WebProNews

YouTube Launches Promoted Videos In Australia, Japan

YouTube's Promoted Videos program has spread again.  In addition to Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the U.K., and the U.S., promoted videos are now available in Australia and Japan. If you're not familiar with the Promoted Videos program, the following video does a pretty good job of explaining its purpose (odd motorcycle accident metaphor aside):

MySpace Music Goes Down Under

Today MySpace announced the launch of MySpace Music in Australia and New Zealand. This release represents the first for MySpace Music outside of the United States. The launch brings a new e-commerce partnership to MySpace Music with iTunes providing the music downloads locally, a MySpace spokesperson tells WebProNews. She also shares the following stats for the US version of MySpace Music: Source: Nielsen Netview / August 2009

Yahoo7 Acquires Major Travel Site

The company that represents a 50-50 partnership between Yahoo and the Seven Network Limited, which is one of Australia's largest media groups, is on the move.  Yahoo7 acquired Totaltravel.com for perhaps about $17 million.

Twitter Performing Well In Australia

Twitter fans should be pleased to hear that it's almost definitely taking over the world.  U.S. stats have long indicated a strong growth pattern, data from the U.K. has done the same, and now, Hitwise has presented a report on Twitter's increasing influence on Australia.

Australian Twitterers Can Now Easily Find Locals

Twitterers in Australia will be happy to know that TwellowHood, the Twellow feature that allows Twitterers to connect with people in their own area, is now available in Australia. Previously, it has been available in the US and Canada, and will continued to be expanded to other parts of the world.

Facebook Most Popular Social Site In Australia

More than 70 percent of Internet users in Australia visited a social networking site in June, up 29 percent from the previous year, according to a new study from comScore. "Social networking continues to grow in popularity both across Australia and throughout the world," said Will Hodgman, comScore executive vice president for the Asia-Pacific region.

iGoogle Introduces Social Gadgets

It looks like the term "iGoogle" is about to grow a little less apt.  Starting this week, social gadgets will debut for iGoogle, allowing and encouraging some users to connect and interact with each other. Initially, people in Australia are the only ones who will gain access to the new gadgets.  There are twelve of them (more should come out later), and they provide gateways to things including News.com.au, YouTube, GoComics, and chess.

Google Strikes Record-Breaking NZ/AUS Deal

For at least the next three years, Google will play a significant role in the delivery of New Zealanders' mail.  The Postal Services Group of New Zealand Post has entered an agreement that'll have it putting Google Apps in front of 2,100 employees. This counts as Google's largest commercial deal yet in New Zealand or Australia.  It's supposed to save New Zealand Post (which is a state-owned enterprise) in the neighborhood of $2 million over the course of three years.

Google Adds Real Estate to Australian Maps

Over a year ago, Google started incorporating real estate search into Google Maps in the US. Now Australia gets the feature.

A Marketing Agency Poses As A Police Department

It was only a matter of time before something like this would happen. Social media in the hands of most people is harmless. A marketing agency in New South Wales, Australia is about to enter the pantheon of social media for an ‘experiment’ it conducted. Of course, most who reach this status are put there for their contribution to moving the medium forward.