Google AdSense Optimization... Some Times Google's So Good; Other Times, Not So Much

I've spent a lot of time as a Google publisher and advertiser, and I am continually amazed by what they are able to accomplish for the small-medium sized business. It has never been easier to drive traffic to your site - and to make money from that traffic (albeit, not tons of money)... and Google takes a cut from both ends.

I've had more success with AdSense than most other networks (though TribalFusion and FM Publishing have been strong) - but I was excited to use this blog as a testbed:

* It covers a variety of topics, including technology (which I haven't experimented with in terms of ECPM / EPC) * It's brand new - so Google would have to hurry to index

So far, the results have been mixed. Google clearly confuses me with Ryan Adams (url and metas I suppose), is spot on in the Xobni post with ads to Google Mobile and Microsoft products, and utterly confused with anything San Francisco related (showcasing environmental toilet banners). That said, the eCPM has been very high and I've been pleasantly surprised by the click-through rates.

 

Xobni - Improves MS Outlooks, but Better Watch Out for RIM, Blackberry

MS Outlook has so many shortcomings (ie search!) - but for those of us who live on it for work, the biggest struggle is its inability to easily navigate through contacts, conversations and trends. Xobni tries to tackle those issues as a data-driven plugin for Outlook.

Xobni has been well received by the blogs and among everyone I've interacted with (although not a single person has pronounced their name, inbox spelled backwards, the same... which spells branding trouble). And while Xobni is off to a good start, there are still a few shortcomings that I hope that team is working on:

* Customization: I want to change the look, the amount of content displayed and the default content buckets. Currently, nothing is customizable... a bad sign for any supposedly-viral, consumer based-company

* Move beyond Outlook: Like most people I know, I have multiple email accounts -corporate, personal, personal businesses, etc.... and they all live in different destinations (outlook, gmail). I want a service that will operate between my email accounts and providers. I'd pay big for that too...

And the best solution for that killer app lives on my blackberry. Think about it - it houses every email I send / receive, all of contacts, all of my phone calls and sms'es... My blackberry has the data necessary to create my own social network using my communication behaviors across numerous accounts and mediums.

vs.

Art.com's "Photos To Art" Printing is Terrific

In the web 2.0 conversations, Art.com is rarely mentioned - yet Art could be considered the Amazon + eBay of prints and posters. They have massive inventory, affordable prices, and have mastered shipping (think Amazon for large, fragile items). I have several framed pieces from Art.com in my home, but have always wanted to test their "Photos to Art" functionality. I uploaded one of my favorite photos and placed it on a 24x36 Matte Canvas. The painting came one week later and I was very impressed by the quality - especially considering that the total bill was $150 (after playing a 20% coupon I found online).

A couple pieces of feedback:

* The options for sizing are limited - especially if you shoot photos on an SLR because there is only one large wide-'screen' print

* I opted for canvas with no frame. I prefer simple, single-color frames - Art's selection is too gaudy for me

* It is really difficult to gage the quality of the print. Art needs to improve their 'preview' functionality. $150 isn't expensive for a high-quality print - but I believe consumers won't spend more than $50 with open questions (quality, security, shipping, etc). eBay is a great example: buyers don't think twice for lower priced items (I don't even check seller feedback for items <$50) but, at a certain price point, buyers rethink all aspects (feedback, shipping costs, etc).

* Add community and affiliate revenue to the site... Now that I've uploaded and received my print, give me a simple "Add to Gallery" / "Sell Your Print" button. Let me set the price of my print, add it to Art's gallery and make money off my photos. Not only would I be excited as a 'seller' - as a buyer, I would actually prefer to buy other artist's work that standard prints (that's why I enjoy Etsy).

sfEntrepreneurs.com - Kick Off Event January 27th

I am starting a new project called sfEntrepreneurs.com - a young entrepreneurs organization where members collectively incubate, invest and operate the web business we choose to pursue. Every member of the organization will be an effective partner - invested in the business, a strong contributor and a significant shareholder. Our first kick off is January 27th (location to be determined) and I'd love to have you be a part of it. We will discuss business and organization ideas and take the first steps at moving forward. Please let me know if you are interested and able to attend.

Finally, there is one requirement - you must invite at least three respected friends / peers to join and attend the kick-off. The goal is to build a great network of contributors.

Website: www.sfentrepreneurs.com Kick-off event: Sunday January 27th @ 5pm Location: TBD

Please RSVP to me - an Evite will be sent shortly.

Qualifications: - live in the Bay Area - web 2.0 experience and savvy - ability to commit weekly effort and time - willingness to help fund the business (typically $500-$5,000 depending on desired equity & total partners)