The Obama ’08 iPhone app has won great applause from techies and geeks (not just because it’s from Obama) for it’s inventiveness and nifty viral nature for getting out the vote and educating potential or current supporters.
Now it looks as if Sen John McCain’s campaign has gotten into the act (tongue-in-cheek):
Good stuff, my friends.
Google has just announced its support for OpenID across its services. Yahoo and Microsoft have also adopted the “one-sign-in” OpenID platform as well.
That’s great news and great for users and people moving to the cloud with applications like GMail or Google Docs or Google Calendar. Best of all, you can use that same ID to login into a number of web apps that aren’t owned by one company such as Google.
This is incredibly important for the growth of cloud computing as more productivity moves to the web.
However, when will publishers be able to use a platform like OpenID to login to CJ or Linkshare or Motive’s Advent or LinkConnector or Azoogle or ShareASale or even the Google Affiliate Network?
I have a myriad of ill-thought out affiliate network logins that I simply can’t remember. Being able to login to a network with something like an OpenID would make that network a favorite of mine by default!
I can haz?
Having worked on both the network and publisher side of affiliate marketing over the years, I’ve definitely wracked my brain for a solution to the affiliate approval process problem (hereafter known as AAPP… kinda catchy, no?).
Jamie Birch has a new in-depth post on the issue from an affiliate manager’s point of view. Jamie has just launched his new JEB Commerce OPM company and is heavily dealing with the AAPP now.
Jamie’s previous work at Coldwater Creek and Converseon gives him authority on this issue, so if you’re a new affiliate wondering why you got denied for a program, definitely give his post a read (plus subscribe to the blog because it’s loaded with good content already):
Why is my application to affiliate programs always denied? | JEBCommerce – Affiliate Management and Online Advertising: “Along with the known affiliates applying to your program, there are hundreds and thousands of applications that come through that are either suspect, fraudulent or simply incomplete. If you are an affiliate manager reading this, you’ll probably be nodding your head and maybe even have a chuckle. If you are an affiliate that seems to receive more denials than approvals when you apply to programs, this article is just for you. I’d like to highlight some of the things that managers see every day that you may be doing and need to avoid in order to get your applications approved. So let’s get started…”
Perhaps most valuable of all are the list of suggestions at the bottom. Good stuff.
There’s a new software update for the Kindle that evidently improves (the already pretty awesome) battery life. I can go for days and days of heavy reading and not have to recharge.
And yes, I still freaking love my Kindle. Game changer!
EduKindle » Blog Archive » Kindle Battery Life and Release 1.04 (and 1.08): “What release is your Kindle running? Go to ‘home,’ scroll to ‘settings’ and click. At the very bottom of the settings screen you will see the version of the Kindle software you are running. If it is 1.0, go here to figure out how to upgrade to 1.04 (or 1.08, for that matter).”
So, for all the new converts to Kindle-ism, make sure you have the new update.
I’ve been using TweetDeck as my desktop Twitter client for a while now and have definitely seen the improvements over the last few months.
The reason I support TweetDeck is the ability to easily group people or subjects you are following. In a post-Track Twitter, this is pretty important for me. TweetDeck has Summize integration, making it possible to “Track” terms via the API.
For example, here’s what TweetDeck looks like on my Mac (it has its own “Space” since it does take up so much screen real estate):
You can see that I have an “All Tweets” group for the 300 or so people I follow then a “Pals” group for the 30 or so people that I’m closest to then a “samharrelson” group that functions as something like Track (anytime someone mentions my name, it shows up there), an “Asheville” group for tracking, a replies tab and then a few more off to the side such as a “Chicago Cubs” group, a “Wofford Group (my alma mater),” etc.
It’s an insanely easier and more productive Twitter experience than relying on the Twitter website or even Twhirl.
Besides the real estate size, one of the big criticisms I’ve heard about TweetDeck is the question of why it takes so long for friends to show up in groups.
The folks behind TweetDeck shed a little light (using a Posterous blog nonetheless… pretty nifty… more on that soon):
Group Friends List – TweetDeck’s posterous: “The list of friends in the add group column grows as more of your friends become active, or to put it another way as TweetDeck becomes aware of who your friends are it adds then to the list.
I’ve done it like this since the twitter API only allows me to get 100 friends at a time so if you have thousands of friends TweetDeck would have to do some looping which could be quite slow but, more importantly, counts against your Twitter API calls. You only need to leave TweetDeck running overnight for the list to grow substantially. “
So, if you’re still using the web interface for Twitter, do yourself a favor and stop. Go grab TweetDeck, set up some trackable terms and group people you follow to tame the madness that is probably your Twitter experience.
ShareASale has launched a really interesting new platform with the Gift Cards Database. Let’s face it… gift cards are the gift to give when you have no idea what to give. Plus, merchants love them given that the cards are such a money machine.
I’ll be interested to check in with the SaS team after the holidays and see how popular or successful this becomes. I have a feeling it could be a huge hit.
ShareASale Blog » Blog Archive » Gift Cards Database: “Thanks to a wonderful suggestion from our annual ShareASale Think Tank held a few weeks ago in San Diego, we’ve created a Gift Cards Database. Merchants are able to upload specific creatives that direct consumers to specific landing pages designed to sell Gift Cards – a popular item this time of year!
In similar form to the Deals Database, Affiliates can access these creatives from inside their Affiliate Interface as well as through RSS feeds and downloadable databases. Affiliates can also search for specific types of gift cards – and find/join programs that they might not have already been a part of.”
Additionally, it’s these sorts of platforms that will continue to make affiliate marketing more “mainstream” as large publishing sites turn away from CPM ad deals towards performance marketing given the economic slowdown. In a potentially bleak holiday selling season, this could be just the thing to make things a little cheerier for publishers.
Nice work, ShareASale.
Back in my more idealistic days of using only open source operating systems and devices, I wrote a piece about what I thought was going to be a game changer… the OpenMoko. I was wrong on that one.
However, there are still some keeping the open source device dream alive.
One of my favorite blogs these days has a great scoop on a potential device in the works from the people at OpenMoko that leverages Google’s open source Android operating system. This could really be something to get excited about:
OpenMoko at Work on Android Handset | AndroidGuys: “OpenMoko is working with the Android platform as we speak and look to have something soon. Soon like maybe November.
You know who OpenMoko is, right? The Neo1973 and FreeRunner guys. Thanks to one of our readers, we’ve got some nice gems to share with the class. Our source for this information has already proven themselves with previous tips that have panned out rather big so we feel pretty good about this one.”
Why am I so interested in this when we’ve already had the second (3G) coming of the JesusPhone? A couple of reasons:
1) As elegant as the iPhone is, we need competition. Steve Jobs and company will make better products if Google / Nokia / etc is breathing down his back.
2) The current system of mobile economics in the US is downright terrible. Not many people enjoy dealing with their mobile carrier, the rates are insanely high (a megabyte of text data is more expensive than gold…we’re talking printer ink numbers) and the choices offered by the mobile carriers here is stifling adoption of smarter phones. A popular open device could help push the mobile carriers towards needed reform.
3) I still believe in the open movement.
What do you think? Could a device like this work in the States?
bla bla bla.
LinkedIn is still a PITA…
LinkedIn Means Business With New Application Platform: “LinkedIn has launched its new OpenSocial-based application platform called InApps – an answer to the platforms found on social networks like Facebook and MySpace, but without the clutter and ‘junk’ apps that plague those sites. Unlike most other social networks, LinkedIn apps must go through an approval process before they will go live on the store, and all apps must be deemed ‘professional’ in purpose to appear on the business-oriented social network. To prevent an overwhelming amount of clutter, users will be restricted to including a maximum of 15 applications on their main profile pages, though they will eventually have the option to install more apps on a separate page.”
Sorry, but I wish it would just die.
Please, don’t add me on LinkedIn. kthxbye.
AOL and GM have joined forces on the auto front…
AOL and General Motors Partner on Auto Channel: “AOL has partnered with General Motors to launch a channel within AOL Money & Finance geared for small businesses who are grappling with costly auto-related expenses.
The new section, dubbed Small Business Autos (smallbusiness.aol.com/business-auto-center) features tips and tools for businesses seeking auto loans and lower cost fuel options. Among the site’s initial headlines are ‘Deducting Car Expenses’ and ‘Maximize Your Office on Wheels.’ Also included is Mapquest’s gas prices tool, which helps travelers and businesses find the best gas prices in a given geographical area.”
In many ways, this is a smart play for both companies as they look for more long term growth and results from the direct online (and pre-qualified) traffic searching for problem solving measures in an economic downturn.
The question I have is how or whether AOL will leverage its buy.at affiliate platform in conjunction with this partnership.
Anyone from AOL have insight?
LinkShare is making good use of its new blog with the announcement of a series of upcoming publisher training web seminars:
Publisher Training Web Seminars | LinkShare Blog: “LinkShare now offers interactive web seminars for our Publishers. These sessions will cover Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced level training to help you make the most of your LinkShare partnership.”
If you’re new to affiliate marketing, or LinkShare, this could really be a helpful series. Or if you’re an old hack and familiar with their “1.0” interface but still have some questions over the new interface that was implemented earlier this year (like I do), this could be a big help.
I’ll try to listen in on a few of these and report back here.
