David Herrold

Houston Chronicle on Twitter

Posted by Dave | Filed under Business, Communication, Networking, Social Networking

I recently realized that we have quite a few fans of social media here at work.  So, here is a list of some Twitter users working at the Houston Chronicle.  You may even find your favorite writer or editor in this list…enjoy.

Web operations (designers, developers, system admins, etc):
@cmason
@wiredrogue
@sevatt
@elegantmachines
@big_dead_fish
@glove
@tes735

Editorial (writers, reporters, editors, content producers, etc):
@dsilverman
@LauraWeisman
@deanbetz
@houstonbands
@rjustinchan
@scifirantergirl
@lsteffy
@mcberkowitz
@rickdunham
@mstiles
@joeyguerra
@juliemason
@SydKearney
@howarddecker

Sales / Marketing (account executives, marketing specialists, etc)
@linafuh
@krmichell

If you know of anyone missing from this list, please post their user name in the comments and I’ll update the list. Also, here are a few Houston Chronicle Twitter feeds so you can keep up with local news via Twitter:

@TechBlog
@ChronSports
@TubularTV
@HoustonChron

(Oh yeah, and you can find me at @davidherrold)

Have fun meeting some Chronicle folks!

- Dave

Tags: chron.com, houston chronicle, twitter

Microsoft still single and seeking hot, young wife

Posted by Dave | Filed under Business, Technology

Microsoft ended it’s aggressive courtship for Yahoo today. According to the New York Times, a $4 dollar difference in stock price was the sticking point. Yahoo wanted $37 and Microsoft wanted $33. You can read the story here.

Microsoft’s decision to walk away is the latest chapter in a three-month-old standoff that began when Microsoft made an unsolicited offer to acquire Yahoo in an effort to compete more effectively with Google in Web search, advertising and services.

Yahoo rejected Microsoft’s offer repeatedly, saying it undervalued the company. Microsoft at times threatened to lower its offer, originally valued at $44.6 billion, or $31 a share.

In a letter to Mr. Yang that Microsoft released Saturday evening, Mr. Ballmer said that it would not make sense for Microsoft to pursue a lengthy proxy fight. “Our discussions with you have led us to conclude that, in the interim, you would take steps that would make Yahoo undesirable as an acquisition for Microsoft,” he wrote.

I can’t say I’m disappointed in the outcome. I was a little pessimistic about old media meeting new media and the potential impact of Microsoft owning properties like Del.icio.us and Flickr. I use both sites pretty frequently and wouldn’t want to see them squandered or misused by Microsoft in any way.

That might sound pessimistic, but I still view Microsoft as mainly an old media company and Yahoo and a new media company. One existed before the birth of the internet, the came after.

Hopefully this is put to rest so I can get back to posting cat photos on Flickr.

Tags: microsoft, yahoo

Google opens Website Optimizer

Posted by Dave | Filed under Business, Design, Development, Google, Marketing, Usability, Web design

Google released their Website Optimizer platform last week for general use. It has only been available to sites using Google AdWords in the past, but now can be used by anyone to enhance site performance. This is great news for web analytic junkies, usability testers, developers and designers alike.

In a nutshell, Google’s Website Optimizer allows you to test multiple versions of content (ie. marketing messages, logos, icons, copy, etc) in a live environment to determine which combination of content yields the best results.

Based upon what you are testing, this “result” could mean higher click-throughs, increased product sales, increased product downloads, increased ad revenue, higher traffic to internal pages, etc.

This eliminates the guesswork of testing ad placement, site designs, product purchase flows, etc. You can simply release multiple versions of your content and look at the analytics to determine which one is yielding the best results.

There are certainly other tools to do the same job; but not many are free or this simple. We could certainly do the same thing at the Chronicle, however we would have to use several systems to make it happen. This simplicity of using one system appeals to me.

Here are some links to get you started with Google’s Website Optimizer:

Google Website Optimizer
Google Website Optimizer blog
Website Optimizer press release

(via Web Worker Daily)

Tags: analytics, Google, Marketing, Usability, website optimizer

Venture capital constipation

Posted by Dave | Filed under Business, Technology

According to a recent Wired article VC firms are having a difficult time finding start-ups that need their money. Simply put, there are not enough start-ups out there in need of large cash injections.

As companies become cheaper to launch, fewer entrepreneurs need the kind of cash infusions that VCs provide. And angel investors are encroaching on VCs’ turf by throwing more money at early-stage companies; in 2006, angels pumped a total of $26 billion into 51,000 startups, up from $18 billion in 2003. At the same time, large companies are snapping up Web businesses before these startups ever see a second or third round of funding.

The article mentions several reasons for this huge pile of unused cash, but never mentions the possibility that modern start-ups are being run more efficiently than the mythical champagne-soaked, Ferrari-fueled start-ups of yore.

Angel investors, marketing via social networks, affordable hosting and distribution have certainly made things much cheaper for entrepreneurs to create and spread their product or service. However, I think start-ups have become more efficient than they used to be.

Am I imagining this?

Tags: entrepreneur, startup, Venture capital