Microsoft has said a lot about Smart Tags. And it isMicrosoft who claims this is a "smart" idea.I'm not a fan of Microsoft products. Still, there are realbenefits to all software developers and PC users in theuniformity from system to system that Windows provides. But ifMicrosoft makes this move, it's a step too far. Here's whatSmart Tags will do.> Advertisers will agree to pay a fixed amount for a click on a keyword. As at GoTo.Com, keyword "ownership" is subject to a higher bid.> Website pages downloaded from any website to any computerusing Windows will be scanned for these keywords.> Those found will be highlighted and converted to links to the advertiser's site.I've heard talk of Smart Tags for some time. There has beenan awesome hue and cry of opposition. I was glad Microsoftresponded by deciding against including this "feature" in theirnew XP operating system.Then The Other Shoe DroppedSomething just as "good" as Smart Tags is already here. Andit's ugly. Here's a quote from "The San Francisco Chronicle.""TOPtext is an example of 'contextual advertising,' thelatest attempt by online advertisers to reach the eyes and mindsof Web surfers. TOPtext turns existing words on a Web page intohyperlinks that redirect a computer user to the advertiser'ssite." (The full article is available at either of the followinglinks. Erase the spaces and returns in the first one beforepasting.)KaZaA is using a plug in to IE(Internet Explorer) called TOPtext from eZula. For details, please see "Is SomeoneHijacking YOUR Visitors?" by Bob Smith above. For somescreen shots of results, check this out on Bob's site. (It's a must, for once seen, you won't forget it.)My Most Valuable AssetsMy most prized business assets are not things, but visitors. The path to profits on my site, as on many, is to first generatea subscriber. Through "STAT News," I'm able to build thecredibility that brings the sale.By adding a link on "small businesses" on my subscriptionsign up page, my most valuable potential asset is being lured to another site. I lose. Someone else grabs the gain.On my home page, the added link under the ebook I'm sellingseeks to steal a potential sale. The advertiser pays maybe 15cents if the link is clicked, and I lose the potential of a $29sale.Since the link is redirected, the user can not return to mysite with the Back button. Thus it is unlikely he or she everwill. This is grim at best, but ...What Matters MostWhile I remain concerned about such theft, I am moreconcerned about my credibility. Most surfers are not computerexperts. Most will never recognize these links were added bysoftware running on their system. They are quite likely tobelieve I am recommending this company. That I am in factsuggesting they leave my site to go to this more importantdestination.What will happen to people's view of me if I "link" to acompany with a publicly recognized bad reputation? Or to someoneI directly oppose? Or to one I totally mistrust? If this isn'tcrystal clear, consider a link from your site redirected to a p or n site.The "New" Ebook RevolutionSeveral of the most popular ebook compilers link to IE fordisplay. (My ebooks do; this may change soon!) Imagine whatgibberish TOPtext can make of an exquisite ebook page.The future of ebooks remains uncertain. Sure, they'll bearound. But the format is now up in the air. It's a blow to a lot of people heavily committed, some with profits not yetrolling in.The Insidious FactorOne of the things that makes this such an ugly evolution isthat webmasters may never know it's happening. Further, there'sthe obvious impact of slowing download speed, because of theadditional time to add the links. And this matters. But it isminor compared to what your pages will look like. Just how does one design a great looking, carefully polishedsite that can hold this appearance when randomly highlighted inyellow? What Is Microsoft Thinking?I don't know if Microsoft is in any way a part of thisparticular "experiment." But the effects are so much like theresults they expect from Smart Tags, it is difficult to acceptthis implementation as a coincidence. I suspect Microsoft will watch developments with great care. If they can figure a "better" plan, will they implement it in Windows? If so, then whatever browser is in use, results will be the same. And MS will be in a position to control the advertising. There is inconceivable profit potentialin this.Legal PossibilitiesI have no doubt but what this issue will be brought to court. I've a picture of a Ford site reacting to "truck" highlighted ontheir site with a link to a Chevy site.This part of the tale may prove interesting. I'm fascinatedby the following notion I don't believe has come up before.If you buy a book, you may deface it in any way you please. It will be argued that since the downloaded page is on thevisitor's computer, they own it, that the user (or softwareselected) can therefore do as they please with it.To me, the way in which a page is delivered to a visitor isimmaterial. It's my creation. Excepting for limitations in mycoding, I expect my visitor to see it as created. A Boon To Advertising? Maybe. It is something entirely different to webmasters who have spent agonizing hours building site content.How will this end? I can't even guess. But if it does not, the Web as we know it now will be history.
About the Author
No comments:
Post a Comment