Shameless self promotion AnnB.com brand building

I'm quoted in two Journal de Montreal articles on the future of newspapers and the Google efect.

Ironically, I found these articles via Yahoo. After I was interviewed, I did Google myself to try and find the articles, but they didn't show up in Google News. I'm guessing it's because Google News doesn't have the same language settings as just plain Google web.

Better late than never.

I am the Dog Twitterer

As of today, I'm going to start actively experimenting with Twitter as part of my attempt to build readership for my dog websites.

It won't be dog exclusive, though, as I'm still trying to figure out what works and what doesn't.

You can sign up to follow me -- the Dog Twitterer -- via the Twitter widget in the righthand column or by going here.

Pleae let me know if you have any suggestions.

Direct navigate to Geosign-dot-com

And you get this.

Now, long-time readers who know my feelings about direct navigation, may find it strange that I would direct navigate anywhere so let me just say that I didn't.

I had been getting quite a few Geosign hits over the past few days so I clicked on a few of the links and discovered this strange new site where there had previously been little more than an error message.

The Geosign site went down shortly after the Financial Post magazine article, which is also no longer online.

I don't have a clue what any of it is about.

FYI, here's the results of a quickie Google search:

Thinking about online 'newspaper' design

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the best design for delivering news online. In a nutshell, I'd say there are three rules that must be followed:

1. Make it crystal clear what your site is about -- NO confusion!!!
2. Make it white.
3. Make it minimalist.

It's pretty obvious that following these three rules has helped make Google the success it is today, so why do so many others continue to ignore them?

For example, I have yet to figure out what Daylife's about, Yahoo's new Shine portal completely overloads me, and the Toronto Star's new health site not only has way too much going on on the page, but it's also not clear whether the banner on top of the site is a logo or an ad. I had to click to find out it was the logo.

Funnily enough, what Google does on its main page is basically what broadsheet newspapers have done for decades.

They take the main event -- in Google's case, the search function -- and give it by far the most prominent play meaning biggest font and often an accompanying picture.

Newspapers tell you about their other more specialized sections or, in Google's case, their specialized search functions for news, maps, images, blogs, etc. Google also has no ads on the front page as many newspapers did for years. It is reserved for the most important stuff, which sometimes also includes quirky, as in the special illustrations. The ads and less important content goes elsewhere.

So online newspapers, how about it? Stop the crazy overload. Make the front page for the day's top stories and give clear links to the more specialized content. After all, the classic front page was such a good idea that Google took it!

Things that make you wonder - Part MXVII

I received this e-mail from a VC-funded venture, which I was considering using as an ad network. I was leaning against going with them and after receiving this e-mail today, I definitely won't.

Dear valued publishers,

We are launching our gross $1 CPM on all sizes 300x250, 728x90, 160x600 to help promote the XXXXXX campaign. It is VERY important we perform well with XXXXXX so if you and your coworkers/family can click on the XXXXXX ads running on your site, it’d definitely help the CTR. To better promote this campaign, we’re also launching a gross $1 cpm brought to you by XXXXXXXX. The flight dates are 4/18-5/5 with 20M impressions.

Please reply: “woof” to accept this campaign…. I kid =) but a “yes” will do