Traction Software has apparently taken out a Google Ad for the words Ross Mayfield, the CEO of Socialtext. Traction is our competitor in the enterprise social software market. Ross saw the ad on his Flickr profile and other blogs quoting Ross’s personal blog.
At Socialtext we respect honorable competitors but this is pretty low. If Traction wanted whuffie as opinion leaders and googlejuice as A-list bloggers, they might try to say intelligent, articulate things about the Social Software market instead.
If there’s an alternate explanation for these symptoms of Ross-envy, then let us know.
wow…how freaking wierd…if it’s true…
So tell us, Adina, was the link you created to Traction Software, that actually points to “Traction – Ultimate Solutions! for heavy vehicle parts,” deliberate or a hyper-freudian slip? A way of relating the story without increasing their google-juice?
I just tried Googling “”ross mayfield” social software.” The Google Ads I received were for three different companies, none of whom were either Traction Software or Socialtext. Searches on “”ross mayfield” weblog” and “”ross mayfield” blog” turned up no ads on the first search and an add for BloggerForum.com on the second.
It may well be that Traction Software triggered on Mayfield’s Flickr site, but in response to something else in the profile, as opposed to Ross’s name.
Business isn’t war in an age of instantaneous communication – that is an artefact of the industrial age when scarcity was the key economic driver. 21st century competitors are not necessarily those who are in the same nominal business as you are; rather they are the ones whose underlying effects, processes and dynamics are the same as yours – a significant difference that we explore in “McLuhan for Managers.”
I don’t understand.. did the ad say something insulting? If not, doesn’t it make perfect sense to key Google Ads to your competitors and to names associated with them? Surely people searching on those keywords are likely to be interested in your products? I don’t see any sort of envy or dishonor there, just a wise choice of keywords.
Hi Adina – While I appreciate the creativity of your quip and the excellent use of the word “whuffie,” we have not now and never have keyed Google ads on “Ross Mayfield,” or “SocialText” for that matter.
While I can understand the reaction, your comment is completely unwarranted, incorrect, and, while we respect your right to express opinion, on matters of fact a phone call or email to verify would have been appropriate.
I hope to meet you in person one day.
Best Regards,
Jordan Frank
Director, Marketing and Business Development
Traction Software
Hi Adina,
I’m a customer of Traction Software (no other connection between us), happened to find your original post and sent it to Jordan. I’ve found Jordan and the others at Traction Software to be good, honorable folks who make a very good product. So I was surprised to read something negative about them.
I’m glad to see you retract your statement. But I think it would have more value if there was a link to the original (mis-)statement so folks could see what you were talking about.
Thanks,
Stew