Mobile Search and Content Needs Flexible Revenue Models

“There has to be all sorts of models, both subscription and ad-supported,” Fox Interactive senior vice president and general manager John Smelzer said, speaking at the iHollywood Forum’s Mobile Entertainment Summit. While the revenue mix may be different, he added that the key to driving user adoption of all types of content is “to make the entry point easy.” Source Article

I couldn’t agree with this more. There are too many subscription only mobile models emerging, this will slow adoption in an already fragmented market.  The mobile medium is not a failure, many of the business models are. It’s a fascinating paradox. There are too many 20th Century business cases that are being built that work on paper but not in reality.

Cutting Edge Sourcing at Fox Interactive Media

Human Capital Management, HR Technology Conference 2006 #9

Virtual Edge Software: Roger Coker – VE Pilot:
- Zero-Talent Outages
- Succession not Replacement
- 360 view of talent pipeline

Fox Interactive Media: Conrad McGinnis

50% Professional
35% College
15% Other

FIM Talent Sources
35% Employee Referral Program
25% Direct Sourcing
15% Job Boards
25% Our Career Website

1400 Employees based in the US currently

Traditional Sourcing Method
- Old Media Mentality
- Dated and geared to film and TV
- Limited to local universities

New Strategic Sourcing Strategy
- Targeted to Tech
- Tech tools for better communication
- Global versus local
- Recruiting structure – Personnel
- CRM – VE Pilot

Search Engine Marketing – overall has found Google to be most effective

Why Search Engine Marketing?
- Reach Active and Passive Candidates
- Inclusive and Broad Approach
- Pay for Performance
- Workforce Planning
- VE Pilot

Other Tools:
- Fox Careers Site
- Myspace Careers Site

Reference Checker and Sourcer are separate

Frees up recruiter to build relationships with hiring manager and candidates

Training and Networking Events:
- Recruiters must know the business
- Recruiters need to spend more time in front of the desk than behind it
- Recruiting teams are true partners in moving the business forward

Employee Referral Program
- Myspace friend branded
- Ticket themed logo for concert – B.Y.O.F.
- Increased cash incentives
- Teaser campaign

Tracking Referrals
- Keeping track of individual job referrals
- Link track (like affiliate marketing campaign

Intellext - Dr. Jay Budzik and CEO Al Wasserberger

I sat down with founder Dr. Jay Budzik and CEO Al Wasserberger of Intellext late last week. They vividly explained how Watson helps people change their search experience from active to passive. They are finding new users, early adopters in information technology, bloggers and journalists. If you are looking for Shakira tickets at the United Center, looking at a web page and find Linkedin or Myspace contacts – it can help you. Watson brings traffic to content publishers. The search box, Google, Yahoo!, Technorati currently become the arbiter to when you see it instead of information as you need it. Intellext recently won a US Department of Homeland Security development grant. Dr. Jay’s sets the future context for Watson.

When listening, the first voice after mine is Dr. Jay’s then Al Wasserberger answers the second question…special thanks to Leigh Winter for her time in first explaining Watson to me a few months ago and then arranging this interview. I’ve really enjoyed deepening the relationship with Intellext’s people as they are both brillant about technology and yet business focused - a rare combination. Watson’s value proposition is complex until you reach a certain inflection point then it becomes amazingly simple - finding ways to reduce that cycle time is the secret key and my mind has been buzzing since my visit with ideas!

Prediction: While there are significant and interesting challenges to overcome in education, marketing, change management of the entire Internet and distribution, the core value proposition is sound and the vision is quite clear. While this has quietly lurked out there so far, I truly believe it has the power to be extremely disruptive if consumers can be educated on the convenience of passivity and change their behavior.

UPDATE: August, 2007 - Due to the rebranding of Intellext to Media River, this podcast has been removed. I however would be happy to share it with anyone who contacts me in Chicago to ask for it explaining why it’s relevant to them at this time.

SES San Jose Day 4 - API (new session)

Rustybrick wrote an amazing post on the new SES API session - my PC was in dead battery mode and no plug available mode during this session. Please enjoy his post. He did mis Erynn B. Petersen’s of Microsoft because they accidently went to questions before she gave her speech, which was an awkward moment that she handled amazingly well. I had a nice chat with her afterwards, she is one of the people who really gets what this is all about and for that I appreciate her.

This is a great session that reminds me of how much search is like financial services, where there are a number of vendors that provide mission critical API’s - the fact that API’s are just starting to become transparent to the masses is a sign of how early in all of this we truly are.

SES San Jose Day 3 - Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, Press Conference

After Eric Schmidt was interviewed by Danny Sullivan, he held a press conference.

But first Eric stopped in the restroom and shook my hand shortly thereafter without washing his hands per reports of an SES attendee (it’s weird learning things like that 2 days later).

Learnings from this experience: Bring your business card, ask a specific and short question or risk having the tough parts missed.

The most surprising thing to me is that he only really holds press conferences about once a quarter. Think about that one of the busiest, hectic and arguably most controversial companies of our time that generates more news in a week than many companies used to generate in a year only has a press conference once a quarter. I wonder what Don Tapscott would think? Hmm, I just checked and actually Eric was quoted on the sleeve of Don’s 2003 book, the Naked Corporation! Think of how much the world has changed in those three years. Wow!

Below is my summary of the finer points of this rapid fire interaction (wish I could type faster) - minus the one area where he retracted a statement after continued pushback. It was very odd because in one way I felt sorry for him for being pounded on in a harsh way and in another way I felt he wasn’t being fully forthright and maybe even somewhat evil… I guess I’m trying to get across that the scene was very tense, terse and emotional.

Reporter: Can you say more on partnerships, Google as the affiliated partner, etc.

Eric: Dmarc is going to go well. Viacom/MTV suggested that taking content and putting video advertising at the beginning. Finding a way to monetize them is the hard part. We are doing well in search and content. Radio is coming out soon. The other two are starting now.

Reporter: Can you discuss the economics…

Eric: The forward commitments are much, much larger.

Reporter: Regarding the Kinderstart lawsuit.

Eric: It’s probably is best that I not comment on that.

Reporter: The AOL thing, how can it be impossible to happen at Google?

Eric: We have very specific plans about it. I’d rather not divulge them.  (awkward silence in the room)

Reporter: Many people, do not know the difference between paid and natural search. Could you do more?

Eric: Yes certainly we could although I think most people know. (I’d like to hear more elaboration on this issue as would the reporter that asked it) 

Reporter: Can you update us on Adsense policy?

Eric: Sites sometimes don’t follow the guidelines due to third parties. We have been tightening our guidelines.

Reporter: Update on Microsoft…

Eric: General Counsel made some claims. We’ll see where it happens. Google is more efficient, more scientific, etc. We will get more - $12 Billion of a $500 Million industry.

Reporter: Can you discuss video pricing model and cultural trends.

Eric: We will use an Adwords model. Development of social networks as lifetime models eventually. Myspace, it’s of the scale of instant messaging.

Myspace Seeking “Search Partner”

Myspace, apparently in response to my May 23rd post stated that it presently has no direct relationship with Yahoo! It is however now seeking a search partner. Or is that better stated as, “We are now seeking a buyer because our growth prospects are now becoming limited.”????? This could get quite interesting.

On a completely unrelated note, if you are a Myspace user have you noticed how the “search term” that was always number two as long as I can remember is suddenly no longer anywhere in the “top ten” and that video is now there in it’s place? It suggests that either this data was always arbitrary (the rankings seem very static now that I think about it) or was censored by new ownership due to the content of that former number two entry. Regardless of which it is (or some combination of both), neither would be a very good business practice in terms of transparency and trust with the user base. Maybe a month from now, Myspace will comment on this as well?