this is mikel.org

Michael Boyle's weblog

  • home
  • archives
  • about
  • words

There’s a lot

December 19, 2000 by Michael Boyle

of hand-wringing about advertising on the net and how to make it work. But the articles I’ve read lately, such as one entitled Web Ads Should Be Seen and Heard in Wired News today, miss the point.

The web is not a broadcasting medium. Period. You can try all you like to import methods from broadcasting and make them work on the web, but as soon as the technique quits being a novelty, it’s dead in my opinion.

The web is narrowcasting. The whole internet is narrowcasting. Look at WAP and other celphone tech – its usage pales in comparison to SMS – a one-to-one technology. It’s practically axiomatic that if a person can increase the granularity of their experience, she or he will do so.

What does this mean for web advertising? To me it means a couple things. First, that if you’re going to advertise, you have to engage in “deep targeting” – putting ads in front of lawyers (for instance) isn’t enough – you have to specify by location, specialty, maybe age/experience level, etc. Don’t advertise to doctors in general – advertise to particular specialties or sub-specialties. Second, and it springs from the first, you have to give that group a payoff. Give them something they want or need – say, educational material they couldn’t otherwise gain access to. You can’t do that without knowing the audience.

It strikes me that very very few companies are remotely equipped to do that – and further that an advertiser really has to buy into the vision, the whole concept. Which can be difficult, given the current climate. But I would turn away a potential advertiser if they weren’t willing to work with me to develop a program that provided a genuine payoff to the users that I have painstakingly attracted – were I at the helm of a content site.

Tags: Advertising, Broadcast, Education, Internet, Paris, SMS, Strike, Technology, Web, Wired

OK, my home connection

November 29, 2000 by Michael Boyle

is a Bell Sympatico High Speed (DSL) system from the phone company (sort of). It’s OK overall, but twice in the last month the system totally crapped out on me: during the US election results broadcast on Nov. 7, and Monday night while I was trying to track the Canadian election returns.

My question: what exactly is the point if they can’t handle the load? It’s cheap for cable or DSL here – my current deal is $35 for the service and 120 minutes of long distance. And due to that low price, Quebec has the highest penetration of high speed internet access in the world. But still – it’s gotta work. The really big problem, though? I can’t go to a competitor.

Tags: Bell, Broadcast, Election, Internet, Price, Quebec

English sports commentary at its best.

June 28, 2000 by Michael Boyle

Overheard during the internet broadcast of the semi-final of Euro 2000 between France and Portugal: “…and he dribbles the ball deliciously between two defenders!” … “Lilian Thuram lances the ball forward to Blanc…” … “Veiera has the last word; no he doesn’t!…” … “And Arsenal gunner Thierry Henry with the ball in the area… Arrrghoooh! GOAL FOR FRANCE!!!” … “And Lizarazu with a great save” … “And that will be a goal kick for the birthday boy, Mr. Fabien Barthez.” “He goes to the side to YELL at the referee, ‘that wasn’t offside Mr. referee!'” … “and Robert Pires, France’s most Portuguese player, comes in…” [ed: ??? huh?] … “now it’s Henry surging into the Portuguese area with pace!” … “that’s a header from Laurent Blanc, well, with the nose…” … “hand ball Abel Xavier! It’s a penalty it’s a penalty it’s a penalty for France!” … “Figo with the red card, we’re waiting for Zinadine Zidane… Zidane… Zidane… Zidane top corner! GOAL!”

Final (117′ FT): Portugal 1-France 2

Tags: Broadcast, Delicious, Internet, Sports, War

OK if you’re like me

May 12, 2000 by Michael Boyle

you were frustrated that the stream of the Webby Awards was embedded without controls. So you can’t zip ahead to the good bits. This link – [WebbyCast!] will play the broadcast in RealPlayer (not embedded) so you can zoom ahead to: 02:51:30 and watch Café Utne win; 03:27:00 to watch Cocky Bastard win; or 04:37:00 to see him interviewed.

Tags: Broadcast, War, Web, Webby

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2

search

recent

  • Diouf Article
  • Anil Dash: We’re not being alarmist enough about climate change…
  • Learning about Gutenberg
  • From the “I thought I’d heard it all” file
  • One year since his passing: The Day Prince’s Guitar Wept the Loudest

Archives

Web Design GNE Search Software Web Music Blogging Social Networks Email Funny Business Copyfight Internet US Politics Canadian Politics Arts Media Browser War Test Canada International Affairs Wired Personal Apple Montreal Friend Design Microsoft Sports NYTimes Google
Michael Boyle Blog
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2000–2023 · Michael Boyle

Copyright © 2023 · Modern Portfolio Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in