Search Engines: From Indexers to Distributors?

We are excited about our partnership with the InfoCommerce Group to produce DataContent 2012, coming up October 9-11 in Philadephia. The conference will focus on discovering the next big thing in publishing: The intersection of Data, Community and Markets at DataContent 2012. If you don’t know him, Russ Perkins the founder of InfoCommerce Group, is one of the more thoughtful individuals in our industry on all things data. As we lead up to the conference, we will be highlighting posts from his blog which focus on the issues and topics we will be discussing at DataContent 2012. Enjoy!

Search Engines: From Indexers to Distributors?

A New York Times article this week, entitled “From Search, to Fetch,” describes moves by both Google and Bing to get you to an answer faster. Called the “Knowledge Graph” by Google and “Snapshot” by Bing, you’ll find that searches for certain types of information will now bring you a highly summarized presentation of key facts without needing to click on any of the links shown in the search results. Read more.


Russell Perkins is Founder & Managing Director, InfoCommerce Group Inc. Russell has over 20 years experience in all facets of the database publishing industry. He is the author of Directory Publishing: A Practical Guide, which is now in its fifth edition, and InfoCommerce: Internet Strategies for Database Publishers.

Gearing up for DataContent: Data Insight from Russ Perkins

We are excited about our partnership with the InfoCommerce Group to produce DataContent 2012, coming up October 9-11 in Philadephia. The conference will focus on discovering the next big thing in publishing: The intersection of Data, Community and Markets at DataContent 2012.

If you don’t know him, Russ Perkins the founder of InfoCommerce Group is one of the more thoughtful individuals in our industry on all things data. As we lead up to the conference, we will be highlighting posts from his blog which focus on the issues and topics we will be discussing at DataContent 2012. Enjoy!

To Find Gold, Dig Deep
The travails of the traditional yellow pages industry are serious, with no end in sight. There are some interesting lessons and insights that can be drawn from the remarkable and relatively rapid meltdown of this seemingly bulletproof and impossibly profitable segment of the data publishing industry. Read more

To Market, To Market
I have long been interested in the fine line that often divides marketplaces and buying guides, a topic that I am sure keeps all of us up at night at least every so often. A string of recent new website announcements has me back thinking about this again. Read more

If the Pipe Fits
Clay Shirky, the well-known professor at the renowned Interactive Telecommunications Program at NYU, in a recent interview gave this summation of the publishing industry: Publishing is not evolving. Publishing is going away. Because the word “publishing” means a cadre of professionals who are taking on the incredible difficulty and complexity and expense of making something public. That’s not a job anymore. That’s a button Read more

Tracking Error

A new report released by the Federal Trade Commission this week makes a strong case for increased online consumer privacy protection. This report builds on the “Consumer Data Privacy Bill of Rights” issued by the White House last month. The White House document is largely aspirational, setting general goals such as “Consumers have a right to secure the responsible handling of personal data.” The FTC report is far more specific, and includes an endorsement of a “do not track” option for consumers, along with a recommendation that “data brokers” be required to allow consumers to inspect the data that have been collected about them. Read more

Made to Measure
It’s been well-known for many years that Google periodically alters its search algorithms. These changes are made for two reasons: to improve the quality of search results, and to push back against those sites that it believes are gaming the system. To Google, gaming the system means that a website operator has divined in part how the Google search algorithm prioritizes results, and uses that knowledge to improve its own search results rankings. Read more

Dead Letter Office
I got a call from the new postmaster at our local post office the other day. Her staff had apparently discovered a sizable stack of year-old nixies from our conference promotions, and wanted to know if I would still be interested in them, for the requisite fee of course. After ruefully noting that the Postal Service is, “really hurting for money,” she pretty much offered to drop them off right away if we would just have a check waiting. Read more


Jennifer HansenJennifer Hansen is Program Manager for the SIIA Content Division.

SIIA Announces Partnership with InfoCommerce Group to Produce Information Industry’s Only Data Content Conference

SIIA’s Content Division today announced that it has partnered with InfoCommerce Group (ICG) to produce the annual DataContent Conference. The event, which takes place October 9-10 in Philadelphia, PA, is the only conference devoted solely to producers of commercial data products.

DataContent has become the primary meeting ground for publishers to get in-depth and up-close looks at the new ideas, new business models and innovative new companies that are defining the business of business information. DataContent is distinguished by the quality of attendees, which include large numbers of C-level publishing executives, entrepreneurs, bankers, private equity groups and advisory companies. In partnering with ICG, SIIA will apply its more than 20 years as a leader in the information and content industry to develop new programs and broaden the event’s reach.

Combining our years of experience in information and content with ICG’s tremendous commercial data expertise will make DataContent even more valuable to attendees. We’ll bring new ideas, access to leading executives, and a broad reach among audiences that care about data publishing. The DataContent Conference and ICG’s principals have been serving this industry for over 25 years. The event is a catalyst for new talent entering the industry and has a deep and powerful connection to established players.

The DataContent Conference is focused on data publishing and draws information-based businesses, from established traditional enterprises in various stages of evolution, to cutting-edge technology in search of a viable business model. These businesses come together to learn about the latest industry developments, hear from top speakers, and identify new opportunities with those who can help make them happen. No other conference both offers a deep and highly focused discussion of business information and attracts nearly all of the leading players driving the industry. SIIA and ICG are currently working to develop the program for 2012, and more details will be announced in the near future.


Kathy Greenler Sexton is Vice President and General Manager for the SIIA Content Division.