As discussed in our e-marketing class, most people view Web 2.0 and it's features as a useful business tool which enhances online collaboration. There are, however, some skeptics that criticize Web 2.0 and call it a "silly waste of time."

One of the proponents of Web 2.o is Rearden Commerce CEO Patrick Grady. About Web 2.0 he say, "It's a 'best of both worlds' scenario, where employees or customers have all the useful features in one place that they need to do their jobs more effectively and make smart choices, but where the corporation still has the ability to control and manage what's being offered." Web 2.0 has also introduced new technologies such as wikis, RSS (really simple syndication) feeds, Web APIs (application programming interfaces) and Ajax.

On the other hand, some people do not view Web 2.0 as useful. Kevin Walker, CEO of SimpleTuition commented, "It's about wasting time. A lot of people killing time watching inane videos. A lot of people killing time with dumb-dumb blog entries. A lot of people killing time complaining about their stay at some random Holiday Inn." Another opponent of Web 2.o is Miki Dzugan of Rapport Online. She speculates, "Someday soon they will discover that advertising that is consistent with how a Web site is being used is more effective than the print or TV-style interruption advertising. They'll probably call that 'Web 3.0.'"

Whether you view at useful or not, it's undeniable that Web 2.0 has changed the way business is conducted online. With the introduction of blogs and photo and video sharing tools the Web has become saturated with user-generated content, causing e-marketers to create new ways to focus their marketing efforts online. Whether that focus will change again in the near future is yet to be answered.

Google and Clear Channel radio

Google announced today that it is expected to pair up with the national media conglomerate Clear Channel as part of its mission to expand beyond the Internet. The search engine will run 30-second ads on various Clear Channel radio stations. The agreement will span several years and Google will sell a portion of a struggling Clear Channel's advertising across their more than 675 radio stations.
This pairing seems like it will significantly help both Google and Clear Channel. It will give Google's clients a new way to advertise and possibly attract new businesses seeking to advertise on the radio, while Clear Channel will certainly gain revenue from the increase in advertising spots. This is also an excellent empale of how e-marketers are using various forms of advertising in their marketing communications. The deal may also create some new and innovative radio ads which will draw more attention to Clear Channels stations. It also creates new opportunities for Google to do business and reach more people.

Google's Rivals Worried About Acquisition of Double Click

It seems as if Google joined the list of suitors to acquire DoubleClick, for more than just driving up the price there competitor Microsoft would pay. They joined the group with intentions to acquire the company itself, and that they did, announcing last Friday that they have purchased the online advertising company for 3.1 billion dollars. This price well exceeded the anticipated sale of the company by over 1 billion dollars. As soon as the deal was announced, Google's Internet and media rivals alike urged regulators to scrutinize the 3.1 billion dollar deal. By securing Double Click, Google as secured its top spot as the leading advertising business on the Internet. The purchase has also raised the question of Google as an Internet advertising monopoly among the companies which it competes with.
In my personal opinion, this is simply as case of the rich getting richer. Goolge has been on a roll for a while know, and it doesn't look like they are slowing down anytime soon. It is ironic that the first corporation to criticize Google, was Microsoft, who has been the target of much criticism throughout the years. They are beginning to fear the worst, as Google the already dominant player in Internet advertising, could be a monopoly in the making. If something or someone doesn't step in, one day Google's rivals could find themselves working for Google.

Google Joins DoubleClick's Suitor List

Today, Google joined the extensive list of suitors to buy DoubleClick, the provider of internet ad serving software. Google is reportedly joining Microsoft, Yahoo, and AOL in the list of suitors. Google’s arrival on the scene is likely to push the selling price of DoubleClick to around 2 billion dollars. Google’s arrival is reported to be stemmed by Microsoft’s interest in purchasing DoubleClick. For Microsoft and Google, buying the firm would enable them to market yet another service to businesses. The acquisition of the firm would also enable one of the companies to stop sending ads to the networks of its rivals while boosting its own revenue at the same time.
The question to ask in this particular situation is how much is too much, when purchasing a firm such as DoubleClick. There is much speculation that Google has entered the picture only to drive up the price that Microsoft was planning on bidding. If the price ends up around 2 billion dollars in would roughly double the amount of money the two partners invested in the firm, less than two years ago in 2005. I view the purchase of DoubleClick as a highly strategic one. Microsoft and Google are extremely competitive, always wanting to have an advantage against each other. Only one company will acquire DoubleClick, and more than likely will be overpaying for its services.