Aztec Media

I started a new media/advertising tracking side project over on Twitter with a new account called adwatch.

I'm going to tweet references to content providers and their advertisements that I find interesting from the media that gets into my attention stream. 

If you want to participate you can send me a link @adwatch, RT a post you find interesting, or you can just add your own by tagging #adwatch in your related tweets.  The search stream for  #adwatch is the feed I'm going to be interested in.

I've had this idea for a while to see where and how advertisers and new media content creators are coming together, and this seemed like the easiest way to get started.  Plus, it is as open as possible and not something that is closed like other services.

If you have any other thoughts or ideas, please either add a comment to this post or drop me a message via adwatch @ Twitter.

It is rough times for most everyone with the world-wide economic downturn and uncertainly.

In the podcasting world, Podango has announced potential shutdown plans.  For the digital picture world, the wonderful magazine & online site JPG has also announced plans to shutdown. Even "big media newspapers" are reportedly on their way to Washington DC for potential handouts.

In situations like this, I think turning back to fundamentals is key.  Here are my three suggestions:

1. Do what you do best and do that better.  If you offer three services, pick one, and focus all your energy on that one service making it the absolute best.
   
2. Focus on key partnerships that are mutually beneficial. Going it alone is miserable.  Branch out and find a partner that makes your one focus area shine for both you and them.
3. Plan for investments.  If you haven't, then you need to start.  Even with cost cutting, you need to make sure you are devoting a good percentage of your available resources into future research & development (R&D) to "catapult" you forward when the market turns positive.

I'm pretty sure there are other great suggestions out there.  If you have one or many, then please let me know what they are by commenting below.

NOTE: I would be remiss if I didn't point out a great discussion thread by Michael Geoghegan on the "Podango" annoucment on his MWBlog.

The first example is Minyannville Publishing & Multimedia which provides small animated clips of business and other headline news to major sites like Yahoo Finance, MSN Money, AOL Money, and Fox Business News.  The main reason is their ability to offer fresh content that brings something new and different to these big sites so that their readership remains loyal. Independent content providers have a growing amount of leverage and opportunity to let their creative talents shine in front of many with those that focus on niches becoming hot commodities. More information for those that get the WSJ via an article entitled "Portals Think Small For The Latest News: Niche Sites Offer Access To Content As Gateways Battle Traffic Slippage."

The second, is from another newspaper article, this time from the Union-Tribune with an article entitled "Background-music provider puts shoppers in the mood."  What I liked about this article was that PlayNetwork leveraged the basics of what they know with audio as a purchasing tool into a bigger business that also enables their customers to tie into new media outlets like web video, podcasts, and other multimedia services.

The latest digital online version of Blogger And Podcaster magazine has been released. There is a lot of good articles, opinion pieces, and reviews worth checking out.

They have an interesting ad on page 6 for USA Today's "Introducing Blogger & Podcaster Guide".  Getting listed will cost $295 per week in the print addition and $195 per week for the online addition.  If you order before 9/30/07 there is a combo deal of $195 per week.

According to Future Tense Podcast there are now two organizations that have recently started up to help define how future advertising should be integrated into downloaded media like audio and video podcasts.

The groups are:

• Association of Downloadable Media
• Association of Podcasters and Online Media Producers

There are some interesting related comments from Eric Rice and Podcast Brothers.  I think the concept is good and something that should be monitored for those interested in taking advertising for their new media content.

There is also a very interesting thread related to this topic called "How To For New Media Makers" that has some interesting ideas worth digging into.

USA Today has an interesting article on how American Eagle Outfitters is planning on creating 'comedy' ads for their products in a 3 minute format for some TV shows, and then 'replay' them as content on the site in 5 minute formats.  A total of 12 episodes will be done.

The article also had some interesting stats on the current state of advertising, especially on the 12-25 year old demographic.

An article in the business section of the San Diego Union-Tribune for Sat., May 5, 2007 had a pretty detailed summary of the recent news that Microsoft & Yahoo are reportedly in close negotiation to work together to combat Google's online advertising leadership.

The article sited the following from a research firm called eMarketer that I thought was interesting.  In 2006, for everly $100 spent in online advertising: Google got $25, Yahoo got $18, and Microsoft got around $7.  In addition, eMarketer is projecting that in 2007 Google is poised to raise their take of that $100 spent to $32.  Wow!

Over the last couple of weeks there have been some interesting new media related business news.

Two of the major video podcasts have announced ad revenue details: AskANinja = $300,000 and Rocketboom = $247,000. 

Related to this is that Techcrunch is reporting that the podcasting advertising network Kiptronic has recently "closed a $4 million round of financing ... [from] ... investors include Blueprint Ventures and Prism VentureWorks."

Additionally, eMediaWire has news that TNC New Media (producer of the Podcast and Portable Media Expo) has sold their EndurancePlanet.com podcast and library of content to USA Triathlon.

More coverage from Paul Colligan on Ask A Ninja and Rocketboom.

This is my latest informal sampling of who is advertising on which podcasts based on what I have been listening to since the last post on this topic (#04) and today's date [1/11/07]:

• SlashdotReview (coverage of CES): Hatachi
• MacCast: Samson
• Technorama: Audible via FarPoint Media Group

If you know of others, or keep your own list; and would like to contribute to this kind of data analysis via transparent disclosure, then let me know at: [email protected] and I'll link you in.

This is my latest informal podcast sampling (#01, #02, #03) of who is advertising on which podcasts I have listened to over the last month ending on 12/17/06:

• Security Weekly: SANs
• Rock And Roll Geek Show: GoDaddy
• Grant's Advent Calender: Restoration Hardware Advent Calendar?
• Alt.npr Groove Salad: Acura & Borders

The podcasts listed above are ones that have changed their ads and I noticed.  Many of my podcasts I listen to have not changed in some time, and they should be listed in previous posts.

Additionally, I have really been listening to a lot of podcasts with no direct advertising, specifically a lot of FriendsInTech.com and Manager-Tools.

If you keep a list, or want to contribute to this kind of data analysis list via transparent disclosure, let me know at: [email protected] and I'll link you in.