The present and future of web-based applications in India

The web browser can be called the operational agent for the internet’s prowess as it is fast emerging as an integral software part of a computer system(apart from the O.S.).In India, there are numerous technical, circumstantial factors driving the success of browser-based web applications. Consider these-

Universally accessible
Internet based applications can be accessed at any place and at anytime,all you need is an internet enabled device.It gives flexibility to work beyond the restriction of one’s workplace.

Proliferation of web startups
There are numerous web startups, incited by open source software, decreasing hardware costs and what not, aiming to build business or consumer based web applications.The internet opens global markets for these applications.

SAAS – an alternative to licensed software
What a SAAS application does is provide an alternative for an extensive distribution and sales network ultimately cutting down the selling cost.In future more and more software would come as metered services(like electricity bills);SAAS would aid in this.

Trend of Online transactions
Everything is online and what is not will soon be.Web replicates real life business models,for eg online job recruitment portals, matrimonials,ticket bookings.Most of them are based on transactional business models.Since more and more services are moving online,the future looks bright.

Web for a cause
Web can tremendously help to overcome the deficiencies of the physical world including the socio-political factors like corruption, usual city problems.This assumes significance in the Indian scenario.

Online content storage and distribution tools
The global players like Youtube, Flickr come in this category.These sites store,collaborate data over rich media like podcasts, videos etc.There are also some less-popular Indian sites in the list.Basically these web applications are inclined towards entertainment, learning,and business networking.

Social Networking
The future of Social networking is huge considering that it’s a big hit in India and most of the youth is addicted to it for entertainment.The providers’ list include big global players like Orkut,Facebook along with some of our Indian versions like Mingle Box,Indyarocks etc.

All these factors signal that the country’s environment is conducive to the growth of Browser-based applications notwithstanding some issues which can be dealt with.

Interactive video format is the latest add to affiliate marketing

With Buy.at introducing video interactive feature to its affiliate marketing format, can it be seen as the beginning of a race to acquire it as the “latest trend” ?

Buy.at ,the affiliate marketing network from UK, has introduced interactive video ad format after joining hands with British video tech firm Coull. The motive is to improvise the affiliates’ access of Buy.at among the clients.

This is a significant handshake considering that the use of interactive video add has slowly gained popularity and is now rapidly used by the advertisers. It will help increase the reach and response among the advertisers, to make it more accessible. Use of interactive video footage will allow individual to link and tag independently and moreover clients can purchase from the direct product pages of the company.

Video Interactive technology, as being easily accessible can change the face of affiliate marketing. The latest format includes the features of linking individual pixels. This will help in in increasing the potential uses of the affiliates.

What Buy.at achieves from this is the capability to track click-through as, sales and cost-per-acquisition commissions by embedding its analytics tags into the video itself. As a result, the units can be copied and placed elsewhere online, for example on social networking sites, while ensuring that reporting functionalities remain intact.

Let’s hope the trend will be picked up by the other major clients and be made the “latest fashion” in order to make affiliate marketing more accessible.

Microsoft shakes hands with Icahn, warning bells for Yahoo!

As Microsoft shake hands with Icahn, the fight to overtake Yahoo! Management control takes a new turn. What’s gonna be the consequence , the world will see in up coming days??

The zeal to apprehend Yahoo! takes a new hitch as Microsoft shakes hand with Icahn in order to topple Yahoo! board and management and to take total control over the company. Steve Anthony Ballmer, the Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft put forward the proposal on Friday evening with the non-negotiable acquisitions after making the pact with Icahn.

However, Yahoo! discarded the proposal. Roy Bostock, Chairman of Yahoo! said, “This odd and opportunistic alliance of Microsoft and Carl Icahn has anything but the interests of Yahoo!’s stockholders in mind. Clearly, Microsoft, having failed to advance in search, is aligning with the short-term objectives of Mr. Icahn to coerce Yahoo! into selling its core strategic search assets on terms that are highly advantageous to Microsoft, but disadvantageous to Yahoo! Stockholders.”

According to Bostock, Yahoo! had problems with the non-negotiable acquisitions stating, ”Replacements of top management and current board along with the overseeing of the Yahoo’s! remaining non-search businesses by Icahn’s slate of directors, would lead into a total dismantle of the company and the business. ”

Months back, Ballmer had grounded his three years desperate efforts of acquiring Yahoo! but the supremacy of Google in the online industry and the growing threat of GNU/Linux, compelled Microsoft to go for the pact. To a concern, business analysts have cited the deal as a non feasible act and suggested Microsoft to reorganize themselves, in order to be in the hunt.

Internet Advertisement ,a business-booster for marketers

Internet is expanding day by day and it has reached a stage when it is not only a medium for gaining information about products and services but also one of the major mediums of exchange. Internet advertising is arising as one of the most effective way of tapping this e-market for merchants.

Trade has come a long way from barter system to present day when people no longer have to take the pains of going to an actual market in order to execute trade. Now customers can order the services and products of their choice sitting in their air conditioned homes via the domain of Internet.

One of the biggest challenges in front of merchants has always been to reach out to the potential customers. Following the old and established rule that a consumer is more inclined towards an established brand as compared to others, one can easily conclude that display advertising is the saviour for lost merchants who are unable to find their way to a wider clientèle.

Display Advertising follows the basic concept of flashing a particular brand name in front of the user so that the name establishes in his mind and he can be redirected to the merchants website, solving the needs of the consumer and raising the income of the merchant.

With the emergence of various Internet Advertising providers, the merchants can transfer the task of exploring the Internet market to professionals who provide them with assured results with the help of pay per click scheme. This way the merchants can keep a track of their expenditures on advertising and concentrate all their attention on production.

NDTV New Media Congress debates on the status of Indian Online Marketing

Indian markets are finally rolling on the wheels of Internet marketing. The fourth and the final session of NDTV New Media Congress brought about various discussions on Branding, Marketing and Advertising strategies.

The congress session was lead by esteemed panelists from the web world including Anurag Batra, Managing Director and Editor-in-chief, Exchange4media; Lloyd Mathias, Marketing Director, India and South West Asia, Motorola; Ravi Kiran, CEO, Starcom, South East and South Asia; Rohit Sharma, COO, Zapak Digital Entertainment; and Manish Vij, Co-founder and Chief Business Officer, Smile Interactive Technology Group.

The summit held by NDTV was very enlightening especially for the members of the Internet media industry. The panelists appealed to the merchants that online marketing has more potential than just acquiring leads.

Anurag Batra boldly pointed out that Display advertising works 2.5 times better than search marketing. While talking about the number of Internet users in India, it was stated that it’s not just about 4 per cent of the country’s population but about the 40 million influential people. The companies must build their brand here. It was also pointed out that companies spend crores of rupees on a single showroom but they don’t spend the same amount on their largest showroom- their website.

Lloyd Mathias of Motorola pointed that most marketers are not savvy enough to take the new media seriously. According to him, new media is still new; marketers are still from the analogue world, specialists have to accept the new trends and evolve in their work procedures, and consumers are still flirting with the medium but are not serious about it.

The congress concluded that the specialists have to educate themselves about the scope of Display advertising in India which is mis-conceived through out the nation, merchants spend all their budgets on other mediums whereas display advertising is the boon which can effectively establish their brand names.