WebProWorld
Security firm F-Secure discovered that Twitter has begun blocking links to malicious sites when users try to post them. Twitter has not acknowledged this with an announcement yet, but users (at least some) are getting the following message when trying to post a link to a known malware site:
"Oops! Your tweet contained a URL to a known malware site!"
A 2008 survey from MarketingSherpa indicated that 52% of viewers took action after seeing an online video ad; 28% looked for more information; and 16% bought something. Statistics like these appear to have resonated with some advertisers, because advertising through online video seems to be on the way up.
An interesting report has been released today indicating that US mobile operators and equipment vendors support the drive toward real-time video, projected to become more mainstream in the US market over the coming years. The report is based on a poll from consulting firm Ovum of top US mobile operators, smaller/regional wireless carriers and mobile application developers.
In San Francisco last night, Six Apart (who recently launched data portability initiative Motion) hosted a roundtable to discuss the future of activity stream standards. In attendance were people from Google, Yahoo, MySpace, Facebook, Nokia, Plaxo, Comcast, and others.
It looks like mobile search is about to be taken seriously. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Verizon Wireless has tapped Google, and the two are close to reaching a deal that would see Google’s mobile search come pre-installed on Verizon handsets.
Companies generally don’t comment on rumor or speculation—that’s the blogosphere/news media’s job. The speculation du jour, which seems very likely born of non-buyer’s remorse, is that Microsoft is eyeing—or should eye—an acquisition of eBay or, at least, PayPal and/or Skype.
Whatever happens in Google’s peripheral industry dabbling, the search giant lives up to its core reputation by grabbing 67.9 percent of US searches in April, a 4 percent increase year-over-year, according to Hitwise. The usual rivals are present in the top four with a noticeable decline for third-place breath-holder MSN. Microsoft’s confusingly branded search engine dropped from 6.65 percent in March to 6.26 percent in April, down from 7.77 percent a year ago, and down significantly from search share once hovering around 12 percent.
Some time last year I realized my association with the search engine optimization and marketing industry might change because the atmosphere was getting partisan. Bad feelings between leaders were festering and it didn’t take much of a nudge to start a rumble. The situation isn’t improving and I wonder why. Case in point is a recent bit of flap over an article that went out by someone well respected, which in hindsight was an error in judgment. Apologies have been made but it won’t end there because something has drastically shifted in the industry.
A couple of days ago something strange began happening on Twitter. Avatars of the people I follow began sporting peas. Peas in the background, in the foreground, pea pods, pea hats. And I’m all, "what’s with the freakin’ peas?"
Not to be outdone by big Internet players and smaller local-focused search companies, AOL has quietly opened up beta testing for AOL Local, its local search product.
