MappingTheWeb //

[Yahoo’s Lemming Strategy] - Can someone explain to me Yahoo’s new “lemming” strategy? It seems that once a space catches fire, Yahoo scrambles to launch a low-budget copy of the industry leader. The lack of human and financial resources allocated to these initiatives is apparent. In the end, these offerings are bound to fail.

The two examples that immediately come to mind are Yahoo! Mash and Yahoo! FireEagle.

When Yahoo failed in its bid to acquire Facebook, the company realized it had to do something to capitalize on the explosive growth of the sector… and fast. Enter Yahoo! Mash. This afterthought of a product fails on all levels. The interface is ugly and the feature set is weak at best. There is no compelling reason why anyone abandon ship at Facebook or MySpace to join Yahoo! Mash.

Yesterday, Yahoo launched a BETA version of FireEagle. Though I have yet to try the service, I’ve heard mixed reviews. It is being touted as a location-based Twitter. After viewing the front page of the site, I can see why - the look and feel screams of Twitter. Obviously, Yahoo has recognized the potential of micro-blogging and made a decision to enter the space. Is it too late? Does the offering live up to expectations? It is too early to tell, but I instinctively have my doubts.

What we do know is this: there are two ways to enter an industry - build a product/service or acquire a company. It seems that Yahoo has focused on the latter in previous years (i.e. acquisitions of Flickr, del.icious, MyBlogLog). More recently however, the company has transitioned toward a more internal based approach (i.e. development and launch of Yahoo! Mash and Yahoo! FireEagle). Neither strategy seems to be overly successful thus far, although I would tend to favour the acquisition strategy in this case. It will be interesting to see whether Yahoo continues this “lemming” strategy or whether they revert back to acquisition mode.

What do you think of Yahoo’s new approach? Do you think they should stick with it or revert back? In general, how should they go about introducing/launching new products?

[Facebook - Has The Novelty Worn Off?] - It looks like the Facebook frenzy has finally died down a bit. It seems like only yesterday every tech blogger was posting a story about the social network.

The launch of the F8 platform ignited the PR fire. Eventually, the chaos hit a feverish pitch when acquisition rumours began to swirl. Facebook was quick to discount these rumours, stating they had no intention of selling the company. The last big hurrah came when Microsoft invested a small chunk of cash in the company at an absurd valuation of $15 billion. Now that the PR hurricane has passed, the sea of Facebook is eerily tranquil…

Publicity aside, users are starting to shy away from the social network for another reason - information overload. When Facebook apps was launched, everyone was adding every application they received an invitation for. Now, people are being much more selective with apps, as well as events and groups. Personally, I don’t add any applications at all, and I’m very strict about which events and groups I sign up for. I focus on quality rather than quantity and I think others are doing the same.

If you sense pessimism, you are deceived. I am still very optimistic about the future of this social network. I think they’ve been very smart and strategic with their approach. Their constant push for innovation has led to some industry-changing features, most notably photo-tagging and news feed. If they continue to stay focused and strategic, I am convinced that Facebook can prosper for a long time to come.

[Why Hasn’t Podcasting Caught On Yet?] - When “podcasting” emerged a few years back, enthusiasts quickly proclaimed it to be the next big thing. As is the case with the so-called “semantic web”, podcasting has failed to live up to expectations. But why? The benefits are obvious and publishers are going to great lengths to be heard.

The first thought that comes to mind is time. Maybe people just don’t have enough time in their day to incorporate podcasting listening. Maybe their routine is simply unable to accommodate podcasting.

My second thought focuses around hassle. The requirement of a podcast download, followed by the transfer it to a portable device, may be enough to turn some away.

My last thought centers around the technical aspect of podcasting. RSS is not a mainstream term. In fact, it is rather intimidating to some. Even the term “podcasting” itself may seem daunting. This may seem silly to many of us who live and breathe the web 2.0 world, but sometimes we must take a step back and look at things from a different perspective. Maybe the terminology is just too overpowering and potential users simply shy away.

I can’t see price as being an issue, as most podcasts are offered free of charge. Most publishers seem content with a captive audience - money doesn’t seem to be the key motivator or driver.

Apple has done a lot to bring podcasting mainstream. After all, the company does produce the most dominant podcatching client available on the market, iTunes. Very few other companies have really done much to push the podcasting industry forward.

I have yet to really pinpoint why podcasting hasn’t caught on yet. I do believe it is only a matter of time, but how long? An explosion within the space has been touted for quite some time, yet we’re all still waiting…

Do you have any thoughts as to why podcasting hasn’t caught on yet or reached a more mainstream audience?

[The Overuse of Graphics] - Some web designers can’t help incorporating a myriad of graphics and images into anything and everything they do. Sometimes I feel that rather than enhancing the experience, they are simply determined to showcase their design prowess. Let it be known that I am highly critical when it comes to the use of graphics. I’m not saying that they should be outlawed, but they do have a time and place. I’m the type of person who admires a designer who can create a compelling, usable experience without the use of any graphics at all.

Obviously a photo-sharing site will be littered with images and photos. Icons and screenshots may also add to the usability of a given site. Often though, useless stock photos of office environments and happy workers do nothing to add to the overall experience. In fact, they do the opposite.

The two big downfalls of images are:

1. Increased page load times
2. Increased clutter and distractions

The focus should be on content. Think Craigslist, Wikipedia, Reddit, Kayak, 37signals, Digg, del.icio.us, etc… If an image fails to enhance the experience, then it shouldn’t be used. Exceptions include artsy sites, band sites, or any site where the art or design(s) may increase business.

What do you think about images/photos/graphics? Do you think they’re overused, underused, or used just enough in the grand scheme of things?

[Direction of the Web] - It is unclear to me where the Web is headed in the very near future. The big guys (Google, Yahoo, Microsoft) seem to be a bit lost. In addition, no clear trends or “hot spaces” are emerging. Social networking seems to have cooled down a bit and micro-blogging, though still rising in popularity, seems to be taking a breather.

A few categories are showing promise, but lacking overall direction. These include online video, wikis, podcasting, and personal finances (to name a few). It seems that interest in these areas is present as many players continue to enter the game. Having said that, no-one seems to know how each space will play out. Everyone is providing their own take on the situation, choosing a different audience, vertical, or worse yet, generalizing.

What I’m surprised about is the lack of focus around local. I truly believe this to be the most lucrative niche by far. After all, it relates to real people - think Craigslist or YellowPages. Let’s be honest with ourselves - blog aggregators and social bookmarking sites preach the choir.

With local, a revenue model is not only achievable, but feasible. It’s also sustainable as people can relate (and understand) the business model. Whether income is generated via targeted advertising or premium directory placement, local is an area that needs to be explored more thoroughly.

What do you see in the near-term future of the Web? What sectors will catch fire and which will fizzle out?