If we would recall, Google had indeed make its intention clear that it is looking for businesses to buy, perhaps even big ones ! Indeed, Admob.com is frequently look upon as the fore-funner in mobile ads market (If it is still fresh in your mind, back in September when CEO Eric Schmidt said the company had begun seriously looking at acquisitions again ).

While earlier this month, rumors are running that Apple may possibly look at acquiring Admob, it didn’t turn out to be fact. As there was no clear strategic reason for Apple to move into intense ads market ( at least what we see for now ). So far, Apple strategy has been in higher profit sectors, especially with it’s ‘selling like Super Hotcake‘  iPhone, and of course, the iPhone Apps store.

Although some might point out that not all sectors that Apple moved into are able to enjoy high profit margin, but not forgetting that these lower margin are more as add-on to those much successful ( and of course, higher margin ) products like iPhone, iPod, and Mac sales.

Nevertheless, if we were to take a deeper look on Admob’s corporate earning, it has actually been able to ride on booming mobile market, and since the iPhone Phenomena, Admob has been recording impressive growth in mobile ads serving thru iPhone apps. From ~130 million of mobile ads served during  September 2008, it booms and received whooping 2.6 billion ad requests from iPhone and iPod touch devices in September this year ! As the business cycle move on, this could actually helps on iPhones sales ( the more developers turning into developing those nice iPhones Apps, it just keeps advertise for itself isn’t it ?! )

Some might argue that with Google acquiring Admob, Apple has actually missed out a gem. With Google already nominating the Web Ads market, now having both DoubleClick Mobile and Admob, it is possibly a very strategic business move as it is riding into Apple’s iPhone success. While taking it face-to-face with Google’s Phone, which with it’s own Andriod OS, Google is now being able to further consolidate it’s power and look set to dominate the Mobile Ads market too !  Although Google Phone is still much a ’small kid’ compare to current Apple’s iPhone, but we’ll never know just how big and how far it can goes isn’t it ?!

With much to says, what about mobile ads publishers and other smaller mobile ads networks ? Well, the belief is that mobile publishers will be cheering all the way to the bank, again ! as Google Adsense has been gold pot to them all these years. Surely, with Google coming into bigger play in mobile ads markets, publishers are set to make even more.

But does this also turn out to be a good news to other smaller mobile ads network ? As analyzed by Google itself ( http://www.google.com/press/admob/comp.html , source by eMarketer), there are several players in Apps/Web sector, Admob being the Leader, with Jumptap, Mojiva, Quattro Wireless trailing behind. One of the noticeable network is Mojiva.com ( a rather younger company compare to Admob ), but has been reportedly performing good , and been able to secure few rounds of venture funding.

With Google coming into bigger play, it does looks like tougher challenge ahead, for the smaller mobile ads network. Or just probably, they could twist their strategy to tack on with Google/Admob, and offer some alternative solutions to publishers, and advertisers.

Well… as we speak, the world is riding out current economy downturn, and who will know what’s next isn’t it ?! One thing just for sure – Companies need to continuously strive for the better, not only for survival !

You need to conduct the market analysis when you’re deciding to build a business around those markets, when you consider entering a whole new market, and when you’re considering launching any new products or services. The market analysis should be done in order to minimize the risk of building the business, pointing the problems or opportunities that you may faced, identifying sales opportunity, and also planning your marketing strategy.

To do the market research for business, there are 3 processes that need to be done. First, you need to understand the market condition. Figure out how big the markets and who’s you competitors in there. Second, you need identify the opportunity in those markets. While you’re in this process, you’ll get a deeper analysis about those markets such as the market growth, the trends for today and future, outside factor, and so on. Third, you’ll have to develop your marketing strategy. The marketing strategy is the strategy that you’ll use when you face the market. After you get the information about the market, build a marketing strategy should be easier to do.

Here are 10 questions that you could use to do the basic market research:

1. What is the market that I want to reach? – Figure out who are they, their biggest problems and needs.
2. Who are my competitors? – Find out whether they already success in the market, their products or services, and their marketing strategies.
3. Is there enough room to grow up in this market? – You need to see the future to build additional products or services for this market.
4. What is the size of the market? – Too small market will give you no profits.
5. What is my products or services USP – The strategies to make your products different from the competitors.
6. How to reach the market? Figure out the most effective ways to penetrate the market.
7. What are my competitor’s business models? – Is it work with them? How could I make it better?
8. What my customers should expect from your products or services?
9. How much my customers will pay for this products or services?
10. What is my competitor’s advantage?

Knowing the answers of these questions will prepare you and your business in facing your competitors and the market. You could also build a good marketing plan from this information and beat up your competitors.

Doing a market research could be a tiresome process in the beginning. However, the hard work will eventually paid off after you use the information that you get from the market research, and start penetrating the market. At this point, you don’t have to do any market research because you’re only need to tracking the response of your customers and adjust any products or services by any feedbacks that you gather.

As we do know of, there has been much competitions coming out in recent years, amid the rapid development on micro blogging site like Twitter . One of the big challenger seems to be Bit.ly , which was established in year 2008.  Further, with the growing popularity of mobile connectivity, new application such as ‘bit.lify‘ , has been developed to suit BlackBerry’s users . After installing this free application, BlackBerry users can then able to visit and utilize Bit.ly function to complete the url shortening features, which comes handy when including the url into their emails or so.

Another player in the same field is offered by ‘ TweaK URL shortening service’ . It is operated by Dot TK, the .tk (Tokelau) domain registry. What’s unique is that TweaK URL service is from a domain registry, and thus the output is indeed a second-level domain, and can be as short as just 5 characters , example would be http://ah19p.tk !

According to the official from tweak.tk, the service uses true 301 redirect, so SE would follow the link to your actual content. This is indeed a plus point, especially for webmasters.

Nevertheless, despite these rapid development and high popularity, the url shortening module is currently seems as still lacking behind in term of operating it as a Business Model. At current stage, these type of sites are still free to use by large, as clearly there has not been source of incomes suitable for it. At the time of positing, TinyURL uses Google Adsense on its site, while Bit.ly has not display any advertising as yet.

As of early May 2009, it is reported that Bit.ly attracts a whopping 50 million traffic, which is double comparing to preceding month. One of the technology used behind Bit.ly is on its realtime tracking and users online behavior analysts ability, and then extracting these information to chart out what’s hot or latest online trends.

Currently, the idea behind it seems to be more on data collection and analysts. It is still unclear as to how Bit.ly going to utilize and turn these into Profitable Business Model and start generating revenue, which would then help sustain its continuous developments and further growth.

It’s DEAL between two giants ! Microsoft and Yahoo! announced early on Wednesday 29th July 2009, that they had reach agreement in cooperation on both their network search, and the lucrative advertisement service, in bid to put forward more resistances on the formidable competitor, the Web Supremo Google.com .

Thanks to the early success of Bing.com , this 10 year cooperative agreement does appear to be of beneficially to both party in their face-of with supremo Google . According to source, Microsoft will provide its search platform in Yahoo!’s website, while Yahoo! will be responsible for both search and advertisement services. For the first 5years period,  Microsoft stands to gain from Yahoo! search advertising earning portion of 12%. As Yahoo retain 88% of the profit, it would gains about $500millions US Dollars in yearly operating income, with saving of about $200 millions US Dollars in capital expenditures. Further by these, Yahoo also estimated that the deal would bring benefit of $250 millions US Dollars in yearly operating cash flow.

Some of the terms of the Microsoft-Yahoo partnership:

• This agreement will last for 10 years, but can be prolonged.
• Both companies will keep current display advertising business, and sales force separately.
• Microsoft will buy the Yahoo’s search technologies 10 year license.
• Bing will become the exclusive search technology for Yahoo websites.
• Microsoft will pay TAC ( traffic acquisitions cost ) to Yahoo at a rate of 88% of the ad sales revenue during the first five years.
• Microsoft will guarantee Yahoo!’s O&O revenue per search (RPS) in each country for the first 18 months following initial implementation in that country.
• Full implementation is expected within 24 months after regulatory approval.
• The agreement protects consumer privacy by limiting the data shared between the companies to the minimum necessary to operate and improve the combined search platform, and restricts the use of search data shared between the companies. The agreement maintains the industry-leading privacy practices that each company follows today.

*Full detail can be reached at http://www.choicevalueinnovation.com/thedeal/pressroom/Default.aspx

Separately, at last month comscore’s data, Yahoo had an estimated of 19.6% while Microsoft had 8.4% in market share. After these two giant sealed on the cooperative deal, their market share looks set to occupy 28% of USA search market ( which is still a far short of the supremo Google market share ) . Clearly, this deal doesn’t likely to shake off Google position as the leader in market anytime soon. Maybe, Microsoft and Yahoo could just set their sight on grabbing 50% of market share, which is more possible.

At first glance, it may seems like good and smart move for both Microsoft and Yahoo!  With their smaller market share each in online advertising, having corporation would help in boosting their presence, in facing the current Web Supremo Google. Further, Yahoo! will also save quit substantially on its operational costs.

However, as we should be well aware of, executing the deal could in details could really be a disaster to both party. If we look at the agreement, Yahoo! will be tasked on “Selling” part, while Microsoft will be held responsible for the “Support”. It’s looks more like a division out tasks in a large MNC . When two division didn’t communicate properly, right from the bottom level, up to the top, what could it possibly ends up with -> TROUBLE !

Every company should knows that Sales and Supports have to works hand-in-hand. Falling so would just create more trouble, and it just snowball until someone put an end to it. So, are Microsoft and Yahoo really capable of executing this agreement in details ? Let’s see…

Whatever it is for now, both has to defend their deal when it face with Anti-Trust Committee, which looks like Google would love to see them passing the deal. Well, by then Google would be able to claim that it is not dominating the WEB, with this Microsoft and Yahoo deal. This could really help when Google continue to expand its muscle online.

So, who really stands to gain ? As Yahoo puts it in its ycorpblog.com -> Better Search, Better Everything Else, Better Competition ! Well, web users should be the one who gain .