Graeme Thickins on Tech

Reflections & analysis about innovation, technology, startups, investing, healthcare, and more .... with a focus on Minnesota, Land of 10,000 Lakes. Blogging continuously since 2005.

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AdWords Is Too Complex, Says Original Google Team Member – Here’s His Better Solution: ‘Adagogo’

October 22, 2013 / / 1 Comment

(Note: This post first appeared yesterday at Minnov8.com.)

Adagogo-logoWhat if you could post an ad in three minutes and geo-target it to
mobile users in a given radius around you — or across an entire network
of 45 to 50 million of them — then start seeing results minutes after
that? Well, you can — I know, I did it, with a new self-serve ad
service called Adagogo, soft-launched in recent days by mobile app platform company DoApp Inc. (www.doapps.com), based right here in Minnesota (Rochester and Minneapolis).

DoApp founder Joe Sriver began working at Google in early 2001 and
knows a thing
JoeSriver-headshot or two about online advertising. "After joining Google, I
found out that I'd been about the 20th advertiser to sign up for
Adwords. Also, I learned that Adwords was the reason my hire date was
pushed a few months, as they were so heads-down developing it."  As
Google's first UI designer, he soon became steeped in AdWords himself.
"It's a great product, and I'm proud to have been part of its history,"
he said. However, it's become complex, really complex. It's gotten so
new users either need to spend days trying to understand all the options
it now offers, or hire a professional to manage their ad campaigns." He
doesn't think that's right.

Screenshot-1"What's
been missing in all this," says Sriver, "is an easy method to just get
your web site, business, blog, or app in front a lot of people quickly."
(Hello, startups!)

"I think we've developed the simplest way to quickly place your ad within
Screenshot-3
thousands of local and national apps, on all the major mobile app
platforms," said Sriver, "Our network of users today is substantial,
between 45 and 50 million people, and it will continue to grow rapidly."

Because
you can target locally or advertise across the entire network, DoApp
says Adagogo is "great for everything from getting
traffic to local
garage sales to building
national brand awareness."
Screenshot-2How's that for a bold addressable market?

Sriver
recounted how he experimented with a lot of new ideas since he launched
DoApp in early 2008. The company's main app platform business (both Mobile Local News and Real Estate) continues to grow rapidly. (See my previous coverage of the company here, here, here, and here.)
But, of all the new side-project ideas he's played with over the years,
Joe says Adagogo is the one he realized had the most potential to get
traction.

How to Post an Ad with Adagogo:

> Choose geographically where you want your ad displayed
> Enter your ad copy and add a picture
> Select the amount of ad impressions you want to display
> Add a web site URL, phone number, and/or location
> Enter your credit card info
> DONE!

I Did My Own Self-Serve Ad Test
I set up an ad on Adagogo the other day just to experiment with it
myself. And I must say, it was quite easy. Nice, intuitive UI — really
simple and clean. My ad is the shown here with the headline, "Learn About
Graeme_ad_BigData Big Data." The goal was to drive traffic to a Flipboard magazine
— which I had launched a while back on a lark — just to see how many
people I could get to subscribe with a mobile ad. Joe told me that 1000
ad impressions, the option I chose (price: $25) would go quickly on the
DoApp network — in about 2-3 minutes. He was right. I watched as my
subscriber count went up 20%+ almost before my eyes. Once my ad
impressions were used up, my click-through rate was 1.2%. Not bad, as
the ad was just promoting a web site — to get people to subscribe to a
free mag — not some giveaway, coupon offer, or contest.

Adagogo-ad-RedOval-225wSo,
across what geography do users see the ads? "Many of our apps are local
or regional news apps," says Sriver, "but we do have a number of
national and international news apps as well. You can either choose to
advertise locally within a 5, 10, or 50-mile radius around a location
specified by you. Or you can have your ad displayed 'Everywhere,' which
means wherever our apps are used around the world."  One of DoApp's
widely distributed news apps, with a worldwide footprint, is called Headlines.

"Across iOS, Android, Windows Mobile, and mobile web, we currently have more than 1500 apps," says Sriver.
Adagogo-ad-action"That
number will be going up significantly, as all our real estate apps will
soon have access to the Adagogo network. So our total number of
available apps where Adagogo ads appear will grow a ton – stay tuned!"

Seriously,
I can see Adagogo used for garage sales, fundraisers, local mom &
pop stores, online businesses — even big brick-and-mortar retailers
and, heck, ecommerce giants, for that matter.  A Best Buy, for example,
could advertise individual store deals using local-radius targeting, but
could also do general brand advertising across the entire 50-million
user base – say, to hype a Super Bowl commercial, or a contest or
sweepstakes. No special expertise required — really anyone can use the
simple Adagogo interface.

"From our start, DoApp's mission has
been to help in the growth and success of communities and local
businesses through new technology," says Sriver. "Adagogo builds on that
mission."

A Special Offer This Month
In announcing the Adagogo
soft-launch, Joe offered up a special promotion. 
With any ad package you purchase, the company will double your number of
impressions. For example, buy the 1000 ad impressions package, get an
addition 1000 for free (2000 total). Buy 5000, get a total of 10,000.
This "buy one get one deal" is available only until October 31, 2013,
and is for ads that are specified to run "everywhere," as opposed to a
specific location. Just place your ad before midnight Central time on
October 31 and you'll automatically get double ad impressions.

—————-

Postscript: See DoApp at MobCon
Wade Beavers, CEO of DoApp, will be speaking at a mobile technology conference coming up in Minneapolis, Nov 7-8: MobCon. (Online registration still open.)  His session and description: "It's all about your latitude and longitude. How location is changing mobile."
"Location
and mobile are a perfect match. Learn more about how device latitude
and longitude are changing the mobile game for advertising, social,
commerce, personal data, and content distribution. A recent study showed
that 43% of users were willing to provide their location to companies
compared to less than 11% willing to share their browsing history. Has
location information become the new cookie? You will learn: Location
Data Trends, Effective Location App Offerings, Location Data Use,
Consumer Behaviors, and Location Best Practices."

Minnov8 will be reporting from the MobCon event, so look for us there!

—————–

Disclosure:
DoApp is one of the companies in my client equity portfolio. I helped
launch the firm in 2008, serving as its VP Marketing.

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So You Think You Can Innovate. OK, But Can You ‘Cut Cubes From Fog’?

September 3, 2013 / / 0 Comments

(Note: This post first appeared earlier today on Minnov8.com.)

CubesFromFogThe design process taught at Chicago's Institute of Design has been likened to “cutting cubes from fog," and the school is coming to Minneapolis this fall to tell you just what that means. Last spring, Stanford's d.school offered courses at the CoCo coworking & collaborative space.  Now, the Institute of Design — a graduate school of the Illinois Institute of Technology, and another of the nation's top graduate design programs — is offering courses here. (Graphic: From an image copyright Tony Harris, DeviantArt.com.)

The Institute believes design can help close the innovation gap. It says innovation is often characterized as the “fuzzy front end” of business (I love that!).  But it's out to bring definition to ambiguity. "As the pace of change in the world continues to accelerate, the demand for people trained to take on the ambiguous will continue to grow."

On its web site, the Institute comments on its mission. "Design is expansive, generating large numbers of new options that can then be prototyped and tested to inform ever better ideas… In an age of uncertainty, having a process for making the unknown known can be of tremendous value and lead to ideas grounded in real unmet needs."

The Institute's decision to come to Minneapolis is based on its relationship with a local partner. "These three fall workshops are all about design thinking and design methods — the core of both incremental and breakthrough innovation," said Rob Davis, director of communications and business development at bswing, which is presenting the the three-part series at its Experience Center at 700 N. Washington Avenue on September 27, October 4, and October 18. Rob formerly was head of communications at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD).

The series explores the fundamentals of graduate-level innovation practice. It's the first time that IIT
CutingCubesFromFog-SketchPlanationsInstitute of Design, the nation’s top-ranked and largest graduate-only design program, is offering courses here in Minnesota. (Graphic: Copyright Larry Keeley, SketchPlanations.com.)

Minneapolis is not the only city where the series will be offered, but execs at the Institute of Design said in their prepared remarks why they think our city is a good choice: “Minneapolis-St. Paul is home to numerous world-leading companies and has rebounded quickly from the economic recession. There is a huge opportunity for companies to help make the future,” said Ashley Lukasik, director of corporate relations, communications, and marketing for IIT Institute of Design.

“Minnesota’s savvy business community has a strong tradition in seeing innovation as the path to profits. Companies are seeking to produce new things—reframing the conventional view of their current offering is an effective way to do that,” said Patrick Whitney, dean of IIT Institute of Design.

The cost of the three-part series is $3700, or $1400 for an individual workshop. (Sound like a lot? Not! Stanford's similar series is $14,500. And Stanford d.school's courses cost $10,000+.)

More about the Illinois Institute of Technology's Institute of Design: Since its founding as the New Bauhaus in 1937, the Institute of Design has grown into the largest full-time graduate-only design program in the U.S., with students from around the world. IIT Institute of Design is ranked number one for research and theory, based on skills sought by recruiting organizations and number six for overall best industrial design graduate schools. The school offers a professional Master of Design degree program with areas of study in communication design, interaction design, product design, strategic design, systems thinking, and user research; a dual Master of Design / MBA degree program with the IIT Stuart School of Business; the Master of Design Methods, a nine-month program for mid-career professionals; and a PhD in Design. The Institute of Design created the country's first PhD design program in 1991.

More about bswing: Driven by the mission “make tomorrow matter,” bswing helps people imagine and create the future. With years of industry experience in in energy, retail, healthcare, financial services, and higher education, bswing combines a deep understanding of user needs and desires with great design to create better products, services, and experiences. The firm provides concept/prototype development that allows organizations to pivot to meet the needs of changing markets and also designs experiences that help organizations tell their stories and connect with key audiences. bswing’s clients include Landis+Gyr, Room & Board, Oracle, Center for Energy and Environment, Prime Therapeutics, and University of Minnesota’s Center for Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation.

While You Weren’t Looking, DoApp Inc. Has Been Quietly Building a Powerhouse Mobile Business

August 15, 2013 / / 0 Comments

DoApp-logo-198wDoApp Inc., a Minnesota-based mobile app development firm (www.DoApps.com), has come a long way since its founding five years ago. I had a chance to sit down with the management team last week in the company's offices in Rochester, Minnesota, where most of its employees are based. (Disclosure: I have a small equity position in the company, as I helped it launch in 2008. So, go ahead, call me biased!) It was the first chance I'd had in a while to catch the management team together in one place (left to right in the photo below): Wade Beavers, CEO: Joe Sriver, Founder; and Dave Borrillo, COO. Wade and Dave call Rochester
DoApp-HomePage_cliphome, while Joe is based in the Twin Cities. (They met when they all worked for IBM-Rochester, before Joe moved West to join Google in early 2001.) DoApp now boasts 19 employees, with a handful located virtually, one as far away as Vancouver. A core group of employees has been with the firm since 2008. This company has had amazingly little turnover, which says a lot in today's environment. See more about DoApp's talented team here.

What do I mean by "come a long way"? Well, ever since the company launched its first apps right when Apple opened the App Store in early 2008 (I was there — it was a wild time!), it has been one amazing run for these guys. Here's how DoApp describes itself on its web site: "Great design and enterprise-level code
DoApp-Wade_Joe_Davecomprise the core of DoApp. We've built over 1500 apps for all major mobile platforms. After millions upon millions of downloads, our mobile strength has been tested. We are a pioneer in mobile app development. We are a leader in mobile app experience." (Note: about 400 of those 1500 apps are iPad apps.) "We are obsessed with mobile: continually developing new ideas, user experiences, and methods of engagement. This is what we love to do." That is about the most you'll ever hear DoApp brag. There isn't even much detail on its web site. These guys don't talk a lot about themselves; they just keep executing, signing customers, and building their business. That's why I had to make my trip to Rochester, to find out more… 🙂

So, what did I learn?  Well, these guys have way too much fun together — but I seriously believe a sense of humor is mandatory for any startup. And I'm sure that has something to do with how tight-knit the team is. I also gleaned some pretty impressive stats (below). And I learned the company has been profitable for some time, and that applies to both its major businesses: publishing and real estate. The company has had no outside investment, by the way — it was self-funded initially by founder Joe Sriver, and started booking revenues immediately after launch. So, DoApp has been quite a home-grown Minnesota startup success story — even if it has been a bit more low-profile than many. So, about some of those stats…


DoApp's Publishing and Advertising Business:


DoApp-TVstationlogosThe company has customers in 110 local markets across 34 states, and those include 176 TV stations, 58 radio stations, and 110 newspapers. Just search "DoApp Inc." on the iTunes App Store or on Google Play to see the huge number of apps it has developed for these broadcasters and publishers.


DoApp's Real Estate Business:

The company also has been building its real estate app business for several years. Recently, it formed a partnership with CoreLogic, a leader in the real-estate market that has an estimated 70% of the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) market in the U.S. DoApp powers all of CoreLogic's "GoMLS" app offering. The GoMLS app (see the iOS version here) can only be used by real estate agents, brokers, or other affiliated professionals that already
GoMLS-App_Iconhave an active MLS subscription for this service. It gives agents a time saving, easy-to-use, data-rich mobile app for access to listing data and more, directly from Apple or Android devices. It integrates with other systems and CoreLogic products to allow professionals to access saved searches and contacts, and edit key fields on-the-go. CoreLogic is a publicly traded firm (NYSE: CLGX) headquartered in California that provides property information, analytics, and services in seven countries.

Separately, DoApp serves as the mobile provider for the MLS organizations in Chicago, San Diego, Tulsa, Georgia, Birmingham, and more. These relationships, along with the CoreLogic partnership, make DoApp the largest provider in the U.S. of mobile real estate solutions for MLS organizations.

In addition, DoApp has 17 of its own branded apps covering sports, weather, news, and tech, which together now boast more than 8 million unique users.  Some of these include:


DoApp-myWeatherIconmyWeather app (iOS, Android)

 

 

DoApp-HeadlinesIconHeadlines app (iOS, Android)

 

 


DoApp-SportsTap-iconSports Tap App (iOS, Android)

 

 

Congratulations to the DoApp team for all they've accomplished to date! I'll make sure to follow along and keep you up to date on their fortunes.

(Note: This post also appeared on Minnov8.com.)

 

Related articles
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How to Charge Your Phone When You’re Way Off the Grid

July 29, 2013 / / 0 Comments

ElyMNWhat better place to be writing a post on this topic than Ely, MInnesota, the gateway to the pristine Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) in the far Northeastern section of Minnesota called the Arrowhead. We're talking a remote place here — "the end of the road," as the locals often refer to it. Oh, the town itself has plenty of places to plug into the electrical grid, but when you're out on one of the many lakes in the area, canoeing, fishing, and/or camping, how do make sure your mobile phone has enough juice when you need it, or that you'll be able to use your phone during a wilderness trip that might be days long? Sure, you can carry multiple battery booster packs or something, but that not only adds considerable weight to your backpack, it can be really expensive, too.

Enter the WakaWaka POWER pocket-sized personal smartphone power station. It's a stylish, lightweight iPhone and Android charger with a solar panel that its maker claims is 200% more efficient than its
WakaWaka+iPhonecompetitors.
It not only charges via solar, but by USB or AC, too — and it will fully charge a smartphone in less than two hours. Set it up facing the sun and it's fully charged in eight hours. Via USB or AC, it will be fully charged in four hours. The WakaWaka POWER is obviously deal for camping, emergencies, or charging on-the-go.  You can buy it here on the manufacturer's site for $79.00. (I also checked Amazon and saw it's available there for $64.99 with Prime shipping.) It's available in black or yellow. For my review unit, as you'll see in one of my photos below, I chose black.

Here's what's also cool: the unit solar charges a built-in lamp, too! (It's on the back side.) It shines up to 40 hours of light after one day of solar charging.
Full technical specs are available here. The unit has five different light modes, including an SOS beacon.  I like how it can be used as a light either by hanging it, by freestanding it (via the flip-out stand), or by placing it on the top of a bottle!

WakaWaka-packagefrontThe WakaWaka POWER is portable, weighing only 7 ounces and measuring just 4.8 x 4.0 x 0.8 inches. It's quite durable, with water-resistant construction. I found it very easy to use, and it works just as advertised.

Unpacking the WakaWaka

A real treat when the product arrives is experiencing the very nicely designed packaging, and what may be one of the best, most simple and graphic package inserts I've ever seen. Kudos not only to the product
WakaWaka-packagebackdesigner, but to the designer of that beautiful packaging! I guarantee you I won't be throwing mine away — it will serve as my permanent storage case for this great, very practical product, which gets my highest recommendation. Good design really matters!

Everyone with a smartphone knows there are times when
WakaWaka-packageopenbatteries die just
when you need your phone most. WakaWaka POWER makes sure you never
need to be powerless again. Smartphone owners in North America will love how it performs as a powerful personal solar charging station — it's obviously a great way to
WakaWaka-packageinsertpower mobile devices in emergencies, when traveling, or on a camping trip.

 But the WakaWaka POWER comes with that amazing light that makes
it an extremely useful tool for the harsh conditions faced by those
living in developing countries as well. (The company also offers products with just a light, without the phone-charging feature.)

Giving Power to Others

Here's a great bonus when you buy the product: with every WakaWaka POWER purchase, the company makes a $10 donation to the WakaWaka Foundation. (The company being Off Grid Solutions U.S. LLC in Discovery Bay, CA. Here's more about its mission.) All funds in the Foundation are used to empower entrepreneurs around the world to establish their own solar lighting businesses, encourage learning, and generate lasting social change.

WakaWaka is Swahili for “shine bright.”  Off-Grid Solutions develops, engineers, manufactures, and markets the most efficient lighting and phone charging solar-based products for consumers worldwide. Initially funded through Kickstarter.com, WakaWaka has received interest from more than 75 countries around the globe and is on a mission to end energy poverty in our lifetime. In 2012, Off-Grid Solutions made a pledge to the Clinton Global Initiative to distribute at least one million WakaWaka’s in the next few years.

The WakaWaka mobile phone charger and solar-powered lamp can be a true lifesaver for those that find themselves without electricity, in developing countries or in the West.

——–

Note: Yes, I was provided a review unit for doing this post — and got to keep it! I only do reviews for products I like. But I liked this one so much I also purchased a second WakaWaka POWER unit. So, now I'm double-covered when I'm way off the grid!

 

Attention Freelancers, Contractors, Independents, and Those Who Recruit Them – Check out vBench

July 11, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Ever heard the term "onshoring"?  Quite simply, it's the opposite of offshoring… and we need more of it
Onshoring-USmaphere in the USA!  If you're an independent contractor, or if you recruit such folks, it's time you knew about a brand-new startup called vBench.  In fact, they're so new they haven't even quite launched yet!  But you can find out more about what vBench can do for you, whether you're looking for work or looking to hire, by registering for one of their upcoming free webinars.

Here's the link to register!

 

VBench-logo

 

 

 

 

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• Session 1 Friday, July 19 at 11:00 AM CDT


• Session 2 Friday, July 19 at 1:00 PM CDT

vBench is launching the very first 100% exclusive U.S. online workplace for technology contractors, freelancers, and independent professionals. We recognize the challenges with offshore labor and, more importantly, understand the impact of bringing those jobs back home to the USA. We hope you'll join us!



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vBench connects businesses of all sizes directly with the rapidly growing U.S. based contingent workforce in the fields of Information Technology, Business Administration, Sales and Marketing, Design, Accounting and Legal. Businesses using vBench will be given the tools to hire, manage, and pay U.S based contractors in a more cost effective and efficient manner.

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