MIVA's CMO Bishop Announces His 2006 Outlook for Internet and Communications Industries
Performance Marketing Network Offers 2006 Opinions on Industry Trends
NEW YORK - January 9, 2006 - MIVA, Inc., (NASDAQ: MIVA), the leading independent Performance Marketing Network, today announced that Seb Bishop, director and chief marketing officer, and founder of Espotting - the Company that launched search marketing in Europe - has revealed his opinions and outlooks for the Internet and communications industries for 2006.
In 2006, Mr. Bishop sees the following trends:
Wi-Max - The dawn of citywide wireless broadband - Wi-Max is Wi-Fi on steroids. In 2006, Mr. Bishop sees the evolution of a reality where individuals in cities around the globe are able to instantly access a high speed Web connection via PC or mobile device. In 2006 Mr. Bishop sees the trend growing with the evolution of citywide Wi-Max networks with a 30 mile radius. These networks could fundamentally change the way consumers interact with both brands and each other.
2006 could see the end of call charges in their current incarnation - With citywide Wi-Max around the corner and broadband penetration continuing to increase across the country, Voice over IP (VoIP) should start to reach critical mass in 2006, both via computers and mobile phones. With free calls from one VoIP user to another, monthly call charges may well become a thing of the past. A totally new business model for voice services could emerge based on mobile VoIP.
VoIP could also open up new ways for companies to interact with potential customers online. VoIP links could appear throughout Web sites and in online ads enabling consumers to speak directly to companies at the click of a button. This convergence of Web and telephony could result in a richer and even more interactive online experience. What's more, advertisers won't need a website to market themselves online as business leads could be delivered over the phone. This could help drive further growth in the online ad market particularly amongst SMEs, a trend already evident following the launch of Pay-Per-Call Ads in the UK.
Hybrid Mobile Phones will go on sale - According to Mr. Bishop, the days of being outside mobile network coverage are numbered, with hybrid mobile phones on the horizon. This next generation of mobile could automatically switch between the standard mobile signal and any Wi-Fi or Wi-Max network that is available.
This could not only significantly increase network coverage, but also the connection speed from mobile phones. Combine this with enhanced mobile processors and improved visual displays through organic screens and small projectors, which are expected to be on the market in 2006, and the gap between mobile and PC should begin to close. Mobile could well become the platform of choice in the future.
'Naked News' launches on mobile - In the next 12 months, Mr. Bishop sees the likely introduction of more video style mobile content in the form of news programs viewed via mobile by people in transit or viral video clips circulated between friends and colleagues.
The rise of Search Communities - Community search could enable users to browse the Web from within a walled garden comprising just the favorite sites and blogs of friends, family and colleagues. The premise being that like-minded people are interested in like-minded content, so search results could become more personalized and relevant. People may create these search communities themselves, populating them with personalized comments and reviews. Community search is here now, but Mr. Bishop believes 2006 is the year it is likely to truly capture the consumer imagination.
People will have one charger not three - In 2006, the iPod could be dead. Not the brand, just the device as we know it. Mr. Bishop sees stand-alone MP3 players becoming a thing of the past, replaced by multi-functional devices from which users will be able to play music, surf the Web, send emails and take ultra high quality pictures, along with making phone calls, of course. In 2006, Mr. Bishop sees one device, not three, in every individual's pocket.
2006, the year the publishing industry will fight back - The major portals are posing an increasing threat to traditional offline publishers, stealing not only ad spend, but also users. Companies like Google and Yahoo! generate revenue by selling ads on certain publishers' Web sites; they then use that revenue to develop products and content which take users away from those publishers. Take Google News for example, which is now one of the top news sites in the world. Just think of it in terms of offline publishing - would you ever see The New York Times selling The Wall Street Journal's advertising? The answer is no.
Mr. Bishop believes media owners are waking up to this threat and this is prompting a paradigm shift in the publishing world that may continue to gather momentum over the next 12 months. 2006 will likely see a spate of acquisitions and realignment as offline publishers take the battle to these giant portals.
Joe Bloggs, the content creator - 2005 was the year of the blog. However, Mr. Bishop believes advances in technology such as RSS will take this personalized Web to the next level. In 2006, Mr. Bishop sees the introduction of new software which will enable users to control exactly what is seen and how viewers see it - via Web, email or mobile. Mr. Bishop believes that individuals will be more empowered than ever before to become online publishers and this will extend beyond simple blogs into film and music. Next year may actually see the start of individual content creators making money out of the content they create, be it articles, or film clips.
About MIVA®, Inc.
MIVA is the leading independent Performance Marketing Network, dedicated exclusively to helping businesses grow. Our new media platform facilitates performance marketing for partners (publishers), advertisers and consumers (end-users). Our primary focus is on providing our partners with a complete set of innovative solutions enabling the acquisition, retention and monetization of their online audiences. As an independent provider, MIVA does not promote a branded destination search engine or portal that actively competes with our distribution partners for end-users. For our advertisers, we provide solutions to manage and optimize keyword-targeted and context-related Pay-Per-Click (and Pay-Per-Call) marketing programs. Our advertisers access distribution and generate leads through our network of publisher partners and are able to capitalize leads through our integrated e-commerce merchant solution. The Company has relationships with more than
100,000 customers, spanning North America, Europe and Asia.
Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations and involve certain risks and uncertainties within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words or expressions such as "plan," "intend," "believe" or "expect'" or variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements. Key risks are described MIVA's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Form 10-K/A for fiscal 2004, and the most recently filed quarterly report on Form 10-Q. MIVA undertakes no obligation to update the information contained herein.
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