Posts Tagged ‘future’
Friday, September 25th, 2009
By Robert Lockard
Are books about to take a quantum leap forward? I just read an excellent article on CNN called, “E-books catching on with readers.” I’ve covered this topic before on the eHarbor Blog, and much of what I read in this article harkened back to the thoughts I offered in my blog entry, “Will Kindle hurt book publishers?” In that blog post, I focused solely on the Kindle DX, but now many other companies are jumping into the fray.
The e-book industry certainly looks promising. It’s attracting top booksellers like Barnes & Noble and Amazon, as well as tech giants like Apple, Google and Sony. Technological advances keep coming, making e-books thinner, easier on the eyes and more affordable every year. In fact, according to the article, they could become as thin as a piece of paper within the next five years. That sounds amazing!
The reason I am so excited about this development is that it has the power to dramatically cut printing costs and open the doors to up-and-coming authors to show off their work. Imagine someone writing a great work of fiction and selling it through Amazon at a fraction of the price it would be if it had to be printed, shipped and stored. That author could start earning revenue almost immediately.
You can find the rest of this blog entry on the new Social Media Blog on Submit Solution. That blog entry is entitled, “E-books gaining in popularity.” The new Submit Solution website looks great. You should definitely check it out, and you can keep coming back to the eHarbor Blog for stories about eHarbor, Inc.
The photo of the e-book inside a book is from Flickr, and it is the copyright of timonoko.
Tags: Amazon, article, book, CNN, Ecommerce, future, google, growth, Kindle, Media, update
Posted in Ecommerce, Media | No Comments »
Friday, June 5th, 2009
By Robert Lockard
As a follow-up to my eHarbor Blog entry on Facebook’s growing pains, I would like to talk about Facebook recently receiving $200 million. I read about it in a CNN article, entitled “Facebook scores $200 million.”
Facebook has certainly not had any trouble getting new subscribers during this recession. In April, it surpassed 200 million users, an amazing number considering the company started just four years ago.
However, Facebook has had a bit of trouble obtaining investment capital since the start of the recession. That’s understandable, since investors and consumers are trying to be extra careful about where they spend their money.
I found it particularly interesting that the article mentioned Facebook’s overall value fell from roughly $15 billion in October 2007 to about $10 billion in May 2009. That drop coincides with my blog entry “Marketers cut social media presence when they need it most.” As times get tough, companies cut back on things they consider to be nonessential, and social-media sites like Facebook and Twitter are being neglected a bit.
Social media is an important part of marketing strategies now that so many of our potential and current customers are using those services. It’s a great way to stay in contact with them. Facebook’s growth and success could affect the way we market products and services in the future so it is wise to be a part of it. Just remember that social media is not search engine optimization, and both should be used to effectively reach customers.
The Russian company that invested $200 million in Facebook said they think Facebook could become one of the largest Internet companies in the world some day. Seventy percent of their users are already outside the United States, so they’re on their way.
The photo of the pile of dollar bills is from Flickr, and it is the copyright of mmarchin.
Tags: article, CNN, company, Ecommerce, eHarbor, facebook, future, marketing, news, positive, Social Media
Posted in Ecommerce, Media | 2 Comments »
Monday, June 1st, 2009
By Robert Lockard
Here’s an interesting trend online marketers should pay close attention to: the increasing length of search queries. That’s right, online users are Googling more search terms at a time to find specific topics and products. And they are clicking on paid listings less often than before.
This is big news because it represents a shift from business as usual.
The number of words per search grew from 2.8 in January 2007 to above 3.0 in March 2009, according to comScore, a top source of online research. This change might seem insignificant, but it is actually quite large, statistically speaking.
I read about this shift in search queries in a WebProNews article, entitled “Longer Search Queries Hurting PPC Clicks?” The author of that article suggested online marketers who use paid search in their marketing campaigns will have to adapt and be much more creative in their selection of search terms.
When people used fewer keywords in their searches, it was easier for marketers to choose good ones with low competition to get their paid-search listings on. Now, however, people are using so many keywords that a growing number of search-results pages do not include any paid-search listings because they have gone unnoticed.
The world of pay-per-click might become extremely complex in the near-future as marketers awaken to these facts. A seemingly endless number of keyword combinations could make the task of reaching the right customers more difficult but also more effective at the same time.
People who use more search terms are usually more intent on finding and buying a product than those who type in one or two keywords. It will be interesting to see where this trend leads.
If you would like help with creating an effective paid-search campaign, I recommend contacting Submit Solution or Real Estate Promoter. These eHarbor, Inc. affiliates are industry veterans and they will able to help you.
The photo of the complicated wiring is from Flickr, and it is the copyright of challiyan.
Tags: affiliate, article, change, comScore, Ecommerce, eHarbor, future, keyword, marketing, news, online, Paid Search, Pay-Per-Click, PPC, Real Estate Promoter, research, search engine, Submit Solution, WebProNews
Posted in Pay-Per-Click | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, May 12th, 2009
By Robert Lockard
The Kindle DX’s launch last week brings up an interesting discussion on the value of content in the digital age. I couldn’t cover this whole discussion before, so now I’ll follow up on that discussion, as I promised to do in my first blog entry on Kindle.
I read another article on Kindle in Information Week, entitled “Amazon’s Kindle DX Poses Profitability Challenge To Publishers.” This article focused on a different effect Kindle DX can have on publishers. The publishers it discusses are not in the news media, but the textbook industry.
Apparently, a comparatively lightweight, digital copy of textbooks appeals to schools looking to save money for themselves and students. Textbooks can be expensive and heavy to carry from class to class, so Kindle’s new version offers a useful option. But the idea of turning their products into electronic copies doesn’t appeal to textbook publishers because of the negative impact that would likely have on their value and, thus, company profits.
The reason behind publishers’ hesitance to include their textbooks on Kindle is quite intriguing.
In the article, the author points out, “One fact that’s sure to keep shareholders up at night is the drop in the value of content once it becomes digital, sometimes as much as 50%, analysts have said.”
By publishing a written work in an electronic format, its value falls. The printing press, introduced centuries ago, made books much less expensive and time-consuming to create, lowering their value to a level attainable by more people. Perhaps the Internet is our new version of the printing press, allowing information to be shared cheaply and quickly, compared to traditional media forms.
By avoiding the costs of printing, binding and distributing books, these publishers could maintain their profits while lowering prices. But change is often scary, even if it has many positive points.
The article points out that the world is changing, and it’s becoming more difficult to ignore new technologies. I covered a similar topic on businesses that have yet to enter the ecommerce industry in my previous eHarbor Blog entry, called “Strong sales attract retailers to ecommerce.” We can look to the music industry to see the consequences of failing to take advantage of online services in a timely manner, the article also notes.
The photo of a Kindle atop textbooks is from Flickr, and it is the copyright of KNK.
Tags: Amazon, article, book, business, company, content, Ecommerce, eHarbor, future, history, Information Week, Kindle, Media, new, online, update, web
Posted in Ecommerce, Media | 3 Comments »
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009
By Robert Lockard
I read a Bloomberg article that said the New York Times is facing a large drop in revenue and is trying to cut back on its expenses to stay in business. The article is entitled, “New York Times Sees Further Ad Drop After Loss Widens.”
The New York Times is learning the hard way that ecommerce and online media are changing the way people gather information and the way marketers advertise their products to customers. They’re trying to stay afloat by cutting jobs, reducing their staff’s salaries and selling property and other assets to try to make up for lost advertising revenue.
All of this is prolonging the inevitable. Old media will have to adapt to changing conditions or go the way of the railroad.
For better or worse, Facebook, Twitter and other social-media sites are revolutionizing communication and information distribution. Marketers are shifting their advertising dollars online because it is much more cost-efficient to do so. Print faces serious challenges because of this.
One quote in the Bloomberg article stuck out to me above all the others. Thyra Zerhusen, managing director of Optimum Investment Advisors, said the New York Times has “to do a better job monetizing their online revenues.”
This seems to be a common theme for companies looking to make a profit online. Online marketers save money by hosting a website instead of renting space at a mall, but they need to understand doing business online is a big change from the old way of doing business and it requires different approaches to earning a profit.
I recommend going to Magellan Commerce’s redesigned website to find resources that can help you succeed online. These include search engine optimization, website design, and more.
You can also go to other eHarbor, Inc. affiliates: Submit Solution and Real Estate Promoter.
The photo of the tiger staying afloat is from Flickr, and it is the copyright of fPat.
Tags: advice, affiliate, article, Bloomberg, company, consumer, Ecommerce, eHarbor, facebook, flickr, future, internet, magellan commerce, marketing, Media, new york times, news, online, Real Estate Promoter, search engine optimization, SEO, Social Media, Submit Solution, twitter, web, website
Posted in Ecommerce, Media, eHarbor | 5 Comments »
Tuesday, April 14th, 2009
By Robert Lockard
The Internet has changed the way we do a lot of things. Ecommerce is changing the way we shop for goods and services. Online marketing is proving more popular to advertisers than other forms of media, especially in the current recession.
For better or worse, the Internet is changing the news media, as well.
It’s not easy being in the news business. They work hard to analyze stories and write up accurate and up-to-date information, only to have their work quickly summarized and modified for blogs, sometimes with little credit to the original author. There are even a few bloggers who point out all of the misspellings and bad grammar in otherwise good articles.
Often, bloggers practice fair use of copyrighted content by using only a small portion of an article and building their own ideas off of it. I did that with the story on consumers touching products.
Whenever I include an image, which is the property of someone else, I make sure to give credit where credit is due. You might notice my attribution at the bottom of almost every blog entry. I’ve done that from the very beginning.
We appear to be in an age when people like to think of information as free. That can be a good thing, but it can also lead to a lack of credible information in the long term, as news writers lose incentives to generate well-researched stories in the first place.
What inspired me to write about this topic is an article in Ars Technica, called “The newspaper industry’s attack on Google misses the point.” Fascinating read, by the way. I recommend it.
I thought this was an important topic to spend time discussing here in the eHarbor Blog. I hope to keep share more positive stories soon on eHarbor, Inc. and its affiliates: Magellan Commerce, Real Estate Promoter and Submit Solution.
The photo of the dilapidated Dallas Times Herald sign is from Flickr, and it is the copyright of adonis paul hunter / ahptical.
Tags: blog, change, Ecommerce, economy, eHarbor, future, google, growth, internet, magellan commerce, marketing, Media, news, online, Real Estate Promoter, search engine, Submit Solution, web
Posted in Ecommerce, Media | 6 Comments »
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009
By Robert Lockard
Going along with my last eHarbor blog entry on the increase in spending on search engine optimization, this blog entry is on the positive future of the ecommerce industry.
According to an article from eMarketer, entitled “eMarketer Revises E-Commerce Forecast,” total sales of products online in the United States, excluding travel, totaled $133.6 billion in 2008. That was a 4.6-percent increase from 2007, despite the economic downturn plaguing most industries.
In 2009, when most people are worried about serious contractions because of low demand from consumers, ecommerce sales are expected to hold steady, dipping just 0.4 percent to $133.1 billion.
Even better, total ecommerce spending will grow about 10 percent or more from 2010 to 2013, possibly reaching $203.5 billion in 2013. That is definitely worth celebrating.
As more companies jump into the world of SEO and strive to position themselves online, the ecommerce industry is going to keep expanding. Plus, with consumers looking for deals and convenience in a tight marketplace, many are turning to online sources for goods they used to purchase at malls or regular retail stores.
This is a great time to jump online. I recommend checking out eHarbor, Inc.’s affiliates for help in designing and optimizing your website. These affiliates include: Submit Solution, Magellan Commerce and Real Estate Promoter.
The photo of the dog in the car seat is from Flickr and it is the copyright of exfordy.
Tags: 2009, Ecommerce, economy, eHarbor, eMarketer, flickr, Fun, funny, future, growth, humor, internet, magellan commerce, marketing, news, positive, Real Estate Promoter, search engine optimization, SEO, Submit Solution, web
Posted in Ecommerce, SEO, eHarbor | 9 Comments »
Monday, March 23rd, 2009
By Robert Lockard
Great news! The ecommerce industry isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. It’s actually growing in strength, despite the recession. What a pleasant surprise!
According to an article in Practical Ecommerce, entitled “Chart of the Week: Search Engine Marketing to Increase,” marketers in the United States are expected to spend $14.1 billion on search engine marketing in 2009. That’s a 16-percent increase from 2008’s $12.2 billion. If it continues to grow at this rate, the amount spent on search engine marketing in the United States could reach $23 billion in 2013.
Search engine marketing is made up of paid-search advertising, contextual advertising, paid inclusion, and search engine optimization. We just finished a series on SEO strategies. I recommend reading those blog entries, if you’d like more information.
You might remember my blog entry on the success of eHarbor, Inc. not long ago. I’m pleased to note this is not just an isolated incident, but an industry-wide one. As the economy sours, businesses are turning more to the Internet for new customers, and getting high placement on search engines, like Google, MSN and Yahoo, is a great way to get their attention.
Be sure to check out eHarbor, Inc.’s affiliates for help in designing and optimizing your websites. These affiliates include: Submit Solution, Magellan Commerce and Real Estate Promoter.
The photo of the surprised kittens is from Flickr and it is the copyright of telachhe.
Tags: 2009, Ecommerce, economy, eHarbor, flickr, funny, future, google, growth, humor, magellan commerce, marketing, Media, msn, news, positive, Real Estate Promoter, search engine optimization, SEO, Submit Solution, web, yahoo
Posted in Ecommerce, SEO, eHarbor | 12 Comments »
Monday, February 23rd, 2009
By Robert Lockard
I recently read a blog entry on Copyblogger (a great blog if you want to improve your online writing skills), entitled “Warning: Contents are hot.” In it, the author recommended writing about a topic you’re passionate about in order to create some interesting content that people will love reading. I thought I’d follow that advice.
The eHarbor Blog has been going strong again for three weeks. I’ve been focusing on eHarbor, Inc., ecommerce and I’m right in the middle of an informative series of blog posts on using search engine optimization to improve your ranking on Google and other search engines. I thought I’d take a little break from online marketing topics and write about something a little more spontaneous to remind myself and my readers of much that is right in the world.
I’m not much for creating controversy, but I do like talking about things I love. I also really enjoy bringing others happiness. It’s tough to feel happy or positive when you read so much bad news every day. There are plenty of news articles about the global economic recession, real-estate downturn, stimulus packages and every other challenge going on in the world. To combat these emotional drains, I would like to suggest five reasons to smile today.
1. Despite the trouble in the economy, Forrester Research predicts ecommerce will grow, in terms of both sales and market share, from 2009 to 2013. eCommerce sales increased 13 percent to $141.3 billion in 2008 and they are expected to grow another 11 percent in 2009. Online sales should even surpass $200 billion by 2012, according to their estimate. Now that’s some great news.
2. I’ll bet you didn’t know that today, February 23, 2009, is International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day and Play Tennis Day. This is your opportunity to give your dog a treat as you play a few sets with a friend.
3. George Frideric Handel, composer of beautiful musical pieces, including “Messiah,” was born on this date in 1685. Several years ago, I got to sing the tenor part of “For unto us a Son is born,” and boy is that some high-pitch music. I admire anyone who can sing well because good music always uplifts me and makes me smile.
4. On this day in 1940, Disney’s “Pinocchio” was released in movie theaters. While it’s not my favorite Disney movie, “Pinocchio” does have one of my favorite songs: “When you wish upon a star.” I told you I love movies.
5. One more reason to smile is that life feels a lot nicer when you can lift your head up and smile at whatever comes your way. Even if you can’t control everything that happens to you, you can control how you react to it, so try to stay positive, and focus on what you can accomplish right now.
The photo of the laughing kitten is from Flickr and it is the copyright of d u y g u.
Tags: copyblogger, data, Ecommerce, eHarbor, flickr, Fun, future, history, holiday, internet, movie, news, online, personal, positive, research, web
Posted in Ecommerce, Fun, Movies | 8 Comments »
