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Nokia Nokia Nokia

So Nokia won the NAVTEQ derby – assuming there is not hostile takeover counter bid. This is one of my favorite acquisitions of 2007. Why? Quite simply, it’s a highly strategic move that I don’t think many will appreciate the importance of for quite some time.

The comments at Techcrunch are not only positive – they are all highly intelligent.

Clear positives:

– Ability to drive standards

– Ability to reprice a scarce resource

– Relationship acquisition in new markets that matter to Nokia like automobiles

– Clear indicator of my belief that Nokia is determined make serious attempt at being the world’s premier mobile search and advertising engine.

Concerns/Risks/Potential Mispricing:

– Lack of execution of deal due to anti-trust concerns

– Has Google been building it’s own Navteq-like map database?

– Transformation of revenue streams to Internet and mobile models with existing partners

– Corporate culture – the differences in the culture of these two companies could not be more different – can Nokia reconcile these without difficulty or disruption?

What are your thoughts? I’d like to hear them.

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New Techmeme Leaderboard Lauches

I like it! Gabe talks about his concerns about it here that. And to Gabe I say this, don’t worry about the criticism, you’re clearly the leading service out there and any conversation will only lead to new things. The thing Techmeme does best is eliminate the obsolete imaginary lines that some people still imagine between news and blogs.

My only wish is that the leaderboard went deeper a few hundred more blogs and more highly factored in those that provided commentary on the breaking news (that’s what I click on when I visit Techmeme) – the overfocus on a few mega blogs is ultimately not healthy – not Gabe’s fault but a problem area.

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SMXLOMO 2007 – Search Marketing on Maps

Moderator:
Chris Sherman, Executive Editor, Search Engine Land

Marketing Speakers:
Alex Porter, Vice President, Location3 Media
Alan Beiagi, Director and GM, Mapquest
Michael T. Jones, Ciheif Technologist, Googl eEarth, Maps and Local

Alex Porter, Vice President, Location3 Media

Offshore Data Entry >>>Axciom, Infousa, Amacai >>>Search Engines Directories, IYPS, etc

How to incorporate into marketing? Directly submit to each engine for a free basic listing it results in an enhanced map listing.

ROI measurement:
Utilize call tracking
Employ trackable URL and coupons

Alan Beiagi, Director and GM, Mapquest

The next wave of Internet user growth will come from mobile and offline usage.

Creating experiences – friend is in Denver, you decide to get a ticket to tonight’s playoff tiebreaker. Only 15% of 233M cell owners use data services. 85% of the market to go!

Search for your destination, get directions, find parking, watch video of player interview, etc.

Is this reality? All of this is already possible but you have to reach 30 different web sites. Mapquest.

Michael Jones, Google

Showed maps, API and other ideas, visit Google Maps Mania – talk about an example he asked to stay in the circle.

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SMXLOMO 2007 Day 1 – SMX Local and Mobile Denver Keynote

Michael T Jones, Chief Technologist, Google Earth, Google Maps and Google Local Search

What and Why? Ask yourself during the conference – “Is this the right problem to solve?”

Understanding the Competition
Discreet (Privacy)
Courteous (Did you mean?)
Empathetic
Multi-lingual (Translation)
Quick Spirited (Transactional)

Concierges must know their
Hotel (Hyper Local)
City (Local)
Country (National to Global)
Colleagues (Universal Search)

In a world where the present is everything, concierges must “get a feel” for clients and their needs without fail and in a very short lapse of time.

I *REALLY* liked Michael’s concierge analogy because it showed the ideal future state with optimal characteristics.

Users might type a question…
Web page of local results

Users might ask a question
Sequence of spoken local results

Expanding definition of Local Data
Traditional –
YP business listings
Public resources
City and restaurant guides
Map-related data

Emerging Local data
User reviews
Business self listings
Neighborhood definitions
Local weather forecast
Local traffic status

Books mentioning Denver, Colorado

This 1863 GPO book sentence is a local search result

Google Geo Mission

“To geographically organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”

Showed some Google Earth then said – context at a planetary scale…and beyond interplanetary and galactic.

Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) Google Earth Fatal Crashes – showed maps.

Election results in France

How do you connect the last mile?
Web browser > map

Pages intersect with Map/Globe
KML Geosearch attribution – attribution is not linking!!!!

Users are the Local Experts.

SMXLOMO

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Arrived in Denver at SMX Local and Mobile!!!

I’m here in the lobby of the hotel in Denver where the first ever Search Marketing Expo Local and Mobile show is being held. I’m thrilled to be here to see the creation of Chris Sherman and Greg Sterling! Karen Deweese was here to greet me with a great big hug and is hard at work making last minute preparations. It’s so great to see Karen, I had not seen her since last December! The SMX complimentary Internet is already up and running to. This rocks! I’m looking forward to this cozy and focused show, it’s going to be awesome.

I haven’t been to Denver in a long time, it’s such a wonderful city. It’s a gorgeous day without a cloud in the sky. So much clean, wide open space with those mountains teasing you to want to drive your rental car westward and forget why you are here! It’s a city I certainly wouldn’t mind living in someday if I was asked to.

It should be a fun evening of getting to know some great search engine and marketing pioneers before the show starts Monday!

SMXLOMO 2007