Web Marketing Association SmartBrief

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April 24, 2012

Current News and Ideas for Web Developers and Marketers

Top Story

Ad dollars start to flow to online video as viewership spikes
Online video continues to gain viewership, according to the latest comScore survey, and advertisers are starting to jump on the bandwagon, agencies report. In March, the number of video ads surpassed 8 billion for the first time, and 181 million people viewed nearly 37 billion videos. "Online-video sites are becoming a legitimate alternative to cable and network-TV options for reaching consumers," said Craig Atkinson, chief digital officer of media-buyer PHD. ComScore cited the spread of "TV Everywhere" as a primary driver of online viewing. The Wall Street Journal (4/22), Telecompetitor.com (4/20), MediaPost Communications/Online Media Daily (4/20)

Will SMBs get a taste for Google's AdWords for video? Google is giving away $50 million in free advertising to small businesses to drum up interest in its new YouTube-based AdWords for video offering. Company officials say that YouTube video ads drive an average 20% increase in Web traffic and 5% increase in search traffic, and note that the new platform includes an SMB-friendly geotargeting system. WebProNews (Lexington, Ky.) (4/23), Mashable (4/23)

Trendwatch

Facebook cites seasonal variations as ad sales slow in Q1
Facebook had ad revenues of $1.06 billion in the first quarter of 2012 -- an increase of 45% year-on-year, but less than the $1.13 billion the company reported for the fourth quarter of 2011. That suggests that Facebook is subject to the same cyclical business patterns that govern the rest of the industry, experts say. "The rapid growth in our business may have partially masked these seasonal trends to date and the seasonal impacts may be more pronounced in the future," the company said in a statement. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (4/23)

Pre-roll video ads are the blink tags of our time
The 30-second pre-roll ad unit is annoying, abusive and a lousy way for marketers to woo potential customers, writes Molly Wood. Turning things around will require new technologies, such as skippable ads, but also a new creative approach. "The first ad agency that creates a digital production studio for ads customized for online or mobile video has the potential to own the future," Wood writes. CNET (4/23)

Getting the Word Out

Dove app promises to eliminate user's negative Facebook ads
Dove has released a Facebook application in Australia that allows users to replace negative ads -- think cellulite removers and weight-loss supplements -- with upbeat messages telling women that they look good just the way they are. Users can nominate friends to receive an "Ad Makeover," with body-positive messages being integrated into their regular Facebook experience. Mashable (4/23)

For content publishers, timing is everything
A piece of content's performance is influenced by the time of day it was originally posted, writes Ky Harlin. Sites experience traffic slumps late at night and early in the morning, with visitor numbers growing over the course of the morning and peaking in midafternoon. "If there's not a lot of people on your site at a certain hour, don't publish as much -- let the stories you have stick around a little longer and see if they take off," Harlin advises. iMedia Connection (4/24)

Developer Update

Microsoft gets touchy-feely with developers
Windows 8 is coming soon, and Microsoft is working to ensure that developers and designers create sites capable of playing nicely with touchscreen interfaces. Though many of Microsoft's suggestions will be familiar to iOS and Android developers, the company has a few novel tricks up its sleeve, including a CSS property that allows Web applications to isolate touches that would otherwise be interpreted as browser actions. Webmonkey (4/23)

Design Corner

Are you putting 100% into your website's contact page?
Web designers need to pay attention to every last detail of their websites -- even, and perhaps especially, the company's contact details, writes Gisele Muller. Whether you create a dedicated page or set aside a corner of the homepage, it's important to create a polished, eye-catching design. "[T]ake good care of this specific section because it can get the user's attention or scare them away," Muller writes. WebDesignLedger.com (4/23)

Small Businesses & Entrepreneurs

U.K. digital champion launches small-business campaign
U.K. small businesses and nonprofits are being encouraged to embrace e-commerce by a government program called "Go ON UK." Financial Times (tiered subscription model) (4/22)

Association News

WebAward radio ad now on WebMaster Radio
Web Marketing Association sponsor WebmasterRadio.fm is a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week online radio station dedicated to helping online marketing professionals better understand the dynamic online marketplace. Shows can be listened to live or from the extensive archive of previously recorded programming. WebMaster Radio is running a radio ad for the 2012 WebAward Competition. Be sure to check out the advertising opportunities on Webmaster Radio.