advertising

Google mobile business booming, on track for $8B this year

There's at least one good fact coming from Google's results today.

Google Chief Executive Larry Page, speaking with a hoarse voice during a conference call with analysts, said the company is on track to generate over $8 billion from its mobile business this year. That's a huge increase from the prior annual run rate of $2.5 billion.

But that number is a little misleading. Chief Financial Officer Patrick Pichette said the figure now includes gross revenue from media sold via the Google Play store and money made from app sales. Last year's figure included mobile … Read more

Facebook said to let some companies see pages you like

Facebook is letting some companies look at the other "Likes" of their fans. This means if you like a brand's page, that brand's marketers knows what your other "Likes" are, whether it be your favorite bands or TV shows, unidentified sources told the advertising magazine. For now, this tool is available only to "priority accounts," according to an AdWeek report.

When asked for comment or confirmation, a Facebook spokesperson initially said the company had nothing to share at this time. The company followed with this statement:

To help marketers build better … Read more

Zynga revs up mobile ads with Honda campaign

Zynga unveiled its first reward-based mobile advertising campaign supported by Honda, a move by the social game provider to generate more money and help alleviate investor concerns.

As part of the "It Starts With You" campaign to promote the 2013 Honda Accord, Words with Friends and Scramble With Friends players can earn in-game currency and tips by playing Honda-related words.

Some of those words include "new," "tech," and "you" -- not quite the first things that come to mind when thinking about a new car but probably words that pop up fairly … Read more

Brace yourself: Microsoft Surface ad barrage may start tonight

Microsoft is expected to begin airing the first of its TV ads for Microsoft Surface on October 15, possibly during Monday Night Football and "Dancing with the Stars."

Windows Supersite Editor Paul Thurrott tweeted about the alleged timing of the ads, based on information from unnamed sources, on October 15. Thurrott also tweeted that he's been told that Microsoft is spending $400 million on its Surface ad campaign -- plus whatever it's spending on its Windows 8 ad campaign. Microsoft kicked off its U.S. TV commercials for Windows 8 on October 14 in … Read more

Facebook survey says users don't want promoted posts

Most people won't pay for a promoted post, but they would shell out the cash to buy their friends a gift through Facebook, according to a report from brokerage firm Sterne Agee.

The report (posted below) was based on a survey that asked more than 750 Facebook users to weigh in on the social network's latest ideas for making money -- increased advertising in the form of sponsored stories, Facebook gifts, promoted posts, and a possible search engine.

Of the four potential moneymakers, promoted posts is the least likely to succeed, according to the survey. When this feature … Read more

Zynga banking on 'fat fingers' to help mobile ad numbers -- analyst

Zynga has increased the size of its ads and made it more difficult to close them, in a ploy to get more accidental clicks, according to one analyst (BTIG registration required) playing close attention to the game creator's advertising.

The new ads are, he says, a "desperate action" to encourage "fat fingers," or accidental clicks, BTIG analyst Richard Greenfield wrote in a blog post today (BTIG registration required).

CNET has asked Zynga to comment and we'll update if we hear back.

With mobile advertising as the No. 1 concern for most online companies, Greenfield … Read more

Meet the intern who built a key Facebook mobile ad product

Facebook is known for its hacker culture -- constantly challenging the status quo and valuing a good idea from anywhere in the ranks. So it shouldn't be a surprise to those who know the culture that one of its most prominent (and potentially moneymaking) mobile products to date came from an intern.

The social network put the spotlight on 23-year-old Peter Cottle, a software engineering intern and University of California, Berkeley, student, today with a blog post detailing Cottle's work on the ability to buy promoted posts through mobile devices.

In the post, Cottle, a soon to be … Read more

Dislike Facebook? The social network wants to hear about it

If you want to give Facebook a piece of your mind, here's your chance.

Faced with all the usual concerns over Facebook's constant changes and privacy issues, the social network has rolled out a new customer satisfaction survey.

Spotted by AllFacebook, the survey is linked to a message at the top of the newsfeed for some users. The message reads, "We'd like to hear from you. Please take three to four minutes to tell us about your experience using Facebook."

A Facebook spokeswoman confirmed that Facebook is indeed circulating surveys. "Facebook runs variations of … Read more

Analyst warns of Facebook-ad backlash, sets $16 stock price

Facebook's recent push to make money could backfire, warns an analyst who believes a user backlash may depress its shares to $16 over the next year.

BTIG analyst Richard Greenfield lowered his firm's target price for Facebook today, citing concern over Facebook's "aggressive" increase of monetization efforts, particularly mobile ads, according to his report. Facebook's stock opened at $20.40 a share this morning.

Since going public in May, Facebook has faced increasing pressure from investors to demonstrate that it can keep revenue and profits growing quickly. The social network has increased advertising efforts, … Read more