China’s O2O market is in the consolidation phase, and the competition is fierce. That, though, helps highlight why an advertising business model is sometimes so attractive, like, for example, the one that Facebook has. Plus, why the “Facebook has a problem with teens” narrative really isn’t a big deal
The Facebook Epoch
First came the PC, and on top of the PC the Internet. Then, mobile, but what will rule mobile?
What is Medium Doing?, Facebook Updates Notes
Medium just raised $57 million on a relatively modest valuation, but lots of folks aren’t still sure what the company is trying to accomplish: today I give it my best shot. Plus, Facebook has updated Notes, which look a lot like, well, Medium posts. The appearance, though, isn’t what will make them succeed or fail.
Medium and the Publishing Long Tail, Content Blockers and Facebook, Amazon Prime and the Washington Post
A bit of follow-up on yesterday’s post Popping the Publishing Bubble, and why Medium is potentially trying to replicate Stripe’s strategy. Plus, the key decision-maker when it comes to ad-blocking is Facebook, and it’s not at all clear what they will do. Finally, an experiment from Jeff Bezos with the Washington Post and Amazon Prime.
UberPool Follow-Up, Google Bans Interstitial App-Install Ads, Instagram Allows Multiple Photo Sizes
More on UberPool, including the inevitability of self-driving cars, Uber’s competitors, and whether or not Uber needs mass transit. Then, Google’s ban on interstitial app install ads may be a bit arbitrary, but does that matter? Plus a must-read article that ties Instagram’s photo sizes to Twitter’s 140 characters.
Facebook’s Impressive Consistency, Yelp’s Employee Problem
Facebook consistently delivers good results, which is why they get a lot of leeway from investors. Perhaps the latter aren’t as irrational as everyone thinks. Plus, Yelp’s big problem, and why it might affect Twitter.
Aggregation Theory
The disruption caused by the Internet in industry after industry has a common theoretical basis described by Aggregation Theory.
Google’s Integration of Retail and Hotels, Facebook Page Shops, Netflix’s Earnings
Google’s “buy button” for ads and experiments in hotels fit the pattern of Internet-based disruption. Facebook, meanwhile, is meeting needs it itself created, and Netflix has started a virtuous cycle.
Curation and Algorithms
More and more companies are announcing new products based on human curation, even as the most important content players — Google and Facebook — rely on algorithms. When does curation make sense, and when are algorithms better? And ultimately, who is responsible for both?
YouTube Gaming, Network Defensibility, The Applicability of Metcalfe’s Law
YouTube Gaming is taking on Twitch, which raises a number of interesting questions: is YouTube Gaming like Google+, and if not, why not? Will it succeed, or should Google have simply bought Twitch? Also, a fascinating paper about Metcalfe’s Law and when and where it applies.