Tag: Web

Social Media, Platforms and Control

Carl Setzer

I’ve been kept in the loop about the different groups encompassing the #StopeHateForProfit initiative and their meeting with Facebook a few days ago (here’s a recap of the situation if you need it). Other folks have written about Facebook’s strategy and risks, so I really have nothing to add there. However, one element has given me pause. What happens if the site collapses?

No, I don’t think that Facebook is going to fail simply due to this issue. However, there are a huge number of challenges that Facebook faces, from privacy to a lack of public accountability.  All of that makes me wonder what the breaking point will be? Ultimately, I believe Facebook’s Waterloo will be a combination of all the issues facing it, along with the natural conservatism that comes with huge success and an IPO, and the creation of a challenger. And I have something of a fatalistic view: that the end will come for it. Not that it will suddenly vanish. It’s a well-run business. However, I expect it will simply fade from relevancy once the new thing appears (i.e.: MySpace).

For me, this speaks to the importance of having my own website, my own place on the interwebs. One where I control everything. My own personal brand, I guess. Mainly, though, where my presence is independent of decisions made by some random group of individuals.

I realize that, in many ways, this is a fantasy. This site is hosted by a company, built on WordPress…external factors that I don’t have much control over. However, I can move my site to another host. I can port my blog from WordPress to some other platform if need be. Everything on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc, will simply vanish if those sites end.

Now, maybe this makes sense as I’m currently studying web development and design. As I was told many years ago, “having your own domain is the height of being a nerd” (I own that with delight). So, I guess this might be my inner geek. But I see deep value in having my own site, using it as a hub to the rest of my internet presence. And I see the value for you, too.

Facebook’s Video Ads

Carl Setzer

Autoplayed videos; oh, how I loathe thee! I’ve been grousing about this for years. And now, NOW Facebook wants to launch into the space. Grrrr…

The radio piece I heard this morning didn’t  have much, except stating the auto-play piece. Reading this article on AdAge gives a bit more balance. Apparently, scrolling or swiping past will stop them from playing. And the mobile app won’t play them unless you’re on wifi. I guess that’s better than some of the ways these are executed, but still…

What I find most interesting, though, is their eagerness. Yes, this has a large revenue potential ($1 *10^6/day, plus the ability to deeply refine their  targeting), but, BUTTTTT I don’t know anyone who isn’t annoyed by them. I wonder how much this will alienate users, perhaps driving them somewhere else? Ok, I really don’t think that this will drive a max influx of Google+ users, but I do believe it will drive a lot of people to download Adblock, or one of it’s kindred products.

 

Online Music Explorations

Carl Setzer

Another thing that makes me *heart* the internet: music. The ability to connect, on myriad levels, with a huge variety of artists just delights me.

Today I started exploring both Reverbnation and SoundCloud. They seem like great ways to dive deeper into lesser-covered music. One of my hipster-eque traits: I love to be able to say “I knew that band back before they were famous”. Just need to get paid for such.

I like both sites pretty well, though they’re pretty different. I spent more time at ReverbNation, but mostly to explore a friend’s band (check out Verdant Mile). SoundCloud hosts one of my favorite podcasts, Story Collider. Having the larger library of content is particularly delightful to me. I’ll need a deeper dive, though, until I really can form an opion.

Any of you use either of these much? Love them? Hate them? Know of another site that’s way better? Let me know!

Annoying Videos Ads

Carl Setzer1 Comment

The first thing I do when one of those obnoxious, over-loud video ads launches on a website I just opened starts playing is to close the whole page. I have to be pretty committed to reading the article for me to stick around through that, or to try and locate the “off” or “mute” button for the bloody thing. 

So, for those of you promoting advertising on your website, you now have something to consider. Of course, I should look at running Ad-Blocker or something like that and move this nuisance into historical reference. 

Real Estate and the Web

Carl Setzer

Been spending a fair amount of time today looking at different website options for my company. At this point, I’m not terribly impressed with any of them. Makes me think I should go and build my own. 

My dream system has all the components of your standard transaction well integrated. CRM, transaction steps, offer tracking, listings, key dates…all that sort of thing, That and tightly integrating our blogs, YouTube channels, Twitter feed, etc. Want to maximize SEO for our work. 

Chatting with some colleagues, I have some other options to explore. The most interesting, to me at least, is the notion of building a whole site on my own via WordPress. Then I would add the functionality I want with plugins. Seems very doable, and would feed my inner (and outer) geek.