Aduro News
Social Networks Target Pets
By Laura Fitzpatrick
Along with detailing his age and weight, Monty's profile proclaims his love for the beach and taking walks. Another profile, belonging to Marley Sue, gushes, "I will occasionally give you love bites on your feet and toes especially if you're wearing socks!" A third profile — Fletcher's — is more philosophical: "Life is too short to behave for too long."
No, this isn't some new online dating site. This is Doggyspace.com, a social networking site for dogs. Launched in July, the site already has nearly 700,000 users and is the newest pup in a growing litter of online communities for pets. Members (or presumably their two-legged companions) create profiles — including photos, videos and blogs — and befriend other like-minded animals; soon they will also be able to form groups and forums. "Owners take a backseat," says Doggyspace founder and CEO Levi Thornton. "It's all about the dog."
Online networks targeting pet lovers are common, but a growing subset is catering to the pets themselves, including MyCatSpace.com and Petster.com (remember Friendster?). Pets write messages to each other about shared interests and offer advice on health problems, training or local dog-friendly parks. Some have even enlisted their caretakers to arrange offline play dates. "Animals are natural social networking beasts," says Noah Paessel, CEO of SNIF Labs, a tech firm started by a group of MIT Media Lab graduate students to study "social networking in fur."
Kathryn Galbraith, 24, created a Doggyspace profile to get the word out about her pit bull-lab mix, Joe. "Writing from his perspective lets other people know how great of a dog he is," says the marketing project manager in Frederick, Md. Galbraith notes that it took her four years to make 158 friends on MySpace while Joe has racked up 85 friends in just one month on Doggyspace. "My dog is more popular than I am," she says.
The site is also a hit among people who find traditional forms of social networking too invasive. "It's non-threatening," says Dale Miller, 55, who does not use Facebook or MySpace but who updates the Doggyspace page daily for her bulldog mix, Etta. "It's for you, not necessarily about you."
The site relies heavily on role-play as owners imagine what Spot might be thinking when "Mommy" has a late night at work or expound the virtues of a new chew toy. Which means that at its core, sites like Doggyspace may not be all that different from traditional social networking. In the end, says Thornton, even when people are barking on behalf of their pets, "Everybody's pretty much talking about themselves."
But sites like Doggyspace could be the wave of the future. As social networking changes from a buzzword to an increasingly regular part of life, SNIF Labs' chief technology officer Jonathan Gips says online communities based on a common interest will become more prevalent. "There will be more niches," he says. Already Doggyspace is starting to attract non-canine species: a white rabbit named Nixie writes on her profile, "I am a bunny, but I joined this because there is no BunnySpace." Yet.
At Doggyspace, social networking
goes to the dogs
By MICHAEL FELBERBAUM
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Cici confesses on her Web page that she likes to greet
everyone by licking their feet. Dolce admits to being a mamma's boy. And Jake
and Tycho posted a video that chronicles their adventures of rolling around on
their backs.
It's not on Facebook or MySpace, but the canine equivalent — Doggyspace.com.
A crossbreed between MySpace and YouTube, Doggyspace allows dog owners
from all over the world to come together, create profiles, and share photos and
videos of their pups.
The Virginia-based site is part of a growing trend of niche, or content-focused,
social networking sites that target interest groups looking to connect with likeminded
people.
"It's not so much social networking, it's having a social experience around things
that we care about, so pets are just such a great example of that," said Fred
Stutzman, an Internet researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Stutzman said many people are using more general social networking sites but
also signing up for sites like Doggyspace that offer a more focused experience
that can provide help and support on specific issues and go beyond traditional
message boards.
"Social networks like Facebook and MySpace are sort of about you and your
friends and these very direct connections, but there's all sorts of other types of
connections," Stutzman said.
Since launching in mid-July, Doggyspace has logged more than 700 registered,
active user profiles — 73 percent of them created by females, said Levi Thornton,
founder of the site and president of web development firm Mad Frog Productions
in Fredericksburg, Va. He projects that Doggyspace will have more than two
million accounts by the end of the year.
"There's a lot of people out there with their dogs and we're busy and we're all
working in the office all day long and this is a way for us to bring our pets with us,"
said Thornton, who has a Yorkie named Nokie and a pit bull named Ein.
Standard accounts for the site are free, but later this year Doggyspace plans to
offer premium accounts for a small fee that will give users extra features. A
portion of that fee will go to an animal charity of the members' choice.
Thornton, 30, said the site is a place for pet owners to share stories or learn
about a specific breed. It can also help people form friendships based on a love of
dogs, or connect people interested in finding a play date for their dog.
Connie Mandrozos found the site while searching for information for her 12-year-old
golden retriever, Boomer, who has cancer. She received an outpouring of
support from other dog owners with similar experiences and some told her they
"have their paws crossed" for Boomer.
Mandrozos, 36, ended up spending more time on the site, creating profiles for
Boomer as well as his "sisters" — a pit bull mix named Darla and another mixed
breed named Violet.
"It's been a goofy thing to do at the end of the day when you get home from work
and you just want to talk to somebody in your dog's voice and say, 'hey, how was
your day? Woof,'" said Mandrozos, who lives in Bridgeport, Conn. and sometimes
uses her dogs in her job as a behaviorist.
Most of the Doggyspace profiles include messages from other doggy "friends."
One profile is for a chocolate Labrador retriever named Guinness, who said her
mom "couldn't resist naming me after her favorite beverage" and said she is shy
around other dogs and scared of small, furry creatures because she lives with a
"VERY MEAN CAT."
Postings on Guinness' profile include a message from Chico, a Chihuahua mix
who offered to help with the shyness problem.
Dominique Cecchetti, a 20-year-old student from Pittsburgh, created a profile to
share photos of her 12-year-old Maltese named Darren, who has more than 125
friends on the site.
For Cecchetti and other users, the site is very much a dog and owner effort: "My
dog sits near the computer while I do the work for him," Cecchetti said in an email.
On the Net:
Doggyspace: www.doggyspace.com
Classic Homes of Maryland joins ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
Maryland Builder calls for volunteers for its Extreme Dream Team
Rockville, Md. – June 10, 2008 – Classic Homes of Maryland today announced they will join ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition for the upcoming build later this month. The Rockville builder was selected to oversee and implement an intense one-week build that will change the life of a deserving Maryland family. Classic Homes of Maryland is best known for its work with customers who own land and are seeking an affordable, but high-quality alternative to a custom designed and built home.
Classic Homes of Maryland is requesting volunteers in the community to provide their time, support and resources to help ensure the success of this life-changing project. Interested individuals or companies can find more information on the many ways to volunteer and show their support at the recently launched Classic Homes of Maryland Extreme Makeover: Home Edition website, which can be accessed through www.classicmd.net.
Classic Homes of Maryland was chosen largely because of their business philosophy. As a community builder, Classic Homes of Maryland strongly believes in donating to worthy causes. Every year, a significant amount of their profits are donated to the DD Puri Foundation (www.ddpuri.org) which seeks to empower marginalized communities and individuals around the world through education and health initiatives.
Of their selection, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition executive producer Conrad Rickettes says, "Classic Homes of Maryland is a community-focused business. Their devotion to giving back is what first caught our eye, and their long-standing tradition of charitable and community involvement assured us that they were the perfect builder for this project."
Amita Jain, Vice President and Co-Founder at Classic Homes of Maryland, says of the project, "We are very excited and honored by our selection. It’s a privilege to give back to our community by helping a local family. And what better gift could be given than a house to make their own? We’re especially looking forward to the reveal day, when all of our hard work will be rewarded by the joy of the family."
For more information on the project, and how you can help, please visit www.classicmd.net and follow the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition link.
About Classic Homes of Maryland Classic Homes of Maryland, based in Rockville, Maryland, builds affordable, high-quality homes on its customers land. Customers choose from a wide variety of home designs, finding a plan that is the perfect fit for their lot and their lifestyle. For more information visit www.classicmd.net or call 301-251-2001.
About ABC-TVs Extreme Makeover: Home Edition "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," which has won back-to-back Emmy Awards as Best Reality Program (non-competitive), is entering its 6th season on ABC. The program is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. Conrad Rickettes is the executive producer; and David Goldberg is the president of Endemol USA.
Aduro Receives Gold Award and Judges Award
Aduro received high honors at the 2008 Greater Frederick Advertising Federation (GFAF) Addy Awards held Saturday, March 1, 2008. Aduro won both a gold award and a judge’s award for the Havens by Hessen website. Both awards are among the highest acknowledgements in the field. Only 20 gold awards were awarded out of more than 72 categories.
When introducing her Judge’s Award recipient, Judge Eileen Coale, of Eileen Coale Communications, stated “…It’s so rare to find a website that’s a total package. Websites that have great design and intuitive navigation usually have lousy copy. Websites that have great copy are not too strong on the design and navigation, but this website was the total package. It’s just a really, really, well done, well executed and strong website.”
Ellie Whims, president of Aduro, comments, “To be recognized at the GFAF Addy Awards is a great privilege. Acknowledgment of excellence by your peers is always a great compliment. We plan on only continuing and excelling our current achievements ”
For more information on the GFAF Addy Awards, please visit their website at: www.greaterfrederickadfed.org.
Web sites snag local advertisers
Businesses turn to Internet to target narrow markets
by Rebecca McClay | Staff Writer - The Gazette
Thurs Jan 17, 2008
Dani Gurrie, who launched Tots2Tweens on Friday, plans to expand the Web site to have a national presence, as she did with a similar site in Australia.
Among the new community Web sites that have sprung up in recent months are Suddenvalues.com and Tots2tweens.com, adding to the county’s growing cyber-portfolio. Sudden Values is a national company that launched its local site in mid-November. It features local small-business listings, weekly e-mail announcements about discounts and rotating ‘‘spotlight” articles for Frederick County consumers.
Businesses pay about $1,500 per year for their listing, logo and the e-mail discount alert service to customers. Twenty-five businesses, including Adventure Park in New Market, Skate Frederick and BB’s Bagels & Bread, have already signed on and about two businesses per week have been joining since November, said founder Chuck Boetler. If the company’s trends in 75 other markets hold true in Frederick County, about 96 percent of the businesses will renew their advertising next year.
‘‘It’s a very low advertising and marketing cost compared to some of the other advertising media,” Boetler said. ‘‘It’s a pretty low-overhead business.”
As for most Web site operations, advertising revenue allows consumers and visitors to access the site for free. More than 1,250 users were registered for e-mail blasts early last week and the customer base is growing by about 150 members per week, Boetler said.
Advertisers are not yet spurning more conventional advertising options such as newspapers, coupons and magazines as profitable markets, Boetler said, but many of his advertisers ‘‘allocate money to us that they may have wasted in other media.”
Mike Carlisle, owner of I Made This! pottery studio in Everedy Square in downtown Frederick, is among Boetler’s advertisers. He kept his regular advertising in Frederick Magazine at about $150 per month for part of a two-page layout with neighboring merchants, while he expanded online for the first time in December.
‘‘I’m open to new and different ways of advertising,” Carlisle said. ‘‘I would hope it will pay off. When you put money into advertising, you want to see some return.”
Tots2Tweens, which launched Friday after more than a year of planning, links Frederick and other Maryland parents through a forum and connects families to child-friendly activities with an events calendar.
The site also has a blog on parenthood written by founder Dani Gurrie, mother of two children ages 2 and 4, with plans to open it to other women at various stages of motherhood. More than 250 advertisers were active Tuesday, Gurrie said.
So far, advertisers include national companies such as Amazon.com, an Oregon beauty product company and an online safety course for teenagers, but Gurrie said most advertisers are local.
‘‘Our bread and butter is the mom-and-pop shops,” she said. ‘‘These guys don’t have big budgets and we can entice them over. A lot of them are dropping their advertising for something that’s more niche-focused. Some are not buying as often in print.”
The cost is $500 per year to be included in her search engine, but her opening 50 percent discount of $250 per year is well below the cost to advertise in community newspapers, Gurrie said. Shorter-term prices vary from about $41 per month for an ad to $1.50 per day for a calendar listing.
Next year, rates will be based on the site’s traffic and net ratings, she said. ‘‘Because we don’t have a lot of history, the rates are set low,” she said. A similar parenting site Gurrie started in Australia, where she lived for several years, boasts 3,000 advertisers and 300,000 members.
Gurrie’s plans for Tots2Tweens.com are to expand it nationwide, as she did with her Australian Kidspot Web site.
‘Folks are turning to the Internet’
The two new sites’ more established competitors in Frederick County are not worried, said Steve Flook of 270 Net Technologies, which runs Frederick.com. Founded in 1998 by Area Guides with the slogan ‘‘Your Link to Your Community,” the site has a business directory, local forum, help-wanted ad section and calendar of events.
Flook, a systems architect, redesigned the original Frederick.com site in 2001 from a static listing to an interactive format after partnering with Area Guides LLC, which was also doing community Web site work on 23 sites. It now has about 600 business sponsors.
‘‘Folks are turning to the Internet more and more rather than turning to the Yellow Pages,” Flook said. Frederick.com ‘‘is getting updated on a daily basis... There wasn’t as much confidence in Internet advertising, but that’s slowly changing. Internet marketing and advertising has matured.”
With 2,000 subscribers to its e-mail services, an average of 250,000 page views per month and 35,000 unique monthly visitors, Frederick.com’s revenue increased 20 percent in 2007 over 2006, Flook said without disclosing details. Current ad rates are $375 per year. Plans include expanding blog opportunities in the next several months.
‘‘Time is on our side with the Internet,” Flook said. ‘‘More and more people are using it.”
Ellie Whims, owner of Frederick marketing agency Aduro, whose clients include Gurrie, said it has taken time for advertisers to learn how to leverage the Web efficiently, but now businesses are become ‘‘adept and savvy.”
‘‘It’s related to their need to reach the local target markets,” Whims said. ‘‘Tots2Tweens is taking it a step further. They’re looking at a subset of that market. In terms of trends, I think we’ll see more subsets. Web sites that are very specific are going to allow advertisers to optimize the money they spend to reach people.”
Everedy Square
6 N. East Street, #200
Frederick, MD 21701
p - 301.696.0318
f - 301.696.0319
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