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How To Pick A Good Domain Name
2008-05-15 11:56:00
I've recently been grappling with a fairly fundamental issue that any internet startup has to deal with: picking a good domain name. A good URL is not only your site's window to the world, it is also your chance to control your brand image and appeal to your target demographics. Before you get started, you need to understand the measures by which a good domain is judged. These metrics will change in every circumstance, but the following should be a good place to start: Readability - the difference between stoplitter.com and killlitter.comBrandability - getanicecar.com vs crazycars.com Memorability - related to its brand, but a good name should stick in someone's mindKeyword Value - a domain with a great keyword in it can be extremely beneficial for SEO purposesLength - each letter appended to your domain will decrease it's overall value, all things being equal No unintended meanings - Pen Island could easily devolve into penisland.comSyllables - some long domains can be easily s...
More About: Domain , Domain Name , Good , Pick

Business Podcasting - Shifted Pixels at CEBIT
2008-05-15 09:41:00
Make sure you make it down to CEBIT next week, we will be down there!If you havn't heard of CEBIT before:"CeBIT Australia is Australasia's leading Information & Communications Technology (ICT) event for the business marketplace"Nick from Shifted Pixels (thats me) will be speaking at the eWebMarketing Conference at CEBIT on "Business Podcasting - Tools of the trade".We will be talking about podcasting from a marketers perspective as a relationship opportunity and looking at the business benefits podcasting has to offer.We all know that podcasts - unlike radio/webcasts/etc - unshackles a listeners experience from time constraints and creates a authentic, human voice for your business to be pushed out to the world.People like to hear from people and this is great for brand building.Anyways, if your interested come down - otherwise your welcome to give us a call at Shifted Pixels

Creating a Productive, Innovative, Adaptive Corporate Culture
2008-05-14 12:31:00
From 37SignalsFrom time to time during conference Q&A sessions I'm asked "How did you create the culture at 37signals?" or "What do you recommend we do to set up an open, sharing company culture like yours?" My answer: You don't create a culture. Culture happens. It's the by-product of consistent behavior. If you encourage people to share, and you give them the freedom to share, then sharing will be built into your culture. If you reward trust then trust will be built into your culture. Artificial Artificial cultures are instant. They're big bangs made of mission statements, declarations, and rules. They are obvious, ugly, and plastic. Artificial culture is paint. Real Real cultures are built over time. They're the result of action, reaction, and truth. They are nuanced, beautiful, and authentic. Real culture is patina. Don't think about how to create a culture, just do the right things for you, your customers, and your team and it'll happen.So get real... y...
More About: Corporate , Creating , Corporate Culture , Innovative

GreyDoorBooks Launched! - Online Alternate Reality Community
2008-05-12 04:13:00
There hasn't been much in the way of online alternate reality communitys. That is untill now! GreyDoorBooks.com launched last week and its a fantastic Bookstore and community for Sci-Fi and Fantasy Fans. GreyDoorBooks is a Sydney Based Startup, so id encourage you to buy a book and support Sydney Entrepeneurs. GreyDoorBooks.com
More About: Reality , Community , Online , Startups , Launched

International Towel Day - May 25th - A tribute to Douglas Adams
2008-05-09 10:08:00
A towel, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitch hiker can have. Partly it has great practical value - you can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapours; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a mini raft down the slow heavy river Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or to avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (a mindboggingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can't see it, it can't see you - daft as a bush, but very, very ravenous); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough. More importantly, a towel has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a st...
More About: International , Adams , Douglas Adams , Tribute , Douglas

13 Tips for creating a successful new online product
2008-05-09 05:21:00
1. Build for someone specific2. Don't be afraid of targeting a narrow niche4. Test the market with a working prototype as soon as possible5. Develop iteratively6. Get things right, and be decisive in correcting the wrongs 7. Don't spend the time correcting until you know what you're aiming for8. Don't let your programmers design the user interface9. Make sure every member of the development team is passionate about the product10. Be sickeningly elitist about your development team and sickeningly inclusive about your users 11. The best hiring strategy is to hire no one12. Include at least one target user on the development team13. Ensure everyone on your development team understands the problem they're solving13 Tips for creating a successful new online product
More About: Product , Creating , Online

Online Advertising for Newbies
2008-05-09 03:37:00
When a Web site or blog launched out of personal passion reaches a certain scale in terms of traffic, readership, and popularity, a Big Question arises: Can I make money with this thing? Some bloggers and publishers can. Some can't. But you need to try to find out. Online advertising is the fastest-growing sector of advertising today. According to some estimates, online ad spending is expected to surpass magazines, network television, and radio this year. How can amateur publishers take advantage of that? This panel will bring together professional bloggers, leading Web ad networks, and progressive affiliate businesses to discuss the monetization options available to small publishers.   We'll consider strategic steps you can take to add money-making elements such as ads and affiliate sales to your site or blog. We'll address ways to increase your visibility, traffic, and reach. And we'll offer an inside look at what ad networks and affiliate programs look fo...
More About: Advertising , Online Advertising

How do you become an innovator? Why do certain innovations succeed when som
2008-05-06 14:57:00
Scott Berkun speaks on the Myths of Innovation. How to you innovate successfully? How do you make money from innovation? Why do some innovations succeed and some fail?http://web2expo.blip.tv/file/856263/
More About: Ideas , Innovations , Startups

Here Comes Everybody! - The Power of Organizing Without Organizations - Cla
2008-05-05 15:21:00
Ive just started reading Clay Shirkys new book - Here comes everybody - and its wonderful.I would recommend buying a copy or reading the blog.You can also watch Clay Shirkys Video Lecture at Harvard on Heres comes everybodyFrom Amazon:"How do trends emerge and opinions form? The answer used to be something vague about word of mouth, but now it's a highly measurable science, and nobody understands it better than Clay Shirky. In this delightfully readable book, practically every page has an insight that will change the way you think about the new era of social media. Highly recommended."-Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired Magazine and author of The Long Tail"Clay has long been one of my favorite thinkers on all things Internet-- not only is he smart and articulate, but he's one of those people who is able to crystallize the half-formed ideas that I've been trying to piece together into glittering, brilliant insights that make me think, yes, of course, that's how it all works...
More About: Power , Organizations

Web 2.0 Conference Videos
2008-05-05 14:59:00
The phase web 2.o was coined at the first Web 2.0 Conference put on by O'Reilly Media.The latest video podcasts from this event in 2008 have been released online.http://web2expo.blip.tvA couple of my favourites from the EventTim O'Reillys talk:Another Favourite Video of mine, Clay Shirky - Incredible
More About: Videos

The disruptive emergence of social production (Video)
2008-05-05 14:57:00
Yale Law professor Yochai Benkler explains how collaborative projects like Wikipedia and Linux represent the next stage of human organization.By disrupting traditional economic production, copyright law and established competition, they're paving the way for a new set of economic laws, where empowered individuals are put on a level playing field with industry giants.
More About: Video , Social , Production

Online Reputation Matters - Do you have a digital PR Strategy?
2008-04-30 09:28:00
Online reputation matters, but can Aussie communicators be arsed?. In a recent 'e-consultancy' survey of cross-sector international practitioners, 99 percent of agency, in-house or freelance PR and marketing types thought online coverage was hugely important. Another survey finds that 75 percent of journos use blogs and online sources for story ideas. Now, a few weeks back at ad:tech in Sydney, attendees were asked "Do you have a digital PR strategy?" and 68 percent said "No." Hmmmmm; 99 percent yes and 68 percent no, eh?Great point. Thanks Trevor
More About: Strategy , Online , Digital , Matters , Reputation

Lead Generation using Online Direct Marketing (Podcast)
2008-04-28 16:34:00
Just been listening to an awesome podcast from SXSW 2007 on how digital marketing strategy can be leveraged and applied to direct marketing. How to attract your ideal client (Podcast ) Experts in direct response marketing and relationship marketing discuss how to use simple relationship marketing techniques and copy writing to dramatically increase your client base. We will also address the topic of direct response marketing vs. relationship marketing.Download the MP3 Podcast (Right Click / Save as) If your interested in direct marketing using the web, give us a bell. We have been doing some interesting Lead Generation work using digital marketing recently, would love to share our findings with you.
More About: Marketing , Direct Marketing , Direct , Online

How Vodka is Made
2008-04-25 11:34:00
Was reading this about Stolichnaya Vodka . Interesting..."Stolichnaya vodka starts with wheat and rye grains. Artesial well water is added to these grains to begin the fermentation which takes about 60 hours. Once fermentation is complete the resulting liquid is distilled four times to a strength of 96.4% ABV. This spirit is then diluted to bottling strength with more artesial well water which ultimately gives the vodka its smoothness. It is then filtered through quartz sand, activated charcoal, and finally through woven cloth" And i always thought it was fermented potatos? Wierd
More About: Made

Machiavelli Quotes
2008-04-23 16:51:00
Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.Benefits should be conferred gradually; and in that way they will taste better. Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. Hatred is gained as much by good works as by evil. I'm not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it. If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared. It is necessary for him who lays out a state and arranges laws for it to presuppose that all men are evil and that they are always going to act according to the wickedness of their spirits whenever they have free scope. It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles.Never was anything great achieved without danger. No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the enemy until it is ripe for execution. One change always leaves th...
More About: Quotes , Machiavelli

Tony Montana Impersonation Competition
2008-04-23 14:49:00
Ok so if your in sydney on Saturday May 10th, come down to Bar Broadway for a Tony Montana Impersonation Competition ... will be epic win for great justice.
More About: Fun

How Advertisers Shoot Themselves In Their Collective Feet
2008-04-23 14:43:00
The biggest challenge for advertisers today is to get people to watch their commercials. With all the technology and alternatives to watching commercials on TV I would think that advertisers would do everything humanly possible to eliminate any elements that would immediately trigger a viewer to fast forward to change the channel.Is this not commen senese ?If it is, then why in the world do advertisers JACK UP THE VOLUME OF THEIR COMMERCIALS ? This annoying "feature" is more pronounced in home theater and surround sound based systems. I can't think of anything that pisses me off more than to be watching a TV show and to all of the sudden be blasted by a commercial from all sides of the room. Its the ultimate command to change the channel or fast forward.SO WHY ARE ADVERTISERS SO STUPID ? Turn down the sound, maybe people will lean forward and listen !Source: BlogMaverick
More About: Advertisers , Feet , Collective , Shoot

Definition: Political Correctness
2008-04-23 06:20:00
Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.   The 2007 winning entry from an annual contest at Texas A&M University
More About: Political , Definition , Political Correctness

Tracking Facebook trends over time (Facebook Lexicon)
2008-04-22 11:31:00
Just found an interesting toolhttp://www.facebook.com/lexiconThis allows you to compare how many searches/keywords/comments are being made on facebook over time. For example you could track Metallica vs Jay Z and see how popular they are over time.Check it out, very interesting
More About: Trends , Time , Facebook , Tracking

Blogger Relations - Getting the tastemakers on your side
2008-04-22 05:04:00
Practically anyone can start a blog?about whatever interests them. As a result, there are millions of blogs, many covering niche avocations and including product recommendations.Since many consumers refer to blogs when making purchase decisions, marketers are experimenting with new ways to influence these consumers. Rather than just advertise on blogs, they're marketing directly to bloggers. In 2007, nearly seven out of 10 respondents to a Manning Selvage & Lee survey indicated that targeting influentials?which certainly includes bloggers?was a tactic they already used or planned to use. Similarly, 43.4% of the US marketers said that marketing around consumer-generated content was a tactic on their radar screen.
More About: Blogger , Relations , Side

Web 2.0: Torture by Information Overload
2008-04-22 04:54:00
Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Plaxo may have helped foster community and communication, but they've also added immensely to the flow of often-interruptive messages that their users receive, leading to information overload and possibly a nasty internet addiction.Web 2.0: Torture by Information Overload (Wired Magazine)

Creating a profitable startup company (37Signals Video)
2008-04-21 13:31:00
1. Great Web Application2. ????3. ProfitDHH from 37Signals gives a great talk on how to create a profitable startup company
More About: Video , Company , Creating , Startup , Profitable

SXSW Podcasts
2008-04-20 14:42:00
Here are a number of great audio podcasts from the 2007 SXSW.Listen and learn :) More than worth your timehttp://2007.sxsw.com/coverage/podcast s/
More About: Podcasts

Instructional Online Video - The Next Big Thing (SXSW Podcast)
2008-04-20 14:40:00
Online video isn't all about goofy homemade footage. As online video matures, it's become a powerful vehicle for instructional content from Photoshop training, to do-it-yourself projects, to product demos. Come explore how it's done and how you can cash in on the growing popularity of instructional video online. What's the best model for distributing your instructional videos? How can you monetize your instructional videos? How important are production values? A couple of leading producers of instructional video take you behind the scenes for the inside scoop.Download MP3 Podcast
More About: Video , Online Video , Online , Thing

10,000 feet view on how the web is chaging culture(SXSW Podcast)
2008-04-20 14:23:00
Bruce Sterling's talk at SXSW is described on the landing page as a 'rant'. It isn't. What it is is a survey from 10,000 feet at what's happening in culture and technology and on the web, and I reckon it's worth spending the hour of your life it'll take to listen to it. I hope you agree.View | Download MP3
More About: Culture , Podcast , Feet

Blinded by the Awesomeness (SynthLords Podcast)
2008-04-17 10:42:00
If your into music podcasts, check out Synthlords Podcast . These guys have some of the hottest new music podcasts, mashup style. They come from Bondi in Sydney and pump out a new podcast as often as once a week.Cant recommend it enough!

1.3% of web sites altered in transit
2008-04-17 01:52:00
When you visit a web page, you might expect that the code and images from the page will make their journey through the tubes unmolested and unaltered, but according to security researchers, you would also be wrong 1.3 percent of the time.Source: ArsTechnica
More About: Web Sites , Sites , Transit

Sydney Web Design
2008-04-16 13:05:00
Thanks for reading our blog, for our new readers, we are a sydney web design and web marketing company. We call ourselves "The online influence agency"!If you are interested in a new web design for your website, we are the most fun, creative, results oriented and innovative sydney web design company.We want to work with you. If you or anyone you know is looking for an awesome, hot as hell new web design, give us a call. We want to talk to you!
More About: Web Design , Design , Sydney

Ayn Rand Quotes on Objectivism
2008-04-16 13:03:00
"I swear, by my life and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine. ""Run for your life from any man who tells you that money is evil. That sentence is the leper's bell of an approaching looter.""Do not ever say that the desire to "do good" by force is a good motive. Neither power-lust nor stupidity are good motives. ""Reason is not automatic. Those who deny it cannot be conquered by it. Do not count on them. Leave them alone. ""The hardest thing to explain is the glaringly evident which everybody had decided not to see. ""Man's unique reward, however, is that while animals survive by adjusting themselves to their background, man survives by adjusting his background to himself. ""Contradictions do not exist. Whenever you think you are facing a contradiction, check your premises. You will find that one of them is wrong." "The ques...
More About: Quotes , Ayn Rand , Objectivism

Bad Predictions - Things people once said highlighting the valuation and im
2008-04-09 15:04:00
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." -- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943. "Where a calculator on the ENIAC is equipped with 18,000 vacuum tubes and weighs 30 tons, computers in the future may have only 1,000 vacuum tubes and weigh only 1.5 tons." -- Popular Mechanics, 1949 "I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last out the year." -- The editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall, 1957. "But what...is it good for?" -- Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip. "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." -- Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977. "640K ought to be enough for anybody." -- Attributed to Bill Gates, 1981, but believed to be an urban legend. "...
More About: People , Predictions , Things , Valuation