Social Media Podcast No.20 now available

In Edition No.20 we talk to Iain Murray and Shona Lyttel about Connected FM's commitment to social media as an integral part of their marketing and how their whole web presence revolves around transparency and engagement.  We also discuss the reasons for the forthcoming Podcastmatters name change on the 17th June.

Also mentioned: A rare Zappos mistake and how effectively they dealt with it, John McGuire and Phoenix Car Company's network site, the iPad, the sony Bloggie and Iain's usual gadget, App and software roundup.

We also talk briefly about the forthcoming New Media Breakfasts in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.  The Glasgow (4th June) and Edinburgh (10th June) breakfasts have Ben Rogers of Attacat presenting on Google Analytics and how to get actionable date from your stats.  The Abedeen breakfast (9th June) has two sessions with me discussing podcasting and how it might be useful for your business and, Tim Barlow form Attacat will discuss Search Engine optimisation and pay-per-click advertising.  Tim has already presented this topic at previous Glasgow and Edinburgh breakfasts and everyone found it to be an extremely useful insight into the importance of search and how it works.

You can find full details on all the breakfast events and booking details here.

You can download the Social Media Podcast from iTunes by clicking here.

Want to know the truth about Search Optimisation?

I had a very pleasant lunch yesterday with Tim Barlow and some of the team at Attacat, a great bunch with lots of knowledge, expertise, and enthusiasm. Naturally, the conversation was focused around social media and search optimisation and it occurred to me that perhaps companies could be so wrapped up in adopting new 'sexy' social media tools that they forget about search optimisation.

Search is still the primary method by which someone will find your web site and it shouldn't be overlooked. In fact, you could argue that it is more important than ever; the increase in businesses using social media platforms in addition to their tradition web site could mean it's getting more difficult to be noticed on search engines.

I also think it's a particular area of new media that gets a bad name; everyday I get emails promising me a No.1 listing on Google, how can they possibly promise this? People ask many questions about search optimisation:

• What do search optmisation companies actually do?
• Why do I have to keep optimising my site?
• Can anyone guarantee a No.1 listing?
• How do I decide what to spend on search optimisation?
• Can I do it myself or should I use an agency?

Hopefully we can answer some of these questions for you; Tim Barlow is the next New Media Breakfast speaker, on 26th March in Glasgow and the 15th April in Edinburgh. Tim will give a completely honest and open presentation about search optimisation and, you will have the opportunity to ask him these and any other questions about search optimisation and pay-per-click advertising.

If you would like to attend the New Media Breakfast in Glasgow or Edinburgh please select one of the links below to see full details and booking arrangements

GLASGOW EVENT

EDINBURGH EVENT

By 2013 mobile devices will be the most popular method to access the web.

I've just been corrected by our speaker on Friday, Iain Murray, that mobile devices will become the favoured access method to the internet by 2013 (How quickly things change in Social Media). So, I have decided to repose this blog with the correct heading.


Find out about social media on the move at the New Media Breakfast in Glasgow on the 26th February with Iain Murray for Chardfm and the Podcastmatters team. For full venue, programme and booking details please link here

Social Media on the move - 140 characters can go a long way

Twitter is on everybody's fingertips, status updates are fast becoming a way of life and the corporate world is getting in on the act; this month's New Media Breakfast will examine various web based sites that help you make full use of Twitter and other social media platforms whilst on the move.

We'll also take a look at some of the smartphone platforms such as: Symbian, Android, iPhone,Windows, Linux and Blackberry.

We are delighted to have Iain Murray, a regular attendee at the New Media Breakfast, to present on this extremely topical subject.

Iain is Managing Director of Chardfm Scotland’s fastest growing fm business, delivering multi-skilled fm services through a network of mobile engineers. The business made a significant investment in technology in 2009 which won them two national awards, the PFM Magazine and i-fm.net e-business award and national contractor of the year award from Mitchells & Butlers. During the same year Chardfm secured significant new business including the account to maintain the Co-operative Groups retail and banking outlets.

Iain has a track record of success in business, starting his first fm business in 1992, he has managed significant property portfolio’s including 68 care homes for Highfield Group. In 1999 Iain established Gardiner & Theobald Facilities Management for the G&T Group which grew to be the largest fm consultancy in the UK, delivering fm advice into the UK and NI governments, MOD, British Library and Cabinet Office. Iain left GTFM in 2004 to establish Jenkins & Marr Facilities Management which was sold to SMC Group plc. in 2006. In 2008 Iain joined Chardfm.

Iain is also the Chairman of the British Institute of Facilities Management the second largest fm Institute globally. His two year tenure finishes in June of this year after which he is hoping to join the Board of Global FM, the worldwide association of associations. Iain has been instrumental in moving the Institute towards more use of Social Media and regularly blogs and tweets during his Institute business. IFMA the American fm association recently published an article in their FMJ publication to their 50,000 readers on social media in business penned by Iain.

Iain is a member of the Entrepreneurial Exchange and is working on their behalf with Enlight the venture philanthropy part of the Exchange providing assistance to Skillforce.

Iain has been affectionately known to his friends as ‘gadget man’ for far too long, he has a passionate interest in technology and has a mantra of ‘if it improves productivity it’s not a gadget’, he started using Social Media in 2007 when he took the Chair of BIFM, blogging weekly until discovering and actively using Twitter, his business Chardfm has won awards for its deployment of technology and is actively using Social Media to develop new business. He has regularly tweeted at the New Media Breakfast’s.

The New Media Breakfast Glasgow is on the 26th February at No.29, Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow.

You can book your place below.

COMPLIMENTARY FOR 29 MEMBERS

This event is complimentary to 29 Members - If you are a member you
should email Malcolm to reserve your place.

I look forward to seeing you on the 26th.

INVERNESS
Click here for full details on the next New Media Breakfast Inverness 18th February

EDINBURGH  

Click here for full details on the next New Media Breakfast Edinburgh 19th February

Looking forward to a good discussion...

With 83 people pre-booked for the New Media Breakfast at 8am in 29, Glasgow, we're looking forward to some interesting discussion about Social Media in the workplace.

We've got representatives from over 60 organisations and a wide variety of market sectors so hopefully we'll get a real cross section of views.

Watch out for our report and social media podcast.

Social Media Podcast No.13 - What we did in a car park in Inverurie!

In this episode we discuss the Wired Magazine article - Vanish. Evan Ratliff tried to disappear for a month, did he conduct a realistic exercise. Can you disappear and maintain a social media profile? Read the article in Wired

We talk to Eddie Gilmour, MD of Spymasters about the exercise and your digital footprint

We also talk about Bakupify which offers a back-up service for all your social media activity

What we got up to in a car park in Inverurie with a cow!

Beans on Toast - We review the Red Laser iPhone App

We also review a couple of other iPhone Apps - AudioBoo and Four Square

Although, we may have referred to Four Square as SquareSpace in the podcast which is something completely different! We will address this in the next podcast (I blame Kyle!)

New Media Breakfast 29th January - Social Media in the Work Place

New Media Breakfast Glasgow 29th January

SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE WORKPLACE

Exploring the issues surrounding employee access and the use of social media as a communication tool.

We have been asked on numerous occasions in the latter part of 2009, and already in 2010, about allowing employees access to social networks at work; should they encourage employees to use social networking in connection with their business and, what are the potential pitfalls if they do?

There is no right or wrong answer to this; many factors will influence whether or not it is right for your business.  With this in mind, the next New Media Breakfast will explore the topic in order to help you make a more informed decision about allowing access and the use of social media in your business.

The meeting will be an open discussion with two or three very short presentations designed to help the process.  We are still formalising the exact content of each presentation however, we will structure them to help cover the following issues:

• Does enabling social networks in the workplace adversely affect productivity?

• What are the options if I do allow staff to use social networks?

• Are guidelines available?

• What are other organisations doing?

• What are the potential risks and rewards?

• Will it fit with other marketing activities?

• What does it cost?

• What are the common mistakes?

• Can you keep your brand off social media?

We don’t particularly want to focus too much on actual social media tools, they will change; this discussion is more about the principle of adopting social media as a communication tool.

There is little doubt you will continue to hear about social media in 2010 and you will probably be asking if, and when, it is right for your business; hopefully this New Media Breakfast will help you to focus on the issues you need to consider to make the right decision.

So, if you would like to be part of the discussion or, you simply want to hear what others think, come along on the 29^th to No. 29, Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow.  We would like to see you there and we look forward to finding out the thoughts of business leaders, charitable organisations and the public sector about this extremely important issue.

To book your place click here and follow the payment details at the bottom of the page.

No.29 Members

If you are a 29 Member please email Malcolm with your name, company name and 29 membership number.