Prescott Shibles - B2B Internet Marketing and Media Insight

The newest version of Omniture's site catalyst is absolutely horrendous for media companies because the new UI is completely catering to retailers. The newest version defaults metrics to "revenue" instead of page views, meaning that every time we want to run a report, we have to jump through hoops to get the data. If I'm a retailer, I love the convenience, but if I'm not, you just killed my productivity. The fact that you can't globally change this preference is mind boggling.

Just a note that my site went down... and that I totally messed it up. I'm in the process of restoring it now, and I'll be back to blogging shortly.

With escalating printing, postage, paper costs, publishers are grappling with how to take magazines to the Web as online-only franchises. Having recently relaunched a shuttered magazine as a Web-based business, I thought I'd share my thoughts and experiences on the subject.

Evaluation: The Mendoza Line for Magazines

Ads viewable entirely above the fold are seen 60% of the time while those below the fold are only seen 25% of the time, according to a recent Eyetools/Marketing Sherpa study. Armed with this data, Steve Rubel estimates that a billion online advertising dollars are wasted.

I had the opportunity to lead a presentation on B2B social / professional networking. As you might be aware, Penton has won numerous awards for Reel Exchange. I took this opportunity to take folks behind the scenes and let them know how we came to build and launch this community.

Media Business published this article quoting me as saying, "WSJ.com's likely elimination of paid subscriptions 'a completely horrible strategy.'" Yes, I did say it, and I stand by it.

FOLIO has dramatically changed its Web business with the relaunch of its site. Gone is the NASCAR approach to online advertising with everyone getting a button on the homepage of the magazine companion site. In place of that approach is an engaging, Web 2.0-friendly site that acts as a resource to the publishing community.

I read this issue of Fast Company on the plane home today (yes, the print version), and I realized how much of an influence a conversation that Jennie Lee, our Creative Director, and I had prior to her coming on board last year had on me personally as well as Penton. If you don't have time to pick up a copy, you can find the stories here.