This story is so incredible to me, I don’t have anything to add to it, frankly.
Though I do wonder:
More from Google and their obstinate foolishness.
Google is now posting a link to a tour of the new features on iGoogle. On the page they explain the changes they’ve made, and that more are to come.
What gauls me, however, is the manner with which they address the murderously sloppy use of space that results from their left-side navigation bar. Here is their response:
“All this new gadget functionality made it important to look more closely at how we help you find and use content on iGoogle. Based on your feedback, it’s clear that the new left-hand navigation bar is the most controversial change we’ve made…
“But this new navigation also reflects our belief that, over time, the web in general and iGoogle in particular will become more personalized but also more social…
“In short, we want iGoogle to grow right along with the web. The newest iteration of this evolution may seem jarring to some people today, but we believe that over time, a better-organized and more socially connected iGoogle homepage will be essential to helping us all make the most of all that the web has to offer.”
So! Isn’t that good to know? If you don’t like the left hand navigation bar, have no fear: Google is far more in tuned with what you need than you are.
I hadn’t realized it before - I was simply too much of a dope to know that the web is getting, “more social.”
Here’s my problem. Again. If I have that many social sites, or chat sites, or anything that I use often enough that I need a side nav bar that takes up all that space, I feel I am equipped to make that decision. I know many other people who feel the same way. So let us opt in or out of using the new design.
Apparently, you can access the old version of iGoogle at https://www.google.com/ig?gl=all - though this may not be available for long if more users go to this than the current abomination. Other users are switching their home pages to google.ca, which also has the old layout.
If you like your old iGoogle, I would suggest switching to one of these for the time being. I don’t know if Google will shut these down eventually or not, but this update already looks and feels a lot like something Microsoft would do to people. There’s no reason to believe they won’t remain consistent.
Check out the newest feature on Linkedin - widgets you can plug into you profile and homepage.
It’s a great idea, and frankly one they’ve needed for some time. The average user doesn’t seem to know what to do with Linkedin other than keep a profile, so it’s good to give people something extra to show. The one widget, “Company Buzz,” though, really caught my eye. It sure seems like a good idea - a good idea that has some problems, though.
It works like this: You plug in the widget, and then when people come to your profile, they can see at a glance what people are saying about the company you’re working for. You can change it to display other companies you have worked for, or your alma matter, but not other companies.
Not that this matters too much - it’s really just polling Twitter for information. A quick visit to http://search.twitter.com can get you much of the same information. It would have been nice if they could have drawn on several different sources, like Google Reader. It comes with some extras that make it easier for you to see over time what people are saying about you, though, so it is a good thing to have - though probably on your private profile page - unless what’s being said is good, and you feel brave.
Which brings me to the other problem: If a lot of people talk badly about the company you work for, well then there it is, right there on your profile. Companies like Wal-Mart or US Airways have pretty bad public perceptions, whether they deserve them or not. If you’re a senior executive for one of these companies, would you really want to advertise people’s displeasure with your brand? Even if you work for a company that’s loved, would you take the chance that when this refreshes itself someone could find the first major complaint against you in years?
At the very least, it can show you the importance of managing your company’s brand. Managers would be loathe to tell employees, “don’t put this on your private, used-on-their-own-time Linkedin page, or more people will know our bad press.” In time applications like this are going to be easier to create, and will therefore be more widespread.
Rather than trying to censor what is said about your company - a doomed effort, given the ease with which anyone can publish online - it is more important than ever to engage critics, and do the work of improving your public perception.
Google just updated their iGoogle layout a couple of minutes ago. There are two distinct changes, and in my opinion one’s good - and the other’s a drag.
First off, you can now edit your Gmail through the iGoogle page, which is very nice. Before you had to click over to your Gmail to do any deleting. Even if you opened the message through iGoogle, you didn’t have the option of deleting anything that was junk - just archiving it, which Google seems to think is the best possible thing you could do with your mail. I don’t know, I’d rather purge what I don’t need, but that could just be me.
Second, a change I am not wild about - the tabs organization is now an entire column on the left. Given how crowded this page can get for those of us who use it a lot, this is a bad turn. What’s more, the option to “delete” it does not refer to the column, but the actual tab information. So I have a feeling a lot of people who also don’t like this new layout are going to end up deleting their front page tab. Here’s hoping they think to click the “undo” link at the top of the screen after they do.
E
For those of you who have a preference for international news, it can be annoying when the Today show spends more time discussing how to make a fun fiesta casserole rather than updating you on the current situation in Chechnya or when your local paper gives you little more than one page about the state of the international community. Several newspapers, news television programs, and online news websites leave international news at the bottom of their priority list. There are, however, a few news websites that seem to always deliver.
The International Herald Tribune online is the global edition of the New York Times online, and it dedicates every story and landing page to news on the international level. Unfortunately, the New York Times will soon be taking the International Herald site down, a huge loss for those who value international news. Not only does this mean more traffic to the Times site, but also more advertising dollars in their pocket. To be fair, the present economic situation calls for drastic measures and the Times have claimed that they will be adding a bit more international news to their site. In my opinion, however, this also means that international news will now come second to stories about Sarah Palin, Thanksgiving party ideas, and some celebrity’s drug addiction – all of which I actually discovered on the site’s homepage.
Despite some bitterness on my part, there is valuable national news on the Times site, and detailed news about politics, economics, sports, science, technology, style, and more. Perhaps I am just demanding.
Either way, it is comforting to know that- at least for now- the Paris-based International Herald Tribune will not be shutting down along with its website. Meanwhile, I highly recommend BBC online for legitimate and thorough international news. Today they are featuring Nobel Prize winners who have baked up more than a miracle diet plan. Check it out.
Recently, I was walking around the office and was attracted by this cartoon. What does it mean?
I think it’s telling us that companies need have a strategy in order to create a competitive advantage in their field. This strategy is synonymous with yes….CREATIVITY!
If you have nothing…and I mean, you “can’t compete on price…quality, features or service,” then you need to have creativity work for you! Of course, creativity isn’t something that you can just scoop up in a minute. You need to think in and outside the box in order to evaluate the unique qualities of your business and then represent them through innovative marketing and branding tactics.
After all, that’s what creativity is:
“the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.” (dictionary.com)
Brand Image
Good news is that creativity is within reach of everyone. You don’t need to have the most innovative product, just be able to sell it! How? Well first off, you will need to satisfy the needs of your customers in order to sustain your success. That is, you must have a decent product or service, just not necessarily the #1 rated in the market. There are many firms who have created a competitive advantage not on their product or service offering quality, but on their creativity and brand image.
Any come to mind?
• How about Geico using the “gecko lizard” to target young audiences? Is Geico insurance anything exceptional?
• McDonald’s? They have made a fortune on their image! They are proof that you can package artery-clogging “Supersized” meals and sell them when paired with images of active lifestyles.
So, perfect examples of creativity put to work on whatever it may be. The key is these companies are able to create meaningful representations in the minds of consumers.
On the other hand, I see many great companies that I wish had better marketing and branding efforts because they have a great product or service. They aren’t hopeless; they’re just lacking the creativity necessary to stand out or at least reach larger portions of their target markets. Hopefully they can do this before it’s too late.
Bottom Line
How you brand and present your company will likely be the first and most lasting impression customers will hold of you. This is why having creative campaigns that resonate are crucial for successful businesses. Likewise, you can have the best product out there, but if you don’t know how to market it, then some inferior but more creative entity will get the profits. So go ahead…mix it up, make a name for yourself and get creative with your ideas.
As for the cartoon…..it’s not fraud, it’s just common sense.
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Internet marketing continues to heat up locally, with interactive agency Mighty Interactive recently signing six new clients including several well-known Arizona brands.
