Having attended the same conference last year, the biggest improvement was the inclusion of Google. A search marketing conference without Google is no search marketing conference, and unfortunately that was the case in 2008. Google was represented by both its Australia & New Zealand General Manager Karim Temsamani and Tony Keusgen of its Technology Markets division.

Temsamani talked about the fact that even their multi-billion dollar company was affected by the global economic crisis. But he offered positives overall for the web industry, stating "recessions are good for innovation". He also offered positives for the smaller players, stating "it is easier to get ahead when your competition is slowing down".

Temsamani also applauded Kevin Rudd's National Broadband Network (NBN) policy as the "greatest enabler of change that Australian businesses could wish for".

Temsamani talked about the future of web and felt the notion of "openness" as a way forward.

This sentiment was supported by Keusgen, who said an "open" web and "user first" were the most important notions leading Google to success.

The reason Keusgen weighed in with that was because of a question I put to Fairfax Digital's Chief Operating Officer, Nic Cola.

I blogged recently about News Limited Chairman Rupert Murdoch's crazy idea of charging for online news. So as Cola was representing Murdoch's competition, I asked:

"Will Fairfax rule out a similar move in the future?"

I was surprised Cola passed up a golden opportunity to distance themselves from the 'closed' approach being proposed by Murdoch. He said Fairfax Digital will not rule that out by saying they were "always looking at ways to monetise our website". Keusgen, sitting on the same panel as Cola, said Google's successful policy was "putting the user first", clearly rejecting the ramblings of News Limited and Fairfax Digital.

The conference also had a strong focus on mobile internet. It solidly covered mobile applications for the iPhone, and also for Blackberry and Google's Android.

The conference also covered local search, with Sensis representatives and the True Local CEO speaking about their latest offerings in this space.

Overall, a good experience and I feel more illuminated as a result of attending.

Please see my video review of the CeBIT Web Forward internet marketing conference from the Exhibition Centre above.

I completely agree. Simply said, internet is too slow in Australia. Most people won't know the difference until they experience it. Spend our money, speed it up, then let's see who will complain. Let's see who will call for studies then.

Nobody.

He was quoted by Fairfax competitor SMH: "There is no doubt that the traditional newspaper model has to change... classified revenues are undoubtedly migrating to the web, probably not to return."

The reason classified revenue is migrating to the web is because that is where the audience prefers to read your newspapers Mr. Murdoch. And why the web? Ummmm... maybe because it is a very accessible source... Part of its accessible allure is that internet news is free!

Murdoch is further quoted by SMH as using the success of The Wall Street Journal as reasoning that charging a 'subscription' for online content could work.

"That it is possible to charge for content on the web is obvious from the Journal's experience...," says the News Limited dynamo.

He is obviously not as stupid as he sounds, but Mr. Murdoch must surely be aware that the content of The Wall Street Journal, and even Australia's Crikey.com.au for that matter, is very different from the diatribe in his newspaper offerings like The Daily Telegraph and the Herald Sun.

The Journal and Crikey offer original content - essays and commentary that is different to 'this happened and this was said' news.

If Murdoch goes down this path, he will most definitely add this online investment to News Limited's 'failed' list. It will be met with opposition from internet enthusiasts, while his competitors over at Fairfax will become the ultimate beneficiaries.

Driving to work listening to ABC Newsradio, I heard that U.S President Barack Obama delivered a speech at the White House Correspondents Dinner that had the audience in stitches. ABC provided a snippet of the address, where Obama pokes fun at life in Washington.

As I arrived in work, I opened up YouTube and searched Obama, and it came up with the video of the entire speech in two very funny parts.

OBAMA PART 1/2

OBAMA PART 2/2

While watching these, I saw on the right 'RELATED VIDEOS' section that one of my favourite stand-up comics - Wanda Sykes - also had an outing at the same dinner. I clicked through and watched something even funnier than what Obama himself managed to produce!

WANDA SYKES PART 1/2

WANDA SYKES PART 2/2

Other speakers will naturally try and do their best to plug themselves, while providing some worthwhile information to the CEOs, Marketing Chiefs, etc who are attending to get their annual dosage of what's the best way to get traction online.

Last year was all about Social Media Optimisation - focus on blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc - while speakers also covered search, and how search engine optimisation had changed in 2007-08.

This year - 2009 - will also look at search in an even newer light. The conference should also be rich on mobile innovations, including using iPhone or Blackberry applications to promote, mobile search, etc.

I also believe Twitter has made the biggest wave on the social media scene over the last 12 months, and will be covered at length.

I am looking forward to attending with KayWeb Business Analyst Mark Simon - it will be his first time at the Conference.