Soon You Can Advertise on Twitter

VirtualWorld.ca

Change is coming to the virtual world, as Twitter gets set to unveil its self-service advertising system.  The system has been in testing for a few months with small businesses.

Twitter has always been under some pressure to show how it can turn a profit with its popular micro-blogging service, and this appears to be their next step to that end.  If Twitter plans to do an IPO at some point, they have to show they can increase revenues and income.

To use the automated system at first, advertisers will have to use an American Express card.  Later this year it will be open to everyone.

The automated system will be similar to Google's. Advertisers will be able to specify how much they are willing to spend, pick the cities or regions where they want their ads to appear and write their own commercial messages, which will be confined to Twitter's 140-character limit per tweet. Twitter will only charge for ads that get a user response, such as when a viewer decides to follow the business, retweets the message or clicks on a link.

Click below to read more about Twitter's new ad service:

Twitter Unveils New Ad Service

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Facebook IPO filing imminent?

VirtualWorld.ca

The biggest virtual world, well, in the world, is getting ready to become public!

Buzz around the net is that Facebook is going to file the paperwork this coming week for an IPO to launch in the spring.  It could value the company at close to $100 billion dollars.  Two other online companies recently IPO'd and the shares haven't done much since.  These are Zynga and Groupon.  But Facebook is much bigger than those company and has millions more users.

If Facebook can afford to start new hires at $100,000 things must be going well!

Would you buy shares in Facebook?

Click here to read the article about the Facebook IPO.

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Website Blackouts have effect on SOPA

VirtualWorld.ca


Yesterday Wikipedia.org and other websites went dark in protest of the planned SOPA legislation.  It appears this tactic has worked, as support for SOPA is starting to fade.


Even though the biggest corporate opponents of SOPA and PIPA – Google, Facebook and Twitter, among others – didn’t go dark on Wednesday, the digital blackout appears to have prompted several key legislators to drop their support for the bills, in the process altering the political landscape and making it far less likely either bill will pass smoothly.


Click here to read full article


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Steve Jobs action figure - very lifelike

VirtualWorld.ca

I just learned today that there is actually going to be a Steve Jobs action figure, if you can believe it!

It is supposed to be released in February and after seeing a preview picture, I can say it looks very life-like.  Definitely the best action figure likeness to real person I've EVER seen.  And I've seen lots of action figures for Star Wars, Wrestlers, hockey players, and super heroes.

I'm sure when it comes out it will get a lot of media attention.

If you want to see for yourself, visit:

Steve Jobs action figure

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VirtualWorld.ca


It's a Virtual advertising world after all!


Montreal web advertising company Acquisio is doing well during these times.  Aside from Montreal, it also has offices in Seattle and London, and plans for New York.  Acquisio's software helps digital media agencies buy, track and manage Internet advertising for customers.


What is their advice?


Use Internet advertising. The Internet eliminates borders. It eliminates distance. It’s the easiest way to discover new markets by far, and it’s the cheapest, and you can do it yourself from home, using Google AdWords. It’s really easy. You can watch your statistics and see how many clicks you got, you can see how many people filled out your forms, how many people called if you’re doing call-tracking. It’s a very powerful way to invest in advertising and see your return on investment.


To read the full article, click below:

http://www.bwob.ca/profiles/montreal-firm-rides-web-advertising-wave-worldwide/?WT.mc_id=HBCA_110205_10CMBZZZe13361R

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Cyber Monday

VirtualWorld.ca

Today is Cyber Monday, the follow up to the Black Friday shopping extravaganza.

Did you get any good online deals on Cyber Monday?  I heard there were huge lineups for discounted RIM Playbooks in one country, and the crowd got unruly when a rumour started to spread that the Playbooks were sold out.

Early indications show that Black Friday spending was up over last year, we have to wait and see how Cyber Monday compares once all the numbers are in.

It's a Virtual World after all!

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Twitter continues to make inroads into Social fabric

VirtualWorld.ca

Twitter continues to grow more popular almost every day.  The latest examples I've seen of Twitter making inroads into everyday life are:

Mexican pro soccer team putting Twitter handles on the backs of players game shirts.  So, when they are playing a game you would see @Halvarez or @Roberto_S.  To me this is a great way for the team to get the public to visit the players Twitter sites, and promote the club.

Seeing Twitter handles on protest boards and signs.  I've seen some Occupy Wallstreet type protests where the people carrying signs have also put their Twitter handle on the sign.  Great move, an instant way to get people to visit your Twitter site and see your message.  This will probably transfer over to sports events and other places where people display signs.

Live voting and interaction on tv shows.  The tv show X Factor with the music competition has a special Twitter feed set up where the judges and contestants send out tweets, and the public can interact with them.  You can also vote now through Twitter.

What will we see next from Twitter and how it is used?  It's a Virtual World after all!

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