Mementum

This post by Scoble about the Google Keyword Tool fascinates me to no end. Does Silicon Valley know anything about marketing on the internet?

The overt focus on bleeding edge technology and fancy UI’s seems to have overshadowed that it’s not how much TechCrunch likes your design, it’s how well it works. Rarely have I read commentary in the blogosphere (or anywhere for that matter) pondering the true effectiveness of a design, rather than academically discussing its simplicity and ease of use.

If someone as knowledgeable as Scoble is just now talking about the keyword tool, then there’s a wide friggin’ hole for direct response gurus to bust in there and use some serious kung fu trickery to help these start-ups grow.

In an industry where so much value is placed on user counts or a derivative thereof, and when well-designed tests can yield 10, 20, and 30+ percent improvements in signup rates, I’m contuously amazed at how apparently little importance is placed on start-ups finding someone who’s a master of this domain.

I guess it goes without saying that email marketing is probably wide open as well.