why internet marketing

Trouble and trends, they say, come in threes. Today, a trifecta of deals shows how old-school web companies are engaging in a little retail therapy because they must, and because Wall Street has given them the equivalent of a year-end bonus, thanks to an uplift in tech stocks.

• Amazon is buying Quidsi, the parent of Diapers.com, for $500 million in cash, or roughly 3 times Quidsi’s 2009 sales. Diapers.com is a hit with the mommy set and is on target to generate $300 million in sales for 2010.  Amazon will assume $45 million in debt as well.


• QuinStreet, an online marketing and lead-generation company is buying CarInsurance.com for $49.7 million in cash and is expanding its footprint in the insurance business. CarInsurance.com, as the name suggests, sells car insurance online and provides leads to automobile insurers.


• Shutterfly, an online photo service, bought the assets of WMSG Inc., for $6 million and will use these to expand its commercial print-on-demand business. WSMG was in the business of helping deliver direct-marketing campaigns for large companies like Toyota and Dell

Now, while we all like to obsess about what company Google will buy next, the recent wave of M&A shows that it’s actually these old school web companies of a certain age that are looking at a current boom in tech stocks as a way to bolster their businesses. A report from the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) recently noted that during the third quarter of 2010, there were 104 mergers, a trend they expected to continue. And why not?

Over the past two months, the tech-heavy NASDAQ composite is up almost 500 points or roughly 18.5 percent to over 2800. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the tech stocks in the S&P 500 are trading at 13.9 times their forward earnings, versus the average of 12.7 times for the entire index. The current rally in technology stocks is driven by profits and growing sales for companies such as QuinStreet and Amazon.

QuinStreet’s stock is up 60 percent over the past three months, while Amazon has seen its stock jump 40 percent since early September, and Shutterfly shares have climbed over 35 percent since August of this year. Positive earnings are only adding to their coffers, which in turn means they can be used to beef up their businesses.

For related research check out GigaOM Pro (subscription required):

• Cleantech Financing  Trends 2010 & Beyond


• Report: U.S. Mobile Venture Capital Investment, Q2 2010


• Motives and Possibilities for a Big Apple Acquisition

It’s been another crazy week with the Web 2.0 Summit and Facebook’s big announcement about messages. With all of that excitement, it’s easy to miss one or two of the tools and resources we’ve been cranking out for you. Here’s our list from the past week or so.

In Social Media we look at how social good is become geo-aware and give you a walkthrough of the new Facebookclass="blippr-nobr">Facebook Messages. Tech & Mobile kicks off our gift guide with entries on iPads, Androidclass="blippr-nobr">Android, and some cool YouTubeclass="blippr-nobr">YouTube hacks. Business is loaded with startup tips from expert entrepreneurs and the importance of foreign languages for online businesses.

Looking for even more social media resources? This guide appears every weekend, and you can check out all the lists-gone-by here any time.

Social Media

• The Biggest Brands on Facebook /> In the past few years, big brands have started taking social media seriously, and Facebook marketing is a big part of the plan for many companies.
• The New Facebook Messages: A Walkthrough /> We’ve put together a screenshot walkthrough to help you make sense of what the new Facebook Messages product is all about.
• Checkins for Charity: The Rise of Geo-Social Good/> Can location-based networks bridge the gap between social media and the real world when it comes to causes that matter? Here’s a look at the promising future of the “charity checkin.”
• 5 Fresh Places to Find Great Online Video/> More and more sites are stepping up to help sift through the vast, expansive sea of online video. Here are five of our favorites.
• How Social Media Can Make Online Shopping Less Lonely/> A recent Harris Interactive poll shows that shopping, once a highly social activity, has become a lonely experience online. That may change with the rise of social shopping platforms.
• 11 Essential Apps for Managing Your Real Life Social Networks/> Even if you’ve mastered online social networking, you still need to keep tabs on your real life relationships. These apps can help you connect, coordinate, and plan across different social circles.
• Cats: They’re On the Internet /> We assume most felines view the web as a creative outlet, where dreams of becoming class='blippr-nobr'>Internetclass="blippr-nobr">Internet famous are within reach.
• Cracking the Mainstream: Why Social Gaming Is More Than Just a Fad/> Casual media has always co-existed with its long-form counterparts. Here’s why social gaming is a perfect compliment to today’s web.

For more social media news and resources, you can follow class='blippr-nobr'>Mashable’sclass="blippr-nobr">Mashable social media channel on Twitterclass="blippr-nobr">Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Tech & Mobile

• 12 Fun Hacks for Getting More Out of YouTube/> There’s no doubt YouTube can be tons of fun, but when you get bored of watching clips the traditional way, there are a ton of sites that can help enhance the experience.
• 5 Excellent E-Card iPhone Apps/> E-cards are an environmentally friendly way to send a greeting — especially nowadays, when you’re more likely to have your friend’s e-mail address than postal address.
• 10 iPhone Apps for Wine Enthusiasts/> These 10 apps will help you better understand and appreciate this refined libation.
• Why You Need an iPad This Holiday Season/> The fact that you can grab an iPad today, it’s affordable and it’s just straight-up fun to use makes it one of our 10 big gadget picks for the 2010 holiday season.
• 10 Comfortable Lap Desks for Cozy Computing/> Who needs a big office setup when you can kick back on the couch and get stuff done with one of these stylish lap desks.
• The Unprecedented Rise of Apple iOS and Other Internet Trends /> Legendary Internet analyst Mary Meeker has some statistics she thinks every Internet executive should know.
• Why You Need an Android Device This Holiday Season/> Got your eye on a new smartphone for the new year? Here’s why we love our Android devices on a variety of carriers.
• HOW TO: Develop a Branded iPhone App on a Budget/> Branded apps are not just for big corporations with money to burn. They are well within the reach of every small business.
• Why You Need to Upgrade Your Router This Holiday Season/> Ready to make the leap from 802.11g to 802.11n? Have no idea what those numbers mean? Get the lowdown on one of our favorite feature-rich Wi-Fi routers – the Netgear RangeMax WNDR3700.
• HOW TO: Create Your Own Customized Short URL/> A custom short URL is a great way to build your brand around content links, and you can do it for free with a Bit.ly Pro account. Here’s how to set it up.
• 5 Technologies That Are Changing the Way We Drive/> From cars that drive themselves to in-car connectivity systems that support third party apps, innovation is changing the driving experience.
• Build It Yourself: 8 Fun Electronics Kits Under $100/> We’ve gathered a group of DIY electronics kits, ranging from $16 to $95, guaranteed to please the left-brained folks of any age or skill level on your holiday gift list.
• Why You Need a Vizio XVT3SV Series TV This Holiday Season/> Of all the TVs that we’ve seen in 2010, none have stood out as profoundly as those from the Vizio XVT3SV series.
• Troubleshooting Those Ill-Advised Texts/> Read on for tips on troubleshooting your terrible-TM woes.
• Why You Need an Amazon Kindle 3 This Holiday Season/> The 8.5-ounce, 4.8 by 7.5-inch device is fast, sleek, light, and almost adorably small. Here’s why we think it should be at the top of your gadget wish list.
• 4 Winning Web Design Tips From Ryan Carson of Carsonified/> We had the chance to chat with Carsonified founder Ryan Carson about some best practices and his thoughts on the future of web design.
• 8 Experts Break Down the Pros and Cons of Coding With PHP/> class='blippr-nobr'>PHPclass="blippr-nobr">PHP is a versatile programming language, but some of its biggest strengths can also yield limitations. We spoke with 8 PHP pros to weigh the factors.

For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Business

• HOW TO: Land a Business Development Job/> Mashable interviewed six experts in the business development to get their tips on what it takes to become a business development professional at technology companies and startups.
• 5 Invaluable Marketing Lessons from an Epic Campaign for… Cream Cheese?/> As a branded social network, The Real Women of Philadelphia has turned 30,000 unlikely participants into a vibrant community of brand ambassadors. Here’s how Kraft made it happen.
• 5 Ways to Promote Your Social Media Efforts Offline/> Don’t overlook the real world when marketing your online efforts.
• Startup Advice: Inside Tips From Expert Entrepreneurs /> To gauge the pulse of today’s tech startup ecosystem, we spoke to a group of New York-based entrepreneurs and investors. Check out their tips for would-be entrepreneurs.
• Should Your Startup Apply for the sFund?/> Esteemed venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins launched a new fund called sFund last month. Learn more about whether your startup should apply.
• Are Groupon Stores and Do-It-Yourself Deals Worth the Risk?/> Groupon is rolling out a self-serve product called Groupon Stores that allows merchants to setup virtual storefronts and manage their own deals through the group buying site.
• 5 Signs That Coworking Might Be for You/> If these five signs describe you, it might be time to give coworking a try.
• Why Your Business Must Embrace the Foreign Language Internet/> Some of the fastest-growing online demographics are non-English speakers, and there’s a huge opportunity to own the search and social space around these markets before they get too crowded.
• HOW TO: Define the Role of Your Social Media Team/> A look at the basics of building a social media strategy: the goal of social media, who should be involved, and the responsibilities entailed.
• Social Media Marketing: 5 Lessons From Business Leaders Who Get It/> These five business leaders outperformed their peers in both quantitative and qualitative tests of social influence. See what you can take away from their success.
• How Social Media Can Make Online Shopping Less Lonely/> A recent Harris Interactive poll shows that shopping, once a highly social activity, has become a lonely experience online. That may change with the rise of social shopping platforms.

For more business news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s business channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

[Image courtesy of WebTreats]

For more Social Media coverage:

class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Social Mediaclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Social Media channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

bench_craft_company

<b>News</b> - Jennifer Aniston, Chelsea Handler Flaunt Bikini Bods in <b>...</b>

The new BFFs show off their curves while celebrating Thanksgiving abroad.

Small Business <b>News</b>: Small Biz Bonanza

On this day after Thanksgiving, we thought we'd create a feast of small business resources ourselves. Please dig in and enjoy every tasty morsel. This bonanza.

Game of the Week PlayStation 3 <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our PlayStation 3 news of Game of the Week. ... Gran Turismo 4 vs. Gran Turismo 5 Today 10:56. Gran Turismo 5: Special Stage 720p/1080/3D analysis Today 10:56. Latest News. GT5 update confirmed for Saturday ...

bench_craft_company

<b>News</b> - Jennifer Aniston, Chelsea Handler Flaunt Bikini Bods in <b>...</b>

The new BFFs show off their curves while celebrating Thanksgiving abroad.

Small Business <b>News</b>: Small Biz Bonanza

On this day after Thanksgiving, we thought we'd create a feast of small business resources ourselves. Please dig in and enjoy every tasty morsel. This bonanza.

Game of the Week PlayStation 3 <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our PlayStation 3 news of Game of the Week. ... Gran Turismo 4 vs. Gran Turismo 5 Today 10:56. Gran Turismo 5: Special Stage 720p/1080/3D analysis Today 10:56. Latest News. GT5 update confirmed for Saturday ...

bench_craft_company

Trouble and trends, they say, come in threes. Today, a trifecta of deals shows how old-school web companies are engaging in a little retail therapy because they must, and because Wall Street has given them the equivalent of a year-end bonus, thanks to an uplift in tech stocks.

• Amazon is buying Quidsi, the parent of Diapers.com, for $500 million in cash, or roughly 3 times Quidsi’s 2009 sales. Diapers.com is a hit with the mommy set and is on target to generate $300 million in sales for 2010.  Amazon will assume $45 million in debt as well.


• QuinStreet, an online marketing and lead-generation company is buying CarInsurance.com for $49.7 million in cash and is expanding its footprint in the insurance business. CarInsurance.com, as the name suggests, sells car insurance online and provides leads to automobile insurers.


• Shutterfly, an online photo service, bought the assets of WMSG Inc., for $6 million and will use these to expand its commercial print-on-demand business. WSMG was in the business of helping deliver direct-marketing campaigns for large companies like Toyota and Dell

Now, while we all like to obsess about what company Google will buy next, the recent wave of M&A shows that it’s actually these old school web companies of a certain age that are looking at a current boom in tech stocks as a way to bolster their businesses. A report from the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) recently noted that during the third quarter of 2010, there were 104 mergers, a trend they expected to continue. And why not?

Over the past two months, the tech-heavy NASDAQ composite is up almost 500 points or roughly 18.5 percent to over 2800. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the tech stocks in the S&P 500 are trading at 13.9 times their forward earnings, versus the average of 12.7 times for the entire index. The current rally in technology stocks is driven by profits and growing sales for companies such as QuinStreet and Amazon.

QuinStreet’s stock is up 60 percent over the past three months, while Amazon has seen its stock jump 40 percent since early September, and Shutterfly shares have climbed over 35 percent since August of this year. Positive earnings are only adding to their coffers, which in turn means they can be used to beef up their businesses.

For related research check out GigaOM Pro (subscription required):

• Cleantech Financing  Trends 2010 & Beyond


• Report: U.S. Mobile Venture Capital Investment, Q2 2010


• Motives and Possibilities for a Big Apple Acquisition

It’s been another crazy week with the Web 2.0 Summit and Facebook’s big announcement about messages. With all of that excitement, it’s easy to miss one or two of the tools and resources we’ve been cranking out for you. Here’s our list from the past week or so.

In Social Media we look at how social good is become geo-aware and give you a walkthrough of the new Facebookclass="blippr-nobr">Facebook Messages. Tech & Mobile kicks off our gift guide with entries on iPads, Androidclass="blippr-nobr">Android, and some cool YouTubeclass="blippr-nobr">YouTube hacks. Business is loaded with startup tips from expert entrepreneurs and the importance of foreign languages for online businesses.

Looking for even more social media resources? This guide appears every weekend, and you can check out all the lists-gone-by here any time.

Social Media

• The Biggest Brands on Facebook /> In the past few years, big brands have started taking social media seriously, and Facebook marketing is a big part of the plan for many companies.
• The New Facebook Messages: A Walkthrough /> We’ve put together a screenshot walkthrough to help you make sense of what the new Facebook Messages product is all about.
• Checkins for Charity: The Rise of Geo-Social Good/> Can location-based networks bridge the gap between social media and the real world when it comes to causes that matter? Here’s a look at the promising future of the “charity checkin.”
• 5 Fresh Places to Find Great Online Video/> More and more sites are stepping up to help sift through the vast, expansive sea of online video. Here are five of our favorites.
• How Social Media Can Make Online Shopping Less Lonely/> A recent Harris Interactive poll shows that shopping, once a highly social activity, has become a lonely experience online. That may change with the rise of social shopping platforms.
• 11 Essential Apps for Managing Your Real Life Social Networks/> Even if you’ve mastered online social networking, you still need to keep tabs on your real life relationships. These apps can help you connect, coordinate, and plan across different social circles.
• Cats: They’re On the Internet /> We assume most felines view the web as a creative outlet, where dreams of becoming class='blippr-nobr'>Internetclass="blippr-nobr">Internet famous are within reach.
• Cracking the Mainstream: Why Social Gaming Is More Than Just a Fad/> Casual media has always co-existed with its long-form counterparts. Here’s why social gaming is a perfect compliment to today’s web.

For more social media news and resources, you can follow class='blippr-nobr'>Mashable’sclass="blippr-nobr">Mashable social media channel on Twitterclass="blippr-nobr">Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Tech & Mobile

• 12 Fun Hacks for Getting More Out of YouTube/> There’s no doubt YouTube can be tons of fun, but when you get bored of watching clips the traditional way, there are a ton of sites that can help enhance the experience.
• 5 Excellent E-Card iPhone Apps/> E-cards are an environmentally friendly way to send a greeting — especially nowadays, when you’re more likely to have your friend’s e-mail address than postal address.
• 10 iPhone Apps for Wine Enthusiasts/> These 10 apps will help you better understand and appreciate this refined libation.
• Why You Need an iPad This Holiday Season/> The fact that you can grab an iPad today, it’s affordable and it’s just straight-up fun to use makes it one of our 10 big gadget picks for the 2010 holiday season.
• 10 Comfortable Lap Desks for Cozy Computing/> Who needs a big office setup when you can kick back on the couch and get stuff done with one of these stylish lap desks.
• The Unprecedented Rise of Apple iOS and Other Internet Trends /> Legendary Internet analyst Mary Meeker has some statistics she thinks every Internet executive should know.
• Why You Need an Android Device This Holiday Season/> Got your eye on a new smartphone for the new year? Here’s why we love our Android devices on a variety of carriers.
• HOW TO: Develop a Branded iPhone App on a Budget/> Branded apps are not just for big corporations with money to burn. They are well within the reach of every small business.
• Why You Need to Upgrade Your Router This Holiday Season/> Ready to make the leap from 802.11g to 802.11n? Have no idea what those numbers mean? Get the lowdown on one of our favorite feature-rich Wi-Fi routers – the Netgear RangeMax WNDR3700.
• HOW TO: Create Your Own Customized Short URL/> A custom short URL is a great way to build your brand around content links, and you can do it for free with a Bit.ly Pro account. Here’s how to set it up.
• 5 Technologies That Are Changing the Way We Drive/> From cars that drive themselves to in-car connectivity systems that support third party apps, innovation is changing the driving experience.
• Build It Yourself: 8 Fun Electronics Kits Under $100/> We’ve gathered a group of DIY electronics kits, ranging from $16 to $95, guaranteed to please the left-brained folks of any age or skill level on your holiday gift list.
• Why You Need a Vizio XVT3SV Series TV This Holiday Season/> Of all the TVs that we’ve seen in 2010, none have stood out as profoundly as those from the Vizio XVT3SV series.
• Troubleshooting Those Ill-Advised Texts/> Read on for tips on troubleshooting your terrible-TM woes.
• Why You Need an Amazon Kindle 3 This Holiday Season/> The 8.5-ounce, 4.8 by 7.5-inch device is fast, sleek, light, and almost adorably small. Here’s why we think it should be at the top of your gadget wish list.
• 4 Winning Web Design Tips From Ryan Carson of Carsonified/> We had the chance to chat with Carsonified founder Ryan Carson about some best practices and his thoughts on the future of web design.
• 8 Experts Break Down the Pros and Cons of Coding With PHP/> class='blippr-nobr'>PHPclass="blippr-nobr">PHP is a versatile programming language, but some of its biggest strengths can also yield limitations. We spoke with 8 PHP pros to weigh the factors.

For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Business

• HOW TO: Land a Business Development Job/> Mashable interviewed six experts in the business development to get their tips on what it takes to become a business development professional at technology companies and startups.
• 5 Invaluable Marketing Lessons from an Epic Campaign for… Cream Cheese?/> As a branded social network, The Real Women of Philadelphia has turned 30,000 unlikely participants into a vibrant community of brand ambassadors. Here’s how Kraft made it happen.
• 5 Ways to Promote Your Social Media Efforts Offline/> Don’t overlook the real world when marketing your online efforts.
• Startup Advice: Inside Tips From Expert Entrepreneurs /> To gauge the pulse of today’s tech startup ecosystem, we spoke to a group of New York-based entrepreneurs and investors. Check out their tips for would-be entrepreneurs.
• Should Your Startup Apply for the sFund?/> Esteemed venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins launched a new fund called sFund last month. Learn more about whether your startup should apply.
• Are Groupon Stores and Do-It-Yourself Deals Worth the Risk?/> Groupon is rolling out a self-serve product called Groupon Stores that allows merchants to setup virtual storefronts and manage their own deals through the group buying site.
• 5 Signs That Coworking Might Be for You/> If these five signs describe you, it might be time to give coworking a try.
• Why Your Business Must Embrace the Foreign Language Internet/> Some of the fastest-growing online demographics are non-English speakers, and there’s a huge opportunity to own the search and social space around these markets before they get too crowded.
• HOW TO: Define the Role of Your Social Media Team/> A look at the basics of building a social media strategy: the goal of social media, who should be involved, and the responsibilities entailed.
• Social Media Marketing: 5 Lessons From Business Leaders Who Get It/> These five business leaders outperformed their peers in both quantitative and qualitative tests of social influence. See what you can take away from their success.
• How Social Media Can Make Online Shopping Less Lonely/> A recent Harris Interactive poll shows that shopping, once a highly social activity, has become a lonely experience online. That may change with the rise of social shopping platforms.

For more business news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s business channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

[Image courtesy of WebTreats]

For more Social Media coverage:

class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Social Mediaclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Social Media channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

bench_craft_company

<b>News</b> - Jennifer Aniston, Chelsea Handler Flaunt Bikini Bods in <b>...</b>

The new BFFs show off their curves while celebrating Thanksgiving abroad.

Small Business <b>News</b>: Small Biz Bonanza

On this day after Thanksgiving, we thought we'd create a feast of small business resources ourselves. Please dig in and enjoy every tasty morsel. This bonanza.

Game of the Week PlayStation 3 <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our PlayStation 3 news of Game of the Week. ... Gran Turismo 4 vs. Gran Turismo 5 Today 10:56. Gran Turismo 5: Special Stage 720p/1080/3D analysis Today 10:56. Latest News. GT5 update confirmed for Saturday ...

bench_craft_company

<b>News</b> - Jennifer Aniston, Chelsea Handler Flaunt Bikini Bods in <b>...</b>

The new BFFs show off their curves while celebrating Thanksgiving abroad.

Small Business <b>News</b>: Small Biz Bonanza

On this day after Thanksgiving, we thought we'd create a feast of small business resources ourselves. Please dig in and enjoy every tasty morsel. This bonanza.

Game of the Week PlayStation 3 <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our PlayStation 3 news of Game of the Week. ... Gran Turismo 4 vs. Gran Turismo 5 Today 10:56. Gran Turismo 5: Special Stage 720p/1080/3D analysis Today 10:56. Latest News. GT5 update confirmed for Saturday ...

bench_craft_company