#paid media consultancy

[dossiermediasblog]

Paid Media Marketing Services in Dallas - Dossier Media

What is one benefit of paid media?

One significant benefit of paid media is its ability to provide immediate and targeted results. When businesses invest in paid media services, they have the opportunity to reach a specific audience quickly and generate measurable outcomes. Here are some key advantages:

Quick Visibility and Results:

Paid media allows businesses to instantly place their content or advertisements in front of a defined audience. Unlike organic methods, which may take time to gain traction, paid media can provide immediate visibility. This is particularly beneficial for time-sensitive promotions, product launches, or events.

Targeted Advertising:

Paid media platforms often provide robust targeting options, allowing businesses to tailor their messages to specific demographics, interests, behaviors, and locations. This precision helps ensure that advertisements are shown to the most relevant audience, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversion.

Measurable ROI (Return on Investment):

Paid media campaigns typically come with analytics and tracking tools that enable businesses to measure the performance of their advertisements in real-time. This allows for a clear understanding of the return on investment, helping companies assess the effectiveness of their campaigns and make data-driven decisions for optimization.

Control Over Placement and Budget:

Advertisers have control over where and how their ads appear, as well as how much budget to allocate. This level of control allows for strategic adjustments based on performance metrics, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently and effectively.

Flexibility and Customization:

Paid media campaigns can be easily adjusted, scaled, or paused based on the evolving needs of the business. Advertisers can experiment with different creatives, messaging, and targeting parameters to find the most effective combination for their goals.

While paid media offers these benefits, it's crucial for businesses to integrate it as part of a comprehensive marketing strategy that includes earned and owned media. A balanced approach ensures a holistic and sustainable marketing effort to build brand awareness, credibility, and long-term customer relationships.

[xenmagmarketing]

When’s the Best Time to Run Instagram Ads? Find Out Now!

In this current digital era, Instagram has become such a powerful platform for all businesses. Because of Instagram businesses can now reach a much wider audience. Many people think Instagram is just a photo-sharing app, which is not true at all, it’s a place where brands connect, promote & grow. 

As a business owner if you want to grow your business on Instagram then one thing you need to keep in mind is timing. In today’s guide, we will explore some of the best practices for running Instagram ads and besides that also discuss the best time, duration, and frequency of Instagram ads. 

So, What’s The Best Time To Run Ads On Instagram? 

In general, running ads between Monday and Friday is considered good because people are more likely to be active on social media during the weekdays. On the other hand, weekends can be less active for some industries, but they can be effective for reaching people who are relaxing at home or spending time with friends and family.

So, depending on whom you are targeting you can decide the perfect time to run ads. However, if you’re not sure about your targeted audience, you can follow the table below to run ads daily.DayBest TimesMonday11 AM – 1 PM, 7 PM – 8 PMTuesday10 AM – 12 PM, 5 PM – 6 PMWednesday12 PM – 1 PM, 6 PM – 7 PMThursday10 AM – 11 AM, 5 PM – 6 PMFriday11 AM – 1 PM, 7 PM – 8 PMSaturday10 AM – 12 PM, 3 PM – 5 PMSunday11 AM – 1 PM, 6 PM – 8 PM

What’s The Best Duration For Instagram Ads? 

When it comes to running Instagram ads then the duration of the campaign plays a crucial role. The actual duration primarily depends on the advertising goals. For instance, if you are promoting an event or giving a limited-time offer then the campaign duration between 3 to 7 days works the best. On the other hand, if you are looking to build brand awareness then a longer campaign between 10 days to 4 weeks works the best. 

Running a campaign for too long, however, can lead to “ad fatigue,” where users become bored with seeing the same content repeatedly. Because of this, it is essential to maintain the right balance. 

The majority of businesses achieve success by running Instagram paid promotions for about 1-2 weeks for most products or services.  

How Many Days Should You Run Instagram Ads? 

There is no specific answer about how many days to post ads on Instagram because every business has different requirements. However, most experts recommend running ads for a minimum of 3 days to gather enough data and make proper adjustments. Moreover, if any campaign aim is to drive traffic to the website then 5 to 10 days campaign is needed. 

This duration allows your Instagram Ads company to analyze performance metrics and optimize for higher returns. Moreover, running ads for at least 5 days helps Instagram’s algorithm learn more about your target audience, it improves the overall efficiency of your ad spent. 

What’s The Best Frequency For Instagram Ads? 

Frequency refers to how often users see your ad during a campaign. The perfect frequency for Instagram ads ensures that your target audience sees your ad enough times to take action but not so much that they get irritated. A frequency of 1.5 to 2 impressions per user per day is often ideal for most businesses.

Frequency is an important parameter because if you are running an Instagram reel promotion then you dont want your audience to be overwhelmed by too many exposures in a short time. The frequency of the Instagram ad actually depends on your goals and the type of product you’re offering. 

How Can I Run Better Instagram Ads? 

Primarily there are 5 important things that you need to keep in mind to run better Instagram Ads. Here are the things: 

Target The Right Audience: Always use Instagram’s targeting features to reach users based on age, location, interests, and behavior. The more specific your targeting the better your ads will perform. 

Use High-Quality Visuals: Instagram is an eye-catching platform therefore the ads must be eye-catching too. So, whether you are using images, videos, or Instagram reel promotion, the high visuals quality content is essential.  

Write Compelling Captions: Besides eye-catching visuals, the captions also should be engaging. Always keep the captions short and keep in mind that the captions should convey your message and include a CTA. 

Experiment With Ad Formats: Instagram offers different types of ad formats such as stories, carousels, and other formats. So, do experiment with these ad formats and notice what works best for your business. 

Optimize Your Budget: Work closely with your Instagram marketing agency to ensure you’re spending wisely. Testing different budgets can help you find the most cost-effective way to run your campaigns.

How To Improve Instagram Ad Clicks? 

Increasing the click-through rate (CTR) on your Instagram paid promotion is crucial to getting more traffic to your website or landing page. Here’s how you can enhance your ad clicks:

Use strong calls to action (CTA): Encouraging viewers to “Swipe Up,” “Learn More,” or “Shop Now” can guide users toward the next step. A clear CTA is vital for driving engagement and clicks.

Focus on visuals: Bright, bold images or videos with a clear focal point can capture user’ attention as they scroll through their feed.

Test different ad placements: Ads can appear in various places on Instagram, such as the main feed, Stories, and Explore page. Test different placements to see where your audience is more likely to engage.

Refine your targeting: If your ads aren’t getting clicks, it might be due to poor targeting. Narrow down your audience by focusing on demographics and interests relevant to your product.

Use Instagram Stories: Ads in Instagram Stories have been found to have higher engagement rates. Consider using this format for better CTRs.

To know more about Instagram ads you can check out XENMAG’s Instagram ad service details. 

Instagram Ad Types

Instagram offers 6 different kinds of ad types and among those 6 are the most common types here I have mentioned those 6 types of ads:

Photo Ads: These are simple, static image ads that appear in users’ feeds.

Video Ads: These ads can last up to 60 seconds and offer more storytelling options than photo ads.

Carousel Ads: Users can swipe through multiple images or videos in a single ad.

Instagram Stories Ads: These appear between users’ stories and are full-screen, vertical ads that offer an immersive experience.

Explore Ads: These show up when users browse the Explore tab and help reach a broader audience.

Reels Ads: As a popular new format, Reels allow for short, engaging video content, which can be a powerful tool for Instagram reel promotion.

Each ad type has its strengths, and a good Instagram marketing agency like XENMAG can help you select the right one based on your specific marketing goals. XENMAG is the best Instagram Marketing Agency in India,  XENMAG’s Instagram marketing agency pricing is affordable. If you want to know the Instagram advertising prices then check out XENMAG’s Instagram marketing services. 

XENMAG The Best Instagram Advertising Agency  

When it comes to Instagram advertising, XENMAG is one of the best agencies. Here’s why: 

Expertise in Instagram Ads: XENMAG has extensive experience in managing Instagram Ads. Whether it’s choosing the right Instagram ad types, optimizing Instagram advertising prices, or creating engaging content, our team knows what works best. 

Customized Campaigns: XENMAG creates customized campaigns and ensures that your ads are shown to the right audience at the right time to run ads on Instagram.

Transparent Pricing: XENMAG offers competitive Instagram marketing agency pricing,  and we offer Instagram ad service at affordable rates.  

Comprehensive Strategy: XENMAG provides a full Instagram ads service including ad creation, targeting, and optimization. Whether you’re looking to run Instagram reel promotion or post ads on Instagram for e-commerce we cover everything. 

Proven Results: XENMAG helped 127 businesses grow on Instagram and increased their visibility, engagement, and sales.  

In the end, running an effective Instagram ad campaign requires an understanding of the best practices for duration, frequency, and format. XENMAG, the top Instagram marketing agency, can guide you through this process, offering the expertise and tools needed to ensure your campaigns are a success. Whether you’re looking to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, or promote a specific product, XENMAG is the Instagram Ads company you need.

[wildsparkmarketing]

Wild Spark Marketing ignites brand potential through innovative marketing strategies. We specialize in crafting data-driven solutions for launch campaigns, campaign refreshes, and overall marketing & sales strategy. Services We Offer: Marketing & Sales Strategy Multicultural Marketing Campaign Development Digital Marketing OTT (Streaming Tv) Website Optimization.

Business Hours: Mon — Fri: 9AM — 5PM

Contact Info: Wild Spark Marketing Address: 3343 Peachtree Rd NE Ste 180 #A2237, Atlanta, GA 30326 Phone: +1 800–886–8239 Mail: info@wildsparkmarketing.com Website: http://www.wildsparkmarketing.com

Follow On:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildsparkmarketing/ Twitter: https://x.com/WildSparkInfo

[88gravity-agency]

Unlock Brand Success with 88gravity: From SEO to Influencer Marketing and Beyond

Unlock the full potential of your brand with 88gravity’s comprehensive Digital Marketing Services! From SEO to PPC, social media to content creation, we’ve got you covered.

Elevate your online presence with expert website design, influencer marketing, and reputation management. Let’s make your brand stand out!

[robert-davis]

Key Strategies for Effective Business Development Consulting | Hidden Falls Media

If you are looking to grow your business, then business development services can be a valuable asset. Business development consultants can help you identify new opportunities, develop and implement strategic plans, and build relationships with key stakeholders. There are a number of business development consulting services in Cincinnati, OH that can help you achieve your growth goals. These companies can help you with everything from market research and competitive analysis to sales and marketing strategy development. Here are some of the benefits of working with Hidden Falls Media, a business development consulting service in Cincinnati, OH:

Read More info:- business development consulting

[rohinidigitalmarketer]

[mindingyourmedia]

Digital Marketing | Website Development | PPC Lead Generation Experts

Minding Your Media offers services for lead generation, PPC, website creation, affiliate marketing, digital marketing consultancy, and more. Today call us at 480-442-9499

[firelise]

actual creative edit i just got:

email 1 -> "Can we make this video fade in from black?"

me -> "sure, here is an updated version of the video"

email 2 -> "Thanks! Unfortunately, it looks like this begins with a black screen? Please update so it begins with thumbnail image"

[folksdigital]

In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of our daily lives. It has revolutionized the way we connect, communicate, and even conduct business. As a result, businesses of all sizes are realizing the immense potential of social media advertising to reach and engage with their target audiences. However, navigating the complex world of social media can be overwhelming, which is where social media advertising agencies come into play. In this blog post, we will explore the role and significance of social media advertising agencies and how they can help businesses achieve their marketing goals.

[sandy1674686]

Elevating Your Marketing Game: Unleashing the Power of Marketing

In the ever-evolving digital landscape, effective marketing strategies are crucial for businesses to succeed. To stay ahead of the competition, organizations often seek the expertise of marketing agencies. However, some forward-thinking agencies go beyond traditional services by offering coaching and courses in key areas such as social media marketing, web development and design, and search engine optimization (SEO). In this blog, we will explore the benefits of partnering with marketing agencies that provide coaching and courses, focusing on keywords such as marketing consulting agency, online marketing agency, SEO, SEM, web design, and web development.

Enhancing Marketing Strategies with Coaching from Marketing Consulting Agencies

Elevating Marketing Expertise with Professional Coaching

Marketing consulting agencies provide personalized coaching to organizations, assisting them in creating and executing effective marketing strategies. Through one-on-one coaching sessions, businesses gain insights into market trends, receive expert guidance, and refine their marketing strategies. These coaching sessions allow organizations to align their marketing efforts with industry best practices, ensuring a competitive edge and maximizing return on investment.

Unlocking the Power of Online Marketing with Specialized Agencies Succeeding in the Digital Realm with Online Marketing Agencies

Online marketing agencies specialize in driving digital growth for businesses. Beyond offering traditional marketing services, they provide comprehensive courses to equip organizations with the knowledge needed to navigate the digital landscape. Organizations can enroll in courses that cover various topics, including social media marketing, search engine marketing (SEM), SEO, and web design. These courses empower organizations to enhance their online visibility, drive targeted traffic, and optimize online marketing campaigns for better results.

Mastering Social Media Marketing for Engaging Customer Relationships

Social media platforms have become essential for businesses to connect with their target audiences. Marketing agencies offering coaching and courses in social media marketing enable organizations to develop engaging social media strategies. These courses cover content creation, community management, analytics, and advertising techniques tailored to different social media platforms. By mastering social media marketing, organizations can foster stronger customer relationships, increase brand awareness, and drive business growth.

Designing an Effective Online Presence with Web Development and Design Courses

Craft an Impressive Digital Identity through Web Development and Design Education. A successful online presence hinges on well-designed websites that captivate and convert visitors. Marketing agencies that offer web development and design courses provide organizations with skills to create visually appealing, user-friendly websites. These courses cover web development languages, design principles, website optimization, and responsive design. Armed with web development and design knowledge, organizations can create websites that effectively communicate their brand message, improve the user experience, and increase conversions.

Driving Organic Traffic with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Expertise

Reaching New Heights on Search Engine Result Pages with SEO Skills. Online visibility is vital for organizations to attract targeted organic traffic. Marketing agencies offering SEO coaching and courses equip organizations with the tools and knowledge needed to optimize their websites for search engines. These courses cover keyword research, on-page and off-page optimization techniques, and SEO analytics. With SEO expertise, organizations can climb the search engine result pages, drive organic traffic, and increase the chances of converting visitors into customers.

Conclusion

Partnering with marketing agencies that provide coaching and courses in social media marketing, web development and design, and search engine optimization (SEO) offers organizations a significant advantage in today's competitive digital landscape. By enrolling in these courses, businesses can elevate their marketing strategies with professional coaching, leverage online marketing expertise, master social media engagement, design impressive websites, and drive organic traffic through SEO optimization. A dynamic partnership with such marketing agencies promises to unlock growth opportunities, solidify online presence, and propel organizations towards marketing success.

[dossiermediasblog]

Digital Marketing Strategy Dallas - Dossier Media

What are the 5 main strategies of digital marketing?

Main Strategies of Digital Marketing

Digital marketing encompasses a variety of strategies that businesses use to reach their target audiences effectively. Here are five main strategies commonly employed:

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) SEO involves optimizing your website and content to rank higher in search engine results. This strategy focuses on improving organic traffic by using relevant keywords, creating high-quality content, and enhancing user experience on the site.

Content Marketing This strategy revolves around creating and distributing valuable, relevant content to attract and engage a target audience. It includes blog posts, videos, infographics, and podcasts, aiming to build brand awareness and establish authority in the industry.

Social Media Marketing Utilizing platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, social media marketing helps businesses connect with their audience, promote products, and enhance brand visibility. It also allows for direct interaction with customers, fostering community engagement.

Email Marketing Email marketing is a direct way to communicate with potential and existing customers. It involves sending newsletters, promotional offers, and personalized content to keep your audience informed and engaged, ultimately driving conversions.

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising PPC is a paid advertising strategy where businesses pay for their ads to appear on search engines and social media platforms. This approach allows for immediate visibility and can be highly targeted based on user demographics and behavior.

These strategies can be used individually or in combination to create a comprehensive digital marketing plan that meets specific business goals.

[digiads34]

@digi_ads_

[publisherinternationale]

Unlock the Power of Online Advertising: 5 Benefits You Can't Ignore

If people are found constantly hooked to their mobile screens, your business must be visible on that mobile screen. As a paid media agency, we are aware of the need to walk a fine line between driving organic traffic to your website along with paid advertisements. Your business marketing goals are sacred and they must be respected with utmost seriousness. In this article, we will discuss the top five benefits of online advertising for businesses, and why partnering with a paid media agency can help you maximize your results.

Talk directly to your customers, escape the crowd

Online advertising platforms allow you to target users based on demographics, interests, location, and behaviour. This means that your ads can be more relevant to your target audience, leading to higher engagement and conversions. This point especially benefits the niche businesses who need to target specific, narrow market segments with unique needs. For example, pet photography business, gluten-free bakery, outdoor gear rental services etc.  

See your ads work the magic, live

Digital media powers your campaigns with accessible dashboards. They populate your ad responses in real time, making it easier for you to take immediate steps. Media agencies experienced in paid advertisements use sophisticated softwares to track the success of your campaigns running across different digital channels. They can also track the performance of your competitors' ads and adjust your strategy accordingly.

With data points as minuscule as the number of clicks, impressions, and conversions generated by your ads, better analysis can be computed for effective decision-making. This level of transparency maximises your return on investment (ROI). 

3. Suit your pocket, avoid overspending

Online advertising is cost-effective. it allows you to set a budget and only pay for clicks or impressions. This means you can optimize your ad spend and obtain more value for your money. This benefit allows us to test responses on experimental campaigns without taking the risk of losing a large investment. Moreover, it is far cheaper to create video campaigns for the web than for public broadcasts.

4. Perform your message, if you must

Online advertising can be more interactive than traditional advertising, which can help increase engagement and brand awareness. For example, a photography business can showcase its portfolio while talking about its features and costs. Niche tech products can convert their explainer videos into advertising. Moreover, customers and brands can meet each other with a tap of a button. 

5. Control your campaigns, limit failures

Advertising through digital media platforms offers flexibility and control over your ad campaigns. Create, modify, and pause your ads easily; fine-tune your audience targeting as per the response received; and adjust your budget as needed. For instance, if you are running a seasonal sale, you can create ads for that specific campaign and run them for a limited period. 

Partnering with a paid media agency can help you maximize the benefits of online advertising. Publisher’s Intenrationalè can help you create a customized strategy that aligns with your business goals, target the right audience, and maintain even the tightest budgets. If you're looking to leverage the power of online advertising, partner with our organization. We have expertise in all forms of digital media and unlock the potential of online advertising to drive results and grow your business.

[renthony]

How would one go about making an intersex character

That's a big question, and I want to emphasize that I'm only one person, and I can only speak for my own personal experiences. There is no one-size-fits-all guide to this sort of thing.

My advice is therefore the same as it would be for writing any character whose identity you don't share:

Understand that you might fuck it up, but don't let it stop you from trying. No group is a monolith, and what resonates with one member of a group might be considered shitty representation by another member of that group. You're never going to make everyone happy, so instead of trying to make the "perfect representation," try to approach things with the mindset that nothing will ever be perfect. The goal is to have a wide variety of respectful representation, not create the Perfect Rep.

Engage with media created by people who share the identity you want to represent. You can't write a respectful piece of representation if you don't know how anyone in that group is representing themself.

Research activism connected to the identity you want to represent. What are the offensive stereotypes you should avoid? What kinds of sociopolitical issues affect this group of people? Are there any organizations dedicated to activism and support for this group, and have those organizations made any resources for allies?

Work with a sensitivity consultant, and preferably more than one if you can. Many people do this as a paid service, but there are plenty of people who are willing to arrange some kind of trade if financial hardship is an issue. If you absolutely cannot manage to get a consultant for whatever reason, doing your own research becomes even more important.

Since you asked about intersex representation specifically, let me help you get started with some relevant links:

InterAct's Intersex FAQ

InterAct's collection of informative brochures & guides

Intersex Human Rights Australia: Celebrating Intersex Firsts on TV

JSTOR: Intersex Narratives: Shifts in the Representation of Intersex Lives in North American Literature and Popular Culture, by Viola Amato

Human Rights Campaign: Understanding the Intersex Community

GLAAD Media Reference Guide: Intersex People

[mostlysignssomeportents]

It’s been twenty years since my Microsoft DRM talk

On THURSDAY (June 20) I'm live onstage in LOS ANGELES for a recording of the GO FACT YOURSELF podcast. On FRIDAY (June 21) I'm doing an ONLINE READING for the LOCUS AWARDS at 16hPT. On SATURDAY (June 22) I'll be in OAKLAND, CA for a panel and a keynote at the LOCUS AWARDS.

This week on my podcast,This week on my podcast, I read my June 17, 2004 Microsoft Research speech about DRM, a talk that went viral two decades ago, and reassess its legacy:

https://craphound.com/msftdrm.txt

It's been 20 years (and one day) since I gave that talk. It wasn't my first talk like that, but at the time, it was the most successful talk I'd ever given. I was still learning how to deliver a talk at the time, tinkering with different prose and delivery styles (to my eye, there's a lot of Bruce Sterling in that one, something that's still true today).

I learned to give talks by attending sf conventions and watching keynotes and panel presentations and taking mental notes. I was especially impressed with the oratory style of Harlan Ellison, whom I heard speak on numerous occasions, and by Judith Merril, who was a wonderful mentor to me and many other writers:

https://locusmag.com/2021/09/cory-doctorow-breaking-in/

I was also influenced by the speakers I'd heard at the many political rallies I'd attended and helped organize; from the speakers at the annual Labour Day parade to the anti-nuclear proliferation and pro-abortion rights marches I was very involved with. I also have vivid memories of the speeches that Helen Caldicott gave in Toronto when I was growing up, where I volunteered as an usher:

https://www.helencaldicott.com/

When I helped found a dotcom startup in the late 1990s, my partners and I decided that I'd do the onstage talking; we paid for a couple hours of speaker training from an expensive consultant in San Francisco. The only thing I remember from that session was the advice to look into the audience as much as possible, rather than reading from notes with my head down. Good advice, but kinda obvious.

The impetus for that training was my onstage presentation at the first O'Reilly P2P conference in 2001. I don't quite remember what I said there, but I remember that it made an impression on Tim O'Reilly, which meant a lot to me then (and now):

https://www.oreilly.com/pub/pr/844

I don't remember who invited me to give the talk at Microsoft Research that day, but I think it was probably Marc Smith, who was researching social media at the time by data-mining Usenet archives to understand social graphs. I think I timed the gig so that I could kill three birds with one stone: in addition to that talk, I attended (and maybe spoke at?) that year's Computers, Freedom and Privacy conference, and attended an early preview of the soon-to-launch Sci Fi Museum (now the Museum of Pop Culture). I got to meet Nichelle Nichols (and promptly embarrassed myself by getting tongue-tied and telling her how much I loved the vocals she did on her recording of the Star Wars theme, something I'm still hot around the ears over, though she was a pro and gently corrected me, "I think you mean Star *Trek"):

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=4IiJUQSsxNw&list=OLAK5uy_lHUn58fbpceC3PrK2Xu9smBNBjR_-mAHQ

But the start of that trip was the talk at Microsoft Research; I'd been on the Microsoft campus before. That startup I did? Microsoft tried to buy us, which prompted our asshole VCs to cram the founders and steal our equity, which created so much acrimony that the Microsoft deal fell through. I was pretty bitter at the time, but in retrospect, I really dodged a bullet – for one thing, the deal involved my going to work for Microsoft as a DRM evangelist. I mean, talk about the road not taken!

This was my first time back at Microsoft as an EFF employee. There was some pre-show meet-and-greet-type stuff, and then I was shown into a packed conference room where I gave my talk and had a lively (and generally friendly) Q&A. MSR was – and is – the woolier side of Microsoft, where all kinds of interesting people did all kinds of great research.

Indeed, almost every Microsoft employee I've ever met was a good and talented person doing the best work they could. The fact that Microsoft produces such a consistent stream of garbage products and crooked business practices is an important testament to the way that a rotten organization can be so much less than the sum of its parts.

I'm a fully paid up subscriber to Ronald Coase's "Theory of the Firm" (not so much his other views):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_the_firm

Coase says the reason institutions exist is to enable people to work together with lowered "coordination costs." In other words, if you and I are going to knit a sweater together, we're going to need to figure out how to make sure that we're not both making the left sleeve. Creating an institution – the Mafia, the Catholic Church, Microsoft, a company, a co-op, a committee that puts on a regional science fiction con – is all about minimizing those costs.

As Yochai Benkler pointed out in 2002, the coolest and most transformative thing about the internet is that it let us do more complex collective work with smaller and less structured institutions:

https://www.benkler.org/CoasesPenguin.PDF

That was the initial prompt for my novel Walkaway, which asked, "What if we could build luxury hotels and even space programs with the kind of (relatively) lightweight institutional overheads associated with Wikipedia and the Linux kernel?"

https://crookedtimber.org/2017/05/10/coases-spectre/

So the structure of institutions is really important. At the same time, I'm skeptical of the idea that there are "good companies" and "bad companies." Small businesses, family businesses, and other firms that aren't exposed to the finance sector can reflect their leaders' personalities, but it's a huge mistake to ascribe personalities to the companies themselves.

That's how you get foolish ideas like "Apple is a good company because they embrace paid service and Google is a bad company because they make money from surveillance." Apple will spy on you, too, if they can:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/14/luxury-surveillance/#liar-liar

Disney and Fox weren't Romeo and Juliet, star-crossed lovers making goo-goo eyes at each other across the table at MPA meetings. They were two giant public companies, and any differences between them were irrelevancies and marketing myths:

https://locusmag.com/2021/07/cory-doctorow-tech-monopolies-and-the-insufficient-necessity-of-interoperability/

I think senior management's personalities do matter (see, for example, the destruction of Boeing after it was colonized by sociopaths from McDonnell Douglas), but the influence of those personalities is much less important than the constraints that competition and regulation impose on companies. In other words, an asshole can run a company that delivers good products at fair prices under ethical conditions – provided that failing to do so will cost more in lost business and fines than they stand to make by cheating:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/24/record-scratch/#autoenshittification

Microsoft is a company founded and run by colossal assholes. Bill Gates is a monster and he surrounded himself with monsters, and they hired monsters to fill out the courts of their corporate palaces:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/14/patch-tuesday/#fool-me-twice-we-dont-get-fooled-again

To the extent that good things come out of Microsoft – some of its games products, the odd piece of hardware, important papers from MSR – it's in spite of the leadership; it's the result of constraints imposed by competition and regulation – and that's why Microsoft pursued such an aggressive program of extinguishing its competitors and capturing its regulators.

In retrospect, I think one of my goals in that talk was to convince those people doing good work for a rotten institution to go elsewhere and do other things. Certainly, that's one of the goals I pursue in the talks I give today. At the time, some of Microsoft's highest-profile technologists were publicly resigning over the company's war on free/open source software, so it wasn't an unrealistic goal:

https://web.archive.org/web/20030214215639/http://synthesist.net/writing/onleavingms.html

What I did not expect what that publishing the talk on my site and blogging it on Boing Boing would spark a wave of public interest that would get its message in front of several orders of magnitude more people than I spoke to at Microsoft that day. Partly, that was because I released the talk into the public domain, using the brand-new Creative Commons Public Domain Declaration (which was later replaced with the CC0 mark, due to legal issues withBu its drafting):

https://web.archive.org/web/20100223035835/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/publicdomain/

Some mix of the content of the speech, the spirit of the moment, and the novelty of that wide open license sparked a ton of interest. Jason Kottke recorded an audio version that Andy Baio hosted:

https://kottke.org/04/06/cory-drm-talk

My brutalist ASCII transcript was quickly converted to beautiful HTML by Matt Haughey and Anil Dash:

https://web.archive.org/web/20040622235333/http://www.dashes.com/anil/stuff/doctorow-drm-ms.html

For people who needed a hardcopy, there was Patrick Berry's printer-friendly stylesheet:

https://patandkat.com/pat/weblog/mirror/cory-drm/doctorow-drm-ms.html

Multiple people recorded (and sold!) audio versions, and then there were all the fan translations, into Danish, French, Finnish, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (both EU and Brazilian), Spanish and Swedish. I stayed in touch with some of those translators, and they helped me translate the position papers I wrote for UN WIPO meetings. Those papers were so effective that ratfuckers from the copyright lobby started to steal them and hide them in the UN toilets (!):

https://web.archive.org/web/20041119132831/https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/002117.php

Re-reading the speech for my podcast on Sunday, I expected to be struck by the anachronisms in it, and there were a few of those to be sure. But far more clear was the common thread running from this talk to other talks I gave that took on a significant life of their own, like my 2011 "War On General Purpose Computing" talk for CCC:

https://memex.craphound.com/2012/01/10/lockdown-the-coming-war-on-general-purpose-computing/

And my work on Adversarial Interoperability:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/10/adversarial-interoperability

And my most recent work, on enshittification:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/27/an-audacious-plan-to-halt-the-internets-enshittification-and-throw-it-into-reverse/

In other words, I've been saying the same thing – in different ways – for more than 20 years. That could be depressing, but I actually found it uplifting. Two decades ago, I was radicalized by a fear that the internet would be seized by corporations and governments and transformed into a system of surveillance and control. I found my way into a job at EFF, where I worked with colleagues across multiple disciplines – coders, lawyers and activists – to fight this force.

At the time, this was a fringe cause. Most of the traditional activists I'd come up with in the feminist, antiwar, antiracist, environmental and labour movement viewed digital rights as a distraction and dismissed its partisans as sad, self-obsessed nerds who mistook fights over the management of Star Trek message boards for civil rights struggles:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/10/04/small-change-malcolm-gladwell

I thought I was right then, and I think history has borne me out. The point of waging these fights – both in the wide public sphere and within political movements – is to get people activated before it's too late. Every day that goes by is a day when the internet becomes more inhospitable to political organizing for a better world – more surveillant, more controlling. I believed then – and believe today – that the internet isn't more important that the other fights I waged as a young activist, but I think that the internet is fundamental to those fights.

Saving the planet, smashing patriarchy, overthrowing tyranny and freeing labor are all fights that will be coordinated – Coase style – on the internet. Without a free, fair and open internet, those fights are infinitely harder to win.

The project of getting people to understand, care about, and fight for digital rights is a marathon, not a sprint. When I joined EFF, it was already 12 years old. There were six people in the org then (I was the seventh). Today, there's more than a hundred of us, and we're stretched so thin! The 30+ year old idea that internet policy will intersect with every part of every fight has been utterly vindicated.

Back in 2004, I asked Microsoft why they were willing to fight the US government to the death over antitrust enforcement, but were such wimps when confronted with the entertainment industry's demands for DRM. 20 years later, I think I know the answer: Microsoft understood that DRM would let them usurp the relationship between creative workers, entertainment industry companies, and audiences. Their perfect instincts for seeking out and capitalizing on opportunities to seize monopoly power drove them to make deliberately defective products, in the belief that their market power would let them cram those products down our throats:

https://memex.craphound.com/2004/01/27/protect-your-investment-buy-open/

Here's a link to the podcast episode:

https://craphound.com/news/2024/06/16/my-2004-microsoft-drm-talk/

And here's direct link to the MP3 (hosting courtesy of the Internet Archive; they'll host your stuff for free forever):

https://archive.org/download/Cory_Doctorow_Podcast_470/Cory_Doctorow_Podcast_470_-_My_2004_Microsoft_DRM_Talk.mp3

And here's the RSS feed for my podcast:

https://feeds.feedburner.com/doctorow_podcast

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/18/greetings-fellow-pirates/#arrrrrrrrrr

[qqueenofhades]

Hi Hilary I know you’re only replying to so many politics asks — I can only imagine how many are sitting in your inbox rn — and you’ve already been such a comfort to all us folks who’ve really appreciated your insight time and time again! But I did want to ask about all the posts I’ve seen more recently about signing petitions and reaching out to the White House for a recount. I feel like at this point we’re really reaching — everyone’s talking about how there’s evidence suggesting cheating on Trump’s part, and while I would never be surprised by that, I have yet to see any trusted sources backing those claims. It feels like we’re long past that point, even though the results came in so much faster than I ever expected, but I was wondering if you have an opinion on all that? Take care in the meantime, and thank you for all that you do!

I will make this the last politics ask for the night, and hopefully for at least a few days (no promises, though), but --

This, most unfortunately, is not going to work. For one, Biden/the White House cannot request a recount in state-level races. There are strict rules governing who can and cannot request those, it's usually either triggered by a certain percentage margin or requested by the candidate, and then it also has to be paid for. Kamala has given her concession speech and the Democrats are not going to go down election-denialism rabbit holes. It is hugely unfortunate that the worst people in the world who launched a coup after losing last time are the ones to benefit from it, but... yeah. It just sucks all the way around.

The election interference happened on the day with all the Russian-linked fake bomb threats in blue areas of swing states, the ballot boxes set afire, etc etc. I fear we have only begun to see how bad it will be in this and any future elections, as with many other things, and the reports of people's ballots disappearing or not being received etc are obviously disturbing. But there is, as you say, scant evidence aside from social media chatter backing this up, people are angry and hurt and looking for something to make it not be real (me too, man) and that's easier than thinking that half the country simply shrugged and chose fascism because of grocery prices and trans panic. And it sucks absolute shit, but this is what happened. It happened broadly consistently across the country and was a symbol of the anti-incumbency that's been going on since Covid (New Zealand's liberal government also fell victim to this and elected reactionary conservatives, so this is a thing). We can split hairs about this or that policy decision by the Democrats, and believe me there needs to be a messaging revamp and the firing of basically every Democratic Corporate Consultant TM, but we need to face up to the truth that many, many ordinary American people chose this. They wanted it. And if we are going to do anything about it, we have to reckon with that fact instead of looking for conspiratorial excuses. For one thing, that's what those assholes do constantly, and fuck them.

Likewise, results came in across the country much faster due to the fact that people once more voted largely in person on Election Day, and not early/by mail as they did in 2020. They came in largely matching the expected timelines given by election officials of both parties beforehand. If there is basis to all this missing-ballot stuff, then yes, obviously, it should be investigated (though I have very low confidence that it will be if they are already making preparations to close the federal cases against Trump). But at this point, as you say, this is not something that has logistical legs and is going to undermine a lot more. It sucks. Sometimes I wish we didn't have to be the adults in the room and could just be whiny cheating shitstains like the Republican Fascist Party -- it seems to work out for them that people want Democratic policies and then elect Republicans to punish Democrats for not instantly and perfectly implementing all of them. The exit polls largely matched with what the results turned out to be. It absolutely sucks almighty shit, but it's true.

I am old enough to remember George W. Bush getting reelected in 2004, and it sucked, though not as much as this just because Trump is so crazy and extreme and the GOP has abandoned even the basic pretence of democracy and decency. It's a race to the bottom and through to the center of the earth for them now, especially since they have literally no incentive to reform or do anything but double down on their extremism. Why would they? They just won a major election and got popular legitimacy, something the Republicans have lacked for a long time. This is only the second time they've won the popular AND electoral vote (the first likewise being 2004) in the 21st century. We got the blue trifecta in 2020 because we benefited from the same desire for reversal of course that the Republicans are getting now. In and of itself, this does not indicate fraud. Terrible things about America and the future, yes, but not fraud.

So: Yes. We need to focus on the things we can control and prepare ourselves for what is still to come. It will be hard and it will suck and as I keep saying, it was completely avoidable, but people didn't want to avoid it. They're now going to learn painfully why they should have, but we can't do anything about that either. It is very much going to be a case of picking your battles, drastically limiting your daily news consumption, and a lot of other protective measures, and that is where, at least IMHO, we should focus our effort.

Take care. ❤️