Industry News

If you're involved in the media industry, your life is probably only getting busier. But you're in luck -- we have a list of tools that can help simplify your day. Take a peek.

1) Web Site Ranking
There a number of resources out there that will help you determine the value of a site -- be it your own, your competition's or one you wish to advertise on. These resources offer different ways to rank a site, ranging from traffic to demographic to arbitrary means, but all offer one more way to evaluate.

• Quantcast.com - Pulling data from various stockpiles and encouraging Web sites to put tracking software directly in their code, Quantcast offers to "quantify" a site and provide site traffic and demographics. It has also recently released a program to help media buyers plan campaigns.
• Compete.com - Offering less demographics then Quantcast, Compete.com is a good resource for comparing multiple sites against each other in a graphical, easy-to-read format.
• Alexa.com - A Web directory and traffic tracker, Alexa uses a toolbar that volunteers to install on their machine to generate their data. In return the users can quickly access site data and statistics.
• Popuri.us - Aggregating the tools already listed and others not listed, Popuri lets its users quickly and easily get a feel for a site. With one click a site's Google PageRank, Alexa Rank, Compete Rank, Quantcast Rank, Google BackLinks, Yahoo BackLinks, Live Search BackLinks, Technorati Links, del.icio.us Bookmarks, Bloglines Subscribers, WHOIS and DNS Report can be displayed.
• SocialMeter.com - Scans social networks for the listed Web site and returns their "popularity" on each of the services.

2) Explaining the Complicated
The Internet is constantly getting new features and there are always new people jumping on the bandwagon to use those new features. How does the average person keep up with it all?

CommonCraft.com consists of two people in Seattle who have a knack for making the complex information around the Web simple. From Wikis to Twitter to RSS (and Zombies!) they cover a number of technology issues in easy to digest videos.

3) Google
The site that needs no introduction, Google, has mastered the Web. While most are familiar with its search engine, maps and other basic tools, not everyone is aware of some of its other lesser-known, but still useful, services. Take some time to explore the various services Google offers. In that long list you'll find:

• Google Translation - http://www.google.com/language_tools - Can convert a number of phrases or entire Web sites from one language to another. While it may not always be the most accurate of translators, it will still allow you to get a basic understanding of a page written in Bulgarian, for example.
• E-mail Alerts - http://www.google.com/alerts - An easy way to stay abreast of topics that interest you or to be notified of a company's name appearing on the net. Depending on your setting preference, you can get e-mails either as-it-happens, daily or weekly on your subject of choice.
• Earth - earth.google.com - The entire world in one compact program. The Google team has collected satellite imaging and applied its expertise in search to make the whole collection easy to fly through.
• Trends - http://www.google.com/trends - After cataloging its stockpiled search data, Google can now offer what it calls "Insights into broad search patterns." These trends can be broken down over geography, possibly showing hotspots for your product or service.

4) Free Office Software
On a budget or looking to trim the bottom line in a tough economy? Then perhaps Open Office 3 should be considered. The culmination of years of development, Open Office offers Word Processing, Spreadsheet, Presentation, Database and Graphic software, all free of charge. For details, visit: http://www.openoffice.org

5) Social Networking
Generally when social networking is mentioned it is soon followed by talk of MySpace or Facebook. But another option exists for the professionally-minded -- such as you. LinkedIn.com offers the ability for professionals of every industry to come together and form a Web of connections. From your initial connections (friends) you can reach out to their connections, and at the third level, reach out to your connections' connections. This network allows a single participant to find hundreds, if not thousands, of possible sales leads or beneficial opportunities.

6) Inspiration
The advertising industry has long known where to look for inspiration: the competition. What better competition to look to then the cream of the crop? The Addys and Clio have always pointed out successful campaigns and inspired creative teams, but when it comes to online you can find your muse in a lesser-known award, the Webbys.

The Webbys, http://www.webbyawards.com, showcase the very best of Web site design, online film and video, interactive advertising and mobile campaigns. When looking how to stretch a campaign to its creative limits, this is a good place to find the spark to set it all off. From simple design within the confines of a banner to massive undertakings with site design, the Webbys cover it all.

7) Data
Finding accurate and precise data can be difficult. Finding accurate and precise data at no cost can be even more so. But Web sites like City-Data.com can help provide that information at no cost. For example, City-Data.com provides:

"Graphs of latest real estate prices and sales trends, recent home sales, home value estimator, hundreds of thousands of maps, satellite photos, stats about residents (race, income, ancestries, education, employment...), geographical data, state profiles, crime data, registered sex offenders, cost of living, housing, businesses, local news links based on our exclusive technology, birthplaces of famous people, political contributions, city government finances and employment, weather, hospitals, schools, libraries, houses, airports, radio and TV stations, zip codes, area codes..."

Using sites like City-Data and Melissa Data, http://www.melissadata.com, opportunities for new sales and better tracking of demographics around a geographic area can be uncovered.

8) Industry News
The advertising industry is in a state of flux, leaving those operating within it hard-pressed to find accurate information. But by reading such sources as the Newspaper Association of America, http://www.naa.org/, the Internet Advertising Bureau, http://www.iab.net/ and MediaPost, http://www.mediapost.com/, useful information can be gleaned from the clutter of the Internet.

Hopefully these tools will be useful in day-to-day operations, but by no means is this a comprehensive list. If you have some you think we should have included, please send them over to me, Matthew Caylor, and we can improve the tools available to the newspaper community.