Google Knows How Old You Are
Google recently began offering a new tool to advertisers; the ability to select a demographic segment to target web ads to. Publishers who sign up for the beta test can send demographic information to Google already; so information like gender and age can be targeted by someone buying a keyword or phrase. According to the AdWords Blog this will offer a better targeted campaign and therefore should give a higher conversion once those ads are seen.
Google’s plan makes sense to me, and I am all for it for the most part, but I do worry that I might miss out on some ads that a retailer doesn’t think I should see. I mean, I have kids and a wife too, so I don’t mind seeing Strawberry Shortcake and flowers. Being a mid-thirties male I worry I will only see ads for ESPN.com and cars.
Crowdsource Your Technology Gadget Idea
CrowdSpirit is taking your idea for the next must-have electronics device to the masses. It is pretty simple to get an account and start talking to others with ideas. In fact, the site’s IdeaEngine is a very well put together forum for people to share and discuss ideas about all types of digital devices; from cell phone addons to a HUD for your Harley.
The closed system of forums allows you to talk with some assurance that your ideas will not just end up on a shelf somewhere without you getting a dime in the process. According to the site an innovator suggests an idea, the contributors fine-tune that idea, a core team is then selected by the innovator in an effort to better define the product with partners, a prototype gets built and tested internally and then the community again recommends which new products the CrowdSpirit partners should invest in and ultimately market. The list of potential products is limited for now, but robust and aimed at the sub-two hundred dollar mark; in other words, the home electronics market.
To me the really interesting information here is that sourcing new product ideas to the crowd is an alright form of development. It could mean that new and fresh ideas are out there waiting to be developed and the major corporations will just use their R & D money to support CrowdSpirit system. Either way, consumers win.
Interesting Site of the Day: WebHotorNot.com allows you to vote how well you like the look and feel of a site. Completely addicting.
Until next time,
Matt
