Blog Post: Why iTunes Radio Might Rule Streaming Music Soon

Today’s link brings some very interesting points in regards to how valuable iTunes Radio might be when iOS7 hits devices this fall. The Guardian’s Charles Arthur argues that the rate Apple is going to pay could potentially make the service very attractive to record labels.

It’s no secret record labels love and hate the team in Cupertino because of how iTunes affected music sales, but the viability of free streaming music gets harder to make money off of every year. That’s where the cash Apple has on hand comes in handy:

What the other streaming services have discovered repeatedly is that it’s hard to make such a service profitable, because the music costs don’t fall as they grow – in web terms, it doesn’t “scale”. Thus Spotify has put a 10-hours-per-month ceiling on free listening, and Pandora blocks people outside the US from listening.

So, while labels have been publicly supporting Spotify for some time, it will be difficult for labels to not throw their good stuff to Apple when they pay 10 times more.

Add to it the easy integration with iTunes to purchase what you are buying, and this looks to be an easy win for iOS. It’s crazy to think that the announcement was merely a footnote in the WWDC keynote presentation.

Blog Post: Why iTunes Radio Might Rule Streaming Music Soon

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Blog Post: @ev Is Bringing #Holacracy Mainstream

Ev Williams has made quite a name for himself. Not just with the software products he has helped create, but also in the way he runs a company. This post on Medium describes one of the principles of a social technology called holacracy.

Simply put, holacracy is a system for running an organization based upon ideas such as empowering employees, limiting office politics and boosting meeting efficacy.

I really liked the concept in this article, which involves ending meetings with a “closing round” by all attendees. It can be used for summary, takeaways, confirmation, affirmation, etc. Even with 30 seconds of concise dialogue, a ton of information could be communicated to team members going forward.

“Great meeting today. It highlighted that I need to follow up with marketing on their projections for the new product hitting production next month. It will allow sales to start generating buzz with customers beforehand.”

Try this out in your next planning session or retrospective. It allow confidence to be built, remind others of roadblocks and issues, or tasks to be confirmed before starting them.

Blog Post: @ev Is Bringing #Holacracy Mainstream

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Blog Post: Now Is The Time To Buy #Mobile Ads

This report from Business Insider says it all. The share of US advertising dollars has mobile accounting for only 3%. I saw that number and nearly spit out coffee, but that’s not the only telling number.

Compare that to actual consumption of media, of which mobile has a 12% share, and there is quite a disparity.

What does that mean for your advertising dollars? Three words: buy, buy, buy.

Granted, the same people selling mobile ads can see the same report that you can, but old media mindsets are still prevalent. When there is plenty of space available for advertising, prices will be lower and the ROI will be higher. 

Every report I have seen shows this ratio of ad revenue to consumption will change. More media is being created for devices every day. In addition advertisers will put more and more of their dollars in the devices we use. That means you should get the best return for your marketing dollars while you can.

Blog Post: Now Is The Time To Buy #Mobile Ads

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