Scott Monty

This Week in Digital - May 31, 2015

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Big conference-based announcements from Google and re/code, the 2015 Internet trends you need to know, a focus on photo-based apps and increased visual communications, P2P payment options, a risky advertising/journalism play in Boston, the rise of Google Pants and Silicon Valley sex therapists, where we are with digital journalism, lawyers mining your data and more, it's <b>This Week in Digital</b>.<br />
<br />
A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry.<br />
<br />
Each week, we compose a newsletter that includes a series of links about current events and trends in the worlds of technology, business, digital communications and marketing in order to keep leaders up to date on changes, newsworthy items and content that might be useful in your job. Please subscribe - either to <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?sub=95082" target="_blank">the full feed</a> or <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f?sub=968961" target="_blank">just to this newsletter</a> to keep up to date on developments.<br />
<br />
If you’re on Flipboard, you can get these links and more by subscribing to the <a href="http://flip.it/IfN4O" target="_blank"><i>This Week in Digital Magazine</i></a>.<br />
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News items are in regular text; <i>additional commentary has been added in italics</i>.<br />
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<h4>
<b>Industry</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>One of the most anticipated events of the year, the Google I/O conference, was held this week. More details in the Platforms section below, but <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/googles-quest-for-complete-control-of-your-digital-life#.yokoegdNz" target="_blank">be ready for Google domination</a> - particularly in mobile design. (BuzzFeed)</li>
<li>Meanwhile, here are some highlights from the Code conference (all links are from re/code):</li>
<ul>
<li>Mary Meeker unveiled <a href="http://recode.net/2015/05/27/mary-meekers-2015-internet-trends-slides/" target="_blank">the 20th edition of her famed annual Internet Report</a>. More on that in a special section below. (re/code)</li>
<li>CBS <a href="http://recode.net/2015/05/27/cbs-boss-house-of-cards-is-great-but-netflixs-hits-are-few-and-far-between/" target="_blank">isn't worried about competition</a> from Netflix. </li>
<li>BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti hinted that the news and listicle viral sensation will <a href="http://recode.net/2015/05/27/buzzfeed-wont-be-a-tv-network-but-we-will-see-buzzfeed-on-tv/" target="_blank">move "upstream" in media markets, included in "linear TV."</a> <i>Go figure. I had my money on sinusoidal TV</i>. (re/code)</li>
<li>General Motors is set to make <a href="http://recode.net/2015/05/27/general-motors-goes-all-in-on-apple-carplay-android-auto-liveblog/" target="_blank">Android Auto and Apple CarPlay available</a> in 14 different models in 2016 Chevrolet vehicles. <i>This could be the technology push that helps GM advance past other automakers with proprietary systems - or it could be the price of relevance, given their onboard wifi that comes with the car.</i> (re/code)</li>
</ul>
<li>Then again, there are add-ons like <a href="http://sciencefriday.com/segment/05/22/2015/app-chat-apps-to-smarten-up-your-car.html" target="_blank">Waze and Automatic that are connecting the final dots on the connected car</a> using your existing data plan. <i>An especially attractive option, as you're less likely to upgrade the hardware (your car) than you are your phone or your apps. </i>(Science Friday)</li>
<li>Speaking of re/code, they <a href="http://recode.net/2015/05/27/so-we-got-bought/" target="_blank">took the occasion of their conference to announce</a> that they were being <a href="http://www.vox.com/2015/5/26/8663975/vox-media-recode-deal-explained" target="_blank">acquired by Vox Media</a>, a deal which combines the two tech powerhouses and gives Vox a conference business. (re/code and Vox) </li>
<li>In other acquisition news, <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/salesforce-acquires-tempo-2015-5?r=US" target="_blank">Salesforce acquired the machine learning calendar Tempo</a> in a bid to make advances in artificial intelligence. Tempo's service will shut down next month. <i>Welp, there goes my favorite calendar system</i>. (Business Intelligence)</li>
<li>Ross Ulbrecht, creator of the dark web site Silk Road, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/30/nyregion/ross-ulbricht-creator-of-silk-road-website-is-sentenced-to-life-in-prison.html?bicmet=1419773522000&bicmlukp=WT.mc_id&bicmp=AD&bicmst=1409232722000&smtyp=cur" target="_blank">was sentenced to life in prison</a> because of the nefarious activities that his creation supported. (New York Times)</li>
</ul>
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<b>Platforms</b></h4>
<ul>
<li><b>Google</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Google revealed and <a href="http://thenextweb.com/google/2015/05/28/everything-google-announced-at-google-io-2015-in-one-handy-list/" target="_blank">announced quite a few things during the I/O conference</a>. Some of the highlights include: a vast update to the Android system - the latest being called Android M - that include easier permissions, direct linking from apps to the web, an expansion of Android Pay, an OS for the Internet of Things called "Brillo," offline connectivity for apps (such as Google Maps) and much more. (The Next Web)</li>
<li>One of the announcements worth covering separately is the launch of <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2015/05/28/google-wants-to-break-facebooks-stranglehold-on-photos/" target="_blank">Google Photos</a>, which include unlimited backup space for your photos. Product chief Bradley Horowitz considers it <a href="https://medium.com/backchannel/bradley-horowitz-says-that-google-photos-is-gmail-for-your-images-and-that-google-plus-is-not-dead-54be1d641526" target="_blank">Gmail for photos</a>. <i>This is a functionality that Google separated from the Google+ product, and it's an extremely important one, pitting Google against Facebook, Yahoo and even Apple's iCloud</i>.<i> Although, according to at least one high-volume photographer, <a href="http://thomashawk.com/2015/05/thoughts-on-google-photos.html" target="_blank">it's not enough</a></i>. (Venture Beat and Thomas Hawk) </li>
<li>Get ready for <a href="http://fusion.net/story/141560/google-and-levis-are-teaming-up-to-make-computerized-pants/" target="_blank">Google Pants</a>. Levi's and Google are teaming up for smart fabric that will respond to gestures and integrate with your devices. <i>For those of you in the know, <a href="http://www.businessesgrow.com/2014/12/29/google-pants/" target="_blank">Marketing Companion predicted this</a> development a year and a half ago.</i> (Fusion)</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul><ul></ul>
<li><b>Facebook</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Launching in New York City: the ability to pay friends <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/05/27/facebook-messenger-payments-arrives-in-nyc-now-supports-group-chats-and-more/#.fvmhl3:cFkz" target="_blank">through the Facebook Messenger app</a>, which also works directly in group chats. <i>Just in case they aren't paying up, you can also <a href="https://medium.com/@arankhanna/stalking-your-friends-with-facebook-messenger-9da8820bd27d" target="_blank">stalk them with Messenger</a> using this Chrome extension</i>. (TechCrunch and Medium)  If you use Facebook, you need to check out Robert Scoble's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RobertScoble/posts/10153302327124655" target="_blank">22 tips for getting the most out of your experience</a>. (Facebook / <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/robert-scobles-22-tips-better-facebook-engagement-164995" target="_blank">AdWeek</a>)</li>
<li>It doesn't take a lot to be successful with Facebook ads. Here's <a href="http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2015/05/31/what-5-per-day-will-buy-you-on-facebook-ads/" target="_blank">what $5 will do for you</a>. (The Next Web)</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Twitter</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Earlier this spring, <a href="http://recode.net/2015/05/25/twitter-has-held-talks-to-acquire-flipboard/" target="_blank">Twitter held talks to acquire Flipboard</a>. Talks have since stalled. <i>The pairing could be beneficial to each: Flipboard could use larger audience and revenue stream and Twitter would have a more visual layout of its content</i>. (re/code)</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Snapchat</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Snapchat has <a href="http://www.wsj.com/article_email/snapchat-discloses-650-million-private-placement-1432913945-lMyQjAxMTE1NjI4OTYyMzkxWj" target="_blank">raised another $500 million</a> from investors, with a valuation around $16 billion. It's clear that investors are bullish in the future of the visual communications app as the company issued common stock rather than preferred stock in the transaction. (WSJ)</li>
<li>Why are millennials <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/why-millennials-use-snapchat-2015-2?r=US" target="_blank">obsessed with Snapchat</a>? In short, because all of their friends are on it and it's more personalized. And BTW, here's what they think of  adults on Snapchat: <i>"Anyone over the age of 35 registered on Snapchat is probably also registered on Family WatchDog."</i> (Business Insider)</li>
<li>As for brands, Snapchat has a very specific way of thinking: <a href="http://contently.com/strategist/2015/05/27/6-ways-snapchat-plans-to-revolutionize-digital-advertising/" target="_blank">6 ways Snapchat is thinking about digital advertising</a>. (Contently)</li>
</ul>
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<li>It's not quite dead yet. In fact, <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/05/27/foursquare-ups-its-recommendation-game-in-latest-update/" target="_blank">Foursquare is getting better...</a> The latest update includes an algorithm that makes recommendations more timely and helpful, and users don't even have to create a profile to make use of them. (TechCrunch)</li>
</ul>
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<h4>
<b>Collaborative Economy</b> </h4>
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<ul>
<li>The two b's in Airbnb could stand for big business. The home sharing service is now <a href="http://recode.net/2015/05/27/airbnb-is-approaching-one-milllion-guests-per-night/" target="_blank">hosting nearly 1 million people a night</a>. (re/code)</li>
<li><a href="http://dearairbnb.tumblr.com/post/120063930038/i-am-homeless-because-of-airbnbs-xxx-freak-fest" target="_blank">Homeless because of Airbnb</a>: a host was blacklisted after a questionable gathering by a renter in her apartment and now she can't get a lease in all of New York City. (Tumblr)</li>
</ul>
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<b>Content</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>A Boston television station is <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2015/05/29/advertising-journalism-you-judge/Elj9dVkIQS7zV1mtlU84AL/story.html?event=event25" target="_blank">taking a huge risk with sponsored content</a>. The 10 o'clock News on MyTV38 is airing a weekly conversation called "A Few Good Minutes" with short interviews that aren't quite advertising nor are they quite journalism. <i>The line continues to blur - dangerously so</i>. (Boston Globe)</li>
<li>Like it or not, headlines matter. A quick <a href="http://contently.com/strategist/2015/05/06/infographic-how-to-write-a-headline-that-gets-badass-results/" target="_blank">infographic on how to develop the best performing headlines</a>. (Contently)</li>
<li>Writing without planning is pointless. Whether you're writing a book, a technical guide, a press release or anything else, you need these <a href="http://withoutbullshit.com/blog/11-key-planning-tips-for-writers-psychology/" target="_blank">11 planning tips for writers and the psychology behind them</a>. (Without Bullshit)</li>
</ul>
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<b><i>Have you got your ticket yet for <a href="http://cmi.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=22&aff_id=1159&url_id=106" target="_blank">Content Marketing World 2015</a> in September? Thousands attend this signature event for the content marketing industry - <a href="http://cmi.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=22&aff_id=1159&url_id=118" target="_blank">you can register here</a>.</i></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">[Disclosure: affiliate link]</span><br />
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<h4>
<b>Metrics / Measurement / Data</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>If you're in communications or marketing and you want to get schooled on data, it can be tricky to determine where to begin. Boston University is offering three different sessions of an intensive 5-day workshop called <a href="http://www.bu.edu/com/data-storytelling/index.html" target="_blank">Storytelling with Data</a> this summer that can help you get there. (Boston University)</li>
<li>Google is <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2015/05/28/google-gives-developers-new-adwords-analytics-and-admob-tools-to-monetize-their-apps-with-ads/" target="_blank">giving app developers more tools</a>, including AdWords, AdMob and Analytics, to help with the monetization of their apps. (Venture Beat) </li>
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<b>Privacy / Security / Legal</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>Here's a fun (and self-admitted creepy) extension for your Chrome browser called <a href="https://medium.com/@arankhanna/stalking-your-friends-with-facebook-messenger-9da8820bd27d" target="_blank">Marauder's Map</a> that allows you to stalk your friends' location using Facebook Messenger. <i>The moral of the story: always be sure to check the settings on your apps and your devices. </i>(Medium)</li>
<li>What you post is being used by more than just your friends. Your friendly neighborhood ambulance chaser is also<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-27/how-law-firms-use-facebook-and-other-data-to-track-down-medical-victims" target="_blank"> using Facebook and other data to track down medical victims</a>. (Bloomberg)</li>
<li>Be careful: it's possible to get <a href="http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/pincourt-man-fined-120-for-using-apple-watch-while-driving-1.2394293" target="_blank">fined for using a smart watch while driving</a>. <i>Some people really love the Apple Watch</i>. (CVT News Montreal)</li>
</ul>
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<h4>
<b>When You Have the Time: Essential Watching / Listening / Reading</b> </h4>
<ul>
<li>An unintended consequence of a male-dominant tech industry in Silicon Valley: <a href="http://www.vocativ.com/culture/society/the-sex-therapists-of-silicon-valley/" target="_blank">the rise of the sex therapist</a>. (Vocativ)</li>
<li>A very good long read on what's become of journalism in the digital age - particularly <a href="http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2015/jun/04/digital-journalism-how-good-is-it/?ref=readthisthing" target="_blank">the importance and diversity of digital journalism</a>. (The New York Review of Books)</li>
</ul>
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<b>
2015 Internet Trends Report</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>Mary Meeker of Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers presented the company's <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/kleinerperkins/internet-trends-v1" target="_blank">20th annual Internet Trends report</a> at the Code Conference this week. At 196 pages, it's a long deck, so here are some highlights.</li>
<li>About 39% of the world's population is online and 73% have a mobile device.</li>
<li>While the impact to consumers has been great, we have plenty of opportunities ahead in healthcare, education and government/policy areas. </li>
<li>User growth is slowing (8% last year vs. 10% the prior year). <i>Does this mean we're in trouble? Hardly. It means stabilization and universality. But it reminds me of a former colleague who used to say, "If it isn't growing, it's dying" - as misinformed an absolutist position I've ever heard.</i></li>
<li>Here's why: Internet usage and engagement is growing 11% Y/Y - with mobile accounting for 3 hours a day of engagement. </li>
<li>It's 2015 and print still remains way over-indexed with respect to time spent - particularly on mobile.</li>
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<ul>
<li>New ad formats for mobile, such as Facebook's Carousel, Pinterest's Cinematic Pin and Google's Local Inventory will make things easier for brands.</li>
<li>Buy buttons will permeate the social experience. </li>
<li>Vertical video viewing is becoming a thing - but not because of poorly shot personal videos; vertical ads on visual communications-heavy apps perform up to 9X better than horizontal ads.</li>
<li>Better tools for the enterprise are widely available and have the potential to streamline business processes.</li>
<li>Messaging apps are growing in importance and their dominance will be assured with multiple functionalities and cross-platform operating systems.</li>
<li>User-generated and curated content is remaking the Internet and 12-24 year-olds are the new trendsetters.</li>
<li>Consumer spending and on-demand services are in a place where the trade-off of convenience for price is becoming more relevant. People will pay a little more for a customized experience.</li>
<li>All eyes should be on China and India for sheer mass and addition of new users, respectively.</li>
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This Week in Digital - May 31, 2015

Big conference-based announcements from Google and re/code, the 2015 Internet trends you need to know, a focus on photo-based apps and in...

This Week in Digital - May 24, 2015

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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vWvg1GD9IGE/VWQCVy3Y54I/AAAAAAAAfSk/xxIm-HPFgNk/s1600/Share%2Bshare%2Bshare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vWvg1GD9IGE/VWQCVy3Y54I/AAAAAAAAfSk/xxIm-HPFgNk/s640/Share%2Bshare%2Bshare.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The sharing economy is under fire, Apple TV may be a reality soon, Fitbit for your car expands, Facebook gets pressured for better privacy controls in Europe, Twitter welcomes a new user,Spotify spots an opportunity beyond music, Google "buy now" may soon be on your phone, Snapchat is adding journalists, the fight against ad fraud continues, setting up a social listening dashboard, the Internetest video out there, the battle for the customer interface and more, it's <b>This Week in Digital</b>.<br />
<br />
A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry.<br />
<br />
Each week, we compose a newsletter that includes a series of links about current events and trends in the worlds of technology, business, digital communications and marketing in order to keep leaders up to date on changes, newsworthy items and content that might be useful in your job. Please subscribe - either to <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?sub=95082" target="_blank">the full feed</a> or <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f?sub=968961" target="_blank">just to this newsletter</a> to keep up to date on developments.<br />
<br />
If you’re on Flipboard, you can get these links and more by subscribing to the <a href="http://flip.it/IfN4O" target="_blank"><i>This Week in Digital Magazine</i></a>.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div>
News items are in regular text; <i>additional commentary has been added in italics</i>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4>
<b>Industry</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>For a good look at <a href="http://superhypeblog.com/marketing/apple-and-disney-extensions-of-you" target="_blank">the future of wearables</a>, look no further than Apple and Disney as market makers. <a href="http://www.davidjdeal.com/assets/apple-disney_extensionsofyou.pdf" target="_blank">A PDF of the white paper</a> is also available. (Superhype)</li>
<li><a href="http://venturebeat.com/2015/05/18/a-cable-killing-apple-tv-product-may-be-shaping-up-amid-shifting-loyalties-in-pay-tv-landscape/" target="_blank">Apple may be preparing a TV offering</a>, including both hardware and content. (VentureBeat)</li>
<li>Business Insider's approach to serving smaller businesses involved <a href="http://adexchanger.com/publishers/business-insider-brings-on-small-advertisers-with-publisher-trading-desk/" target="_blank">using a publisher trading desk</a> - in this case Rubicon's Ad Engine. The result: cost savings, the benefit of being part of a programmatic buy and access to BI's audience. (Ad Exchanger)</li>
<li><a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/05/19/automatic-launches-its-sdk-turning-the-car-into-an-app-platform/" target="_blank">Automatic has released an SDK</a>, turning the car into an app platform. The "Fitbit for your car" is partnering with app developers to give the car itself more functionality and integration with your smartphone. (TechCrunch) <i>Disclosure: I am an advisor for Automatic</i>.</li>
<li><i>Mad Men</i> is over. Knowing what you know now, <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/if-you-could-only-pick-one-would-you-hire-don-peggy-or-joan-164963" target="_blank">would you rather hire Peggy, Don or Joan?</a> (AdWeek)</li>
</ul>
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<h4>
<b>Platforms</b></h4>
<ul>
<li><b>Google</b></li>
<ul>
<li><i>This week, the Google I/O conference will happen in San Francisco. Expect news to emanate from the event. </i></li>
<li>The secret anti-fraud team at Google is one of the busiest. It's mission: <a href="http://adage.com/article/digital/inside-google-s-secret-war-ad-fraud/298652/" target="_blank">to crack down on the growing digital ad fraud problem</a> that is costing the industry some $6 billion annually. (AdAge)</li>
<li>Google may be preparing <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2015/05/22/googles-buy-button-could-give-amazon-a-run-for-its-money/" target="_blank">a buy button on search results on mobile devices</a>, giving Amazon and eBay some serious competition. (VentureBeat)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-19/google-said-to-be-close-to-unveiling-new-web-photo-service" target="_blank">Google is spinning out Photos</a> from Google+, giving users much more control over their images. (Bloomberg)</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul><ul></ul>
<li><b>Facebook</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Facebook is getting heat from European regulators <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/belgian-watchdog-slams-facebooks-privacy-controls-1431685985" target="_blank">for its less than satisfactory approach to privacy</a>. A 28-page report from the Belgian Privacy Commission says that Facebook needs to be less secretive and ask for consent on the use of data. (WSJ)</li>
<li>What's up with WhatsApp? Since Facebook bought the chat service for $22 billion, we haven't heard much about its plans. Facebook's CFO thinks <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-18/facebook-might-consider-business-to-consumer-chat-for-whatsapp" target="_blank">it may be useful for business-to-consumer chats</a>. (Bloomberg)</li>
<li>Facebook's townhall meeting last week contained <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/briefly/2015/05/15/5-surprises-facebooks-zuckerberg-revealed-at-town-hall-meeting/" target="_blank">5 surprises by Mark Zuckerberg</a>. From Ukraine to virtual reality to the chief's fashion choices, it's all there (WSJ Digits) </li>
</ul>
<li><b>Twitter</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Twitter and Google are together again. <a href="https://blog.twitter.com/2015/a-new-way-to-discover-tweets" target="_blank">Google search results will now index tweets</a>, in an effort to enhance discovery and drive more traffic to the 140-character platform. (Twitter)</li>
<li>President Obama <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/potus-obama-joins-twitter-2015-5" target="_blank">joined Twitter</a> as <a href="http://twitter.com/potus" target="_blank">@POTU</a>S (previously, his tweets were occasionally seen from the @WhiteHouse account). (Business Insider) He wasted no time in demonstrating his sense of humor, including an exchange with a former office-holder:</li>
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<li>Showing that the youth vote is important - not to mention that maybe it'll drive some adults to use it too, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/may/22/snapchat-journalists-2016-presidential-race-hillary-clinton" target="_blank">Snapchat is hiring journalists</a> to cover the 2016 U.S. presidential race. <i>The perfect solution for politicians who want you to forget things they've done more than 10 seconds ago</i>. (The Guardian)</li>
<li>Just in case you were wondering: here's <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/snapchat-and-periscope-a-grown-ups-guide-to-the-social-media-networks-1431717168" target="_blank">the grown-up's guide to Periscope and Snapchat</a>. (WSJ)</li>
<li>Flickr needs to work on its auto-tagging. Racist and derogatory phrases were associated with individuals' photos last week. <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2015/05/21/technology/flickr-racist-tags/" target="_blank">And it wasn't pretty</a>. (CNN Money</li>
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<b>Collaborative Economy</b> </h4>
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<ul>
<li>How much of the so-called sharing economy actually involves sharing? And how much of the dependent contractors' livelihoods depend on it? "The uncomfortable truth is that the sharing economy is a rent-extraction business of the highest middleman order." Uber isn't the Uber for rides — <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-everyone-gets-the-sharing-economy-wrong-1432495921?tesla=y" target="_blank">it's the Uber for low-wage jobs</a>. (WSJ)</li>
<ul>
<li>The cut-and-paste mentality of some entrepreneurs is creating a glut of me-too companies in the on demand marketplace. And <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tech-investors-have-a-copy-paste-mentality-that-is-fueling-a-dangerous-boom-in-on-demand-startups-2015-5" target="_blank">it's hurting tech investors</a>. (Business Insider)</li>
</ul>
<li>We all know that Uber isn't a fan of regulation. But what about when that regulation <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/05/21/uber-disability-laws-don-t-apply-to-us.html?source=facebook&via=desktop" target="_blank">involves the Americans with Disabilities Act</a>? (Daily Beast)</li>
<li>While Airbnb may be great for travelers and existing renters, <a href="http://www.48hills.org/2015/05/14/airbnb-makes-housing-crisis-much-worse-city-study-shows/" target="_blank">it has harmed the overall rental market in San Francisco</a> by reducing the available long-term rental units, according to the city's Board of Supervisors Budget Analyst. (48 Hills)</li>
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<li><a href="http://www.marketingcharts.com/online/whats-holding-back-further-use-of-content-marketing-and-native-advertising-54794/" target="_blank">What's holding back content marketers</a>? The most common reason is lack of resources and budget, followed by the inability to effectively calculate ROI - which is interesting, as last year, <a href="http://www.marketingcharts.com/online/us-cmos-spending-on-analytics-social-and-content-growing-44671/" target="_blank">CMOs indicated an increasing spend on analytics, social and content</a>. (MarketingCharts)</li>
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<li>It's difficult to keep the attention of customers during a rote and boring process such as the standard safety presentation and video. Which is why Delta - in its continued push to improve the customer experience - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vttuonfu2BM" target="_blank">has gone over the top with its safety video</a> featuring dozens of Internet celebrities and memes. See how many you can name. (YouTube / Delta)</li>
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<b><i>Have you got your ticket yet for <a href="http://cmi.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=22&aff_id=1159&url_id=106" target="_blank">Content Marketing World 2015</a> in September? Thousands attend this signature event for the content marketing industry - <a href="http://cmi.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=22&aff_id=1159&url_id=118" target="_blank">you can register here</a>.</i></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">[Disclosure: affiliate link]</span><br />
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<b>Audio</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>Spotify is more than just a music service. It will soon offer <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/20/8629335/spotify-adds-podcasts-videos" target="_blank">video and podcasts</a> in its lineup. (The Verge)</li>
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<b>Metrics / Measurement / Data</b></h4>
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<li>If you're in a rush or on a tight budget, here are <a href="https://blog.bufferapp.com/social-listening" target="_blank">6 quick ways to build a listening dashboard</a>. Also, a handy definition of the difference between monitoring and listening. (Buffer)</li>
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<b>Privacy / Security / Legal</b></h4>
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<li>Uber is getting serious about its privacy issues, as <a href="http://recode.net/2015/05/20/uber-hires-new-legal-counsel-from-apple-to-help-with-its-privacy-issues/?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRonv6vJZKXonjHpfsX54uUuT%2Frn28M3109ad+rmPBy92IcJWp8na+qWCgseOrQ8mFkIV8izUs0TrKM%3D" target="_blank">it has hired Sabrina Ross</a>, Apple's former head of privacy. (re/code)</li>
</ul>
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<h4>
<b>When You Have the Time: Essential Watching / Listening / Reading</b> </h4>
<ul>
<li>Uber owns no vehicles. Facebook creates no content. Airbnb owns no rooms. Welcome to the future, where <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/03/03/in-the-age-of-disintermediation-the-battle-is-all-for-the-customer-interface/#.fvmhl3:LAAQ" target="_blank">the battle for the customer interface</a> is raging. (TechCrunch)</li>
<li>Nice guys may in fact finish last. It turns out that <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/06/why-it-pays-to-be-a-jerk/392066/" target="_blank">there are benefits to being a narcissistic jerk</a>. <i>Just not around me.</i> (The Atlantic)</li>
<li>Being a boss in our ever-changing world, with more connectivity, flexible work schedules and locations, and scrutiny from all around <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3046327/the-new-rules-of-work/meet-the-boss-of-the-future" target="_blank">is difficult</a>. (Fast Company)</li>
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This Week in Digital - May 24, 2015

The sharing economy is under fire, Apple TV may be a reality soon, Fitbit for your car expands, Facebook gets pressured for better privac...

This Week in Digital - May 17, 2015

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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I6MiqUL-czM/VVk4MG_IoOI/AAAAAAAAfG4/t1LGsf6WiSc/s1600/Verizaol.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Verizon - AOL" border="0" height="210" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I6MiqUL-czM/VVk4MG_IoOI/AAAAAAAAfG4/t1LGsf6WiSc/s640/Verizaol.png" title="VerizAol" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
 The surprise acquisition that rocked the tech world, Google knows the results of the election first, Walmart drops the prices on Amazon's unlimited shipping, Facebook's Instant Articles mean an uneven playing field for publishers, why there won't be an Uber for everything, Reddit launches a video content unit, Spotify prepares for a major announcement this week, getting fired for disabling a GPS tracking app, creatives need data too, a major report on digital trends and more, it's <b>This Week in Digital</b>.<br />
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A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry.<br />
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Each week, we compose a newsletter that includes a series of links about current events and trends in the worlds of technology, business, digital communications and marketing in order to keep leaders up to date on changes, newsworthy items and content that might be useful in your job. Please subscribe - either to <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?sub=95082" target="_blank">the full feed</a> or <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f?sub=968961" target="_blank">just to this newsletter</a> to keep up to date on developments.<br />
<br />
If you’re on Flipboard, you can get these links and more by subscribing to the <a href="http://flip.it/IfN4O" target="_blank"><i>This Week in Digital Magazine</i></a>.<br />
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News items are in regular text; <i>additional commentary has been added in italics</i>.<br />
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<h4>
<b>Industry</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>In a move that very few people saw coming, <a href="http://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizon-acquire-aol" target="_blank">Verizon acquired AOL</a>. (Verizon)</li>
<ul>
<li>Some of the content sites like TechCrunch, Huffington Post and Engadget may be spun off, but the deal is more about <a href="https://stratechery.com/2015/verizon-aol-facebook-instant-articles-and-the-future-of-digital-advertising/" target="_blank">advertising technology (specifically targeting) and the addition of web video</a>, which is a hot segment. (Stratechery)</li>
<li>But as much as the two try to sell this as being all about the customer, <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2015/05/the-hidden-message-behind-verizons-aol.html" target="_blank">it is not</a>. It's all about them. </li>
<li>Yet the pair still have legacy reputation issues to overcome. Remember when <a href="http://www.wired.com/2008/06/fcc-verizon-can/" target="_blank">Verizon did this</a>? Best quote seen last week related to this: <i>"Now in one offering I can get the cutting-edge technology AOL is famous for along with Verizon's world-class customer service." - George Tannenbaum</i></li>
</ul>
<li>You're a busy digital executive. So go through this checklist of <a href="http://marketingland.com/top-20-most-useful-mobile-business-apps-for-2015-126124" target="_blank">20 most useful mobile apps for business</a> and get updated. (Marketing Land)</li>
<li>Companies that create <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150504141905.htm" target="_blank">their own online communities are seeing double digit growth</a>. (Science Daily)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/coming-this-summer-u-s-will-run-out-of-internet-addresses-1431479401" target="_blank">We're running out of Internet addresses</a>. You'd better get yours soon. (WSJ)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/13/us-wal-mart-stores-shipping-idUSKBN0NY2NK20150513" target="_blank">Walmart is giving Amazon a run for its money</a> with unlimited shipping for $50 a year. <i>If there's any retailer that has the scale and the capacity to do it, it's Walmart</i>. (Reuters)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3070470/Google-Search-tips-Cameron-win-election-Nigel-Farage-s-Ukip-beat-Labour-Liberal-Democrats.html" target="_blank">Google Search knew before the pollsters or the media</a> that the Conservatives would beat the Liberal Democrats and the Labour party in the UK elections. (Daily Mail)</li>
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<h4>
<b>Platforms</b></h4>
<ul>
<li><b>Google</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Google+ is getting a makeover with <a href="http://recode.net/2015/05/04/google-gets-a-pinterest-like-makeover/?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRonv6%2FAZKXonjHpfsX54uUuT%2Frn28M3109ad+rmPBy+0YsJWp8na+qWCgseOrQ8mFkIV8izUs0TrKM%3D" target="_blank">Collections, a Pinterest-like display of topics of interest</a>. <i>They're not quite dead yet. ("I'm getting better...")</i>. (re/code) </li>
<li>Taking a new approach to enterprise security, <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2015/05/11/google-moves-its-corporate-applications-to-the-internet/" target="_blank">Google is moving all of its corporate applications to the cloud</a>. Coca-Cola, Verizon and Mazda are doing similar things. <i>It would be interesting to see major cloud providers do that as well</i>. <b>#putyourmoneywhereyourmouthis</b> (WSJ CIO)</li>
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<li><b>Facebook</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Facebook announced its new <a href="http://media.fb.com/2015/05/12/instantarticles/" target="_blank">Instant Articles</a> feature, giving major publishers and media companies the ability to create content that will be hosted directly on Facebook, while maintaining control over their stories, brand experience and monetization. (Facebook)</li>
<li>One of the fascinating points of the terms is that<a href="http://adage.com/article/digital/york-times-buzzfeed-publish-directly-facebook/298589/" target="_blank"> the revenue that they generate will stay with the media companies</a>: "Publishers can sell ads in their articles and keep the revenue, or they can choose to use Facebook's Audience Network to monetize unsold inventory." Initial partners are the New York Times, National Geographic, BuzzFeed and The Atlantic. (AdAge)</li>
<li>But in changing its status to <a href="https://medium.com/@davepell/the-nyt-changes-its-relationship-status-to-married-7c04975bf084" target="_blank">"married," the New York Times may be entering the Hotel California</a>. (Medium - Dave Pell) </li>
<li>Facebook is <a href="http://adage.com/article/digital/facebook-extends-carousel-format-mobile-app-ads/298524/" target="_blank">opening its photo carousel ads to mobile app advertisers</a>. It's less expensive and more engaging than single-photo ads. (AdAge)</li>
<li>You may soon have the ability <a href="http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/facebook-tests-feature-letting-users-pick-pages-friends-theyd-want-to-see-atop-news-feed/619554" target="_blank">to choose which friends and pages appear at the top of your news feed</a>. (AdWeek)</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Twitter</b></li>
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<li><a href="http://recode.net/2015/05/05/twitter-has-a-short-term-periscope-problem-and-a-long-term-media-mess/?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRonv6%2FAZKXonjHpfsX54uUuT%2Frn28M3109ad+rmPBy+0YsJWp8na+qWCgseOrQ8mFkIV8izUs0TrKM%3D" target="_blank">Twitter may have an issue with how it handles its relationships with media companies</a> in the wake of the heavy use of Periscope during live paid events such as the recent Mayweather-Pacquiao boxing match. (re/code)</li>
<li>) </li>
</ul>
<li><b>Periscope / Meerkat</b></li>
<ul>
<li>You can't say we didn't see this coming: <a href="http://variety.com/2015/digital/opinion/periscope-piracy-sets-up-grudge-match-hollywood-vs-twitter-1201486298/" target="_blank">Periscope is going to be the target of intellectual property lawyers</a> as the mobile streaming video service invades things like the boxing match or popular shows like The Game of Thrones. (Variety) </li>
<li>Meerkat isn't taking the Twitter social graph lock-out lying down. In a new arrangement, <a href="http://recode.net/2015/05/04/meerkat-update-pulls-facebook-into-the-livestreaming-mix/?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRonv6%2FAZKXonjHpfsX54uUuT%2Frn28M3109ad+rmPBy+0YsJWp8na+qWCgseOrQ8mFkIV8izUs0TrKM%3D" target="_blank">Meerkat streams will be pulled directly into Facebook</a>. <i>Of course, since Facebook isn't a real-time platform, it remains to be seen how effective this will be</i>. (re/code)</li>
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<b>Collaborative Economy</b> </h4>
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<li>In the sharing economy, the value of ownership is decreasing. According to a PricewaterhouseCoopers report, the <a href="http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Sharing-Economy-Users-Desire-Access-Over-Ownership/1012429/1" target="_blank">convenience and spirit of trust and community fostered by the sharing economy</a> are the main drivers. (eMarketer)</li>
<li>It's the spring, so Uber is raising more money. <a href="http://www.wsj.com/article_email/uber-plans-large-new-funding-round-1431137142-lMyQjAxMTA1NzA0ODkwODgwWj" target="_blank">Expected to raise $1.5 to $2 billion in the next round</a>, the car-hailing app will be valued around $50 billion. (WSJ)</li>
<li>A reporter went <a href="http://citypaper.net/uberdriver/" target="_blank">undercover as an Uber driver</a>. The conversations and discoveries are fascinating. (CityPaper)</li>
<li>Uber is joining the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/08/business/uber-joins-the-bidding-for-here-nokias-digital-mapping-service.html?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRonv6jBZKXonjHpfsX54uUuT%2Frn28M3109ad+rmPBy92IIDWp8na+qWCgseOrQ8mFkIV8izUs0TrKM%3D&_r=0" target="_blank">bidding for Here, Nokia's Mapping Service</a>. This is the main competitor to Google Maps. <i>Based on a couple of UberX rides we've taken, they need it</i>. (New York Times)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/theres-an-uber-for-everything-now-1430845789" target="_blank">There's seemingly an Uber for everything now</a>: to do your laundry, cook your dinner, mailing packages, massage therapists, alcohol, suitcase packing and even medical marijuana. (WSJ)</li>
<li>Not so fast - Boris argues that there's a reason <a href="http://versionone.vc/why-there-wont-be-an-uber-in-every-vertical/" target="_blank">there won't be an Uber for every vertical</a>. It comes down to this: it has to be a commoditized service with a high purchase frequency that is truly time-sensitive. (versionone)</li>
<li>And the Uber for investors <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-15/icahn-invests-100-million-in-lyft-raising-stakes-in-uber-fight" target="_blank">Carl Icahn just invested $100 million in Lyft</a>, which he described as a "tremendous bargain," given that Lyft is valued around $2.5 billion. (Bloomberg)</li>
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<b>Content</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>Part of creating compelling content is mastering the art of good writing. Josh Bernoff covers <a href="http://withoutbullshit.com/blog/10-top-writing-tips-psychology/" target="_blank">10 tips on writing and the psychology behind them</a>. (without bullshit)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/6/8555869/reddit-video-create-original-content" target="_blank">Reddit is launching a division</a> that will create original video, at first focusing on the AMA (ask me anything). (The Verge)</li>
<li>Here's a free template: <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33415/The-Social-Media-Publishing-Schedule-Every-Marketer-Needs-Template.aspx" target="_blank">the social media content calendar that every marketer needs</a>. (Hubspot)</li>
<li>A very rich study on <a href="https://moz.com/blog/roi-content-marketing-vs-native-advertising" target="_blank">the impact of content marketing vs. native advertising</a>, including a look at the landscape, an analysis of effectiveness, and a look at ROI. (Moz)</li>
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<b><i>Have you got your ticket yet for <a href="http://cmi.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=22&aff_id=1159&url_id=106" target="_blank">Content Marketing World 2015</a> in September? Thousands attend this signature event for the content marketing industry - <a href="http://cmi.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=22&aff_id=1159&url_id=118" target="_blank">you can register here</a>.</i></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">[Disclosure: affiliate link]</span><br />
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<h4>
<b>Audio</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>Are mainstream podcasts like <i>Serial </i>and <i>Invisibilia</i> damaging the independent podcaster? Like Shel Holtz, I believe <a href="http://holtz.com/blog/audio/mainstream-medias-podcasting-successes-are-no-threat-to-the-independent-pod/4505" target="_blank">they're actually good for the industry</a>. (Holtz Communication + Technology)</li>
<li>Streaming is the future. <a href="http://recode.net/2015/05/11/warner-music-says-streaming-revenue-has-passed-downloads-and-it-wants-more/" target="_blank">Warner Music Group says the streaming revenue has now passed downloads</a> for the first time. (re/code)</li>
<li>Adding to the mix of streaming audio providers, <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/williamalden/rdio-to-launch-cheaper-streaming-service#.kgprNp4ox" target="_blank">Rdio is launching a $3.99 a month streaming service</a>. While less expensive than the competition, the number of available downloads is limited. <i>Whether or not that level of subscription is sustainable will depend on a number of factors, including the profitability of the competition and its own burn rate</i>. (BuzzFeed) </li>
<li>Spotify is a case in point. Over the last year <a href="http://mashable.com/2015/05/09/spotify-lost-a-ton-of-money-last-year-and-heres-exactly-how-much" target="_blank">its losses have tripled</a> - albeit during a time when it was spending more money on licensing, expansion and product development. With approximately 25% of its subscribers choosing the paid plan, it has the membership. But recent disputes with artists may affect the royalty rate. (Mashable)</li>
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<li>Speaking of which, <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2015/05/07/404700847/songwriters-and-streaming-services-battle-over-decades-old-decree" target="_blank">songwriters are beginning to question the old ASCAP royalty rates</a> that are paid to them to make the revenue split a little more equitable. (NPR)</li>
</ul>
<li>Spotify will have a news conference on Wednesday, May 20. <a href="http://mashable.com/2015/05/07/spotify-news-event/" target="_blank">Pundits speculate that they'll be getting into video and podcasts</a>. (Mashable)</li>
<li>Meanwhile, ahead of its own Beats relaunch, <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/4/8540935/apple-labels-spotify-streaming" target="_blank">Apple is aggressively pushing music labels to cut off free streaming from Spotify</a>. And now the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission are interested. <i>Fear makes people behave in strange ways, doesn't it?</i> (The Verge)</li>
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<b>Metrics / Measurement / Data</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>While creatives rely on instinct, <a href="http://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2015/05/06/why-creatives-should-approach-data-sherlock-holmes" target="_blank">they might approach data like Sherlock Holmes</a>. Look at the data first for insights, rather than looking for data to back up their assumptions. <i>"Data! data! data! I can't make bricks without clay."</i> (The Drum) </li>
<li><a href="http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Marketers-Measuring-Their-Business-Value/1012447/1" target="_blank">Are marketers measuring their business value?</a> Yes and no. While they are measuring things like revenue growth, acquisition of new customers and contribution to the pipeline, there's still room for improvement.  (eMarketer)</li>
<li>We've had "who's viewed your profile" for some time on LinkedIn. Now, you can see<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/05/07/whos-viewed-your-posts-linkedin-adds-analytics-to-its-publishing-platform/#.fvmhl3:aoUg" target="_blank"> analytics for who's viewed your posts on LinkedIn</a>. (TechCrunch)</li>
<li>Thought leadership is and important of your marketing mix. Whether it's public speaking, guest writing, curation or something else, <a href="http://www.businessesgrow.com/2015/05/07/measure-thought-leadership/" target="_blank">how do you measure thought leadership?</a> ({grow})</li>
<li>In the age of the selfie, <a href="http://qz.com/393171/vanity-capital-is-the-new-metric-for-narcissism-and-analysts-say-its-value-worldwide-is-greater-than-germanys-gdp/" target="_blank">vanity capital is the term reserved</a> for measuring the impact of narcissism - goods that enhance our appearance or prestige. And according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch, it's about $4.5 trillion a year. (Quartz)</li>
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<ul>
<li>Have you tried Microsoft's How-Old.net yet? Don't take it personally <a href="http://www.fastcocreate.com/3045792/microsofts-new-website-will-hurt-your-feelings-by-telling-you-how-old-you-actually-look?partner=rss" target="_blank">if it doesn't get your age (or even your gender!) right</a>. It's part of improving facial-recognition technology. But beware: you should <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3045825/fast-feed/read-the-fine-print-before-you-use-microsofts-viral-age-guessing-tool" target="_blank">read the fine print about the site</a>, lest you end up surprised when your image appears in Microsoft's advertising. (Fast Company)</li>
<li>Is it your right to complain about an experience or service on Yelp? <a href="http://www.cio.com/article/2919053/lawmakers-want-to-protect-the-online-freedom-to-yelp.html" target="_blank">These lawmakers want to make sure that it is</a>. (CIO)</li>
<li>After the app her employer installed on her phone began tracking her 24 hours a day, <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/13/8597081/worker-gps-fired-myrna-arias-xora" target="_blank">an employee disabled it and was promptly fired</a>. (The Verge)</li>
</ul>
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<h4>
<b>When You Have the Time: Essential Watching / Listening / Reading</b> </h4>
<ul>
<li>Here are <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/daily-habits-to-be-smarter-2015-5" target="_blank">25 daily habits that will make you smarter</a>. (Business Insider)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2015/05/09/the-revolution-will-be-digitized/" target="_blank">The revolution will be digitized</a>. Quantifying metrics about consumers - from online interactions to data from wearables - you will be tracked. We're on a collision course between big business driven by data and the shrinking era of privacy. Are you ready? (Washington Post)</li>
<li>The Society of Digital Agencies (SoDA) has produced <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/sodaspeaks/the-soda-report-volume-1-2015" target="_blank">its first 2015 report on digital trends</a> for brands and agencies, and it is chock full of insights. (Slideshare)</li>
<ul>
<li>C-level executives are showing an unprecedented interest in digital marketing research and insights.</li>
<li>Half of agencies report consulting with clients on products and offerings.</li>
<li>The top 3 things that clients want: expertise in emerging trends, marketing creativity and customer-centric marketing.</li>
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This Week in Digital - May 17, 2015

The surprise acquisition that rocked the tech world, Google knows the results of the election first, Walmart drops the prices on Amazo...

The Hidden Message Behind Verizon's AOL Takover

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You probably saw the news earlier today that <a href="http://recode.net/2015/05/12/verizon-buys-aol-for-4-4-billion/" target="_blank">Verizon is acquiring AOL for a cool $4.4 billion</a>. It's clear that Verizon's move is one that will help it focus primarily on advertising technology and video content.<br />
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However, if you read <a href="http://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizon-acquire-aol" target="_blank">Verizon's press release</a> on the topic, you might be scratching your head.<br />
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Here are some excerpts from the release:<br />
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<i>AOL is a leader in the digital content and advertising platforms space, and the combination of Verizon and AOL creates a scaled, mobile-first platform offering directly targeted at what eMarketer estimates is a nearly $600 billion global advertising industry. AOL’s key assets include its subscription business; its premium portfolio of global content brands, including The Huffington Post, TechCrunch, Engadget, MAKERS and AOL.com, as well as its millennial-focused OTT, Emmy-nominated original video content; and its programmatic advertising platforms.</i></blockquote>
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<i>Lowell McAdam, Verizon chairman and CEO, said: “Verizon’s vision is to provide customers with a premium digital experience based on a global multiscreen network platform. This acquisition supports our strategy to provide a cross-screen connection for consumers, creators and advertisers to deliver that premium customer experience.”</i></blockquote>
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Josh Bernoff, who recently launched his writing and consulting business, <a href="http://withoutbullshit.com/" target="_blank">Without Bullshit</a>, to help free the world of bad and meaningless writing, <a href="http://withoutbullshit.com/blog/verizon-just-bought-aols-global-multiscreen-digital-platform/" target="_blank">took Verizon to task</a> for its wording. He critiqued the press release and boiled it down to a "short version":<br />
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<i>The traditional TV delivery world in which Verizon FiOS competes is exploding. People keep watching bits of video promoted on social networks on their mobile devices. AOL has properties that it can succeed in that world with assets like Huffington Post and its original video productions, so Verizon bought it. We couldn’t let Netflix take over the world without a fight.</i></blockquote>
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That makes it a little easier to digest, doesn't it? But there's an underlying message here that you shouldn't miss.<br />
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If the language of the announcement is confusing, fraught with industry jargon and generally antiseptic - especially while heralding a new era of improvements of "premium customer experience" - what kind of focus on the customer would you expect out of the company? Do you think it's going to be an easy to navigate system that is all about a good customer experience? Or do you think that the focus will be on scaling the advertising and creating more content?<br />
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<h4>
<b>Everything Communicates</b></h4>
From the way your front line employees treat customers, to the way your customer service representatives handle issues, to how you handle your corporate Twitter account and the cleanliness of your stores' bathrooms - it all makes a statement about what your brand stands for.<br />
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Corporate strategies and slick marketing materials mean nothing if there isn't a complete consistency of message and brand across your company. It's got to be a cultural thing, not something heralded in a <a href="http://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizon-acquire-aol" target="_blank">press release</a> or <a href="http://www.autonews.com/article/20120124/RETAIL03/120129953/fords-new-ad-slogan:-go-further" target="_blank">slogan</a>.<br />
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If your brand is supposed to stand for something, then make it all about that. You can't act one way and tell us you're something else. Because as Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote,<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Who you are speaks so loudly</b></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I can't hear what you're saying.</b></span></div>
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[<a href="http://ctt.ec/50dma" target="_blank">click to tweet this quote</a>]</div>
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The Hidden Message Behind Verizon's AOL Takover

You probably saw the news earlier today that Verizon is acquiring AOL for a cool $4.4 billion . It's clear that Verizon's move is...

This Week in Digital - May 1, 2015

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Twitter's surprise revenue shortfall and its advertising challenge, Salesforce is in sales mode, Google makes up with European news outlets, Secret is out, Uber's plan to take over the world, Lyft report leaked, quality over clickbait in content marketing, podcasts have their own upfronts, knowing when to use data and when to use intuition, the decline of reading, how leaders innovate and more, it's <b>This Week in Digital</b>.<br />
<br />
A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry.<br />
<br />
Each week, we compose a newsletter that includes a series of links about current events and trends in the worlds of technology, business, digital communications and marketing in order to keep leaders up to date on changes, newsworthy items and content that might be useful in your job. Please subscribe - either to <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?sub=95082" target="_blank">our full feed</a> or <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f?sub=968961" target="_blank">just to this newsletter</a> to keep up to date on developments.<br />
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If you’re on Flipboard, you can get these links and more by subscribing to the <a href="http://flip.it/IfN4O" target="_blank"><i>This Week in Digital Magazine</i></a>.<br />
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News items are in regular text; <i>additional commentary has been added in italics</i>.<br />
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<h4>
<b>Industry</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>Salesforce is working with bankers on <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-29/salesforce-said-to-work-with-bankers-to-field-takeover-inquiries" target="_blank">fielding inquiries for acquisition</a>. (Bloomberg)</li>
<ul>
<li>At a price tag of over $40 billion, <a href="https://recode.net/2015/04/29/if-salesforce-com-is-in-play-here-are-the-possible-suitors/" target="_blank">there's only a handful of companies</a> who could afford it and who might be a match: Microsoft, Oracle, Google, or IBM. <i>Our money is on either Microsoft or IBM, who have an enterprise business that is focused on becoming more cloud-based</i>. (re/code)</li>
</ul>
<li>Tesla made a big announcement <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/everything-about-teslas-new-home-batteries-2015-5" target="_blank">about home batteries</a> (called Powerwall) this week, but earlier its <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-twitter-hacked-ripprrgang-2015-4" target="_blank">Twitter account and website </a>were hacked. (Business Insider) </li>
<li>Despite some of the early naysayers, the <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/personal-technology/2015/04/24/first-apps-give-apple-watch-these-four-new-talents/" target="_blank">Apple Watch is getting some useful apps</a> out of the gate - such as health tracking, geolocation services, remote control of surroundings, and a hands-free retail experience. (WSJ Digits)</li>
<li>CMOs use Twitter to share more mainstream news stories than industry-specific information, and they use Twitter as a hub for cross-posting content between social networks. These insights and more on <a href="http://marketingland.com/cmos-on-twitter-what-they-share-how-they-share-it-the-people-they-retweet-most-report-122276" target="_blank">CMOs on Twitter</a>. (Marketing Land)</li>
<li>Experian's Digital Marketing report indicates that <a href="http://www.marketingcharts.com/traditional/senior-digital-marketers-top-priorities-and-challenges-53807/" target="_blank">senior digital marketers' top priorities include storytelling</a> (46%) and using data to inform customer interactions (43%) - yet only 26% want to strategically align their companies' departments to meet the demands of the modern consumer. (Marketing Charts)</li>
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<b>Platforms</b></h4>
<ul>
<li><b>Google</b></li>
<ul>
<li>In a mea culpa on how it has treated the news media in Europe, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/apr/27/google-mistakes-news-outlets-announces-digital-partnership" target="_blank">Google is forming a partnership with eight European news organizations</a>. The Digital News Initiative will provide product development guidance, research and training. (The Guardian)</li>
<li>Last week was YouTube's 10th birthday. So <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/where-are-youtubes-early-stars-now-2015-4?op=1" target="_blank">where are all of the early YouTube stars now?</a> (Business Insider)</li>
<li>Twitter's full <a href="http://searchengineland.com/twitters-full-google-search-integration-is-coming-in-may-219941" target="_blank">integration with Google search is coming in May</a>, and is about "driving [Twitter's] total audience strategy." (Search Engine Land) </li>
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<ul>
<li><b>Microsoft</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Big news from the Microsoft developers conference this week: <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/29/8511439/microsoft-windows-10-android-ios-apps-bridges" target="_blank">iOS and Android developers can simply port their apps to Windows 10</a> with two new SDKs. (The Verge)</li>
<li>Microsoft revealed <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/microsoft/11572994/Microsoft-reveals-new-web-browser-Edge.html" target="_blank">Edge, its replacement browser for Internet Explorer</a> this week. (Telegraph)</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Facebook</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://newsroom.fb.com/news/2015/04/introducing-video-calling-in-messenger/" target="_blank">Messenger is rolling out video calling</a>, making it even more competitive with Skype, Hangouts, Facetime and other video chat apps. (Facebook Newsroom)</li>
<li>Facebook's Q1 earnings showed <a href="http://www.shiftcomm.com/2015/04/state-of-social-q1-2015-40-of-facebook-users-are-mobile-only/" target="_blank">significant audiences on mobile platforms</a>. But they also shared a good deal of information on video, and this link includes how to test YouTube vs. Facebook results. <i>Note the HBR article below about how you measure it, though.</i> (SHIFT Communications)</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Twitter</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Twitter released its Q1 2015 earnings this week - or rather had them leaked an hour early and <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-28/twitter-falls-after-selerity-reports-revenue-misses-estimates" target="_blank">saw a nearly 20% drop in its stock</a> before asking the NYSE to halt trading. The news included news that quarterly revenue missed analysts' targets. (Bloomberg)</li>
<li>As expected, there's a lot of <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2015/04/29/twitters-revenue-miss-puts-ad-business-in-doubt/" target="_blank">doubt circulating about Twitter's ad program</a>. <i>If Wall Street could look beyond one quarter at a time, perhaps they'll give Twitter some breathing room to prove that its ad operations are beginning to work</i>. (WSJ)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.shiftcomm.com/2015/04/state-of-social-1q15-twitter-opens-up-the-ad-spigot/" target="_blank">A superb analysis of Twitter's current state of affairs</a> looks at the dip in revenue growth for the first time, as well as two key announcements that will help Twitter longer term: a partnership with Google's DoubleClick and its purchase of TellApart for predictive analytics in advertising. (SHIFT Communications)</li>
<li>In an effort to boost the attractiveness of its ads, <a href="http://marketingland.com/new-twitter-makes-promoted-tweets-less-obvious-127072" target="_blank">Twitter is changing how Promoted Tweets look</a>, making them seem more like regular tweets. <i>Expect some discussion from native advertising critics about this lessening of transparency.</i> (Marketing Land) </li>
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<li><b>Instagram</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Instagram is targeting musicians with <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/reggieugwu/instagram-launches-instagram-music#.orwbNZ2EeX" target="_blank">its first vertical channel: @Music</a>. Just as Twitter has worked with celebrities to onboard them to its own platform (as well as Periscope), Instagram is hoping that its video features will give the same buzz to musicians. (BuzzFeed)</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Periscope / Meerkat</b></li>
<ul>
<li>As part of its earnings announcement, Twitter revealed that <a href="http://mashable.com/2015/04/28/twitter-periscope-one-million-users/?utm_emailalert=daily" target="_blank">it only took 10 days to acquire 1 million Periscope users</a>. (Mashable)</li>
<li>The NFL draft was this week and sports outlet Scout broadcast 15 different Periscopes on the process, showing perspectives of different schools, goings-on behind the scenes and live coverage. <i>This is the type of use that will help legitimately grow Periscope - not the video equivalent of lunch food shots</i>. (Digiday) </li>
</ul>
<li>LinkedIn reported Q1 earnings this week, seeing <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/102637578" target="_blank">a 19% drop in its stock after downgrading its outlook for the year</a>. (CNBC)</li>
<li>The Secret is out. Anonymish app <a href="https://medium.com/secret-den/sunset-bc18450478d5" target="_blank">Secret is shutting down</a>, with its CEO writing that "Unfortunately, Secret does not represent the vision I had when starting the company" (Medium)</li>
<ul>
<li>Could this be <a href="http://socialnerdia.com/blog/2015/4/29/the-beginning-of-the-end-for-anonymous-apps" target="_blank">the beginning of the end for anonymous apps?</a> (Social Nerdia) </li>
</ul>
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<b>Collaborative Economy</b> </h4>
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<ul>
<li>Advances in crowdsourcing will lead to significant growth of crowd finance. That's one of the predictions of <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/66351-how-will-crowdsourcing-and-the-sharing-economy-develop-in-the-next-five-years/" target="_blank">how crowdsourcing and the sharing economy will grow in the next five years</a>. (Econsultancy)</li>
<li>A look at how Uber is expanding in India, Colombia and Singapore indicates <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/uber-takes-over-the-world#.gtVMQmR3yL" target="_blank">how Uber will take over the world</a>. Bottom line: it works to understand the unique needs and cultures of each market and sets itself up accordingly. (BuzzFeed)</li>
<li>New York and Chicago are about to experience <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/28/8505875/uber-ubereats-food-delivery-new-york-city-chicago" target="_blank">Uber's food delivery service</a>, UberEats. <i>Are you ready to pay $20 for a sandwich? If you live in those cities, the price probably isn't all that far off</i>. (The Verge) </li>
<li>With the <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/04/28/uber-is-quietly-testing-a-massive-merchant-delivery-program/#.qddsl2:n8DC" target="_blank">quiet launch of its massive delivery service UberRush</a>, retailers like Louis Vitton, Nieman Marcus, Tiffany's and others are helping to put Uber on par with Amazon, even if only for luxury products just now. <i>If this expands, Uber may very well take over the world</i>. (TechCrunch)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-30/leaked-lyft-document-reveals-a-costly-battle-with-uber" target="_blank">A leaked report from Lyft</a> indicates a costly marketing battle against Uber. But it also shows how Lyft is differentiating itself, as Uber is defined as having a "top-down model" with an "exclusive mentality" and "an anti-social culture," while Lyft's growth is from drivers (32% of whom are women) and the brand is trusted with a social experience. <i>Them's fightin' words</i>. (Bloomberg)</li>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/jimrosenberg/status/593531916743086080">Five Takeaways</a> from Jeremiah Owyang at the CDO Summit in New York: </li>
<ul>
<li>Common digital technologies empower people to get what they need from each other. </li>
<li>The crowd is becoming like a company - bypassing inefficient corporations. </li>
<li>Like the internet and social, corporations must use these same digital strategies to regain relevancy. </li>
<li>This requires business model change: product > service > marketplace > repeat. </li>
<li>Continue to be digitally resilient: connected, empowering others, build to last, and profitable.</li>
</ul>
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<h4>
<b>Content</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>While certain aspects of B2B and B2C marketing are similar, there are <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2015/04/06/how-do-content-strategies-for-b2b-and-b2c-businesses-differ/" target="_blank">nuances in how content strategies are developed for each</a>. <i>This is largely because of B2C marketing being more brand and product-driven and B2B focusing largely on lead generation. But that doesn't mean your B2B efforts need to be devoid of humanity.</i> (Forbes)</li>
<li>Give people good content and they'll pay for it. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/subscriptions-are-enjoying-a-new-prominence-as-a-revenue-engine-for-digital-content-and-apps-2015-3" target="_blank">Digital content and apps are acting as a revenue engine</a>. (BI Intelligence)</li>
<li>The CEO of Vox agrees: <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/vox-ceo-speaks-to-the-third-phase-of-web-media-1430253939" target="_blank">quality will trump clickbait</a>. (WSJ)</li>
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<b><i>Have you got your ticket yet for <a href="http://cmi.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=22&aff_id=1159&url_id=106" target="_blank">Content Marketing World 2015</a> in September? Thousands attend this signature event for the content marketing industry - <a href="http://cmi.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=22&aff_id=1159&url_id=118" target="_blank">you can register here</a>.</i></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">[Disclosure: affiliate link]</span><br />
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<h4>
<b>Audio</b></h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/cmo/2015/04/28/even-podcasts-have-an-upfront-this-year/" target="_blank">Podcasts now have their own upfronts</a>, with NPR, WBEZ and WNYC getting in on the action. This is part of the continuing renaissance for on-demand audio and will certainly give the industry more credence. (WSJ)</li>
<li>Previously only open to a test audience, <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/04/28/soundcloud-opens-its-podcasting-features-to-everyone/#.qddsl2:n8cr" target="_blank">SoundCloud is making its podcasting features available to everyone</a>. )</li>
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<b>Metrics / Measurement / Data</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>You know video is growing. And you know data are important. Some of the <a href="https://hbr.org/2015/04/video-metrics-every-marketer-should-be-watching" target="_blank">video metrics you should be watching go beyond just view count</a>. Think audience, play rate, engagement, action completes and more. (HBR)</li>
<li>When you're trying to determine what content to boost with paid media, <a href="http://spinsucks.com/communication/boost-content-with-science-and-art/">how do you effectively combine science and art?</a> Gini Dietrich takes you through it, step by step. (Spin Sucks)</li>
<li>Data can only tell you so much. But then again, the same can be said for experience. How to tell <a href="https://hbr.org/2015/04/when-its-safe-to-rely-on-intuition-and-when-its-not" target="_blank">when its safe to rely on intuition and when it's not</a>. (HBR)</li>
<li>When you deal with data and analytics, you might think the subject seems dry to other people. But by <a href="http://blog.ama.org/why-storytelling-is-the-key-to-your-research-findings/" target="_blank">using storytelling strategies</a>, you're more likely to get your point across. (AMA Elevate)</li>
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<b>Privacy / Security / Legal</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>If you're hosting (or attending) a conference, you should be aware of <a href="http://www.businessesgrow.com/2015/04/08/event-photos-law/" target="_blank">the legalities of photography at an event</a> and plan accordingly. ({grow})</li>
</ul>
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<h4>
<b>When You Have the Time: Essential Watching / Listening / Reading</b> </h4>
<ul>
<li>What can save society from its increased distracted reading problem? <a href="https://medium.com/@hughmcguire/why-can-t-we-read-anymore-503c38c131fe" target="_blank">More reading</a>. (Medium)</li>
<li>And if you're concerned about distractions, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-leadership/wp/2015/04/30/the-secret-to-fighting-digital-distractions-may-be-all-about-commitments-not-willpower/" target="_blank">here's a simple fix, borne out by research</a>: make commitments rather than relying on your willpower. (Washington Post)</li>
<li>If you'd like to get started on innovation, here are <a href="http://www.gregverdino.com/50-questions-to-spark-strategic-innovation/" target="_blank">50 questions to spark strategic innovation discussions</a>. (Greg Verdino)</li>
<li>Whether you're innovating a product or innovating how you go to market, there are <a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/innovation/The_eight_essentials_of_innovation?cid=mckgrowth-eml-alt-mkq-mck-oth-1504" target="_blank">eight </a><a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/innovation/The_eight_essentials_of_innovation?cid=mckgrowth-eml-alt-mkq-mck-oth-1504" target="_blank">essentials of innovation</a> to be aware of. (McKinsey)</li>
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<i>Image credit: <a href="http://twitter.com/TwitterIR" target="_blank">@TwitterIR</a></i></div>
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