Marc's Voice

Peter Hirshberg hits the scene: “It’s all about getting the right algorithm”

Here’s a great article on Technorati and how it’s gonna make money. It’s an answer to a plea I sent out last week - hoping for clarity on “what is the buisness model?”

And just like a ‘vision of light’ - this article appears.

I’m not sure whether Peter Hirshberg is an employee or ‘consultant’ for Technorati - but his arrival back in the SF Bay area marks another step forward in the evoluton of our world. By helping Technorati figure out how to exploit the database they’re compiling, Peter is showing us all what Technorati’s business model - is.

It’s only through actions and implementation that they can prove to the world the implied value of their efforts.

The data that Technorati ‘presides over’ is the treasurre chest that is us. By mining this treasure in new ways, the world of ‘marketing’ will wake up. Once they figure out how they can track memes, figure out why people love them or hate them or confirm their ’suspicions’ on some new idea - their wallets will open up.

$$$$$$Billions and billions$$$$$$ of dollars are spent every year on bullshit. On pure crap that is shoveled down our throats, trying to make us believe what they want us to buy.

But what happens when one, two, five ad agencies figure out how to REALLY track what people are thinking about?

What happens when some brand finds a way to put a warm and fuzzy spot in our hearts? Almost as if my magic.

All this is happening because someone named Peter Hirshberg decided to move back to SF. Peter is one of those Silicon Valley guys who’s watched our industry become one of the leading industry’s throughout the world today. All culture, commerce and emotions lead through our industry.

What is known as entertainment, marketing, influence and psychology is driven by technology today. Everything that we know - is ’swatched’ in the veneer of technology. We wouldn’t be sitting here today, reading this post - if it wasn’t for technology. Almost nothing ‘happens’ without technology. That’s how big we are.

And at the forefront of technology is blogging and social software.

It’s about us, people, and once we get our hands on the wheel of our own destiny - look out world!

Our own realization of what our own power is - is what it’s all about.

Peter Hirshberg and Technorati can help get us there. By exploiting and monetizing the Technorati database - we ALL will benefit in the rewards that are about to swathe us in cold, hard cash.

NOTE: Sometimes you need a little cajoling to get people to go public and make things clear. When I posted this plea on Technorati’s business model - I did it for all of us. Cause we all need to see how they’re gonna be PRINTING money. Let’s just hope there’s some left for the rest of us.

But in a funny way - I actually trust Tehcnorati.

Dave immediately called me up (on the 4th of July) to make SURE I knew that they WERE making money. Dave is such a sincere, wonderful person - he really CARES about all this. It’s not about making money to him. So that’s where people like Peter come in.

It’s ALL about money - and unless you embrace this evil truth, you’ll never be sucessful. So by Technorati making it clear how they’re making money, we all can come to our ‘pack’ with the devil - and figure out our OWN business models.

Ross Mayfield teased me “what’s YOUR business model?” - and I made it clear to him - as I’ll do to all of you right now:

- Create great systems, charge costs + 40% and then get back-end points and/or equity. If we set them up to make money, then we should be making money.

- All the while we’re continuing to develop code which we’ll open source and eventually base our own offering around.

- Oh yah – in case you haven’t figured it out yet – our marketing is about helping to create and promulgate open standards.

OK - now back to Technorati. They’re being really inspirational now. Live8 made that clear, the convention work was the beginning.

And Technorati Tags provides a clear path towards the future for all of us. When we’ve talked to Dave about the notion of “OpenTopics” - he’s been enthusiastic and supportive.

There’s every reason to believe that Technorai will be with us, providing key aspects of the ‘open source infrastructuire’ we need to move forward - for years to come.

Until somebody buys them.