After taken a week and a bit break from blogging, social networking etc.. I thought it was time to jump back on the bandwagon and get things moving again. Before I started getting into the grind, I had a wee peak at Google Webmaster Tools where I noticed a number of links coming from a site called Shownar.

After a little bit of investigating it turns out that Shownar is the BBC’s experimental prototype to track buzz online about its shows.

At the moment, Shownar, is centered around the BBC’s iPlayer, but it is expected that, if it becomes popular enough, it will be the main site for taking the online pulse of shows from other TV networks including American.

Why was NSM featured, well it was this post : Top Sources For Online Related News where I mentioned the BBC’s technology program Click!

How does Shownar Work?
Basically by tracking inbound links to various programme-related pages on the bbc.co.uk. Shownar monitors Yahoo! Search BOSS, Nielson Online’s BlogPulse (which indexes over 100 million blogs), and Twingly (which searches microblogging services like Twitter, Jaiku and Identi.ca for links, even when they are shortened using URL shortening services such as TinyURL and bit.ly).

When you consider those that work and are actively social online, just how much information about ourselves do we really reveal?

Think back to the recent Project Gaydar scandal, where two MIT students constructed a program that could tell, with striking accuracy, if a person was gay by analysing their friends list on Facebook.

Now, we have the Canadian Police using social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook to bait and trap potential criminals and predators. Nought much wrong in that but you’ll hear plenty say that it is further proof of the erosion of privacy online.

The counter reaction to that is anything posted online isn’t safe from prying eyes – from emails to private facebook profiles.

We have created Cyber Bullying, Online Identity Theft, Internet Criminal League Tables, FOAF Profiling etc.. all within a raging digital cloud in a matter of a few years. And still we continue to add fuel to the fire. It is expected that those who have an active online social profile will spend a minumum of 50% of their browsing time on social sites as early as the middle of next year!

Not everyone I know has a Facebook page or uses Twitter, in fact a large percentage of my friends and family just ‘ain’t, that interested’. Perhaps, their the lucky ones!

I find myself spending more time than ever before watching or reading technology related news stories. I’d like to say it’s hardly susprising really, given the industry I’m involved in. But the truth lies more with the fact that I normally get given the remote for the channel hopper well close to midnight after ‘The Family’ have given up on the day and saunter off to lullaby mountain.

Then I’m free to catch-up on the latest news and happenings.

I thought I’d write a list of my fav shows / websites that I rely upon to keep me up-to-date. It is a personal taste and those featured on my list may not be the definitive tech news resource centre but sometimes it just comes down to the way the news is presented.

Anyway, enough flaffing, here’s my top sources for online related news – hope you find something which you may have overlooked.

Multilingual Search is a site that has its authors spanning the globe. Always good to read news stories from the four corners of the world that just doesn’t focus primarily on Google.

Multilingual also has sister forums focussing on seo & ppc although I haven’t tread this far down through the site.

I love the Times Technology and Web section, not just for the fact that you know you are going to be reading a well written article but they sometimes behave like a normal personal blog as well.

Publishing top lists, reviews etc… gives it more a personal read rather than hard edged which they also do well when needed.

Fox Personal technology news came about to myself after my late night tv channel surfing and becoming a fan of Bill O’Reilly – don’t ask me to explain that one.

Ok, I know their hooked up with Sky – but is that really so bad. They have a love-love relationship with Twitter, which is why I probably like surfing this site so frequently.

NDTV’s The Next Big Thing is an Indian technology show that normally airs around 1am UK time on the news channel feeds from Sky, you see a trend happening here.

The show is hosted by vibrant presenter, Rajiv Makhni, and does really well in presenting the latest technology news plus light hearted articles like the latest vids from youtube etc … this show is well worth the bleary eyed state in the morning.

BBC’s Click is the dogs dangly bits when it comes to tv technology news programmes. The presenters run through each episode flawlessly, its like what ‘Match Of the Day’ is to football as ‘Click’ is to technology news … it really is that good.

My only quibble is that the section called Webscape is a little thin on the ground with some of its featured sites … but I do understand it is trying to appease the broader nation instead of a nation of geeks.

OK I know another broadsheet newspaper but the Guardian Technology online supplement is a really good read. One thing I do like about the Guardian is their use of the Podcast – I have downloaded and listened to several and all completely interesting.

Jack Schofield is well worth a look, although from previous posts his knowledge of seo was a little off centre. Perhaps he’s brushed up now and ready to ascend into guru status.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. eConsultancy is one site that has its finger on the pulse of the online community. Of course I’m not in anyway biased because I was a published author on there but it is a site that is so much more than just a news portal.

Always at the top of my rss feed and righlty so, it has many layers that will see it become ‘the’ major player in online community news. Mark my words.

If your into advertising and online markeing then Brand Republic should be part of your daily browse. The site is rich in the latest ad news campaigns, press releases, in fact a whole plethora of marketing news.

Also check out the blog section to see what marketers have to say, not always rich in relevant content sometimes but essential to get a better understanding on those peeps who run the big buck campaigns.

If someone where to ask me to choose between the big online technology news channels, then I would have to go with ClickZ over Techcrunch or Wired.

Reason being is ClickZ has been in my news feed for as long as I can remember. And it has never let me down in delivering the news I crave.

Finally, and by no means least, I choose Search Engine Land to get a definitive view of what is happening within the search industry from those with their ear closest to the ground – the SEL authors.

My only gripe is the full-screen ads that SEL deliver to you after a cookie cache clearout. None of the above feel the need to do it and neither should SEL in my opinion.

I know I have left many others out from my list, however I’d love to hear your favourites, so I can expand my rss list even greater and make my online technology reading richer.

Twitter can be an effective tool for promoting your business online. As with anything in life – you only get what you put into it. So, with that in mind, always remember that Twitter is no golden egg but with a bit of effort on your part it could turn into the goose that lays the golden egg for you.

Here is a list of top twitter tips that I have used and advised various businesses to start using to help them getter a better realisation on how Twitter can be, if used correctly, a powerful marketing tool for their business.

Posting to your Twitter Account

Keep it relevant with links : Linking out to certain links when posting a tweet, always ask yourself, “Is this worthy of me telling people about it?” If you are just posting links without any concern, your followers will soon stop clicking and in some instances your followers might decrease.

By all means submit links but don’t just rely on Twitter as a link bank. If you find a followers link worth value then retweet what they have just posted – it highlights that you are interested in your followers and that the conversation isn’t just one way.

Keep an eye on trends : A great way to measure what people are interested in real time is Twitter trends. Dependent on your industry or creativity levels, this is a great way to promote your business/service/product if you can find a relevant angle.

Don’t be afraid of using #hash tags : Getting found on Twitter Search can bring added traffic, followers outwith your own timeline. Don’t get carried away with #hash tags but again try and make them relevant to your tweet and what people might be searching for.

Don’t be afraid of posting the same tweets over again : There is no rule to say you are only allowed to post a tweet once. Remember, you’ll be adding new followers to your account on an almost daily basis, they might not have seen your tweet that drives good traffic.

Also you can use the repeat tweet to test new search parameters with different #hash tags.

Think about using twitter tools : Trying to manage your account from your web page can be messy, especially once you start having more than a few hundred followers. Using browser or desktop tools such as TwitterFox or TweetDeck is a wise move. It makes managing your account much more simpler, you’ll wonder why you never started off with them from the beginning.

Tips for Following on Twitter

Auto following tools : Personally, I don’t recommend using auto-following tools. It may take you longer doing it the manual way and building your following count over a time period but your timeline will be filled with accounts you have personally vetted – adding greater value to your Twitter experience.

Run culls on your account : This should be a weekly or monthly priority for any self respecting Twitter account. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people who run the follow/unfollow game only to boost their own credibility.

Using tools such as Friend or Follow will highlight to you those parasitic accounts that are only interested in building their own followers list.

Check a followers timeline before you follow them : It makes more than perfect sense to always look up the person before you follow them. Blind following is a bad habit to start and can have you following spammers that will turn your timeline into a non-relevant noisy mess.

It doesn’t take long to check out a potential followers last 10 tweets. It is your timeline after all, give it some respect and vet who you want to follow – you’ll get a better experience from Twitter by doing so.

Simple Rules for Followers

Try and answer replies : Those followers or other Twitter users who @ you are your lifeline to making Twitter a success for your business. Again, dependent on the size of your account try and reply to them – if you can.

Word of warning, however, sometimes Twitter accounts do this as a ploy to increase their own visibility or they might also have some other tactic at play. A lot of the time simple common sense can be applied to see who is genuine and who has a game plan.

Retweet followers tweets : Some say the currency of Twitter is the ReTweet (RT) and their not far wrong. If you click on a link within your timeline and you think the information is worthy then by all means please RT.

I normally find the best model for a RT is using the following layout …

Title or Description : url … #hash tags (if appropriate) … ( RT @username)

This layout, I first noticed being used by @pageoneresults and it makes for a perfectly readable RT and I have found it has a better chance of being read than any other layout.

Measuring your Twitter performance

URL shortening & analytic services : It is difficult to monitor just how successful your Twitter business account is growing. Adding followers is one way, but how much of a reach is your tweets actually achieving?

Using URL shortening services such as bit.ly offers you built-in analytics as to how many impressions your tweet achieved and also, more importantly, clicks. You can also see which country your clicks came from and if your tweet was ReTweeted.

I do have a spreadsheet that I use to help manage business accounts – if anyone is interested in receiving the templated version then they can use the comments section and I’ll email them it over.

Promoting your account : Like all good business marketing your Twitter account should also be seen as essential. Have it on your blog/site/business cards/company lit/anywhere you deem necessary. You never know where your next follower/potential lead/sale may came from.

Happy Twittering!

You can follow me on Twitter by clicking here.

Make no bones about it, after reading Jennifer Osborne’s excellent post about ‘So, You want a Career in SEO‘ and reading the poor woman’s frustration in trying to find a suitable applicant for a SEO/Online Marketing position within their company have I ever wanted to post about a subject of considering a career path in SEO.

Looking back on my own fledgling career within the industry if I were to score my progress, in a control freak type headmaster fashion, I’d probably score myself with a B-.

Reason being, is that no matter how much you progress in this business, there is always another page to turn.

Having not ventured into the industry, till I was in my – almost – mid thirties, has helped me with a number of learning curves and also hindered my online experience in the same vein. Y’see, in my other life, I was never a geek, more sports nut, one of the boys, live for the weekend types. Then suddenly, due to my own doings, I’m flung in amongst people at university who are a million miles away from what I’m used to conversing with.

But you adapt!

Most of the online people I know, started off as something else, no-one ever thought off SEO / Online Marketing as a day job, even if they knew off its existence.

I have been many things in my short life, but as an SEO I can truly put my hands up and say that nothing I have done workwise comes close to making you feeling like a God one week and ready for pulling your hair out the next. It can be that emotional sometimes.

Believe me, SEO affects your thinking process, it takes over your dreams, renders you speechless in normal social environments as you grind over in your mind that next pr release or link building tactic or blog post. SEO gets inbetween the bits you didn’t know existed!

Then add a dash of clients into the mix and your truly rocking. It is the ultimate compliment/ responsibility, that a person, company or organisation is willing to pay you in advance for you to deliver what they seek.

Of course, gaining measurable rankings is only part of the journey. Influencing how a site works, communicates and sells to a person browsing is something that comes along eventually with the territory. It is a very potent part of your armoury. SEO is NOT just about rankings – Lesson #1.

So, if your seeking the ultimate in scunnerism, have an addictive nature, seek highs, like to put yourself on the line and like learning from a never-ending book then SEO /Online Marketing is for you. Just don’t expect much sleep! And don’t say I never warned you so … welcome to the best experience of your life.

Quite a few weeks ago I noticed the Daily Mail run a cheeky little script on its web copy that when you copied and pasted an excerpt from one of its articles you also included a link back to the page where it was lifted from, for example :

The dementia affecting hundreds of thousands of Britons may be a legacy of the Second World War, a scientist has claimed.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1213703/Dementia-caused-Second-World-War-claims-scientist.html#ixzz0RGlrjtMy

Now, this script is free and available from Tynt Tracer – www.tynt.com – you have to sign-up, but it is all done in a matter of seconds.

The dashboard shows the number of times paragraphs, words or images get lifted from your site, as below :

Go ahead, try it, copy any text from this site and paste it into notepad or your preferred WYSIWYG and see if the attribute link is copied with it.

Of course there are always ways around these things, most modern browsers you can turn javascript off and on in a few seconds and be away with all the copy you want from a site and Trynt Tracer, if it’s installed, will not have the foggiest that you’ve been. Also you can always just view the source code as well.

Anyways, i’m going to roll with it for a few weeks and see what information I can pick up about the users visiting this site, you never know I might even get a few attribution links generated in this time.

Also, I have another site that gets tons of traffic from Google’s image search that would be ideal for using Tynt Tracer on.

We have undergone another rebrand here at NSM HQ. It is the first part of a total restucture of the site as we look to consolidate ourselves as one of the leading online promotional companies within Scotland.

We have many visual changes ready to be unleashed over the up-and-coming months which we hope will drive even more traffic to NSM.

As our new design instigates a new beginning, we thought it would be fun to look at our progression since our inception back in late 2006.

So, for your enjoyment here are our rebranding changes since we first launched as an online media company. We would love to see other similar companies and how they have shape-shifted their brand through the years. Infact that could be a future blog post that would do well within social media circles.

Anyways, here’s NSM changes since 2006 …

2006

2007

2008

2009

The time is fast approaching for Twitter to start making money from its popular micro-blogging platform. Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter, talked of generating revenue in the fourth quarter. The way that Twitter chooses to monetise the site will no doubt be an interesting one. As many have been guessing and scratching their heads as to how this could be achieved and still see Twitter retain its popular status and continue to grow in user figures.

Stone, implied that they would be looking to add services for businesses, which might include a paid-for analytics dashboard to help businesses monitor their tweets and also what others are saying, helping with interaction.

Stone went on to say that the paid services would be limited at first and never mentioned how much revenue they could generate. Although in the interview (source), Stone did say that Twitter, itself, was looking to increase its staff from 65 to 100 by the end of this year.

They say in life that timing is everything, with this in mind and the looming anniversary of 9/11 this Friday, you can understand why I balked when I saw the below ad. I have thought long and hard about publishing this blog post also the closeness to the 9/11 date itself but at-the-end-of-the-day thought it should be aired.

I have to highlight that I find the ad repulsive and FAIL to find any link between the two events that the ad is supposed to represent.

All it highlights to myself and others whom I have showed it too prior to this post, is that sometimes ad people, marketers can get it so very, very wrong.

Here’s The Ad :

Ad taken from : www.adverblog.com

Did you notice who’s name is stamped all over it? Yep the WWF (World Wildlife Federation), although the WWF have released a statement saying ‘They approved neither the ad’s production nor its publication’.

Instead all the responsibility has been sloppy shouldered back onto the Brazilian agency that created it. Seemingly, it is known in the industry as a scam ad. Which you can view more of here.

Instead of a scam ad, I know what I’d call it – How Can You Sleep At Night You Lowlife Ad

Nobody can denounce the success of Twestival last year. An online global success where cities around this big planet of ours get together and help host events in support of a local cause. Well, Glasgow is no different and this year the event will be held at The Living Room on the 10th of September 2009. The charity that has been chosen is No Strings Attached Scotland (NSA) that offer help to young people in Scotland that suffer with asthma.

The event this year will be held at The Living Room (nothing wrong with a wee bit o’ repetition) located at 150 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, G2 5NE, Glasgow and will run from 7pm til Late.

The schedule for the Glasgow Twestival night includes:

7.00pm – Glasgow Twestival Local 2009 kicks off!
7.15pm – DJ set from We Sink Ships
8.00pm – Panda Su playing a live acoustic set
8.30pm – DJ set from Lucky Hamilton
9.00pm – Any Color Black playing live
9.30pm – An introduction to the Twestival charity No Strings Attached Scotland then the big prize raffle and auction followed by a DJ set from Glasgow Podcart
10.30pm – Pooch playing live
11.00pm til late – DJ set from Jahnzilla

Tickets are still available from the Tweegie Ticket Centre and cost just £10.00 per person

Did you know that oor Lynne (listen to me, you’d think ah knew the lassie) who runs Polr actually designed the Glasgow Twestival logo (below) – if your going to the meet-up and wonder who she is then memorise this image from her Twitter account because she looks just like that… you can also follow Lynne at twitter.com/PoLRweb

Unfortunately, I can’t make it (I have a real job to get on with – watching the wains – the Wife works Thursdays) but hopefully there might be some live streaming taking place so I can still join in with all the fun.

Remember, Glasgow Twestival takes place next Thursday the 10th of September at the The Living Room on St. Vincent Street. Enjoy all.

People to follow regarding the Glasgow Twestival

@gtwestival
@tweegies
@mckayflooring
@nsdesign