Blogging is almost the grandfather of social media. There are millions of blogs and bloggers worldwide, some read by millions, others by only a few.But, done properly, blogs can be a very important part of social media marketing for small businesses. Here’s why:

Convey your brand personality - even the best websites can be a bit dull. The best way to spice up your site is to include a blog. Here you can be more informal and get across your personality and the personality of your brand.

Demonstrate your knowledge, experience or expertise - blogging is a great way to demonstrate that you know what you are talking about. By going into greater depth on a subject you will engage with your visitors and demonstrate your knowledge

Make your website feel alive and up to date - static business websites can often feel as though they are ignored and are rarely updated. A blog will give regular, dynamic content that is changing on a frequent basis.

Give your customers added value - by blogging regularly, you can give visitors yet another reason to come back and visit your site, especially if you are using RSS or Twitter to send out updates about your recent posts
Help with search engine optimisation - a blog is a great way to build extra visibility with the search engines. Make sure your content is relevant and includes plenty of your popular search keywords.

Give visitors a reason to buy - whilst your website will give visitors lots of information about your products or services, your blog will offer a way for you to demonstrate why they are important or valuable. This could be through tips, guidance or possibly even case studies.

Become a thought leader - by blogging on a regular basis, you will build up a following in your industry and this will improve your recognition and publicity far and beyond your traditional customer base.

Valuable content for other social media channels - with so many social media networks out there, the challenge is often knowing exactly what content to share. Having regular blog posts provides a vast array of new, fresh content that you can tweet or share to your heart’s content!

Show you care - the time and effort that you dedicate to blogging will show to your website visitors that you really care about this business and are happy to go that extra mile

Embrace the blogosphere - blogging isn’t the end of the matter. If you are really going to make a blogging strategy successful, you need to be out there in the blogosphere commenting on other blogs and joining in the conversation. If you do this, your blog will be better known and your traffic will really start to grow
What else is there? What other reasons do you have for why small businesses should blog? Let us know in the comments!

By Social Small Biz on November 29, 2009

On the 3rd of February 2010 our own Mash Co-founder Phil Edelston conducted a presentation named the “Ingredients of Marketing Mix”.

He delivered an engaging and inspirational session to a group of thirty ambitious students, all of whom harbour an ambition to become successful entrepreneurs.The presentation was part of a three day course linking in with NACUE - The National Consortium of University Entrepreneurs (www.nacue.com) which took place at the London Metropolitan University. Phil aimed to provide a detailed and practical coaching strategy covering key points such as:

• The background of marketing.
• What a marketing strategy is.
• How to put a strategy together.

Phil prepared by digging back into his own university lectures, using his own knowledge and experience combined to deliver an interactive and productive presentation.
Once the basic points were covered, Phil focused on marketing in today’s society and the accessibility that has been created through the current digital and social media.

As a widely expanding and popular domain, the participants were able to benefit in learning how to use these opportunities to their advantage.

As a successful entrepreneur himself (Phil co-founded Mash - www.mashmarketing.co.uk and Dylan* - www.dylanlondon.com ), Phil’s aim is to empower up and coming entrepreneurs, assisting in fast tracking their goals and provide any knowledge share that can help drive successful marketing initiatives through their businesses.

You can link in with Phil through www.linkedin.com/in/connectphiledelston

Over 1.5 billion people-one quarter of the world’s population-live in areas with no access to electricity, according to a recent UN report.Capitalizing on a sport’s global appeal to address this problem, a group of Harvard University students developed sOccket, a soccer ball that turns energy from a kick into electricity.

The portable energy-harvesting device captures the impact energy normally dissipated when the ball is kicked, storing it to charge lights, cell phones and batteries. It works with inductive coil technology, similar to that found in flashlights that power up when shaken.

For each 15 minutes of play, it can store enough energy to power a small LED light for three hours. sOccket could eventually help ease the reliance on toxic kerosene lamps in developing nations, thereby reducing the associated health risks.

Currently in the prototyping stages, sOccket has been successfully piloted in Durban, South Africa, and the development team has plans to market a commercial version of the sOccket in Western countries as a high-end tech toy, possibly using a “buy one-give one” model, to subsidize the cost of distributing sOccket in developing nations.

Being an all-in-one soccer ball, portable generator, community builder and global health tool, sOccket is another shining example of the functionall trend covered in our sister site’s latest briefing.

sOccket has attracted several development funding grants and is now in the process of developing production and distribution partnerships.

One to partner with or otherwise get involved in? (Related: Hippo water roller - Single-use toilet bag turns human waste into fertilizer.)

http://www.soccket.com/

BSkyB is aiming to do for sports broadcasting what James Cameron did for cinema with special effects blockbuster Avatar, with the move to air this weekend’s Premier League clash between Arsenal and Manchester United in 3D.

The satellite broadcaster, which is showing the special 3D feed of this Sunday’s Premier League clash in a handful of pubs across the country, claims it will be the first transmission of a live 3D TV sports event to a public audience.

Sunday’s test broadcast comes ahead of a plan to roll out the 3D TV service to hundreds of the tens of thousands of UK pubs that subscribe to Sky TV from April.

BSkyB then has the ambitious plan to bring 3D to the living room by the end of the year. The 3D channel will initially be made available at no extra cost to the million-plus Sky high definition TV subscribers who also pay for its premium sports and movies services.

This weekend’s test, a chance for BSkyB to “kick the tyres” of the service, will see nine pubs kitted out with a number of 3D-ready TV sets.

BSkyB will not name the pubs, for fear of overcrowding, but has said football fans at four London establishments, two in Manchester and one each in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Dublin will find they have the option of watching the game on a 3D screen.

The company estimates that between 450 and 700 viewers will get to see the match in 3D and is confident they will not balk at having to don 3D spectacles to watch the game.

“We have done consumer testing and people forget pretty quickly that they are wearing them and if a large group is doing it people don’t really worry about it. I’ve seen people wear far sillier things in the pub [than 3D specs],” said Brian Lenz, the director of product design at BSkyB.

“People will get a sense that they are looking through a window right into the game, a portal into the Emirates [Arsenal stadium] with the best seats in the house. It is going to become a must-have, a must-want,” Lenz added.

He said TV manufacturers such as Sony and Samsung intend to make sure that up to 40% of their ranges will be 3D ready in the next couple of years.

“The programming has to be top quality, we view 3D TV as an ‘appointment-to-view’ proposition, we don’t intend to try and fill the whole schedule with 3D programming,” he added.

BSkyB plans to make the Sunday 4pm match it airs every week the special 3D broadcast.

Earlier this month mobile operator O2 said that it intended to screen two of England’s rugby matches in this year’s Six Nations tournament in 3D in 40 Odeon and Cineworld cinemas.

In 2008 the BBC broadcast one of the world’s first live matches in 3D when it beamed back the Six Nations match between Scotland and England to a cinema in London.

Apple’s new iPad at first might look like a bigger version of the iPhone although it has the capabilities to change the way publishers sell content and help package goods. As a multimedia tablet it supports not only textbooks but also video, audio and whole heap of applications, 140,000 o of which are out already. Best of all you can pick one up for as little as $499. So how will this effect the media market?

1. Paid content gets more attractive. Suddenly major publishers will have the opportunity to sell their content on a subscription basis, bundled into your monthly iPad contract. A bit like Spotifyselling music on their platform. You have the option to buy advertisement funded content or if you want it uninterrupted just subscribe.

2. Social Media subscription. Suddenly we will have social networking application which be designed for Apple iPad only. What are the advantages? Firstly you have a big enough screen to navigagte easily. It will help form a niche social network which will work like real social networking events. It will work online when you are away (via video chat perhaps?) and will require you to hold up the iPad in your hand when you are physically networking to identify the members. Great example of online meets offline.

3. News readers. Apple iPad will become the preferred gadget for news readers on your television. They will ditch their bulky laptops and embrace the iPad. This will happen sooner than you think!

4. Video game market. More video games will be released on a 12/18 months contract basis. Games as a Service (GaaS). This will bring the prices down and distribute the cost to a affordable monthly payment. Making game publishers a recurring revenue and boosting sales by making it affordable.

5. iTunes will be your digital subscription Walmart. If you haven’t still realised iTunes now sells anything from video, music, applications, e-Books and games. More so it will become the one stop shop to buy anything digital, whether it’s news, jokes, video games, social networking etc. In essence like your local Walmart store.

6. Movie premier on iPad. As iPad becomes popular there will be movies which will be released on it before they hit DVDs. It’s already happening to an extent on iTunes but now the tablet has given us a reason, especially for people who spend a awful amount of time commuting everyday.

7. iPad ready websites. Soon we will have wesbites compatible with the ipad i.e. they will render the experience to fit your iPad. A bit like iPhone/iTouch websites (example Facebook iPhone). These will provide new opportunities for web developers and publishers, providing a new range of rich media pages and e-commerce transactions. iPad-commerce?

In conclusion, these 7 changes are only the tip of the iceberg. We will see a wide variety of innovative products and services on the iPad. The mobility, screen size and mainly the prize have really made this an exciting opportunity for publishers and consumers.

Drawing from some of the most pivotal points in his life, Steve Jobs, chief executive officer and co-founder of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, urged graduates to pursue their dreams…

Flash Sushi is bringing the shadowy Japanese tradition of Nyotaimori, the art of eating sushi off a naked female body, back to London until March this year.
For centuries this rare practice was the preserve of Japan’s elite, but has been brought to the event scene in London, with reportedly high demand.

Flash Sushi will offer a limited number of places until March 2010, when the concept ends.

Diners are invited to varying locations at different times of the month. Once you have a confirmed place at the Flash Sushi table, the dinner’s location is divulged 24 hours prior to the event.

All locations are within Central London, and diners are alerted by SMS message.

Between 12 and 24 other gastro thrill-seekers will gather at each session for a champagne reception before taking seats for a ten-course, seasonal Omakase style sushi dinner.

For more click on the original link:

http://www.eventmagazine.co.uk/news/bulletin/newsbulletin/article/977923/?DCMP=EMC-NewsBulletin

50 albums you need to hear in 2010

January means only one thing in Music World: new albums time. This week’s NME issue takes a look at the most anticipated releases of the year, and speaks to the stars making them in the studio. Click on for the 50 most exciting projects coming your way soon…

http://www.nme.com/photos/50-albums-you-need-to-hear-in-2010/162718/1/1

Looking back at 2009, we can say that it was the most interesting time in the web technology ( despite the harsh economy). The year 2009 boosted the potential of mobile gadgets and its value in today’s networked society. We can call it the rise of social awareness of networking and communicating.

So when we look ahead in 2010, we will see that the innovation has just begun. So here are the lists of technologies, which I think, will rock the year 2010. Most of the technologies that will be mentioned are related to online media and the Internet.

1. Apple’s Tablet

The noises and speculations are too high to ignore the presence of Apple’s Tablet. If all the rumors are authentic and, if by all means, Apple launches the iSlate on 25th January, then it’s going to be the thing to talk about in 2010.

We must admit that a tablet is a concept that has been around us for a very long time. But it is still not the consumer device that people would die for. But after the increase in sales and demands of Amazon Kindle and Nook, the market is pretty sure that a tablet is soon to be the device to have. So at this time, if Apple can bring the device with the interface that people are looking for then that’s it - We have our new iPOD. It is not a biased statement, but a truth in some way.

The reason that I say is because Online Reading is something that every Internet users do and Tablet provides the best way to consume the Internet content. Though we might still be working on a Laptop, Tablet will be the way to consume digital content.

2. NetPhone

We are already seeing the importance of Google Voice, which many Americans have enjoyed. We already have a software like Skype which allows you to communicate through the internet data line.

This demonstrates that people are still comfortable with voice communication and it is not going to die. We would still want to call our friends and families and communicate. Hence, we might see more advancement in VOIP technology.

Though mobile network providers would have to play a hard battle with the VOIP services, the conflict between these two models will end once we have more and more VOIP services running in our mobile devices.

3. Net Neutrality

The rise of Smartphone have suddenly put a lot of pressure on the mobile network providers. The online content consumption and communication have stressed out the network providers. One of the prominent example is the failure of At&T to meet the iPhone’s demand. This have forced the content providers and distributors into two opposite poles.

Content providers like Google (YouTube for video content) consumes a lot of bandwidth. This is not good for the network providers because they have to face the burden of handling the requests. On the other hand, content providers don’t have to pay anything to the distributors. As a result, Network providers would have to increased their fees. Now, this brings a great conflict between the consumers, the providers and the distributors.

Net neutrality is all about giving full access to the Internet without any restrictions. But we still need to see some agreement between the providers and the distributors. Hence, we might be able to see some breakthroughs on Net Neutrality in 2010 which would solve the current problems.

4. Social Profile Management(Advanced Analytics)

Online Social Networking sites have blasted the news channel on each opportunities in 2009 and it will continue to do so in 2010. More and more real time contents would be distributed online and consumed by people. Online networking will see more than just sharing information.

2009 had an overwhelming reaction towards social media which created a lot of junk in the Internet. Currently, informations and contents go to waste and don’t make their way toward the targeted audiences.

2010 will see a revolution towards social profile management with advance analytics. This will be applying spam control over your networks and strengthening the efficiency of your network connections. As sites like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook are used in professional hiring, Profile search will also be a big thing. Social network provides a best way to reach out to potential businesses. Hence search (not for content) but for people should be big. Social profile management with advance analytics will be the next big thing for social networks

5. Virtualization

Client desktop computing is surely the new way towards connecting people to offices. Virtual desktops or Virtual machines will soon be employed in many offices providing better flexibility to hardware and software selection.

This will reduce the hardware cost of servers and desktops and CPU maintenance in office. This will also reduce the cost of softwares as most will be deployed in the virtual machines. This is a key to cutting costs, lowering complexity, as well as increasing agility as needs shift.

6. Online TV

YouTube and other online video sharing sites have almost killed Television. The new generations prefer Internet over TV channels. As with the music industry, TV channels have understood that going online is the only way towards future and they have to jump into this bandwagon before it’s too late.

There are already many commercial channels shifting their attention from TV to Youtube or other sites like Hulu. Further, Google have already announced its paid content over Youtube and the new video advertising technology.

Along with TV, advertising also has to make its way to the eco-system and we already know of many rumors over Apple and Google coming with ways to prevent viewers from skipping the ads. This provides great opportunity for TV Channels to enter into the Internet. Hence 2010 will certainly see hand and hand cooperation of the Internet providers and the Online TV channels.

7. Cloud Computing

Cloud computing will be the new way of doing business over the internet. It will be more of virtual resources management, where company can optimize his/her resources according to needs and dynamic adaption to changes. This will allow companies to greatly enhance their products and services. Cloud computing will also leverage the potential of web applications in the Internet and we might be seeing some great online applications for users and also enterprise solutions.
8. Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality is going to blow people’s mind in 2010. With the help of mobile computing, GPS technology, mobile camera and Google maps, mobile applications are going to have much more power to bring the experience to the user than in the past.

Further, the core of the technology will be the mobile camera and the placement of processed information on top of live streaming contents from the camera.

We are already seeing some of it with mobile GPS applications, but 2010 will clearly put these applications on the top shelf of mobile apps. This will allow users to get information by integrating physical reality and virtual world.

9. Online Microsoft Office

Microsoft did face a lot of failures in 2009, starting with its slow rise of Bing and failure of Windows Mobile 6.5. So 2009 was not the year for Microsoft, but we could expect more from Microsoft in 2010. It’s Windows 7 have received good reviews, hence in 2010 we may get to read more about it. Windows Mobile 7 is also on its way, it might help Microsoft gain over their Smartphone market share.

But above all, we might get to read about Microsoft’s online OS. With the strength of today’s computing power over the Internet, the time is right for Online Office Suite. We have already seen the success of the Google Docs, so the speculation is high for Online Office. Hopefully this will reduce their cost and avoid nagging updates. The new competition is obviously on the Internet.

10. Mobile Transaction (Mobile Banking)

We surely need to get rid of credit cards and debit cards. They have already become less attractive in terms of monetary transaction. Once mobile phones starthandling our financial details, we will see a huge potential for mobile transactions and mobile banking.

Mobile application builders have already started making applications for enterprise solution by adopting enterprise protocol. For mobile banking and transactions to be successful we need an enterprise solution over the mobile network, similar to RIM’s Blackberry, which will confirm security over the mobile transaction.

The year 2010 will certainly see the glimpse of future’s monetary transaction.

- source: globalthoughtz.com

SOCIAL order crumbled and mass executions of sacrificial virgins were ordered as over a centimetre of snow fell in some parts of London today.

Putney virgins must dieAs temperatures plummeted mayor Boris Johnson abandoned snowbound boroughs and told them to fend for themselves and eat each other if necessary.

Johnson said: “We can’t save the people of Putney now, we can only pray that the gods spare them. All we can do is hope the blood of 100 virgins appeases the snow sprites and makes the roads usable once more.”

Many famous London landmarks, including the National Gallery and Madam Tussaud’s are currently ablaze as locals try to ward off the white terror.

London cabbie Charlie Reeves said: “It’s a bleedin’ shame all them Rembrandts had to go up but that weird white stuff has gorn away now, so maybe Jack Sleet hates Dutch Golden Age art? I blame the Polish comin’ over here and bringing it wiv them, meself.

He added: “Mind you, Tussaud’s has gone up a treat. It’s like a giant candle made out of corpses. Luverly.”

This evening will see the sacrificial virgins pushed off the top of Nelson’s Column into a blazing pit of Monets followed by a carol service by the Westminster choir. The ceremony has not been conducted since 1751, when half of London died as several ponds froze over for three days.

Boris Johnson added: “We can only assume we have angered Old Flaky in some way, possibly with our plans to extend the Congestion Zone. I’ve commissioned a think tank to look into alternative methods of snow god appeasement, such as Jew expulsion or making the Queen dance erotically on the roof of Buckingham Palace.”

Martin Bishop, a Carlisle-born builder working in London, said: “They’re like this all the time, you know. You should have seen my neighbours when some of their roof tiles blew off last winter. You couldn’t move for slaughtered chickens in our cul de sac.”

:: Courteousy of The Daily Mash, Dec 2009