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Local.com Releases 4th Quarter 2008 Earnings
Local.com has released its fourth quarter 2008 earnings. Their revenue grew 61% year-over-year to $9.6 million. However, they experienced a net loss of $2.2 million, which translates to $0.15 a share.
“We are pleased to report fourth quarter results in line with our prior guidance and forecast a return to strong revenue growth in the first quarter. We are bullish for 2009, projecting approximately $50 million in overall revenue and a return to net income for the entire year,” said Heath Clarke, Local.com chairman and CEO. “Despite a challenging economy, we are well positioned and have a balance sheet that will allow us to take advantage of strategic opportunities throughout the year. Our focus is on continued execution in driving sales and organic traffic.”
Related Reading:
Google Stock Downgraded to Hold; Local.com Authorizes Stock Repurchase Program
Local Video Ads Come to Local.com
google adwords ppc , ppa ,ppm & ppv!
Ever since the Google grand slam on affiliate marketing which basically paralyzes a lot of landing pages and their subsequent “commitment” to ensure that surfers and adwords advertisers have “good” experience using google by forcing up to 10x times the cost of per click, a lot of marketers is forced to relook at their marketing [...]
Google Dropping Radio Ads, Selling Radio Automation Business
Spring has come a little early for Google, as their spring cleaning continues with the dropping of radio ads from AdWords and AdSense announced today, the company announced today.
The dropping of Print Ads last week and search box from Gmail, now this, will Susan Wojcicki, VP of Product Management be having a garage sale?
When the program first launched, Google saw the product as a sound and smart investment.
“Google Audio Ads brings efficiency, accountability, and enhanced ROI to radio advertising by providing advertisers with an online interface for creating and launching radio campaigns. You’ll be able to target your customers by location, station type, day of the week, and time of day. After the radio ads are run, you will be able to view online reports that tell you exactly when your ad played,” Inside AdWords noted.
But three years later that has all changed.
“So we have decided to exit the broadcast radio business and focus our efforts in online streaming audio. We will phase out the existing Google Audio Ads and AdSense for Audio products and plan to sell the Google Radio Automation business, the software that automates broadcast radio programming. Advertisers will continue to be able to use Google Audio Ads until May 31 and broadcasters will be able to publish inventory to Google until that date as well. We will work with partners to make sure that there is as little disruption to their business as possible and will work to find a buyer for the Google Radio Automation business,” the Traditional Media blog stated.
At least they have given people some notice. I have a friend that just spent some money on developing radio ads to use on the product – has a little over three months to get a return on that investment. Meanwhile Google very subtley added the announcement that 40 employees from that product group would be laid off.
“We regret the impact these plans will have on the Googlers working on these projects. We hope to find other roles for the majority of the people concerned and will work to make that happen over the next couple of months. However, given that we are exiting the broadcast radio ad business and selling the Radio Automation business, we expect that up to 40 people may not be able to find other roles at Google.”
In 2006 Google bought dMarc – the radio automation software company – for $102 million, we will have to see what they get when the divest themselves of it.
Matt McGowan Quoted in BusinessWeek Article about SEO Jobs
I get most of my news online, but I still read newspapers and magazines. And I got caught up on my reading over the past 72 hours as I battled the norovirus.
So, imagine my surprise when I saw Matt McGowan, publisher of SearchEngineWatch.com, quoted in a BusinessWeek article by Ben Levisohn about SEO jobs entitled, “Web Work: Searching for Hitmakers.”
Hey, I know Matt. (I should disclose that he is a client, but I didn’t set up the interview.)
Levisohn wrote, “Among the jobs showing growth as the unemployment rate hits 7.2%: search engine optimizers.” He asked McGowan why demand for SEO skills was so intense at a time when marketing budgets are tight, and Matt replied, “More and more, (marketers) want proof that their spending works.”
Amen, brother.
I almost died and went to heaven when I read, “They need strategists, who conceive a Web site’s approach to roping in visitors.”
And I had to double-check that I hadn’t already died and gone to heaven when I read, “Companies are also looking for ‘link builders,’ who work to steer traffic from other Web sites to their employer’s.”
And then I felt like I had risen from the dead and returned to the land of the living when I read, “Also sought: SEO copywriters, who insert specific search terms into a site’s content to draw desired visitors.”
Hey, I know people who do that.
You know, I’ve simply got to find more time to read newspapers and magazines. You never know the valuable information you’re going to stumble across. And, miraculously, I’m feeling much better now, too.
Meanwhile, if companies are looking for search engine optimizers, link builders and SEO copywriters, they will find thousands of them attending SES New York 2009, which will be held March 23-27, at the Hilton New York.
(Notice the smooth segue in the SEO copywriting to this related topic and the anchor text link in the copy to the client’s website? That’s just a crude example of some of the services that search engine optimizers offer.)
If you look over the conference agenda, here are a couple of examples of the sessions that you won’t want to miss:
– How to Create a Successful In-House SEO Program
– Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Workshop
– SEO: Where to Next
– Advanced SEO Strategies: Integrating Analytics, Usability, Persuasion and Journalism
– Discover the Power of Linking: Link Building Basics
– Keywords & Content: Search Marketing Foundations
– SEO Through Blogs & Feeds
– News Search SEO
– Independent SEM/SEOs: Issues & Answers
– SEO Training Course
So, this wasn’t just a smooth seque. No, no, no. The information about Search Engine Strategies New York was also relevant and useful. That’s why search engine optimizers are in such demand.
Or, as Google says, “The best way to get other sites to create relevant links to yours is to create unique, relevant content that can quickly gain popularity in the Internet community. The more useful content you have, the greater the chances someone else will find that content valuable to their readers and link to it.”
And if you register for SES New York by March 6, you can save up to $200.
But wait, there’s more! Register today and get one month of free online search marketing training (a $99 value) from MarketMotive.
Okay, now I’m on the brink of the verge of the edge. So, I’ll back off the hard sell.
Nevertheless, if you are looking for search engine optimizers or want to develop your own skills to become one, you could do a lot worse that attending Search Engine Strategies New York. A lot worse.
Ask.com Parent IAC Sees Disappointing Revenues, Plans Vertical Search Strategy
Ask.com parent IAC this week reported a $156.2 million net loss for 2008, or $1.08 loss per share. For Q4 2008, IAC reported $227.4 million in net income, or $1.57 per share. Not counting several write-downs for underperforming assets, adjusted net income came in at $265.5 million for the year, of which $249.6 million was reported in Q4 alone.
Media and advertising revenues, which include Ask.com, Dictionary.com and Citysearch, fell 19 percent year-to-year to $183.7 million. IAC attributes that to a “de-emphasis of relationships with certain partners,” as well as fewer overall queries. It was offset by higher revenues per query, however.
The company said search ad prices dropped 8 to 12 percent during the period, and it expects media and ad revenue to decline by more than 20 percent this quarter.
Instead of attempting to take on Google head-on, Ask.com will follow a vertical search strategy, which kicked off last month with deal where Ask will power the search experience on NASCAR.com, provide a NASCAR toolbar, and sponsor a car. IAC plans to roll out from 8 to 10 similar relationships this year.
Doodle 4 Google 2009 Theme is “What I Wish for the World”
Google has announced the second annual “Doodle for Google” contest. The contest is open to K-12 students (homeschoolers allowed!) and rewards the most creative artistic interpretations of the Google logo with the contest theme. This year’s theme is “What I Wish for the World.”
The winner will get a $15,000 college scholarship. Also, the school district that submits the most high-quality entries will get $10,000.
Google is partnering with the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. The 40 finalists will have their art on exhibit at the museum.
Related Reading:
Doodle 4 Google: Artsy-Craftsy March Madness
London Kids Doodle For Google As Part Of New Office Opening
Marc Chagall Google Doodle
Google Chooses Diego over D-Day
Google Execs May Get Jail Time in Italy for Video
Beginning today, Google executives are on trial for defamation and privacy violation pertaining to a video posted to the Italian Google Video site, according to the New York Times. At issue is a cellphone video of a Down Syndrome boy being teased by four boys from Turin.
Italian officials say the video should never have been posted online. Of course, the Google execs say they didn’t handle the video. Google did, however, take it down when an Italian advocacy group complained that it was inappropriate.
Still, prosecutors say that the video should never have been published at all. If they win their case, the Google executives could serve jail time in Italy.
The biggest issue is that the video was posted without permission by one of the subjects of the video. European law offers this protection to subjects of video and photographs, but this poses obvious issues for online sharing sites. If these sites were required to verify every photograph and video, they would probably cease their offerings in Europe.
So, this is definitely an interesting case to watch. What do you think? Leave us a comment and let us know.
Related Reading:
Italian Broadcaster Sues Google, YouTube for $779 million
Super Bowl Ads: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Funny how the Super Bowl interaction with the web differed so much from the recent inauguration. Twitter which had doubled its capacities for the Obama Inauguration day – well supposedly – it was relatively quiet throughout with occasional comments on the ads.
Voting on the ads was everywhere and popularity lists abound now.
Doritos was a clear winner and their web site was ready and they had more video/ads on YouTube… all in all an intelligent online awareness.
Dennys.com, on the otherhand, is the real story. Spend $3 million to offer the United States a free breakfast and have your web site crash? As Michael Grey suggested last night maybe it was done for the viral guarantee today.
The crew over at Reprise Media did their annual review of full on web initiatives – pregame work, ad message and follow up in all areas are looked at. eTrade and Cash4Gold got top marks – was not big on that one or the koala hitting Career Builder (but maybe that’s just personal).
Reprise did single out Dennys too:
“Denny’s had a terrible night, with a free breakfast promo that failed to include a URL in their TV ad or an online call to action. Perhaps they were hoping to avoid overloading their website – which crashed right after the ad aired and was down for the rest of the game”
Regardless of the viral uptake – there will be hordes of the Undead – no wait a minute the Unplugged – crowding the counters and tables this Tuesday at Denny’s across the US. Hell in a city with many of the restaurants you could eat until you explode hopping from one to the other between 6am and 2 pm tomorrow eating free Grand Slams.
Matt Cutts has to weigh in on the biggest link buy in history. My hat is tipped to the people in charge of this entire strategy. The whole thing has played out better than Dennys could have possibly hoped for. They now are ranked number one for free breakfast. But it is an interesting listing – tops in Google for organic and paid search – yet no where in Yahoo or MSN! That includes PPC.
So is Dennys saying we Google breakfast? Or did they like many people just go for a Google advertising approach? Why no lift in Yahoo or MSN organic? We should at least see how long the links take to lift the site to number one on those two engines. Is there insight into Google manipulation even if it is short lived?
Matt there has to be something going on here. Does buying the country a meal give you permanent placement for free breakfast? Interestingly not on the front page anywhere organically for just breakfast and PPC for that matter (good negativing expanded match or is it a phrase match campaign).
Should be a campaign to tell all homeless – and computerless – people about the food option.
Meanwhile you knew there had to be some porn hack out there somewhere. Arizona got porn-rolled.
Dogpile.com’s Search & Rescue Program Helps Soldiers Bring Home Rescued Dogs from Afghanistan
Last November, Dogpile.com launched its “Search and Rescue” program that donates money to animal-related charities. The program also helps people find help for needy animals.
Two soldiers in Afghanistan found out about the program and looked for assistance in bringing two stray dogs they’d rescued home to the U.S. The soldiers tours of duty were coming to an end and they couldn’t bear to leave their new best friends behind. When Dogpile learned of the program, they agreed to sponsor the trip for the dogs.
Here’s video of the dogs arriving in the U.S. and being picked up by the wife of one of the soldiers:
Dogpile.com’s Search and Rescue program has already raised $100,000 for the ASPCA. Last August, Dogpile.com announced a partnership with Petfinder.com (which is where I found our new dog Ruby!)
Higher Education and Travel Industry Headed to SES London 2009
According to the organizers of SES London 2009, it looks like attendance will be up this year. While this may come as a surprise to some, Matt McGowan, Publisher of the conference series in addition to its sister sites ClickZ and Search Engine Watch, says, “Attendance figures are up 11% compared to last year, which is not surprising as businesses invest more of their budgets in digital marketing.”
He adds, “What’s noticeable this year however is the increase in representation from the education and travel industries. Delegates from these two sectors have increased by 10% (Education) and 16% (Travel). Many of Europe’s leading universities are sending people to SES London – from web managers to researchers. Similarly, established travel companies and tour operators are, as always, well represented, but this year has seen an increase in representation from the smaller, more niche, travel companies. The figures suggest that these two sectors will see significant growth in digital marketing spend this year.”
On this side of the pond, universities have seen grad school applications and enrollments increase as government funding and endowments have declined. This prompted Brandeis University to announce it would close the Rose Art Museum and turn it into a study and research center.
So, I can see why higher education on both sides of the pond is interested in finding more cost-effective ways to drive traffic to college and university websites than mailing out more college brochures. One of the first things I’d recommend is registering for the Google Online Marketing Challenge, which is open to any higher education institution, anywhere in the world.
Meanwhile, here in Boston, we’ve had 49 inches of snow dumped on us – more than double the normal snowfall at this point in the winter and even more than the normal snowfall for the entire winter season. So, I can also understand why the travel industry sees search engine marketing (SEM) and search engine optimization (SEO) turning “the winter of our discontent” into “glorious summer” in the coming year.
Despite last year’s economic conditions, travel spending by domestic and international visitors in 2008 increased 5.2%, to $778.2 billion, according to the Travel Industry Association. Heck, I can’t begin to describe the looks I get from my wife when I lamely explain that I “have to” go to London to speak at conference, blog about the event for Search Engine Watch, and conduct video interviews from the show. Hey, it’s a business trip.
So, when we all get together Feb. 17-20, 2009, at the Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, I need a little help. For the European universities in attendance, my daughter is planning to spend a semester abroad next year. What do you have for an art major? And for the travel companies who will be at SES London 2009, my wife is looking for someplace sunny, where she can forget about the sleet, wind and bitter cold. (If I’m lucky, she might even bring me along.)
I’m speaking at the sessions on Online Video Update – The Next Wave, News Search SEO, and Beyond Linkbait: Getting Authoritative Mentions Online. Just come up after the session and introduce yourself.
If we haven’t met before, I’ve been called “the bearded guy you’d vote least-likely-to-be-in-public relations” by one industry observer. Or, I’m the bearded buy below who was interviewed by Li Evans of Key Relevance at SES San Jose 2008.
VSEO – Video Search Engine Optimization – with Greg Jarboe
Oh, and if you are from an art school in a sunny place like Spain or Italy, let me know all about the programs you offer. Who knows, I may even be able to come back from SES London 2009 a hero, instead of a zero.
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