Sorting out the relevant

Each week I send an e-mail to my clients with links of relevant news articles.

The perception is that I spend half my life looking through web pages and on-line newspapers. The truth is much easier. I use Google's news alert service which I highly recommend.

You can click here http://www.google.com/alerts?hl=en to set up an alert. Just type in the relevant words. For instance, if want to know when a news article that features Kevin Roberts from Saatchi & Saatchi hits the news, I would enter [ "Kevin Roberts" Saatchi ] in the "Search terms" box.

You can use the alert service for anything you're interested in and choose the frequency you are sent alerts. If you are getting too many alerts, refine your search criteria to ensure you get the most relevant stories.

Give to get - Increasing ad revenue

"You can have everything you want if you just help enough other people get what they want". Zig Ziglar

I used to think of Google's ads as invasive and easily ignored, until I placed them on my own web page. I began to understand how they are able to personalise and target relevant ads to the viewer.

When I understood this, I started clicking on ads and coming across some new sites that were interesting and relevant (and not all of them were trying to take my money!).

Obviously I didn't click on my own ads as this isn't allowed. But an interesting thing started happening. The clicks on my own site went up and I was reminded of Zig's quote above - maybe it is true - by helping others get what they want I get more of what I want!

The death of the information age

I received this e-mail from Matt Church which I thought was worth sharing with you...

Dear Tony,

The ages so far…..

The Old Ages - Bronze, Stone, etc
The Agrarian Age - (Done)The Industrial Age - (Done)
The Information Age - (Done?)
The ……… Age - Starting

What is the next ‘Age' going to be called?

Some would want to call it the ‘Age of Transformation'. I think that's a stage ahead of its time. Others are calling it the ‘Age of Engagement'. We will find out soon enough I guess…

Here is my two cents worth!

I reckon we are entering the IDEA age, the ‘Age of Concepts'. With any piece of information one Google click away, who needs data any more? Not me. What I need is people who can create meaning, relevance and engage me to what the data means.

Matt Church