If you look at the flurry of recent product, partnership and acquisition announcements from the major portal players, there is clearly a battle raging over the “entry points” to the web. And like those “Magic Eye”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Eye “autostereograms”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_Image_Random_Dot_Stereogram that were all the rage in the 90’s, if you stare at the picture long enough, an image begins to emerge of where that battle is being fought and who is winning.
To illustrate the image I see in the “Magic Eye” of these announcements, I’ve come up with this humble little chart.
The idea is to show an opportunity progression where the bigger boxes represent a bigger entry point opportunity. By moving further up the chart (i.e. from the inside boxes to the outside boxes) you have an earlier entry point opportunity with users and thus have the opportunity to market your monetization strategy (search, localization, advertising) before the competition.
One Degree Posts
“Marketing Magazine”:http://www.marketingmag.com/ reported today that “High Road Communications”:http://www.highroad.com/ is “opening a digital communications division.”:http://www.highroad.com/HighRoad/default.aspx?tid=1&xml=4.1.xml&aid=222
Here’s how High Road explained the new division in their press release:
bq.. High Road Communications has synthesized agency talent, experience and passion in VOX, a new social media and digital marketing division. The firm’s VOX team consists of seasoned communicators who specialize in the online and social media spaces. They provide a potent mix of traditional media relations skills and forward-looking technological knowledge to deliver effective, relevant and results-driven campaigns to the audiences that matter.
p. Kudos to High Road for doing this, it is indeed a much needed service and I’m sure they’ll do fine with it.
bq.. The High Road VOX team creates and delivers services including:
* Blog/ chat/ forum relations – targeting online journalists, enthusiast and special interest sites
* Online community relations – engaging online enthusiasts, brand Ambassadors, and promoting positive community partnerships
* Experiential marketing – creating innovative programs that deliver direct-to-consumer, grassroots and hands-on experiences
p. There’s *one big problem with this* that puts their “seasoned communicators who specialize in social media” in question.
The problem? “vox.com”:http://www.vox.com/