every 30 second spot, you can be sure that lots of advertisers rang up their favorite neuromarketing [...] -
Social Personalization and the Doppelganger Effect
1 Feb 2012 | 5:18 amAre you overlooking a way to personalize your ads that goes far beyond the usual “Dear Roger” salutation? In my recent article, Put Your Customer in the Ad, I mentioned that LinkedIn was using profile pictures for targeted ads. Since then, I’ve been able to capture a couple of examples. The first one surprised me [...] -
Time Warner Opens NYC Neuromarketing Lab
26 Jan 2012 | 5:42 amTime Warner Inc. is opening their new “Medialab” at its New York City headquarters. The media giant expects to “generate valuable insights into consumer behavior, evolving media habits and industry trends across all of Time Warner’s businesses, brands and advertising partners.” The lab sounds like one of the more diverse facilities dedicated to this kind [...]
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Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing
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Turn Your Business Into a Community Building Platform
8 Feb 2012 | 5:36 amTurn Your Business Into a Community Building PlatformThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing I believe the future of business and commitment building resides in the idea of viewing your business as a platform for your community. The notion of a platform is one that receives a fair amount of play in various contexts. An author is said to possess a platform when they have built a following. Consultants might work with a business owner to build a platform through speaking, writing, blogging and connecting in social media. And finally, many tech firms have built platforms by creating open source… -
Is Your Marketing Producing the Results You Expected
7 Feb 2012 | 5:58 amIs Your Marketing Producing the Results You ExpectedThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Quipol Image:One-Fat-Man via Flickr CC The poll question above is a bit loaded and, not that I want to skew the results, the answer for most lies in the fact that they don’t really know what results they expected or what result they are actually getting. Mostly they know the results aren’t what they had hoped for, but that’s another issue. Setting expectations One of the simplest, yet most effective, things you can do is set expectations or goals for your marketing. You can create… -
This Is a Message from Your Heart
6 Feb 2012 | 5:51 amThis Is a Message from Your HeartThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing I had a heart scan the other day – mainly because I’m old and my spouse is convincing in the most loving way. a4gpa via Flickr CCIf you’ve never done it, it’s a pretty incredible experience to get to watch the awesome mechanical miracle that is you heart spray blood in and out through a series of valves, tubes, chambers, levers and doors that any engineer would be challenged to recreate. More often than not the heart is the subject of poems and songs about romance and love but in addition to being a physical… -
Weekend Favs February Four
4 Feb 2012 | 5:32 amWeekend Favs February FourThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing My weekend blog post routine includes posting links to a handful of tools or great content I ran across during the week. I don’t go into depth about the finds, but encourage you check them out if they sound interesting. The photo in the post is a favorite for the week from Flickr or from my own travels. First run of the day Telluride Good stuff I found this week: Quipol – Easily create and embed social polls that are very easy to use and very good looking Transcribe – free online tool that makes it much easier… -
Does Your Marketing Make the Grade
1 Feb 2012 | 5:02 amDoes Your Marketing Make the GradeThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Marketing podcast with Laura Fitton (Click to play or right click and “Save As” to download – Subscribe now via iTunes or subscribe via other RSS device (Google Listen) A number of years ago Hubspot created something called the Website Grader, a tool that graded a number of important aspects about a website and concocted a score or grade based on those factors. Although no tool can really accurately measure the effectiveness of a website, the tool had a nice marketing bent to it and was a pretty simple…
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Advertising Age - Agency News
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GlaxoSmithKline Moves Global Aquafresh Account to TBWA From Grey
8 Feb 2012 | 2:31 pmGlaxoSmithKline is moving the global creative account for Aquafresh toothpaste from Grey Group to TBWA Worldwide, which will manage the business out of London, said people familiar with the matter. -
Zimmerman Lands Extended Hotels
8 Feb 2012 | 1:00 pmOmnicom Group's Zimmerman has been named agency of record for Extended Stay Hotels following a review. -
Anomaly to Add Toronto Office, With Budweiser as First Client
8 Feb 2012 | 12:59 pmAccording to CEO Carl Johnson, an Anomaly office will be up and running in Canada by April. The shop is the global brand agency for Budweiser. -
Carter Murray Named CEO of Y&R, New York; Tom Sebok Departs
8 Feb 2012 | 12:30 pmDavid Sable has granted Y&R's new North American chief, Carter Murray, the additional role of CEO of Y&R New York. Current CEO Tom Sebok is leaving, effective immediately. -
GNC Selects Edelman as PR Shop, Seeks to Capitalize on Mainstream Wellness Interest
7 Feb 2012 | 2:58 pmGNC has hired Edelman as its PR agency of record after a competitive review that began last fall. The retailer is riding a wave that has its stock price up nearly 80% since its IPO last April.
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Advertising Age - Blog Posts
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FlowingData's Nathan Yau: The AdAgeStat Q&A
7 Feb 2012 | 7:37 amPart inspiration and part hands-on tutorial, the FlowingData blog is required reading for anyone into data visualization. Its author, Nathan Yau, sat down with us for a (virtual) Q&A. -
Time for Brands to Play Moneyball, Too
7 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amThe old ways of finding 'prospects,' such as targeting with demographics, are growing as outmoded as thinking that a team shouldn't draft a player because his girlfriend is ugly. -
Why the 2012 Presidential Race Will Be Defined By Data
6 Feb 2012 | 11:55 amForget the Twitter election; in 2012 the presidential campaigns will break new ground in use of data to target advertising. -
Stat of the Day: Which NFL Teams Draw the Best Playoff Ratings?
3 Feb 2012 | 8:40 amHere's an exclusive look at which NFL teams draw the best playoff ratings with a bonus list of markets that tune in even after their team is knocked out. -
Patriots Lead Chatter, But Giants Have More True Fans In Social Media
3 Feb 2012 | 7:45 amWhich ones have the truest fans of all? With social media we can begin to answer that question.
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Advertising Age - Digital
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Groupon Reports Loss in First Quarterly Filing After IPO
8 Feb 2012 | 2:53 pmGroupon outperformed analysts' revenue expectations on Tuesday by announcing $506.5 million in revenue for the last quarter, more than double the revenue from the year-earlier period. But it still reported a net loss. -
RB Pumps up Spending in Developing Markets
8 Feb 2012 | 1:34 pmReckitt Benckiser will invest around $160 million more in marketing globally but report it through a "Brand Equity Index" that puts more emphasis on digital. -
GigaOm Buys Digital-Media News Site PaidContent
8 Feb 2012 | 10:57 amOm Malik's GigaOm is acquiring the digital-media news site PaidContent.org from London-based Guardian News & Media. -
Blip Raises Another $12 Million, Still Seeking CEO
8 Feb 2012 | 7:52 amIndie web-TV distributor Blip.tv has raised more than $12 million in a mix of equity and debt financing, with participation from existing investors Bain Capital Ventures and Canaan Partners as well as Silicon Valley Bank. -
Join Hulu, Facebook, Spotify, Sony and Verizon at Ad Age Digital 2012
8 Feb 2012 | 7:30 amAd Age Digital 2012 will feature drill-downs in social, mobile, video, gaming and e-commerce, as well as a second round of Brand Hacks, where a promising group of startups pitch new ideas to brands, and brands help startups find revenue.
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Advertising Age - DigitalNext
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Time for Brands to Play Moneyball, Too
7 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amThe old ways of finding 'prospects,' such as targeting with demographics, are growing as outmoded as thinking that a team shouldn't draft a player because his girlfriend is ugly. -
Why the 2012 Presidential Race Will Be Defined By Data
6 Feb 2012 | 11:55 amForget the Twitter election; in 2012 the presidential campaigns will break new ground in use of data to target advertising. -
Patriots Lead Chatter, But Giants Have More True Fans In Social Media
3 Feb 2012 | 7:45 amWhich ones have the truest fans of all? With social media we can begin to answer that question. -
Time For Video to Step Out From TV's Shadow
2 Feb 2012 | 6:55 amWe need to stop thinking of video as TV's smaller, harder brother, and start emphasizing its power to deliver brand advertising in ways marketers have never before thought possible. -
Can Tech Get the Budget It Deserves in a Field Where Creative Still Rules?
1 Feb 2012 | 10:06 amAd tech data lets us to target consumers in ways that can send metrics soaring. Yes it's math, but it merits a place at the planning table right alongside creative.
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SocialTimes.com
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ISA 2012: Facebook, Apple, Google – Which Platforms Hold the Most Opportunity in 2012?
8 Feb 2012 | 8:06 amToday at the Inside Social Apps Conference 2012 in San Francisco, game developers discussed which platforms hold the most promise in 2012. continued… New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media. -
‘Bed Intruder’ Star Antoine Dodson Releases A Single [Video]
8 Feb 2012 | 6:51 amIt’s been awhile since Antoine Dodson serenaded us with his amazing words, “Hide your kids; hide your wife; and hide your husband.” But the time has come—Dodson is now working on his own album, 2012 AD, and this week his first single is going viral. continued… New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media. -
Yammer Competitor Jive Boosts Fourth Quarter Revenues by 53%
8 Feb 2012 | 5:17 amSocial, once dismissed as a consumer only trend, is starting to make a real dent into business. Yammer, a social CRM product dedicated to providing a Twitter like stream of discussion for employees, just recently reported recorded revenues. Now Jive, a public company and competitor to Yammer has reported their fourth quarter revenues have increased by 53% year over year. Let’s take a look at Jive and see how their offerings stack up against Yammer. continued… New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media. -
Over 2 Million People Watched The Super Bowl Online…Did You?
8 Feb 2012 | 3:17 amSunday’s game was the first ever Super Bowl webcast and the online turnout exceeded expectations. Back in December, when news got out that NBC would be streaming the big game, Joshua Cohen of Tubefilter crunched the numbers and estimated that anywhere between 1 and 1.5 million viewers would be streaming the game on their computers, smartphones and tablets. In the end, 2,105,441 users came out to watch the game, which NBC says was the most-watched, single game sports event of all time. continued… New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media. -
Blogger Discovers that Path Uploads Your Entire iPhone Address Book to their Servers
8 Feb 2012 | 2:27 amWhen you download an application, you’re giving it a certain level of trust. We’ve all been in the position where we download an application and within minutes we’v been asked multiple times to “log in with Facebook to invite all your friends.” We quickly remove the application. What if the application covertly uploaded everyone one of your address book contacts to its own servers? Unfortunately, that’s the case with Path, a popular iPhone social app that we’ve covered here in the past. The fact was broken this morning by Arun Thampi, a…
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Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
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SearchCap: The Day In Search, February 8, 2012
8 Feb 2012 | 2:23 pmBelow is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Bing Testing New Search Results Design Bing is testing a new design for the search results layout. The new design seems a lot cleaner, fresher and more organized... Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article. -
Bing Testing New Search Results Design
8 Feb 2012 | 1:43 pmBing is testing a new design for the search results layout. The new design seems a lot cleaner, fresher and more organized compared to the older design. Jason Hart tipped us off listing out the key differences: Vertical tabs removed Top and bottom search boxes widened Search button icon changed... Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article. -
How To Make Unstructured Data Actionable In Display
8 Feb 2012 | 11:05 amI wrote recently about the new era of display marketing, and how real time bidding and other advances are bringing the precision and performance of search advertising to display. Well…a new era of unstructured data is also upon us. A widely cited 2011 IDC study found that the amount of data in the... Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article. -
Survey: People Largely Negative About Google’s Personalized Search Results
8 Feb 2012 | 10:48 amEarlier this month market research tool provider Ask Your Target Market surveyed 400 US adults about their attitudes toward personalized search on Google. The results were reported today in eMarketer’s email newsletter. We went back to the source to check out the survey and discovered that... Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article. -
Why Does Microsoft’s Bing Search Engine Hate Rick Santorum?
8 Feb 2012 | 9:14 amUS presidential candidate Rick Santorum pulled off a surprise last night, winning caucuses and primaries in three states. So what’s with Bing listing an anti-Santorum web site first in its results in a search for his last name? Does Microsoft have some type of liberal agenda! Wait, you... Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
